I sometimes find myself paraphrasing a Brooks and Dunn song as I’m singing “Red Dot World.” Most of the new pistols I’ve reviewed lately are set up for mounting a red dot sight. However, the first T.O.R.O. revolver I’ve encountered is the .357 Magnum / .38 Special Model 605 from Taurus.
For personal protection it’s hard to beat a small frame .357 Magnum with a three-inch barrel. Now, instead of being limited to iron sights, we have a .357 Magnum that will accept a compact red dot sight. The Model 605 T.O.R.O. mount accepts optics that fit the Holosun K footprint.
T.O.R.O. Features
The new 605 T.O.R.O. is built the same as the 605 Defender with all-steel construction, an excellent trigger, and a capacity of five shots of .357 Magnum or .38 Special. It has compact rubber grips, which help with recoil reduction, while enhancing the concealability of the firearm. The 605’s 3-inch barrel with a 1.16.5 RH twist rate is designed to get maximum performance out of 357 Magnum / .38 Special cartridges.
A smooth, target-style trigger enhances the shooter’s ability to shoot fast and accurately. The revolver has an overall length of 7.5 inches, overall height of 4.8 inches, and overall width of 1.41 inches. It weighs 23.52 ounces unloaded. The frame easily compares with my 856 Defender, but of course it’s heavier which helps with the .357 recoil.
I’ve been holstering my 856 Defender in a Bianchi 101 Belt Slide holster and that same rig works with the 605 T.O.R.O. The red dot is mounted close enough to the rear of the revolver that it doesn’t interfere with the holster. The Riton is a Shake Awake red dot sight, so by the time the gun has been drawn from the holster and brought to bear on the target, the red dot is awake and ready for business.
Speaking of business, it’s always a hope with a double-action revolver that you have time to cock the gun and use the single-action trigger pull. The single-action trigger pull on my test 605 is a very consistent 7 pounds. The double-action pull exceeds the 12-pound limit of my Lyman trigger pull gauge, but it is smooth and won’t get in your way in a defensive response situation.
The feel of the 605 in my hands reminds me very much of my S&W Model 10, a pistol that was my dad’s when he was certified as a game warden. As a young man, I spent more time with the gun than my dad did, so being comfortable with the revolver, the only thing I needed to spend time getting adapting to was the red dot sight.
I installed a Riton Optics 3 Tactix MPRD 2. It’s a small footprint, 3 MOA, with Shake Awake and Auto Brightness technology. It also has Auto Off after three minutes without motion. It was an easy fit to the revolver using the adapting plate shipped with the gun. I have this same Riton red dot sight on my Taurus GX4, and I’ve grown to appreciate its features and ease of use. Using my Firefield magnetic boresight, I was able to easily adjust the windage and elevation of the red dot before going to the range.
Range Time
Using Hornady ammo, I was able to compare how the revolver handled .38 Special, .38 Special +P, and .357 Magnum ammo. It’s a good thing that .357 Magnum has an excellent reputation as an effective man stopper. I did not enjoy shooting the 605 with .357 Magnum cartridges. It would be my hope in a defensive situation that one or two well-placed rounds would do the job. Of course, adrenalin would kick in. So, if I had to shoot more, I’d probably not be aware of the sting in my hand.
What I would have to notice is the time it takes to get back on target after punching off a .357 Magnum round in such a small handgun. After shooting each .357 Magnum round, I found the red dot buried down low. I had to lift the muzzle of the gun to get it to appear back in the sight’s window.
It’s a totally different ball game when shooting .38 Special rounds. I could do that all day. Putting the red dot on the target prior to pulling the trigger makes for decent groupings out to 10 yards — certainly the kind of shot placement that would make a bad guy cease and desist in short order.
If I were to carry the 605 with red dot as my EDC gun, I’d probably load two rounds of .357 Magnum and fill out the rest of the cylinder with three rounds of .38 Special. I’ve been using a Taurus 856 Defender for a while now as a pocket gun loaded for self-defense. If I’m in the yard or making a quick trip for food or supplies, that’s a quick and easy way to be armed.
Since Taurus also is offering an 856 T.O.R.O. model, you would have the advantage with that gun of loading six rounds of .38 Special, which is an option many, including myself, would prefer. Either way, .357 Magnum or .38 Special, having a red dot sight on your revolver provides quick and accurate aiming capability.
Final Thoughts
The selection of a revolver versus a pistol is a personal choice. My wife, for example, has carried a revolver for years and has no interest in adapting to any of the latest and greatest semi-automatic pistols that routinely appear on the market. Her reasoning is simple. She has a busy enough life with constant demand on her processing capability. She wants to be armed and ready, and the revolver allows her to be armed without having to constantly fidget with her gun to make sure it’s ready to go and she knows how to use it.
There are a lot of people with a similar mindset, and Taurus has always been there for them. Adding a red dot sight does add a bit more complexity while you get it mounted and sighted in. But using it, once you’ve got the basics, is a snap. If you’re a revolver person now, or seriously want to be, Taurus is offering its revolvers at very affordable prices. If you decide to get one, opt for one of the T.O.R.O. models and you’ll always have the option of mounting a red dot sight.
If you’re just getting interested in a red dot, this Taurus revolver is an inexpensive and easy place to start. Have you tried a red dot sight on your daily carry gun? Do you like it? Share your answers in the comment section.