Taurus 692 Review (2026): 800 Rounds of .357, .38 and 9mm

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Table of Contents

Review: Taurus 692, Seven Shots of .357 or 9mm From One Revolver

Our Rating: 8.1/10

• MSRP: $639.45 (2-692021, black, 2.5 in.) to $851.99 (stainless 3 in. and 6.5 in.); Executive Grade $1,207.99
• Street Price: Our live card starts at $560.16 at Classic Firearms; on October 2, 2026, Palmetto State Armory had the black 3 in. 2-692031 at $596.99 (Use our live pricing for the best up to date deal)
• Caliber: .357 Magnum and .38 Special +P, plus 9mm Luger with the second cylinder
• Action: Double action/single action, spurred hammer
• Barrel Length: 2.5 in., 3 in. or 6.5 in.; the 3 in. and 6.5 in. barrels are ported
• Overall Length: 8.00 in. (2.5 in.), 8.14 in. (3 in.), 11.64 in. (6.5 in.)
• Weight (unloaded): 32 oz (2.5 in.), 35 oz (3 in.), 46 oz (6.5 in.)
• Capacity (cylinder): 7 rounds; two cylinders included
• Frame Size: Medium, 5.66 in. tall and 1.50 in. wide
• Frame Material: Alloy steel (matte black) or stainless steel
• Grip: Rubber
• Sights: Fixed front, adjustable rear
• Trigger Pull (SA/DA): 4 lb 6 oz / 11 lb 8 oz on our 2-692031 (Taurus publishes no figure)
• Safety: Transfer bar

Quick Take

The Taurus 692 is a seven-shot medium-frame revolver that comes with two cylinders. One takes .357 Magnum and .38 Special. The other takes 9mm Luger, loaded in Taurus’s Stellar clips. Swap the cylinder and the same gun shoots the cheapest centerfire pistol ammunition in the country.

I shot 800 rounds through a black 3 in. 2-692031: .38 Special, .357 Magnum and 9mm. Every round fired. I had two sticky 9mm cases in a dirty cylinder and nothing else. From a rest at 15 yards it put five 158 gr magnums into 2.1 in.

It’s a lot of revolver for about $600. It’s also heavy at 35 oz, the double action pull is long, and the ported 3 in. barrel throws a lot of light with magnums. It’s a home and range gun more than a carry gun.

Best For: Revolver shooters who want to practice on cheap 9mm and keep .357 for serious use, and anyone who wants seven shots instead of six. Not for pocket carry or for shooters who want a refined trigger out of the box.

Every 692, and Which One to Buy

Taurus lists seven versions of the 692 on its product pages. All of them hold seven rounds, come with both cylinders, have an adjustable rear sight and stand 5.66 in. tall. The barrel, the finish and the price change.

Model	Barrel	Weight	Taurus List	Palmetto State Armory
2-692021, black	2.5 in., not ported	32 oz	$639.45	Not listed
2-692029, stainless	2.5 in., not ported	32 oz	$780.99	$616.99
2-692031, black	3 in., ported	35 oz	$786.99	$596.99
2-692039, stainless	3 in., ported	35 oz	$851.99	$637.99
2-692061, black	6.5 in., ported	46 oz	$786.99	$587.99
2-692069, stainless	6.5 in., ported	46 oz	$851.99	$611.99
2-692EX39, Executive Grade	3 in., ported	35 oz	$1,207.99	$879.99

Three things stand out. The black 2.5 in. gun lists $147.54 below the black 3 in., the biggest gap in the line for half an inch of barrel. The 6.5 in. black gun was the cheapest 692 at Palmetto State Armory, $9 under the 3 in., even though they list at the same price. And stores sell the whole line a long way under list, about $190 off the black 3 in. and $328 off the Executive Grade.

Ports matter more than the price. Taurus says the 3 in. and 6.5 in. barrels are ported and calls the short gun the “non-ported” version, though its own spec line gives that barrel as 2.50 in. If you’ll shoot this at night, the unported short gun is the one I’d pick.

Design Intent: Why Taurus Built It This Way

Taurus calls the 692 a “Multi-Caliber” revolver and sells it on one idea: change from .38 Special +P and .357 Magnum to 9mm Luger “with a simple swap of the cylinder.” 9mm is cheaper than .38 Special and much cheaper than .357, so the second cylinder pays for itself in practice ammunition. Taurus includes Stellar clips for the 9mm cylinder.

The seventh round is the other selling point. Most medium-frame .357s hold six. The 692 holds seven in a cylinder that’s 1.50 in. wide across the gun. The left side of the frame is stamped Taurus Armas, Made in Brazil, and 692.

Taurus 692 Variants

The Executive Grade is the same 3 in. revolver with a polished finish, walnut grips, a brass insert front sight and what Taurus calls a hand-tuned trigger. Palmetto State Armory had it at $879.99, $283 more than the standard black 3 in. That’s a lot to pay for a better trigger and nicer wood, but it’s the 692 to buy if you want both.

Competitor Comparison

The 692’s selling point is the second cylinder, so the comparison is with revolvers that shoot .357 or 9mm, not both.

Ruger GP100 ($730.67 to $1,044.99)

The GP100 is the overbuilt American .357, made in Prescott, Arizona, and it holds six. Sportsman’s Warehouse had a 2.5 in. stainless gun at $871.99, about $275 more than the 692 at Palmetto State Armory. It’s the tougher, better-finished revolver. It doesn’t shoot 9mm. Our Ruger GP100 review has the details.

Smith & Wesson 686 Plus ($869.99 to $961.99)

The other seven-shot .357, and the benchmark. Brownells had a 2.5 in. 686 Plus at $869.99, $273 over the 692. The Smith has the better trigger by a wide margin. The Taurus has the 9mm cylinder. Our Smith & Wesson 686 Plus review covers 1,500 rounds with it.

Charter Arms Pitbull 9mm ($396.22 to $455.99)

If 9mm in a revolver is the main attraction, the Pitbull does it without clips. It holds five, weighs 21 oz with a 2.2 in. barrel and costs less. Palmetto State Armory had it at $455.99. It’s a carry gun. The 692 is a range and home gun. See our Charter Arms Pitbull review.

Verdict: The GP100 and the 686 Plus are better revolvers and cost about $275 more. Neither shoots 9mm. If the second cylinder and the seventh round matter to you, the 692 gives you both for less. For the wider field, see our best .357 Magnum revolvers and best 9mm revolvers.

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Testing Protocol

We shot one gun, a black 3 in. 692 (2-692031), for 800 rounds over five sessions in September at an outdoor range, from 58°F to 90°F. About half the rounds went through each cylinder.

Ammunition Log

• .357/.38 cylinder, 400 rounds: Federal American Eagle .38 Special 130 gr FMJ (200), Federal American Eagle .357 Magnum 158 gr JSP (150), Hornady Critical Defense .357 Magnum 125 gr FTX (50)
• 9mm cylinder, 400 rounds: Blazer Brass 115 gr FMJ (250), Federal American Eagle 124 gr FMJ (100), Federal HST 124 gr (50)

Phase 1: Break-In

The gun came dry. I oiled the crane and the ejector rod, started with .38 Special and swapped to the 9mm cylinder after 100 rounds. The swap took about a minute the first time and well under that after a few tries. The double action pull smoothed a little over the first 200 rounds without getting lighter.

Phase 2: Reliability

All 800 rounds fired. No light strikes and no timing problems. The one issue came after about 150 rounds of 9mm without cleaning: two cases dragged on extraction, and I had to push the ejector rod harder than usual. A chamber brush fixed it.

The Stellar clips take some getting used to. Load seven 9mm rounds into a clip, drop the whole clip into the cylinder, and the empties come out together. It’s quicker than loading loose rounds. Keep the clips flat, because a bent one won’t seat.

Phase 3: Accuracy

From a rest at 15 yards, single action, five-shot groups averaged 2.1 in. with American Eagle .357 158 gr, 2.4 in. with .38 Special 130 gr and 2.8 in. with Blazer 9mm 115 gr. The adjustable rear sight let me move the point of impact when I switched cylinders, which matters: the 9mm shot about 2 in. lower than the magnums.

Our trigger gauge read 4 lb 6 oz single action and 11 lb 8 oz double action. The single action break is clean. The double action pull is long and heavy, with a stack near the end.

Tracking & Observations

After 800 rounds the cylinder face had the usual flame ring and the ports were caked with carbon. A brass brush and solvent cleaned them. Timing stayed right on both cylinders. With .357 the ports throw a visible flash above the sights in low light, and the recoil is easy to manage in a 35 oz gun.

What This Means for You

• Reliability: Every round fired. Brush the 9mm chambers every 100 to 150 rounds.
• Ammo Preference: 158 gr .357 shot best. 9mm is the cheap practice load.
• Accuracy Expectation: 2 to 3 in. at 15 yards from a rest, single action.
• Maintenance: Clean the ports and both cylinders. Store the spare cylinder oiled.
• Upgrade Impact: Extra Stellar clips are the best money you’ll spend on this gun.

Performance Testing Results

Reliability (8/10)

Every round fired. Two sticky 9mm cases in a dirty cylinder cost it a point.

Accuracy (8/10)

Good groups for a 3 in. revolver, and the adjustable rear sight is a real advantage when you change calibers. The double action pull is what holds most shooters back.

Ergonomics & Recoil (7/10)

The rubber grip fills the hand and the weight soaks up magnum recoil. The flash from the ports and the heavy double action pull are the two complaints.

Fit, Finish, and Quality Control (7/10)

The matte black finish is even and the cylinder lockup is tight. There are machining marks inside the frame window and the action feels gritty when new. Fine for the price, and short of a Smith or a Ruger.

Value (9/10)

Two cylinders, seven shots and an adjustable sight for about $600. That’s a lot of revolver for the money.

Features (9/10)

The 9mm cylinder, Stellar clips, a seven-round cylinder, an adjustable rear sight and three barrel lengths. The ports are a feature some will want to skip.

Technical Deep Dive

Frame and Cylinders

A medium frame in alloy steel or stainless, 5.66 in. tall and 1.50 in. wide, with a seven-shot cylinder. The gun ships with a second cylinder chambered for 9mm Luger. The .357 cylinder also takes .38 Special and .38 Special +P.

Barrel

Taurus lists six-groove rifling on every 692. The 3 in. and 6.5 in. barrels have a full underlug and ports near the muzzle. The 2.5 in. barrel is not ported. On the left side of the barrel the 3 in. gun reads TRACKER.

Trigger (SA/DA)

Double action/single action with a spurred hammer and a transfer bar. Taurus publishes no pull weight. Ours read about 4.5 lb single action and 11.5 lb double action.

Ammunition

Cylinder	Cartridges	Benefit
Standard	.357 Magnum, .38 Special, .38 Special +P	Full-power defense loads and soft .38 practice
Second	9mm Luger in Stellar clips	The cheapest practice ammunition you can buy
Capacity	7 rounds in either	One more than most .357 revolvers

For loads, see our best .357 Magnum ammo and .357 Magnum vs 9mm pages.

Parts, Accessories and Upgrades

Upgrade Category	Recommended Component	Why It Matters	Cost Estimate
Clips	Spare Taurus Stellar clips for the 9mm cylinder	More preloaded 9mm, faster reloads	$15 to $30
Holster	A belt holster cut for a medium-frame Taurus with your barrel length	At 35 oz it needs a stiff belt holster	$50 to $100
Cleaning	.38 caliber chamber brush	Clears both cylinders and stops sticky cases	$5 to $10
Reloads	Seven-round speed strips for .357	Flat to carry on the belt	$10 to $15

Common Problems & Solutions

• Sticky 9mm cases: Brush the chambers every 100 to 150 rounds. Ours dragged at about 150 rounds dirty.
• Different point of impact by cylinder: Our 9mm hit about 2 in. lower than .357. Adjust the rear sight for the load you carry.
• Clip won’t seat: Stellar clips bend. Check them flat on a table and replace any that rock.
• Flash at night: The 3 in. and 6.5 in. barrels are ported. Pick the 2.5 in. gun or a low-flash load.
• Gritty double action: It improves with dry fire. A few hundred pulls on snap caps helps.

Who Should NOT Buy This Gun

The 692 is a lot of revolver for the money. It’s still the wrong pick for some buyers.

• Concealed carriers: At 35 oz it’s a belt gun. The Charter Arms Pitbull shoots 9mm at 21 oz.
• Shooters who want the best trigger: The Smith & Wesson 686 Plus is the seven-shot .357 with the better action.
• Buyers who want the toughest .357: The Ruger GP100 is heavier built and made in Arizona.
• People who hate muzzle flash: Skip the ported 3 in. and buy the 2.5 in. Taurus 692, which isn’t ported.

Final Verdict

The Taurus 692 fired all 800 rounds, .357, .38 and 9mm, and shot 2.1 in. at 15 yards with magnums. It’s heavy, the double action pull is long and the ports are bright, and none of that changes what it is: a seven-shot .357 that also shoots cheap 9mm, for about $600.

Pick the barrel on purpose. The 3 in. is the all-rounder. The 6.5 in. is the range gun, and it was the cheapest at Palmetto State Armory. The 2.5 in. skips the ports. For Taurus’s other revolvers, see our Taurus 605 review and Taurus 905 review.

Final Score: 8.1/10. A versatile seven-shot revolver at a fair price, and heavy enough to show it.

FAQ: Taurus 692