Back in 2023, Taurus turned a lot of heads by being the first major revolver manufacturer to offer an “optics-ready” revolver, the then-new .38 Special 6-shot Taurus Defender 856 TORO.
This 3-inch compact revolver, which was first revealed to the shooting public at SHOT Show 2023, comes with an optics mounting plate that directly secures itself to the revolver’s topstrap. It accepts the smallest category of pistol-mounted dots—those that use the Shield RMSc or Holosun-K footprints. This style of red-dot sight is already the go-to on modern striker-fired slim-frame 9mm like the Taurus GX4 family, SIG-Sauer P365 series, Smith & Wesson M&P Shields, Glock 48s, etc.
Crossing over from the micro-compact EDC semi-auto universe and into the carry revolver realm wasn’t a big stretch for Taurus. As far as revolvers are concerned, there is no doubt that Taurus hasn’t been afraid of its metaphorical sails to catch the fresh gales of newfound interest that revolver shooting represents in this decade of the 2020s.
Following the launch of the .38 Special Defender 856 TORO in 2023, Taurus followed up at SHOT Show 2024 with another optics-ready Defender model—one chambered for the .327 Federal Magnum cartridge: the new Taurus 327 Defender TORO.
Taurus 327 Defender TORO Overview
The Taurus 327 Defender TORO revolver is a 6-shot compact framed revolver chambered for the .327 Federal Magnum cartridge with a 3-inch barrel. As highlighted in its name [Taurus Optics Ready Option], this revolver is optics-ready from the factory to accept any micro-reflex red-dot sight that uses either the Shield RMSc or Holosun-K mounting footprint.
Candidly, the gist of the Taurus 327 Defender TORO is that it’s a .32-caliber Taurus 856. And this is fine. Being intimately familiar with Taurus, Rossi, and Heritage small-framed revolvers, it’s perfectly fine.
I find this revolver interesting for two reasons–its capacity to accept a reflex sight and the fact that it’s a .32-caliber revolver. Besides shooting .327 Federal Magnum rounds, the 327 Defender TORO can also safely handle the rest of the classic .32-caliber revolver cartridges, including the .32 H&R Magnum, .32 S&W Long, and .32 S&W Short.
These four revolver cartridges have a relationship much like the .357 Magnum and the .38 Special, where it’s perfectly safe to shoot the “lesser” cartridge(s) in the “greater” revolver. I’ll expand on this later in the review.
A Taurus Through And Through
Anyone well-versed with the other compact-framed revolvers in the Taurus catalog, like the 856s, 905s, and 605s, will immediately find the 327 Defender TORO familiar. I did, and that’s why I’m perfectly fine in describing the 327 Defender as a 1:1 copy of the 3-inch Defender 856 (except that it’s .32-caliber).
I own a 2-inch 856 snub and a 3-inch 856 [standard] Defender. Comparing those two against the 327 Defender TORO, there’s really not much difference other than the nominal caliber and bore diameter. All three revolvers have the same look, layout, and feel.
For example, the 327 Defender TORO shares the same matte black oxide finish that my 2-inch 856 snub also has. It’s a basic, no-frills finish whose surface feels chalky when first taken out of the box. After some time, the chalkiness smoothes out.
Holster wear and use will render all of the gun’s edges with silver piping. Although I find it to be a perfectly serviceable finish for a utilitarian revolver, one would do well to keep the gun wiped down with grease or oil from time to time.
Taurus 327 Defender TORO Action And Frame
Like all other revolvers in Taurus’ catalog (large or small), the 327 Defender TORO employs the same action. It’s loosely based on the Smith & Wesson pattern. Though far from being Smith & Wesson clones, all Taurus double action revolver DNA is still linked to Springfield, MA.
The Taurus action is simplified, modernized and refined. Taurus revolvers use a frame-mounted firing pin and eschew the pin on the hammer; they also use a standard transfer bar safety.
The frame of the 327 Defender TORO and its other relatives in the vast Taurus compact-revolver catalog is closest to the classic Colt D-frame of 6-shot .38 Special Cobra snub nose fame. Compared to the Smith & Wesson J-frame, the Taurus frame is slightly bigger, though not by much. But this is why .38-caliber Tauruses have six charge holes compared to the J-frame’s five.
The cool thing about the 327 Defender TORO is that the smaller diameter .327 Federal Magnum cartridges allow for more material to reside between each of the cylinder’s six charge holes. This means that the cylinder can support a full-house magnum revolver cartridge in a compact frame.
If .32-caliber revolver cartridges had a unifying theory, it’s that they represent an excellent size-to-power ratio. The word “efficiency” comes to mind.
327 Defender Trigger Pull
The trigger pull on the 327 Defender TORO is unremarkable. This is neither a good thing nor a bad thing. But this revolver’s trigger pull is adequately manageable. Maybe it’s somewhat gritty at first when the gun is brand new. The double action pull lives in the 10-12 pound range (my electronic trigger pull scale cannot accurately gauge anything over 8 pounds; apologies).
Because the specific hammer included in this gun is bobbed, it doesn’t have a single action notch. So, all trigger pulls are double-action-only—something that isn’t a problem on a defensive revolver. Like with every other Taurus revolver I own or have reviewed, the 327 Defender TORO’s trigger pull will improve with use, especially with live fire.
Staging the hammer halfway and adding a few drops of oil into the crease between the hammer and transfer bar and working them into the interior of the action by wiggling the trigger also goes a long way.
Sights And Taurus Optics Ready Option (TORO)
Since the 327 Defender sells as a red-dot capable carry revolver, it’s outfitted with a high-visibility Ameriglo front sight. It’s the same style of Ameriglo front sight that ships with Taurus 856 Defender models, with an eye-catching blaze orange paint and a green tritium vial on the lower portion.
Like all other compact-frame Taurus, its standard rear notch is carved into the topstrap, where it’s drilled and tapped to accept a Taurus mounting plate that accepts reflex sights that use a Shield RMSc or Holosun-K footprint.
Due to the physical constraints of fitting the red-dot adapter plate to the frame, using co-witnessing iron sights is out of the question completely.
For more information, please visit TaurusUSA.com.
To Be Continued In Part 2
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