Taurus 85
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 51 mm
- Weight, empty
- 595 g
- Introduced
- 1980
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Taurus 85 is a compact revolver chambered in .38 Special, manufactured by Taurus since 1980. Produced at Taurus's modern manufacturing facilities in São Leopoldo, Brazil and their American operations in Bainbridge, Georgia, this firearm reflects Taurus's commitment to delivering reliable firearms at competitive price points. The 5-round cylinder provides standard capacity for revolvers of this size class, while maintaining a compact profile suitable for concealed carry. The 2.0-inch barrel prioritizes concealability over sight radius. At 595g (21.0 oz) unloaded, this lightweight firearm is well-suited for concealed carry without excessive burden. Taurus has positioned this model as a high-value option in the competitive handgun market, offering features and reliability that punch above its price point, making it particularly appealing to first-time gun owners and experienced shooters seeking a reliable secondary firearm.
The Taurus Model 85 became a staple of Brazilian law enforcement and security personnel, as well as a popular choice for American concealed carry permit holders seeking an affordable, reliable snub-nose revolver. Its design borrowed heavily from the Smith & Wesson J-frame architecture but introduced Taurus's distinctive Security System feature.
The Model 85 is rated for .38 Special +P ammunition in steel and alloy-frame variants. Typical barrel lengths include 2 inches and 3 inches. Weight varies from approximately 9.5 ounces for the View model to 21 ounces for standard steel variants. The Model 85 directly competes with Smith & Wesson's Model 642 and similar J-frame revolvers but at a significantly lower price point.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Taurus
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- Brazil
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1980
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 51 mm
- Overall length
- 168 mm
- Height
- 117 mm
- Width
- 35 mm
- Weight, empty
- 595 g
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Firing mechanism
- Double action single action
- Trigger
- Double action single action
- Trigger pull
- 20.0 N
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Rotary
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Finish
- Blue
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 290 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 341 J
- Effective range
- 25 m
- Maximum range
- 900 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.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Fixed sights
Rubber grips
Compact frame
Swing out cylinder
Transfer bar safety
Exposed hammer
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 25 .38 Special pistols | 595 g | 595 g | Near the median |
| Overall lengthAmong 1,911 pistols | 168 mm | 196 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 26 .38 Special pistols | 51 mm | 51 mm | Shorter than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 26 .38 Special pistols | 5 | 5 | Holds fewer rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the Taurus 85
How much does the Taurus 85 weigh?
The Taurus 85 weighs 595 g (1.31 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Taurus 85?
The Taurus 85 is chambered in .38 Special and .38 Special +P.
How many rounds does the Taurus 85 hold?
The Taurus 85 holds 5 rounds, fed from a rotary magazine.
How long is the Taurus 85?
The Taurus 85 is 168 mm (6.61 in) long overall, with a 51 mm (2.01 in) barrel.
Who makes the Taurus 85?
The Taurus 85 is made by Taurus (Brazil).
When was the Taurus 85 introduced?
The Taurus 85 was introduced in 1980.
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
- Brazilian State Police Forces
- Brazil
Provenance
Confidence in this record
75%
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-85' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "taurus-85", "name": "Taurus 85", "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": 1980, "barrel_length_mm": 51, "weight_empty_g": 595, "action_type": null}