TESTED: Taurus Deputy Revolver

Nothing screams “FUN!” like a single-action six-shooter, and Taurus’ recently introduced Deputy revolver is certainly all that and more

by Bob Campbell

There is something about a single-action revolver that takes us back in time to an Old West that never really existed. The Old West we dream of is the one conjured up by the cinema — John Ford and actors like John Wayne and Lee Marvin. Or perhaps Zane Grey’s novels. The Single Action Army is remarkably long-lived, having first seen production in 1873. Today, several makers offer SAA-type revolvers. Quality varies, and some are not as good as the original. Others are works of art. Is the Taurus Deputy a revolver that may have been carried across the great American West with confidence? In this case, the drovers never had it so good.

The Taurus Deputy is a single-action revolver with a choice of barrel lengths. Mine is the gunfighter length at 4 ¾ inches. This is the length arrived at after drovers, marshals, and others, wanting a handier revolver, cut the 7 1/2-inch barrel off at the end of the ejector rod housing. A 5 ½ inch barrel may be a bit better balanced; the 7 ½ inch barrel more accurate.

Tested: Taurus Deputy Revolver — The Taurus Deputy is a nicely fitted and well-finished single-action revolver.

The 4 ¾ inch gunfighter length is what I like for clearing leather quickly and getting on target fast at close range. While the SAA’s days as a front-line defensive weapon are over, the Deputy offers plenty of recreational value and will be a good choice for Cowboy Action Shooting. As a utility revolver for dealing with animals at modest ranges, the Deputy has merit. We don’t all need a magnum. The SAA is a joy to simply handle and fire. The slow, easy cocking, the sound as the hammer rocks back into its full-cock notch is comforting. My son is an experienced Army Major, and he is happier with his SAA types than with any other firearm for fun shooting. They are just that kind of gun.

The new old gun is well balanced — what the old-time writers called “lively in the hand.” The Taurus Deputy is available in both .357 Magnum and .45 Colt. I admit the Magnum is more versatile and may be used with more affordable .38 Special ammunition. I simply like the smell of gunpowder smoke best when it is the result of touching off a .45. If you favor the .45, you really should be a handloader.

The example on hand in .45 Colt with a 4 ¾-inch barrel weighs just over 36 ounces. The frame and cylinder are steel. The finish is a nice, deep blue. Taurus expertly polished the metal before bluing. There are no blemishes of any type. The grips are hard plastic and are nicely fitted to the frame without overlap.

This revolver is called a single action because the trigger does one thing: it drops the hammer. The revolver is made ready by opening the loading gate and cranking the hammer to the half-cocked position. Just pull back on the hammer until it clicks in place. Drop cartridges into the chambers one at a time as you rotate the cylinder by hand. Close the gate. Carefully bring the hammer to the rear to full cock and, as you control the hammer, press the trigger and lower the hammer. If you attempt to lower the hammer from half-cock, you will activate the bolt stop and possibly scar the cylinder. To unload, place the hammer on half-cock, open the loading gate, and index the cylinder so that the cartridge cases line up with the ejector rod. Use the ejector rod knob to eject spent cases one at a time. It helps to keep the muzzle at an upwards angle. In most instances, modern .45 Colt cases simply dropped out of the chamber as I tilted the barrel upward.

The sights are a simple groove in the top strap and a half-moon front sight. Well, it is not actually an original half-moon sight. With the Deputy, the rear face is square so you may find the top of the sight when aiming.

The trigger action is a transfer bar type. This is the safest of all revolver actions. The original SAA was not safe to carry fully loaded as the firing pin would rest on the primer of a chambered cartridge. A half-cock notch is easily sheared by pressure. If a branch brings the hammer up slightly and drops the hammer, the revolver is likely to fire. The transfer bar places a bar between the hammer and the firing pin. The bar only drops when the hammer is dropped from full-cock by pressing the trigger, allowing the hammer to smack the transfer bar and the bar strikes the firing pin.

Taurus went with the original leaf spring design, while some SAA types have used coil springs for years. But this isn’t a heavy-duty hunting revolver. It is a modern SAA type. The leaf spring offers some adjustment by a set screw. Loosen it too much and the revolver will not fire or function. The trigger is wide for a single-action revolver. Trigger compression breaks at a clean 5.5 pounds. I would prefer a pound and a half lighter. I will clean the packing grease away and work on the trigger at a later date.

The base pin is well fitted and requires a tug to move forward as the base pin button is released. That’s fine, but the base pin is too long to be removed from the frame, which makes it an innovation as a captive base pin or an aggravation to some. I am neutral so far on that count.

The cylinder isn’t difficult to remove from the frame. The cylinder bushing is short. There are three primary types of cylinder bushings in the SAA world. Colt went cheap in the third generation and introduced non-removeable cylinder bushings. The bushing is part of the fitting of the revolver. Then there are the original long types and the short-type bushing of the Taurus. If a cylinder bushing isn’t properly fitted, you have end shake. The Deputy doesn’t have this. In any case, as the single-action revolver is cocked, the cylinder pressed forward and the bolt locks into the bolt stop, the cylinder is fairly rigid even in a single-action type that demonstrates end shake at rest.

Firing Impressions

I have learned that attempting to secure off-hand accuracy with a SAA may lead to frustration. There is a certain corporeal participation in the action with hand and eye coordination and the sweep of the thumb on the hammer and the forefinger on the trigger. Bring the revolver up to eye level, cocking the hammer along the way. As the front sight breaks the line between the eye and the target, fire.

The SAA is a well-balanced revolver, and good, fast hits may be accomplished in that manner. That is the fun part. We like to gauge accuracy, though, and that was part of the course.

Most of the ammunition fired has been Remington’s Wheelgun 250-grain RNL. Breaking just under 800 fps, this loading proved to fire two inches high for the sight picture available with the Deputy. Recoil is modest, the powder burns clean, and the Remington load is accurate enough. This is similar to the original .45 Colt loading that was intended to anchor an Indian war pony at 100 yards. Modern loads are even stronger if you choose a 255-grain SWC from Buffalo Bore.

That begs the question…how strong is the Deputy?

I am not willing to find out. If I want more power from the .45 Colt, I will obtain a heavy-frame Blackhawk or Redhawk. The Taurus Judge is plenty strong enough for Buffalo Bore standard pressure loads, and I will leave it at that. In this weight class, you don’t want much more recoil than the Remington load. I fired a cylinder full of the Buffalo Bore 255-grain SWC (1000 fps) load. Recoil is there but I did not crack my knuckles. This would be more than acceptable as a defense load against small bears and the big cats. It would also anchor deer cleanly to 35 or 40 yards if you hold the sights correctly.

There are better choices than the single-action revolver for hunting and home defense but not many better choices for fun shooting. I have spent nights in the forest and mountains with a SAA lying across my chest and slept well. So, I tested a couple of modern loads just to see how they would perform.

First, I fired the Hornady 225-grain FTX. Clocking at 883 fps, recoil isn’t monstrous but not enjoyable in long sessions. The Hornady 185-grain FTX Critical Defense breaks 990 fps and falls below the point of aim by two inches at 10 yards. This is a credible personal defense load by any standard. I believe a good all-around outdoors load for a single-action .45 Colt is the classic 255-grain SWC at about 900 fps — if you handload. No need for more, and you will appreciate the reduced recoil, but it certainly does the business. I think the Deputy has much utility as a hiking gun for defense against animals. Anyone who has seen a shooter win a Cowboy Action Shooting match might feel the piece has utility in personal defense.

I fired the Deputy mostly off-hand, sometimes with one hand. I fired, allowed the muzzle to rise in recoil, and caught the hammer on its way down, re-cocking for another shot. This is great fun! I also fired the Deputy for accuracy from a solid bench rest. Shots were at 15 yards, using a red bullseye for clarity. The results of five-shot groups:

Remington 250-gr. RNL – 2.4 in.
Hornady 185-gr. FTX – 1.9 in.
Hornady 225-gr. LeveRevolution – 2.0 in.
Federal Hammer Down 250-gr. – 2.15 in.
Buffalo Bore 255-gr. standard pressure – 2.25 in.

Most loads fired 2- 2.5 inches above the point of aim, save for the Hornady 185-grain lightweight, which went two inches low.

The Deputy gets all As for performance. It seems sturdier than the usual SAA clone, making it a working gun. The SAA has much merit for outdoors use. The old .45 is a formidable caliber. When something is hit it stays hit!

The Taurus Deputy is readily available and should be a popular addition to the Taurus line up.

What I Like

The material, fit, finish, and action are good. Accuracy is good and the cylinder indexes tightly, as it should.

What I Don’t Like

I would like a smoother, lighter trigger action. I can make that happen. Perhaps I will open up the rear sight a bit. Sight regulation is old-time service-grade. It strikes high at 25 yards, giving a mounted soldier a chance to hit the adversary at 50 yards. The gun fires to the left, which I could easily fix by either rotating the barrel or slightly bending the sight. (Don’t attempt to do so if you don’t really understand the dynamics!)

What I Would Change

According to Colt factory records, Bat Masterson ordered a special tall front sight. Tom Threepersons had a flat top square front sight custom added to his revolver, which now rests in a museum. (So much for the myth of point shooting!) I think at some point I may change the front sight with a file and silver solder, maybe put a gold bead in it. I would like a shorter cylinder base pin.