Debuting in the late 1930’s, Forjas Taurus experienced its humble beginnings as a diversified company in the southern coastal city of Porto Allegro, Brazil. Originally manufacturing metals, plastics, and civil construction equipment, it only took a few years for them to get into the arms industry. In 1941, Taurus unveiled their first firearm: the Model 38101SO Revolver.

After some time, the company began exporting to the United States. Their success can easily be attributed to their short-lived partnerships with Smith & Wesson and Beretta. Nevertheless, they have blossomed into an international success story with a line of pistols, revolvers, and rifles uniquely their own. One of the biggest attractions of their weapons is their affordable prices due to lower international labor costs.

Experienced shooters may remember the days of faulty Taurus weapons, but I can assure you that those days are long gone. Today, Taurus is among the best in the business with a wide variety of weapons. They currently produce award winning guns ideal for target shooting, concealed carry, and home & personal defense – one of which, the Taurus Millenium G2 Pistol, we only just reviewed. However, now it’s time that we delve into Taurus revolvers chambered in .22 ammunition.

Taurus 22 Revolver Ultra-Lite Model 94

Taurus 22 Revolver Specs

  • Model: Tracker Model 970
  • Caliber: .22LR.
  • Capacity: 7.
  • Weight: 45.6 oz.
  • Overall Length: 10 ¾”.
  • Barrel Length: 6 ½”.
  • Action: DA/SA.
  • MSRP: $472.00.
  • Model: Tracker Model 990
  • Caliber: .22LR.
  • Capacity: 9.
  • Weight: 38 oz.
  • Overall Length: 8 ¾”.
  • Barrel Length: 4”.
  • Action: DA/SA.
  • MSRP: $555.00.
    • Extended model weighs 44 oz, has a 6 ½” barrel and a 10 ¾” overall length.
  • Model: Tracker Model 991
  • Caliber: .22 Magnum.
  • Capacity: 9.
  • Weight: 38 oz.
  • Overall Length: 8 ¾”.
  • Barrel Length: 4”.
  • Action: DA/SA.
  • MSRP: $555.00.
    • Extended model weighs 44 oz, has a 6 ½” barrel and a 10 ¾” overall length.
  • Model: Model 992B6 (Ultralite)
  • Caliber: .22LR.
  • Capacity: 9.
  • Weight: 55 oz.
  • Overall Length: 13 ¾”.
  • Barrel Length: 6 ½”.
  • Action: SA/DA.
  • MSRP: $590.68.
  • Model: Model 992SS4 (Ultralite)
  • Caliber: .22LR.
  • Capacity: 9.
  • Weight: 40 oz.
  • Overall Length: 9 ¾”.
  • Barrel Length: 4”.
  • Action: DA/SA.
  • MSRP: $627.41.
  • Model: Model 992SS6
  • Caliber: .22LR.
  • Capacity: 9.
  • Weight: 55 oz.
  • Barrel Length: 6 ½”.
  • Action: DA/SA.
  • MSRP: $627.41.

Taurus 22 Revolver Build

Taurus Model 992 22 Revolver

This is where it all began -revolvers- and these Taurus firearms are some of the finest you’ll ever see. Seriously, these beasts are gorgeous, modern, highly-effective, and extremely powerful. The years of Taurus’ defective products are gone – now is it’s their time to shine in all of their glory. These revolvers are housed in two separate families with distinct features – let’s go through each one and discover what makes them so special.

The award winning Tracker series features exceptionally authoritative and intimidating hunting revolvers. This line of Taurus’ is filled with guns in several different chambers all of which are equally tough. These powerhouses make the perfect hunting companion whether or not you use them are your primary firearm. They can easily handle everything from coons to bears. However, if chambering .22 rounds, I’d stick to smaller game. Taurus constructed these revolvers with nearly unbreakable components to ensure they’ll never fail you.

The other family of revolvers is technically also Tracker, but fit into a subcategory called Ultralite. The main difference between the traditional Trackers and these is the incredible versatility of the Ultralite series. In mere seconds you can convert these revolvers from .22LR to .22 Magnum by switching their new revolutionary removable cylinders.

One characteristic which both of these revolvers share is the brilliant Taurus Security System. When the Security System is engaged, the Taurus’ manual safety can’t be disengaged and the gun can’t be cocked or fired. As an added plus, this specialized safety mechanism is incorporated into the firearm and can’t be lost.  They also share the manual transfer bar safety; this mechanism effectively stops the hammer from striking the firing pin unless the trigger is fully pulled. The Tracker and Ultralite also share the special Taurus Ribber Grip which not only provides a sturdy, non-slip grip in nearly all conditions, but is also an effective shock absorber.

Taurus 22 Revolver Shooting & Performance

Taurus Tracker Model 990 .22LR (Credit: Dark Hollow)

What can I say about these guns’ performance that hasn’t already been said? Several of these guns have won prestigious awards attesting to their top-notch accuracy and overall performance. Growing up, I preferred semi-autos because I thought they had better control. A lot of my feelings in regards to this changed after shooting a Tracker for the first time.

The Taurus Trackers have seriously great ergonomics and control, especially considering how large and powerful they are. Their not-too-heavy/not-too-light build felt comfortable in my hands, particularly because of the Ribber Grips. The DA/SA is easy to get used to and should have no impact on your performance. We can’t overlook the most important factor: Accuracy! These Taurus’ have insane accuracy, even for follow-up shots –it’s no wonder why they’re such a favorite among expert hunters.

I had a very similar experience with the Taurus Ultralites. However, these .22s are geared more for plinking, target practice or varmint hunting.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term plinking, it’s an old-fashioned word used to mean less conventional target shooting (like tin cans and glass bottles) or small game hunting.

Why Choose .22 LR Rounds?

.22 LR Ammo

I’d like to briefly discuss the ups and downs of the historically significant and effective .22 Long Rifle rounds, I’ll try to keep it short and sweet. The first thing to consider when choosing which ammo to use, you need to figure out what type of shooting you’ll be doing. Considering that the .22 is a very popular hunting round, let’s start there. 22’s are great for small game hunting but won’t be very useful against larger animals. If you’re going after something big, you want to kill it, not piss it off.

If distance is your game, this cartridge may not be for you. The .22 is most effective at around 100 yards, but can be still be pretty accurate at 125, depending on the firearm and grain. Lastly, .22 rounds are so cheap and accessible that you could easily stock up thousands of rounds with no problem.  Since they’re so small and lightweight, you can carry hundreds of rounds on your person without it being a burden. These are all things to consider when picking out your next revolver.

.22 LR vs. 9MM

Taurus 905 B2 Revolver

Before we compare and contrast the classic .22 and 9mm rounds, let’s get a glimpse at the sole Taurus revolver chambered in the latter cartridge.

  • Model: 905B2.
  • Caliber: 9mm Luger.
  • Capacity: 5.
  • Weight: 22.2 oz.
  • Overall Length: 6 ½”.
  • Barrel Length: 2”.
  • Action: DA/SA.
  • MSRP: $480.83.

Both the .22 and 9mm are common cartridges for novice shooters and concealed carriers. These shooters prefer these rounds because they still have minimal recoil and good handling without forfeiting and power or accuracy. Like I said before, .22 is a great cartridge because of its availability, price, and weight, which is why I prefer it over the 9mm Luger. However, if you’re looking for a self-defense round, the 9mm is probably the better option because of its firepower. Nevertheless, it’s not necessarily worth sacrificing your accuracy for power, so the .22 caliber could be the more effective choice, depending on your experience and strength.

Taurus 22 Revolver vs. Beretta Bobcat

Beretta Bobcat

A friend of mine recently approached me about the Beretta 21A Bobcat and how it compares to these Taurus revolvers. Truth be told, these two handguns are so different it’s difficult to compare them. The semi-auto Bobcat is significantly smaller and lighter; in fact, it’s basically a pocket or purse CCW, unlike the larger Taurus guns.

Both the Bobcat and the Tracker are extremely durable .22s crafted by two of the most trusted companies in the industry. That being said, since both are great options, it really boils down to your preference of revolvers to semi-autos. I should add that the Bobcat has some remarkable features which make it a unique and trustworthy pick. Most notably is their unusual tip-up barrel which virtually eliminates all malfunctions and makes the gun even safer.

Taurus 22 Revolver vs. Ruger SR22

Ruger SR22

The Taurus Tracker revolvers have been compared to many handguns, but one really stuck out to me, the Ruger SR22. What a frickin’ sweet gun! This Rimfire pistol chambered in .22LR is a masterpiece not to be messed with. Although not meant as a CCW, the SR22 is a fantastic choice for plinking, small game hunting, and target shooting. It’s lightweight, extremely ergonomic, and wickedly accurate. It’s almost unfair to even compare this Ruger to any of the Ultralite revolvers. The SR22 is much much lighter, has a higher capacity, and is significantly cheaper.

Conclusion

Forjas Taurus may have started as a little nothing factory in Porto Allegro, but through their unwavering perseverance they’ve emerged as one of the most trusted handgun manufacturers on the planet. Looking back at their first revolver back in 1941 and seeing their line of Trackers and Ultralites now is astounding. The Brazilian gun maker’s dedication to perfecting the revolver, especially hunting revolvers, is quite clear. It’s obvious why the .22 rounds are as popular as ever now, and I’m glad to see Taurus offering such high-quality firearms designed to fire them. Whether you’re looking to hunt, plink, or shoot targets, Taurus has a few .22 revolvers which you should really check out!

Read about the Mossberg 535 Shotgun and Mossberg 500 Shotgun while you’re here at Gunivore – home of all things guns.

Sam M

Sam is an avid firearms enthusiast who loves sharing his knowledge and experience with fellow gunivores.

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1 Comment

  1. Everything is very open with a really clear clarification of the issues. It was definitely informative. Your website is useful. Thank you for sharing!

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