I bought a Taurus 357 mag, model 608 a couple months back from a private add on a wim. The gun looked to be in good condition, but it also looked to have it's fair share of rounds shot through it. I later started to check this model out on the web and realized what the heck did I do. The first thing I noticed was the heft of this gun. Its weight was a lot more than my S&W model 19. After going to the Taurus site and looking up the 608 I found out this is a large frame revolver, plus the extra weight for an 8 cylinder.
Then it happened, shortly after purchasing it and shooting a few rounds. The trigger started to lock-up. I have worked on S&Ws for years on minor repairs so I opened up the 608. Basicly I think its just a copy of the S&W model 27 or 28.
I found that the problem was that in double action mode, the cylinder lock plunger paw was letting go of the end of the trigger spur a little too soon. No sooner then you start to pull back on the trigger and the lock begins to drop and free the cylinder for rotation, the lock plunger lets go and the lock pops back up and locks that same cylinder before it gets a chance to rotate. Yet if you pull the trigger again, it worls fine.
So out came the plunger paw, did a little file work to widen the end of the plunger in order for a longer contact with the trigger spur, put it back together ( had to do this procejure 3 times) and cured that. I have put many rounds through the 608 since and no more trigger lock-up problem.
I am aware of the Taurus lifetime repair waranty, but the way I see it is any thing thats free, watch out.
All in all I just love this gun and think Tauras means well yet started a free health care system for guns and can't afford the means to back up all the promise.