Taurus 605
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 51 mm
- Weight, empty
- 680 g
- Introduced
- 1995
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Taurus 605 is a compact, five-shot, double-action/single-action revolver chambered in .357 Magnum, built on Taurus's small frame. Introduced in 1995, it was designed as an affordable and reliable concealed carry revolver capable of handling full-power .357 Magnum loads as well as .38 Special and .38 Special +P ammunition. The 605 features a stainless steel frame, cylinder, and 2-inch barrel, weighing 24 ounces (680g) empty. Fixed front and rear sights are milled into the frame, with the rear being a gutter-style channel cut into the topstrap. The soft rubber grips help manage the substantial recoil generated by .357 Magnum loads in such a lightweight platform. Standard safety features include a transfer bar mechanism and the Taurus Security System (TSS), an integral key-lock that allows the owner to lock the action. The recessed ejection rod provides additional durability and snag-free carry. With an overall length of just 6.5 inches (165mm) and a width of 1.4 inches (36mm), the 605 is well-suited for inside-the-waistband, pocket, or ankle carry. Typical 125-grain .357 Magnum loads achieve approximately 1,250 fps (381 m/s) from the 2-inch barrel, producing around 588 joules of muzzle energy.
The Model 605 was one of the first affordable small-frame .357 Magnum revolvers, bringing big-bore power to the concealed carry market at a fraction of the S&W price.
The Taurus 605 competes directly with the Smith & Wesson J-Frame revolvers (Models 60 and 640) and the Ruger SP101, offering similar capability at a significantly lower price point. The rifling twist rate is 1:18.75 inches (476mm), optimized for the lighter 125-grain .357 Magnum bullets that are most commonly used in short-barrel revolvers. Loaded weight estimate includes five .357 Magnum cartridges at approximately 13g each. Muzzle velocity and energy figures are based on 125-grain JHP .357 Magnum loads from the 2-inch barrel, which lose significant velocity compared to 4-inch or longer barrels. The .38 Special +P ammunition is often recommended for the 605 by trainers and reviewers, as it provides adequate defensive performance with substantially less recoil and muzzle blast than full-power .357 Magnum in the compact frame. The Poly Protector variant uses a polymer frame to reduce weight to approximately 20 ounces. The Defender variant adds a Hogue rubber grip and night sight options. The T.O.R.O. (Taurus Optics Ready Option) variant features a milled slide for mounting micro red-dot sights. The Executive Grade is the premium variant with VZ grips and enhanced trigger work.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Taurus
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- Brazil
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1995
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 51 mm
- Overall length
- 165 mm
- Height
- 112 mm
- Width
- 36 mm
- Weight, empty
- 680 g
- Weight, loaded
- 745 g
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Double action
- Firing mechanism
- Double action single action
- Trigger
- Double action
- Trigger pull
- 20.0 N
- Capacity
- 5
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Stainless steel
- Barrel
- Stainless steel
- Finish
- Matte stainless
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 381 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 588 J
- Effective range
- 25 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Small frame
Five shot cylinder
Fixed sights
Rubber grips
Recessed ejection rod
Dual caliber capability- Concealed carry optimized
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 79 .357 Magnum pistols | 680 g | 965 g | Lighter than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 78 .357 Magnum pistols | 165 mm | 236 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 79 .357 Magnum pistols | 51 mm | 102 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 79 .357 Magnum pistols | 5 | 6 | Holds fewer rounds than about 90% |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Taurus 605
How much does the Taurus 605 weigh?
The Taurus 605 weighs 680 g (1.50 lb) empty and 745 g (1.64 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Taurus 605?
The Taurus 605 is chambered in .357 Magnum and .38 Special.
How many rounds does the Taurus 605 hold?
The Taurus 605 holds 5 rounds.
How long is the Taurus 605?
The Taurus 605 is 165 mm (6.50 in) long overall, with a 51 mm (2.01 in) barrel.
Who makes the Taurus 605?
The Taurus 605 is made by Taurus (Brazil).
When was the Taurus 605 introduced?
The Taurus 605 was introduced in 1995.
How does the Taurus 605 operate?
The Taurus 605 uses a double action, and its firing mechanism is double action single action.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Civilian Concealed Carriers
- United States
- Brazilian Military Police (Various States)
- Brazil
Provenance
Confidence in this record
85%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/taurus-605' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "taurus-605", "name": "Taurus 605", "manufacturer": { "id": "taurus", "name": "Taurus", "countryCode": "BR", "foundedYear": 1939, "website": "https://www.taurususa.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "version": "71240218613bda05e45296e8997918c10d23b1d7627e46a424bd7e516e0fdffb" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "BR", "year_introduced": 1995, "barrel_length_mm": 51, "weight_empty_g": 680, "action_type": "double_action"}