Taurus ( manufacturer ) Forjas Taurus is a manufacturing conglomerate based in Porto Alegre , Brazil . Beginning as a tool and die manufacturer , the company now consists of divisions focusing on firearms , metals manufacturing , plastics , body armor , helmets , and civil construction . History . Taurus produced its first revolver , the Model 38101SO , in 1941 and began exporting its revolvers to the U . S . market in 1968 through a series of importers . In 1971 , the Bangor Punta Corporation , then the parent company of Smith & Wesson , purchased 54 percent of Forjas Taurus , allowing the two firearms manufacturers to easily share information regarding design and manufacturing . In 1977 , Taurus was purchased from Bangor Punta by its current owners , and its ties to Smith & Wesson were severed . In 1980 , after Italian arms manufacturer Beretta had completed its contracts to produce firearms for Brazil ' s military , Taurus purchased Beretta ' s São Paulo manufacturing plant along with the tooling , technical drawings , and work force necessary to produce several different pistol designs . In order to more effectively tap the U . S . market , the company created a subsidiary , Taurus International Manufacturing Incorporated , also known as Taurus USA , in 1984 . In 1997 Forjas Taurus purchased the rights & equipment to manufacture Rossi brand revolvers . They currently manufacture three . 38 special models & four . 357 magnum models under the Rossi name , manufactured in São Leopoldo , Brazil . Products . Current product line includes steel - frame pistols , polymer - frame pistols ( including the popular Millennium line ) , revolvers , and law enforcement weapons ( submachine guns and rifles ) , the latter intended for the domestic Brazilian market . The company has a major advantage in that it can manufacture and sell its firearms for generally less than other notable brands due to low labor costs , as well as having the facilities available to build virtually every part themselves . The company also offers a few unique features not found elsewhere , for example while some polymer - frame firearms such as the Glock have no exterior safety features , the Taurus equivalents have a manual safety . Taurus also offers its Security System lockable safety on many models which blocks the gun from firing . One Taurus claim to fame is the Lifetime Warranty included with every weapon , the owner merely has to return the firearm to the factory or repair center , and any defect will be corrected at no charge . However , Taurus USA will not apply this warranty to Taurus firearms imported by other importers prior to 1984 , so owners of older Taurus models should contact the company before shipping their guns in for repairs . Even though guns imported into the US before 1984 were manufactured by Taurus , the company will not honor the warranty on them . Until sometime in the 1980s , Taurus ( early US - imported guns were branded " Taurus Brazil " ) did not enjoy a favorable reputation among US gun owners . Many saw them as cheap , unreliable , unsafe , and unlikely to last very long . Whether the poor reputation was deserved or was merely the result of American chauvinism in the 1960s and 1970s , is unknown . However , the few Taurus guns actually seen in those days were , indeed , of poor quality , qualifying for the derogatory label " Saturday Night Special " . The fact that the company changed the branding on the guns to just " Taurus " , along with using a different font and overall markings design , does suggest that they were tying to distance the newer products from the reputation of the earlier ones . An even stronger indication that earlier Taurus guns were of poor quality is the fact that the company does not honor warranties on those earlier guns . Whether the result of marketing strategies such as changing the markings , and the production of novel guns such as the . 410 / . 45 Judge , or of better manufacturing and quality control procedures , Taurus has managed to distance itself from the " Saturday Night Special " reputation , and their guns are now generally seen as well - made alternatives to more costly brands . Currently , their " Millenium " model , based on their " PT " line , enjoys a particularly good reputation among US gun owners . Firearm model overview . One of Taurus ' most successful handguns has been its PT92 , a model similar to Beretta ' s model 92 line , but with the addition of an ambidextrous frame safety , rather than the Beretta ' s slide - mounted safety . Taurus also manufactures the famous Raging Bull revolver . The most recent addition to the Taurus pistol lineup is a copy of the Colt 1911 . 45ACP pistol , the PT1911 . This slightly redesigned and updated design offers many features , as well as the aforementioned near ubiquitous Taurus Security System safety key lock . Initial sales of the PT1911 have been very successful , with many dealers being unable to keep the item in stock . Taurus has also introduced its Tracker and The Judge 5 - shot revolvers , which have a cylinder designed to take both . 410 bore shotgun shells and . 45 Colt cartridges . Taurus also manufactures small frame revolvers such as the Model 85 which are similar in size and appearance to the Smith & Wesson J - Frame models .