The Taurus Model 605 has been around for a while and the company has made several variations of it. The newest model is the Poly Protector, which has a unique look to it that I’m guessing some will like and some will love. The Poly Protector model is one of the lighter revolvers on the market which makes it very easy to carry. But it’s chambered in a .357 Magnum, so it kicks like a mule when you shoot it.
Traditionally, revolvers are made of 100% steel or at least some type of metal. But, as we have seen since Glock released the Model 17, polymer has taken root in the handgun world. It was only a matter of time before someone thought to apply the polymer concept to revolvers. Ruger was one of the first successful manufacturers to do this with the LCR, and when the Taurus 605 Poly Protector showed up just a few years later it joined the ranks of super-light guns with really big kicks.
About the Taurus 605 Poly Protector
The Poly Protector is a two-piece sub-frame made of alloy steel. It is then coated in Durethan, which is a fiberglass/nylon mixture. The frame is built up with this material to the finished size. This blend of stainless steel and poly is what makes the gun so lightweight, yet it is strong enough to withstand .357 mag and .38 Spl +P ammo. The cylinder and barrel are stainless steel, making the total weight of the revolver right around 20 oz. For comparison, a Glock 43 weighs just under 18 oz.
The fiber optic front sight was a good thought by Taurus, but it almost looks like an afterthought. The fiber optic sight looks like someone stuck a piece of plastic in the post and cut it off with scissors. I will admit the sights worked well when shooting on the range, but I still can’t get over the look of that front sight. The back sight is a fixed split-ramp sight that lines up well with the piece of plastic-looking optic on the front (sorry, it really bothers me).
It’s a modern-looking wheelgun.
Some like the old-school-looking revolvers that saved America from the wild west. The snub-nose revolver has an iconic look to it and tends to be a little beefier than the old-school revolvers. I personally like revolvers with a modern twist to them and this is where Taurus did the job right. Again, not everyone will like this look, but I think they did a great job at making a half-plastic gun look like a modern 5-shot wheel gun.
The hump in the frame just behind the cylinder gives the Poly Protector a distinctive look. While the part of the frame encasing the barrel is round, the top and bottom of the frame has a square look. The cylinder swings out to the left by pushing forward on the serrated cylinder release. The hammer does not stick up above the frame as far as most, leaving just enough room to get your thumb on. This does keep it from catching when drawing it from a holster or purse.
Is it too light?
The lighter weight of this gun is great for carrying, but I can’t say the same for shooting heavier loads out of it. When shooting 130-grain 38 special ammo, I didn’t have any problems. I shot some 158-grain 38 special and some Inceptor Preferred Defense 77-grain ammo after that. I was able to comfortably shoot the Poly Protector and make fairly quick follow-up shots.
When I fired .357 Magnum from it, however, that was a different story. I wanted to shoot something designed for self-defense, so I used some 140-grain hollow points and thought I was going to lose my hand. I fired a few other brands of .357 from it and decided this was just not a gun worth shooting .357 ammo.
One of the big dilemmas with gun weight and caliber is finding that perfect combination for CCW. Lighter guns are easier to carry, and larger calibers have better knockdown power. When you combine the two, you have more recoil. More recoil can lead to slower follow-up shots and less accurate shot placement. The lighter weight combined with .357 Magnum may not bother some, but for me, .38 special is a better choice for the Poly Protector.
Thumbs up or down?
I didn’t like the front sight at all, and the weight of the gun is a little too light for me to shoot .357 Magnum. Still, I think the pros outweigh the cons of the Poly Protector. I like the shape and the look of the two-toned accents. It is a comfortable gun to shoot and was fairly accurate when shooting at personal defense range. The trigger pull with the hammer down was long and probably 12 lbs. or more, but smooth. With the hammer back, it was much lighter like most revolvers tend to be. For a relatively inexpensive revolver, the Taurus 605 Poly Protector could be a great choice for someone wanting a light, modern, 5-shot snub-nose.
Taurus 605 Poly Protector Specs
- Barrel length: 2”
- Overall length: 6.70”
- Overall height: 4.50”
- Overall width 1.40”
- Weight (unloaded): 20 Oz
- Action type: Double/Single
- Caliber: 357 MAG, 38 Special +P
- Safety: Transfer bar
