| Type | Sociedade Anônima |
|---|---|
| Traded as | BM&F Bovespa: FJTA3, FJTA4 |
| Industry | Defense |
| Founded | 1939 |
| Headquarters | Porto Alegre, Brazil |
| Key people | Dennis Braz Gonçalves, (CEO) Luis Fernando Costa Estima, (Chairman) |
| Products | Firearms, weapons |
| Revenue | US$ 409.0 Million (2010) |
| Net income | US$ 42.8 Million (2010) |
| Employees | 3.150 |
| Website | www.taurus.com.br |
Forjas Taurus ( BM&F Bovespa: FJTA3, FJTA4) 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.
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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 1970, 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.
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.
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.