Taurus introduced a polymer revolver in .38 Special at the 2010 SHOT Show. The “Polymer Protector” is a revolver with a polymer frame and blued steel cylinder and barrel insert. The new Taurus revolver only weighs 18.2 ounces and is rated for +P ammunition.
Streamlined for concealed carry, the hammer is shrouded, but can still be cocked for a single action shot. The grips are polymer, but are wood colored, and actually look good in person.
The front sight is a red fiber optic sight, and the rear is a notch. The barrel is 2.5″ long.
I was very impressed with the way this revolver felt in my hand. It was lightweight and pointed naturally for me. I would prefer a DA-only version, but I am still impressed by what Taurus was showing. I look forward to getting one of these onto the range.
Taurus Protector Specifications
- caliber: .38 Special +P
- barrel length: 2.5″
- weight: 18.2 ounces
- frame: polymer
- trigger: DA/SA
Update
The original Taurus Protector Polymer has been replaced with a new revolver that ups the ante to .357 Magnum. The new gun looks very similar to the original, but it is beefed up.
The new version of the Protector weighs a little more at 19.75 ounces. The barrel length is now 2″ long. The front sight maintains a fiber optic sight with a notch rear.
The gun keeps the partially shrouded hammer, which can still be cocked for single action shots. As I’ve said before, I prefer a DAO (double-action-only) trigger on small revolvers for self-defense, but this is not a bad way of handling things.
The original wood-look grips have been replaced by more aggressive rubber grips which should help a shooter hang onto the gun and cushion the recoil from the Magnum rounds. Of course, many people will prefer to shoot .38 Special from the gun instead of the full-bore Magnum loads.
Specifications for the New Taurus Protector
- Taurus model # 605PLYSS2
- caliber: .357 Magnum
- capacity: five rounds
- barrel length: 2″
- weight (unloaded): 19.75 ounces
- trigger: double-action/single-action
- MSRP: $475.00
24 replies on “Taurus Protector Polymer: a Polymer Revolver”
Awesome. Wish I wasn’t Canadian when I see stuff like this.
This little revolver looks awesome compared to the other polymer revolvers I saw on the web.
What happened to Taurus’ .38 +P Poly Protector?
Does anyone know what happened to the Taurus .38 +P poly revolver? It doesn’t appear in the 2010 Taurus catalogue, but earlier in the year it was on their website as “What’s new for 2010.”
Was production cancelled? or?????