Taurus (manufacturer)
Encyclopedia : T : TA : TAU : Taurus (manufacturer)
Taurus is a Brazilian gun manufacturer founded in Porto Alegre, Brasil around 1940. They produced their first revolver in 1941. Today they are well known for making cheaper copies – often including many improvements – of handguns produced by other firearms manufacturers.
One of their most successful handguns has been their PT-92, 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 (see article on Beretta 92 for a list of differences). Taurus also manufactures the famous Raging Bull revolver.
Forjas Taurus S/A originally was a tool/cutlery factory. Nowadays, it's one of the most important Brazilian tool manufacturers.
Taurus started to manufacture revolvers and later bought Beretta plant in Brazil, starting to produce Beretta-style pistols in assorted calibers: small .22 and .25 (6.35mm) pocket pistols, .380, and "export only" calibers (like the 9mm, not allowed in Brazil for civilian use).
Current product line includes steel-frame pistols, polymer-frame pistols (Taurus Millennium, PT-24/7, others), revolvers and law enforcement weapons (submachine guns and rifles), the latter intended for domestic market. The PT-92 pistol is the handgun of choice for many Brazilian law enforcement agents.
Its American subsidiary is Taurus USA.
[IMBEL (Indústria de Material Bélico)] - Produces weaponry, ammunition and assorted equipment to Brazilian Army
[Rossi] - Manufactures shotguns, short rifles and revolvers
[CBC (Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos)] - Originally an ammunition factory, nowadays manufactures shotguns, small-caliber, short rifles and pneumatic guns.
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.