Most of the revolvers I’ve ever owned have been from Taurus. I used to believe revolvers were the more reliable gun, but every Taurus revolver I’ve own has had some major malfunction. That includes triggers that could lock into single action, cylinders that wouldn’t advance, and right a broken Judge whose cylinder wouldn’t lock into the gun.
I gave up on Taurus revolvers, but recently Taurus has had made some serious changes in leadership, machinery, and quality control. At SHOT, I saw their optic-ready TORO revolvers and was intrigued. Fast forward a few months, and I now have a Taurus Defender 856 TORO in my hands.
Optics on revolvers aren’t new. Plenty of competitors and hunters have long made use of optics. What the new TORO Defender series does differently is bring mini red dots to smaller, defensive-oriented revolvers. Specifically, it uses the popular Shield RMSc mounting footprint that lets you use a wide variety of small red dots that come from SIG SAUER, Holosun, Shield, Riton, and a more. I used a Riton 3 Tactix MPRD 2.
The Defender 856 TORO
The Defender 856 TORO series presents an interesting mix of old-school appeal with a dose of modern in its place. Red dots on revolvers are an interesting idea. Unlike an automatic, the slide isn’t moving, so the optic is put under less stress. It’s also easier to track the dot and get back on target with a stationary red dot. The downside is that the optic sits higher and adds some bulk to a compact revolver.
The 856 isn’t new. It’s an evolution of the classic Taurus 85. However, the 856 holds six rounds rather than five. The Defender model of the 856 features a 3-inch barrel. Taurus chose this model and the .357 five-shot Defender 605 to have the TORO feature. The 856 is bigger than a snubby, but still quite compact. It’s not a pocket carry revolver, but it would easily fit into an IWB holster and be carried very comfortably.
The Defender 856 TORO comes in both a matte black finish as well as stainless. The stainless model has a nice finish and cleans up easily, too. I shot the hell out of this thing and it needed some cleaning along the way.
The Mounting System
The Defender 856 TORO comes bare with a typical top strap. Across the top sits a pair of screw holes. The gun comes with a plate, and attaching it is as easy as twisting an Allen key. A little thread locker goes a long way here. With the plate in place, you can add your optic of choice. One challenge you have to face is the fact the optic sits relatively high relative to the bore axis.
That means you need to have a generous elevation adjustment to get the optic zeroed. Some optics might not have the elevation adjustment range necessary to get zeroed (a shim system might work). The Shield RMSc, the Riton, and Holosun micro optics work, but you might run into issues with others.
I didn’t have any issues zeroing the red dot other than my own relative lack of experience with revolvers. It took a little more time than I’d like to admit, but a table, a bag, and some slow, patient shots got me on target, and the gun was zeroed at 20 yards.
If optics aren’t for you, the Defender 856 has a fairly nice front sight. It’s pinned, all black, and can be replaced if you want to change it out for a night sight or something bigger.
At the Range
I’m no revolver guy. I like revolvers, but I haven’t spent a whole lot of time shooting them. I’m not very good with them, so the Defender 856 TORO was an education. The gun and a bunch of FMJs were not only educational but made for a good workout. At least for my hands.
The trigger isn’t bad, but it doesn’t necessarily impress. It’s on par with a basic Smith & Wesson revolver trigger. It’s not as smooth as the Ruger LCR, but not bad by any means. In fact, it steadily got better as I dry-fired and shot the gun, shaking off that new feeling and getting better as I went. After it got dirty, the trigger became a little gritty and sluggish. A little oil and an AP brush on the cylinder and inside the frame got it smoothed out once again.
Red dots mean that the sight radius doesn’t matter. The dot makes that disappear. With that in mind, any accuracy issues are entirely on me. I’m learning a lot about double-action triggers with the Defender 856. At 25 yards shooting single action only in an off-hand position, I landed every shot into the face of a Sage Dynamics target.
At fifteen yards in a supported position, firing all rounds double action, I grouped everything in the black. The gun is certainly more accurate than I am, but if I had to use it defensively, I would feel comfortable doing so.
Riding the Bull
The Defender 856 TORO might not be a snubby, but it’s still a compact revolver. The grips are quite small, and I have big hands. Those small grips don’t fit me well, but neither do any other small revolver grips. I might replace these with VZ grips, but these are so compact and concealable that I get the point of them.
The grips are small, thin, and hard. They left the center of my hand tender after all the lead I sent downrange. That was a lot of ammo in very little time, but still worth noting.
The little wheelgun has some buck and jump to it, but the red dot makes it easy to get right back on target. It’s not too difficult to pull off fast strings of fire, and I sailed through some failure-to-stop drills without much difficulty.
The cylinder release is the S&W style design and it works perfectly well. The ejector rod is full-length, which I also really like. Reloads are quick and cases drop free quickly and efficiently. I’ve already ordered some speed strips and a speed loader for this thing.
I used 500 rounds of law enforcement Speer Lawman ammo for the entirety of my testing. It’s a fairly basic FMJ load that worked well. In blasting through that stuff and tenderizing my hand, I had zero issues with the Defender 856. It held together well, every round fired, and the cylinder never stopped, and the hammer never failed to lock. The gun just worked and that’s ultimately what’s most important.
Specifications: Taurus Defender 856 TORO Revolver
Barrel Length 3 inches
Overall Length 7.5 inches
Height 4.8 inches
Width 1.4 inches
Weight 23.5 ounces
Caliber 38 Special (+P capable)
Capacity 6
MSRP $460.99 (about $350 retail)
Ratings (Out of Five Stars):
Accuracy * * * *
In short order, I’ve seen a crazy degree of improvement with my revolver shooting in the short time I’ve had the Taurus Defender 856. It’s more accurate than I am, and the addition of a red dot makes it super-easy to shoot accurately and quickly.
Ergonomics * * * ½
I like the cylinder release, I love the ejector rod, but the little grips beat my big hand up. They are super-small for concealment. That’s a problem with all small revolvers with small grips. It was tough for me to get a good grip on the gun. Concealment always has its compromises.
Handling * * * *
Recoil is what it is. The Defender 856 is no light magnum, thankfully, but it will jump on you a bit. Not terribly much, but you’ll know you’re shooting a compact revolver.
Reliability * * * * *
What can I say? It always goes bang. Nothing went wrong. The plate and optic remained in place. I would trust this gun to save my bacon, and that’s the first time I’ve said that about a Taurus revolver.
Overall * * * *
I think Taurus has a damn fine concept down with the TORO series and the Defender 856. The red dot has helped me quickly become a more competent six-gun slinger. It’s reliable and accurate, and while it might tenderize your hand, it won’t fail you in a fight.
