Taurus USA Expedition Rifle Review

Taurus is a well known firearm manufacturer, well known for pistols that is. The company manufactures a variety of clones and unique handguns but today we bring you something new from Taurus. Our subject today is the brand new Taurus Expedition bolt action rifle, we will review this rifle chambered in 308 Winchester as it currently is available from the factory. 

Background

On the cover of the box, there is a large hunting logo. Therefore I think it is pretty safe to assume that Taurus is going after the hunting market with this rifle. And with its short barrel, light weight and 308 chambering I can see it being a hit with many hunters. 

Today’s Taurus USA has new goals and culture, one of them being to create guns that they themselves would use. As hunters, some of the folks at Taurus wanted to bring the technology they’ve invested into a hunting rifle. Something they could be proud of and successful with. 

I must say, as a hunter, and a precision rifle junkie, if I had been incharge of the Expedition’s development, I probably would have done things almost the same way. The incredible suite of features is matched by lightweight, and a handsome package. And at a price point below what I’d expect for all that.

Features

Taurus’s Expedition rifle boasts a significant list of features. When I say significant I mean for a rifle priced in this range, as well as being an introductory model. First off, the Expedition uses the very popular Remington 700 footprint which means you can use the huge aftermarket supply of parts. But wait, there’s more.

The Expedition also incorporates many of the same features that more expensive custom actions offer. Things like a three-lug bolt, M16 style extractor, dual plunger ejectors, and a Savage-like barrel nut system that allows easier barrel changes and assembly. Surprisingly it doesn’t end there either, the Expedition comes with a muzzle threaded ⅝-24 for all your muzzle accessories.

The stock of the rifle also incorporates some additional things. There is a Spartan Precision tripod mounting socket in the front of the stock, allowing use of those support devices. Additionally there is an M-Lok slot at the six o’clock position to add other things like ARCA rails or a tripod foot in my case. Feeding the rifle is done via AICS style magazines. The rifle comes with a polymer five-round mag, but I also intended to use both polymer and metal ten-round models as well. 

At the back of the stock, there is a “butt-hook” that allows good purchase for your support hand to keep the rifle steady. The whole thing is finished in a gray textured paint that looks pretty good IMO. 

Other Models

At this time, there is only one model of the Expedition. But anyone with imagination would expect that it won’t be long before a 6.5 Creedmoor model will be available. 

Taurus Expedition Rifle review

I had planned on mounting a brand new Steiner T6Xi 3-18X56 riflescope on the Expedition. For that I installed a Nightforce 20 MOA one-piece scope base on the Expedition receiver. Then using some Vortex 34mm medium rings I leveled and mounted the Steiner in place. It was a good look, but I wanted to add more, to fully equip the Expedition. So I also grabbed a Maxim Defense PRS 30 suppressor, a Harris Bipod, and my Precision Rifle Solutions tripod. The latter of which uses a foot that can be attached to the bottom of the rifle stock by M-Lok. 

With an assortment of ammunition in hand, I headed out to my shooting spot. I fired a few shots through the rifle to ensure function, then it was time to zero the scope. After a few shots into the berm, I moved to paper and fired a few groups with a good zero. 

Shootability

Having put several hundred rounds through the Expedition at this point, I am quite confident with its capabilities. I really like the three-lug bolt throw, it makes a much shorter throw and therefore faster operation of loading the rifle. 

The trigger feels fine, though I wouldn’t be opposed to swapping it out for one of my Trigger Tech Diamond’s. Anything that uses AICS magazines is better in my opinion, and the Expedition worked great with every magazine I tried. Shooting from the tripod was very convenient and easy to go back and forth with QD tripod attachments. 

The ejection of the rifle is very consistent, and positive. In fact, feeding cartridges was very smooth all the way around. The lightweight bolt handle and knob worked great, but I do think they may be a touch delicate if you had some sticky rounds from hot loads. 

Overall the rifle felt great, shooting at targets from one to nine-hundred yards was very doable. And I would feel very confident hunting these wide open Rocky Mountains with the Expedition.

Reliability

At no time did I experience any failures or malfunctions during my shooting. As mentioned, the magazines and cycling of rounds was great. The only thing I could complain about on the rifle was a screw that sat slightly high in its countersink. This resulted in some excess tension while running the bolt, but after properly seating the screw the problem went away. 

Ergonomics

The Expedition stock doesn’t look particularly amazing to me, but it is perfectly comfortable. I attached a stock pack to get a better sight picture but that is more about my scope mounting than anything. I like the grip angle and the butt hook at the rear. The foregrip area is also quite easy to hold while hiking. The bolt throw takes a second to get used to. And I did notice that I would frequently engage the safety by accident by bumping it with my hand as I pulled the bolt back. This is likely something easily corrected with training.

I may use the rifle for some of the younger shooters in my family this fall, the rifle is short enough for some of the smaller statured shooters. Which is an added bonus. 

Accuracy 

Accuracy from the Expedition was better than I expected. I don’t know why I expected it not to be, but I was surprised to see it shoot half MOA.

When using match grade ammo, five-shot groups were around .5 MOA and three-shot groups could go even smaller. 

Even shooting cheap ball ammo the rifle would shoot around 1 MOA, which was great for plinking. 

Taurus Expedition Rifle Pros and Cons

I’ve spent a few months shooting the Expedition now, and I have yet to find something about it I can say I dislike. The closest thing I can come to a negative with this rifle is the way the bolt handle is bolted onto the bolt body. I can’t say it’s a bad thing because it hasn’t failed. But my guess is that it would be the first thing to break under heavy use. 

I can however say a lot about the things I like. I love the short eighteen-inch barrel, it reduces the rifle weight and makes it much more maneuverable. The short throw of the bolt makes it easy to shoot quickly, and the AICS magazines are a must have nowadays. Bolting on parts that I already had on hand is nice, and that feature continues to shine as time goes on. 

Accuracy from the little rifle is excellent, and makes the icing on the cake.

Taurus USA Expedition Ammo

The best accuracy experienced while shooting the Taurus Expedition came from Hornady 168 Match and Desert Tech 175 Match. I have no problem hunting with those loads, but I’m sure you could also use Hornady’s Precision Hunter 178 ELDX with similar performance. 

Taurus USA Expedition Upgrades and Accessories

Any hunting rifle needs a good sling, and for a lightweight rifle like this I love the Butler Creek stretchy type slings, they are comfortable and stay on your shoulder.

Next up I would for sure put a bipod on the rifle, and it is hard to go without a Harris SL bipod here. It’s a perfect match for the rifle.

I also put my Quake Industries stock pack on the Expedition, this helped my sight picture with the elevated scope. And it also gave me a place to stash some extra rounds.

I for sure would put a suppressor on the Expedition, it is a great host. I used the Maxim Defense PRS 30, but any good 30 cal suppressor would go well with the rifle.

Taurus USA Expedition Accessories

1. Comfort Stretch Firearm Sling		Check Price
2. Harris SL bipod		Check Price
3. Quake Industries Stocker		Check Price
4. Maxim Defense PRS 30		Check Price

Alternatives

If you are looking for other good bolt-action hunting rifles at the $750 or less price-point, there are some great options from Howa. The model 1500 series has some great options, or if you are looking for better you can spend a touch more on a Tikka T3 with excellent performance.