Opinions / Experiences of the Taurus LBR in .45ACP

[DavidRees]

I've had a Taurus LBR in .387 way back in the days when they first appeared in the UK following the ban, and I didn't like it much - hated the seven-round cylinder if the truth be told -- silly, I know. I tried a Super Redhawk buntline in 44Mag, but that was way too heavy, even when I had the barrel chopped short to the legal minimum. So I got rid of both of them, and shot other stuff.

But now I'm hankering after a LBR again, and the particular one I fancy is the Taurus .45ACP LBR, using full-moon clips. I've always liked reloading 45ACP, and the clips mean loading/unloading can be relatively fast (and easy to find when searching for spent brass after a T&P1).

Sadly, they are no longer made, and so I'll have to hunt for a 2nd-hand one. Before I put in for the variation in that calibre, does anyone have any direct experience of this gun in 45ACP? Was it accurate? Was loading/unloading the gun with the clips OK, or a pain?

All guidance on this topic welcomed!

David.

[Mike357]

I know where there is one for sale with brass I believe. As you can't PM yet, let me know if you are interested.

[DavidRees]

Mike,

Definitely interested, though I have quite a bit of 45ACP brass put by :)

David.

[mr smith]

I know where there is one for sale with brass I believe. As you can't PM yet, let me know if you are interested.

Would this be JB's one?

[Mike357]

Yes it is Smiffy and David it is still available with brass, moon clips and dies. Will be in touch when he let's me know how much he is wanting for it.

[mag41uk]

I had one in 45acp and it was,tbh,average.
I tried it in comps and it was a pain. Its a big gun.
It shot ok with 200gn swc but they were hopeless for speed loading.
The standard moonclips were too thick and I had a friend grind some thinner for me.
Its accuracy would have been better had the throats in the cylinder been opened out.
Couldnt find anyone to do it let alone understand what I was talking about!
I know another shooter with one and it shoots great and takes standard moonclips.
They do vary from gun to gun.
If money was no object I would get a custom S&W,3K plus!
I sold mine to a club member and he likes it but he is only a plinker.
If you need any moonclips or dies I have loads.
Tony

[DavidRees]

Tony,

Many thanks for this very informative post. I definitely want accuracy in any gun I buy; I could live with the loading being a pain. But perhaps I need to think about a Taurus LBR in 44...wonder if they are any better?

BTW, I've never heard of customised S&W jobs here in the UK since the ban; at £3k, they are way beyond what I can afford, but I'm still interested -- any further info (hijacking my own thread here -- is that OK?) would be appreciated.

David.

[Mike357]

David, PM sent.

[mag41uk]

Tony,

Many thanks for this very informative post. I definitely want accuracy in any gun I buy; I could live with the loading being a pain. But perhaps I need to think about a Taurus LBR in 44...wonder if they are any better?

BTW, I've never heard of customised S&W jobs here in the UK since the ban; at £3k, they are way beyond what I can afford, but I'm still interested -- any further info (hijacking my own thread here -- is that OK?) would be appreciated.

David.

Two guys at my club have custom S&W LBR`s in 357 (686).
They were built by a S&W custom shop in Germany.
As such they left the factory as a sec1 firearm.
There are a few around. Get to Bisley for the bigger gallery rifle comps and you will see a few.
My advice on the 45acp or any Taurus is to fire a few hundred rounds through it to satisfy yourself its OK.
One of the above guys had a taurus in 357 and got rid due to it being unreliable.
It would light strike due to excessive front to rear play in the cylinder.
He had some very thin shims laser cut to take up the play but they were so thin they always fell off during a comp!
Tony