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  4. Taurus 66 Combat .357 Mag Revolver Review: 7-Shot, Optics-Ready Juggernaut

I’ve been slinging .357 Magnum out of the new Taurus 66 Combat revolver for months, and this seven-shot wheel gun might be good enough to make me leave my semi-auto concealed carry at home.

Now, I’m not normally a revolver kind of guy, but a few of Taurus’ affordable cylinder guns have made their way into my safe over the years. I’ve enjoyed them, but the 66 Combat is a do-work revolver I wouldn’t hesitate to carry every day.

Plus, this optics-ready revolver packs an extra round of potent .357 Magnum that proved to be devastating in my ballistic gel testing.

Quick Summary: The seven-shot, optics-ready Taurus 66 Combat is reliable, accurate, and easy to shoot. Its double-action-only design offers a smooth trigger that I shot very well out to 20 yards, and the .357 Magnum chambering is a wonderful performer. 


Table of Contents

Features
Specifications
Accuracy & Reliability
Ballistic Gel Test
Pros & Cons
Final Thoughts

Features

 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
For the extra round of .357 Mag, the Taurus 66 Combat is just a bit bigger than some six-shot .38 SPL revolvers. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


The medium-framed, optics-ready, seven-shot Taurus 66 Combat is a do-work concealed carry and tactical wheel gun. Coming in at 2.1 pounds with trimmed Hogue grips on my scales, the double-action-only design removes the traditional hammer spur in favor of a snag-free profile.

While it’s not small, I found the Taurus 66 Combat conceals easily with its 3-inch barrel, but it’s the seven rounds of .357 Magnum and upgraded fiber-optic front sight that caught my eye in the first place. The top of the frame is drilled and tapped for an optic, and Taurus offers optics plates for the Shield RMSc footprint. 
 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
In comparison, here's the seven-shot Taurus 66 Combat with a 3-inch barrel next to a Taurus 856, which is chambered for just .38 Special with a 2-inch barrel. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


That makes the 66 Combat one of the more affordable optics-ready revolvers on the market that is also chambered for the powerful .357 Magnum.

I found the Hogue grips that shipped with the gun to be very comfortable, and they control the recoil of the .357 Mag well. These grips have speckled texturing that is positive in the hand without giving the gun the abrasive feeling common on hard checkered grips. 
 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
The grip is comfortable and allows for a three-finger grip without adding extra bulk. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)
Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
The rubber grips are very positively textured but not abrasive, which is appreciated for extended shooting with .357 Magnum. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


The DAO trigger is smooth, and it is easy to shoot well with speed, even with full-power .357 Mag self-defense loads. The spurless hammer does remove any precise, single-action trigger work, but that’s not this gun’s forte anyway. 
 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
There is no spur on the hammer, so you will be doing all your shooting in double-action mode. The ejector rod is shielded, and that seven-round cylinder uses space economically. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)
Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
I find this to be a nice working man's revolver that I won't worry about dinging during a long workday. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


If I had to cast a stone at the design, it would be that the gun is a tad hefty, though it is well balanced and does not feel like 2.1 pounds in the hand. The seven-shot cylinder will also require special speed loaders/strips for those of us who have invested in six-shot options already.

Finally, the .357 Magnum chambering allows for both .38 Special and .38 Special +P. That’s always a plus for those who want to save money on training or desire a lower-recoiling load. A transfer-bar safety makes this a drop-safe, carry-ready option with a full complement of seven rounds.
 

Specifications

 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
While the Taurus 66 Combat has a tactical leaning, it’s well within the zone for concealed carry for a magnum revolver. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


Here’s a quick breakdown of the basic specs for this Taurus 66 Combat.

Weight: 2.1 pounds (unloaded)
Frame Size: Medium
Overall Length: 8.4 inches
Barrel Length: 3 inches
Sight Radius: 4.25 inches
Width (Cylinder): 1.52 inches
Height: 5.67 inches
Capacity: Seven shots
Chambering: .357 Magnum, .38 Special +P, .38 Special
Barrel Twist Rate: 1:16.5 RH twist
Barrel Grooves: Six
Frame Material: Stainless steel
Finish: Matte stainless
Cylinder Material: Stainless steel
Barrel Material: Stainless steel
Optics Ready: Yes
Safety: Transfer bar
Trigger Pull: 6.8 pounds (seven-shot average)
Action: Double-action-only trigger (DAO)
 

Accuracy & Reliability

 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
I’ve put 150 rounds of 132-grain PMC .38 Special, 20 rounds of 120-grain Federal Punch JHP .38 Special +P, 20 rounds of 140-grain solid-copper hollow-point DoubleTap .357 Magnum, and 150 rounds of 158-grain PMC Bronze Hunting hollow-point loads through this Taurus 66 Combat. Zero issues. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


Reliability has been 100 percent with the DAO Taurus 66 Combat after 340 rounds of testing across multiple brands of ammo so far. The cylinder lockup is still solid, and I was able to kick out all types of brass casings so far with a good push on the ejection rod.

This may be a double-action-only trigger, but it’s smooth with just a bit of stacking. I shoot it on par with or better than most of my single-action/double-action revolvers. In fact, I shot it significantly better than the last heavy-frame revolver with adjustable sights I reviewed.

Here’s what I got at seven yards of slow fire.
 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
Printing 1-inch groups with seven shots at 7 yards is quite good for my revolver-shooting skills, even if it was slow-fire shooting. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)
Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
The fiber-optic front sight is easy to pick up, and the accuracy is still solid with that basic rear notch. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


And here’s what it looked like when I ran that DAO trigger as fast as I could get my sights back on target.
 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
Here are two cylinders at 7 yards for my rapid fire. I definitely drifted up, but it’s all effective self-defense shooting. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


Finally, precision shooting was a bit tougher using the DAO trigger. I imagine I could do better with more practice. Regardless, this 20-yard shooting was still self-defense effective.
 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
At 20 yards, I had a less predictable pattern, with half my shots high and left. But I’m still not mad at this for a DAO trigger and 4.25-inch sight radius. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)
Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
This is an optics-ready platform, but you will want to be careful about what optic you put on it. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


All in all, I found the front fiber-optic sight easy to pick up, and the simple rear notch was still plenty accurate at range. In fairness, this is an optics-ready gun. I had intended to do more shooting with an optic. However, the only spar red dot I had with a Shield RMSc footprint didn’t survive my first cylinder of .357 Magnum ammo.

I guess you could call that a lesson learned. Check the specs on any dot you want to run on this if you are shooting punchy .357 Magnum.
 

Ballistic Gel Test

 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
I used solid-copper DoubleTap hollow-point .357 Mag ammo for my testing with ballistic gel. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


I did this gel testing with 140-grain DoubleTap .357 Magnum ammo sporting a lead-free hollow-point bullet. This solid-copper ammo has a dense base with aggressive copper petals that open on impact. 

My five-shot testing gave me an average velocity of 1,199.9 fps out of the Taurus 66 Combat’s 3-inch barrel. That means the 140-grain hollow-point bullet packs a whopping 448 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle. For comparison, Browning’s vaunted 280-grain .45 ACP FMJ has just around 400 foot-pounds of energy, and 124-grain 9mm FMJ is closer to 360 foot-pounds. 
 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
The 140-grain projectile averaged 1,199.9 fps out of the Taurus 66 Combat’s 3-inch barrel. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


The petals of the all-copper bullet open like blender blades. This creates a devastating wound channel. It also managed to expel all the bullet’s energy in just 14.5 inches of 110-percent FBI ballistic gel. That is right in the sweet spot for penetration between 12 and 18 inches, according to the FBI’s standards.
 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
This created a gnarly wound channel. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)
Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
And the solid-copper, hollow-point bullet opened up like a bladed flower. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


I rather like the solid-copper base on this DoubleTap bullet as well. It provides a hard and dense backing to the hollow-point projectile that is sure to carry a lot of energy into a hard-faced target as well as a fleshier target.

Recoil was very manageable in the Taurus 66 Combat. Plus, you get a total of seven shots of .357 Magnum in this tactically inspired wheel gun.
 

Pros & Cons

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver

Here’s my short list of the pros and cons of the Taurus 66 Combat chambered in .357 Magnum.

Pros:

  • Reliable and accurate
  • Affordably priced
  • Chambered for .357 Mag, .38 SPL, and .38 SPL +P
  • Seven-shot capacity
  • Optics ready
  • Fiber-optic front sight
  • Nice rubber Hogue grips
  • Smooth trigger pull
  • Well balanced
  • Feels great in the hand
  • Easy to conceal with a spurless hammer
  • Good looks
  • Enjoyable to shoot, even with .357 Mag

Cons:

  • Double-action-only trigger
  • Relatively heavy, but well balanced
  • .357 Mag can be hard on optics, so check your specs
     

Final Thoughts
 

Taurus 66 Combat .357 Magnum Revolver
The Taurus 66 Combat is large for a carry revolver, but its spurless hammer and rounded lines make it easy to conceal. I especially like it as my winter-carry option. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)


If you are looking for an affordably priced, optic-ready revolver that is well-suited for tactical or concealed carry needs, this is a solid option. The Taurus 66 Combat is robust, easy to shoot, and comes with the bonus of a seven-round cylinder.

This is a comfortable and fun shooter, even for the non-revolver fans out there. I wouldn’t mind carrying it, especially now that we’re into the winter months and heavy coats. 

The .357 Magnum chambering is potent, and there are tons of loads available for training and self-defense needs.
 

It’s also one of the few larger handguns that isn’t painful to carry appendix-style while bouncing in a John Deere Gator. (Photo: Paul Peterson/Guns.com)
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