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  4. Review: Taurus 650 357 Snub-Nosed DAO Revolver

Taurus resurrected the classic Model 650 series small-framed .357 Magnum wheelguns for 2025, and we have a few things to report after evaluating one range on the range. 
 

Table of Contents

Overview
The Specs
Features
Trigger
Reliability
Accuracy
Carry
Pros & Cons
Conclusion

Overview


In 2001, Taurus debuted the Carry It Anywhere series of revolvers, consisting of the 850 CIA in .38 Special and the 650 CIA in .357 Magnum. Simple and compact snub-nosed five-shot double-action-only designs with enclosed hammers, they are much akin to the S&W Models 642 and 640, albeit more affordable. Using fixed sights, soft rubber boot grips, and a choice of either a stainless or matte black finish, the 650 remained a popular carry gun for a generation and was only dropped from the Taurus catalog in 2017. 

Now, the 650 is back on the scene as Taurus moves into 2025. Although it has dropped its often misunderstood "CIA" moniker, it retains the standard features and footprint that made it an easy choice for those looking for a reliable .357 pocket gun that doesn't break the bank.  

The reintroduced Taurus 650 is now available in four models, all five-shot .357 Mags, between two finish types (matte black and matte stainless) and barrel lengths (2- and 3-inch).

 

The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
The 2-inch black finished Taurus 650, as seen at SHOT Show '25. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
The 2-inch matte stainless Taurus 650 as reviewed. 

 

For full disclosure, Taurus provided a Model 650 to Guns.com for review purposes. All testing was done on this one gun, which has been under evaluation since January. 
 

The Specs (Model 2-650129)

  • Caliber: .357 Magnum/.38 Special +P
  • Overall length: 6.56 inches 
  • Barrel length: 2 inches (6 grooves, 1:16.5-in RH twist)
  • Overall width: 1.36 inches at the widest point over the cylinder
  • Overall height: 4.59 ­inches 
  • Capacity: 5-shot cylinder
  • Sights: Fixed rear slot, removable serrated blade front
  • Sight radius: 4 inches
  • Trigger pull: 9.6 pounds double action (10-pull average). DAO
  • Weight: 22.93 ounces (unloaded)
     

Features

 

The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
The Taurus 650 .357 Magnum is a compact, 5-shot snub-nosed revolver with a fully shrouded hammer ala the S&W Centennial style and a Double Action Only, or DAO, trigger system. Keep in mind that Smith and Taurus were sister companies in the 1970s and, for sure, there was a sharing of tribal knowledge. 
The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
Our review Taurus 650 compared to the author's well-used S&W J-frame 642, both internal hammer DAO 5-shot snub guns. The alloy-framed Smith .38 is 14.6 ounces, which is nice for ankle or pocket carry, while the steel-framed Taurus runs over a third heavier at 22.93 ounces which helps with recoil when it comes to .357 Magnum loads or .38 Spl +Ps. 
The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
The 2-inch barreled model, as reviewed, runs 6.56 inches overall.
The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
The five-shot cylinder swings out to the left and rotates to the left (counterclockwise) when in action, akin to S&W wheel guns. (Colts rotate to the right, by the way.) We found that J-frame 5-shot speed loaders worked with the factory grips so that allows for devices from all the big names (5 Star, HKS, Safariland, etc.) to service the 650 in addition to simpler speed strips. 
The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
Speaking of grips, the soft rubber boot on the 650 is abbreviated, allowing two fingers and a thumb, and well cushioned on the backstrap which is where it counts on a snub-nosed revolver. There is a thumb ledge on each side. 
The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
Taurus uses a goofy pin system to retain their grips on the 650 but, the good news is, they have used the same system and there are lots of replacement grips available from folks like Hogue and VZ. 
The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
This is a "no lock" gun, without the annoying hammer lock that Taurus formerly marketed. A "melted" design, there are few sharp edges or corners to snag on the 650, allowing easy carry and draw from a variety of carry methods. 
The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
The pocket-sized carry revolver has a four-inch sight radius and uses a traditional fixed rear slot and gutter sight milled into the top strap along with a removable serrated blade front sight.
The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
Surface controls are basic, with a push button release on the right-hand side of the frame. Note the shrouded ejector. 

 

Trigger


Any DAO handgun is going to have a tough trigger. Some are tougher than others, and some, like industrial-grade brown paper towels, are just tough for no reason. The trigger on the 650 has a stout, nearly 10-pound pull, but it is consistently smooth. It also has a full return travel for the reset, which can cause some to short-stroke on follow-up shots and then feel downright awkward with a locked-up gun. Snubbies are a fickle breed that, more than most handguns, require the user to get to know them well enough on the range to master in the field. 

The rule to use: pull it straight back with even pressure, let it all the way out, and repeat as needed. 

Video below: 

 

 

Reliability

 

We put right at 500 rounds through the Taurus 650 with few issues. No snub-nosed revolver is made to run hundreds of rounds on the range without cleaning so, as it got so dark that it looked like a Cockney chimney sweep about halfway through-- with the carbon making ejection downright sluggish-- we cleaned it at 250 rounds to continue the testing. Other than running into problems with the cylinder not extracting all the way on .357-length brass-- we found ourselves plucking them out most of the time-- that was about the only problem. 

Also, while not affecting dependability, running 100 rounds of .357 Mag in a row through this little guy will leave your palm feeling like a barehanded catch from Aroldis Chapman. 

 

The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
The ammo involved included 300 rounds of PMC Bronze 132-grain FMJ target rounds with an advertised velocity of 912 fps and another 100 of Federal's American Eagle 158-grain FMJs with a spicier 1,240 fps. Self-defense rounds were Federal's 120-grain Punch and 129-grain Hydra Shok .38SPL+P JHPs with a 1,000/950 fps velo, along with Winchester's 145-grain .357 Mag Silvertips, which pushed 1,290 fps.

 

Accuracy


With fixed sights, a chopped-off grip, a long and nearly 10-pound trigger, and a 4-inch sight radius, the Taurus 650 is not meant by any stretch of the imagination to be a target gun. That, however, doesn't mean that it can't get on target. We had no problem keeping in the 5-zone of a B27 at the 15 with a correct two-handed revolver grip (it’s different from a semi-auto grip), and headshots were on the menu at the 10 with a little practice. 

 

The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
If you are 15 yards and closer, the Taurus 650 can still make it count even with a 2-inch barrel. 

 

Carry


The wonderful thing about the 650 is that it is a classic J-framed size, which means that about any holster that will fit, say a S&W 640, will likely work. 

 

The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
Such as the Galco Combat Master, an OWB belt holster which is about as luxurious as you can get. 
The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
A little heavy for pocket carry at 1.5 pounds loaded, the 650 nonetheless fits our go-to pocket snub holster, the DeSantis Nemesis.
The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
For deep concealment-- or just running to the store to grab a gallon of milk real quick in some basketball shorts-- the Bianchi No. 6 suede inside the waistband concealment holster is a favorite. 
The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
You can go a bit more old-school with the 650 and feed it via speed strips and/or 2x2x2 feed pouches, such as these from Galco. 

 

Pros & Cons


Pros:

  • Excellent value when stacked against its competition
  • Accurate (within reason)
  • Reliable
  • Compact
  • Uses common holsters, speed loaders, and grips

Cons:

  • The DAO trigger takes some getting used to
  • The sights are extremely basic
     

Conclusion


Taurus had success with the 650 for almost 20 years, and as there are still lots of people who want a simple, reliable DAO revolver that they can carry every day, there remains a solid market for this revolver. It is not pretty. The recoil is energetic, especially in a full-power magnum load, and the handgun will surprise a user who has not put in the brass equity on the range to get used to it. 

It works. 

The MSRP on the new Taurus 650 line ranges from $454 to $469. Compare this to Colt's $999 King Cobra Carry, Smith's current $819 ask for the Model 640, or even Diamondback's similar SDR at $777, and you see the continued appeal of the Taurus.

 

The Taurus 650 357 Magnum revolver
The MSRP on the new Taurus 650 line ranges from $454 to $469.
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