Here's a reason not to leave revolvers out of your concealed-carry considerations: the newly announced Taurus 66 Combat. The medium-frame revolver is based on Taurus' already wildly successful Model 66, but fine-tuned for defensive use! Chambered in the powerful .357 Magnum, it's specifically designed as a fighting revolver.
Most centerfire wheelguns only offer five or six shots; not so with the Taurus 66 Combat. Unlke other revolvers its size, it features a seven-shot .357 Magnum cylinder. Another big bonus of this chambering is that the user can shoot a variety of rounds, full-power .357 Magnums down to light target-loaded .38 Special, and everything in between.
As for sighting systems, you have a couple of options. The 66 Combat comes out of the box with a high-visibility fiber-optic front sight that's perfect for fast target acquisition, and aligns well with the squared-off rear sight channel for a crisp, yet fast, sight picture. Additionally, the 66 Combat comes drilled and tapped for the Taurus Optics Ready Option plates (sold separately on www.ShopTaurus.com).
The revolver's 3" barrel balances two key elements important to self-defenders: concealability and performance. It allows most .357 Magnum loads to generate sufficient velocity to achieve ideal terminal ballistics, while balancing the gun's concealability by decreasing the overall length.
As for the trigger, Taurus took the already-excellent Model 66 trigger and tuned it for double-action-only (DAO), eliminating the hammer spur for fast draw and creating a smooth-as-glass rolling trigger pull that delight any shooter. MSRP $972.99; TaurusUSA.com.
