The Taurus 856 Ultra-Lite is the rarest combination in the .38 Special snubnose market: a 6-round cylinder at 15.7 oz. Every other 6-shot revolver in the catalog runs 22 oz or heavier because the standard build is all-steel construction. The Ultra-Lite gets there by swapping the standard 856's carbon steel frame for an anodized aluminum alloy frame, while keeping the same 6-shot stainless cylinder, 2-inch barrel, exposed hammer DA/SA action, and 6.55" overall length as the steel-frame Taurus 856.

That weight savings comes with a familiar trade-off — at sub-16 oz, +P recoil is brisk and sustained range sessions become tiring. Owners report fatigue patterns similar to the 14.4 oz S&W 642 Airweight, with practice sessions typically capped around 50 rounds of +P before recoil starts affecting accuracy. The advantage over the 642 is the 6-shot cylinder in roughly the same carry footprint — the buying decision is more about the platform than the round count. The Taurus grip frame is noticeably larger than the J-frame profile, which fits some hands better and gives more meat to absorb recoil through the palm, but pocket-carry holsters cut for the J-frame won't fit.

The exposed hammer adds snag risk for pocket carry — the same constraint that applies to every spurred snubnose. Anyone wanting a Taurus 6-shooter with a draw-snag fix should look at the bobbed-hammer 856 Defender instead, accepting the weight gain back up to 24 oz. The Ultra-Lite makes sense for shooters who want the Taurus grip-frame ergonomics and a 6-shot cylinder in something light enough for ankle, jacket-pocket, or off-body carry where every ounce matters more than recoil control.