So what's the consensus on "Taurus" firearms?

Midget

Midget

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So what's the general consensus on this company? Good rep? I've heard they tend to make look-a-likes of other firearms and try harder to hit an "affordable" price point. Are these weapons reliable? Pros/Cons about Taurus?



The reason I ask is because today I acquired a Taurus Millenium Pro, PT 111, 9mm in a trade (in my favor). The weapon is brand new in the box. What can I expect out of it?


This is my first handgun, and I am by far a newbie. This works out well for me because the weapon is affordable and comfortable, and I am currently in a position to be able to put lots and lots of rounds downrange for the next 1-2 weeks [I'm in Missouri on vacation ;) ]. Right now I'm not after anything fancy or high tech-- instead, I'm going for something to familiarize myself to the world of handguns and to do some easy target practice.

I'm headed to the field in two days to give this thing a try. I'll let you know how it works out. ;)


http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?model=111BP-12&category=Pistol
 
I recently picked up a PT 24/7 in 9mm and am very happy with it, aside from having lame NJ legal 10 round magazines instead of the 17 rounders. I also have a Glock 23 .40cal and picked up this gun because it is a very safe gun to have around the house and my wife is comfortable shotting it. I has a lock, safe trigger, manual safety, loaded chamber indicator and it's DAO.

So far I have fired about 500 rounds with it, mixed target loads and some defensive hollow points with no jams, FTF or extraction problems. The mixed taget rounds consisted of Winchester white box PMC and some other brand I can't remember. The defensive HP's where Hornady TAP and they shot well, I have some duty ammo my friend gave me that I think is Ranger, they tend to have some feeding issues when cycling manually but did not have a problem feeding when fired, the bullet itself is a tad bit longer than the Hornady TAP and looks like the cause of the feed issue. Accuracy with all was fine from 5 to 50 yrds.

Take down is simple once you get the hang of it. You have to remove a pin, this was a bit of a pain to get used to after being used to the simplicity of my Glock. It also has an intergrated rail for various light/lazers, my SureFire X200 slides right on/off. The fit and finish is very good and the ergonomics of this gun are fantastic, very comfortable and I would recommend anyone looking for a DAO to check it out.
 
have, and carry, a 4" 669 (.357) when I did security in Little Saigon. I must have put a few thousand rounds through it without a hitch. I didn't like the stock grips and replaced them with Hogue or Pachmyer (I forget which) neoprene. I loved that it was ported from the factory. Combined with the full length underlug the muzzle didn't lift too much, even with Magnums. It was a heck of a gun for the price. My wife loved it too. I used to get razzed by all the guys with the tupperguns for carrying the "six shooter" and the "cannon" but I had faith in it.

Frank
 
I've had a Taurus "Chiefs Special" knockoff in stainless for many years. It has proven to be reliable.
 
I have a PT92. I don't know what I'm doing with it, and might only have 500 rounds through it, but its never even hiccuped. And after realizing I didn't have to strong arm the thing, it seems to be pretty accurate, and shoot fairly close to point of aim.
Its also very easy to take down for cleaning, and unlike the berreta 92, it has a 3 position safety and allows for "cocked and locked carry" if I should so desire :D
My only complaint is they never sent me my free 17 round magazine, they were supposed to give me from the promotion they were running (bought it right after the AWB expired, and was not renewed). They did follow through on my free 1 year membership to the NRA though.

The fit and finish isn't the same as a beretta, but the price was about half. The same thing seems to go for their wheelguns and stuff. Not real high end, but solid users for a good price.
I've heard they stand behind their products very well also.
 
Matt Shade said:
I have a PT92. I don't know what I'm doing with it, and might only have 500 rounds through it, but its never even hiccuped...
Click to expand...

I bought mine back in 1989 and have about 3000 rounds through it and no poroblem; even with reload.

I understand that Beretta sold it's old 92F equipement to Taurus and the Tarus 92 is more reliable than the newer Berettas. :)
 

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Taurus did start out making "copycat" firearms, although they deserve credit for doing it under paid licences from the original manufacturers and not just ripping off the designs.

More recently, though, Taurus has become an innovator, not a follower. They have been pioneers in factory porting, recoil-absorbing grips, and titanium frames. They were the first company to introduce a whole new design specifically for the new generation of heavy-magnum calibers. And they have improved the mechanical designs they inherited as part of their original licenses.

I have owned a half-dozen Taurus handguns and have been very pleased with all of them. I would rate their fit-and-finish as good rather than excellent, but their functional quality is second-to-none. They are accurate and reliable.

--Bob Q
 
i had a millinium pro 9MM for a while, a good little edc pistol, mine was pretty reliable and fairly accurate, the trigger wasnt as good as a kahr, i liked mine better than the kel tec though, they look very similar.

imho taurus is ok , gen'ly reliable, all i have had the triggers needed work (ie 92 and the pro) but for the $$ they are pretty good, hard to beat glock though.
 
I personally wouldn't purchase one at retail (you can get other slightly better guns for the money) - but in a trade/really good price situation I would definitely bite...judging by the opinions of the folks who work down the hall from me in the gun lab, Taurus makes a good reliable product with little sacrifices- slightly less fit and finish and performance, but decent all around- and I absolutely trust these nut-jobs' judgement :D
 
Early Taurus QC and fit/finish - so-so. Last few years? Here's a company that really got it's sh***t together - IMHO, now excellent value for the money! I got to play with the entire Taurus line at this year's SHOT show and their stuff was very impressive.

(BTW, if anyone has extra grip screws and countersinks for a Taurus PT-58, I will buy them!)
 
I have and love a 2" .38 Taurus 85, probably a 10+ year old wheel gun that's never given me any trouble. I have a set of barami hipgrips on it, the thing just goes away in anything, down to a swimsuit and tank top. Great little gun.

I had and loathed a Millenium PT45, bad mag release spring, chronic failure to feed ( not a limp wristing issue, btw), a chunk fell off it, one of the frame 'pins', actually some polymer standing in for a real pin. Several earlier models in that line had chunks fall off the grip, right where the grip safety on a 1911 would be. They apperantly fixed it, but they did it without a much warranted recall, iirc. Horrible customer service , I sent it back twice before finally getting rid of it, each time was a nightmare, no smith's notes when it came back, it just showed up randomly, no call or email to be on the look out for it's return, and a just generally bad attitiude at the call in center. I think they rushed the .45 to market without shaking it out properly fist. i've heard pretty consistently good things about the 9mm, shame the .45 didn't measure up, even worse that the customer service was so bad. I wouldn't buy from the company again due to the service I received, but I do have to admit I still carry my trusty 85. All things considered, you did okay, I'd want to put 500-1000 rounds through it before trusting it as a carry piece, but that's just good advice on anything, imho
 
yeah the .45 millinium was problematic, a bud had one and he had some problems also, do they even still make that? really woulda been a good one if it woulda worked right imho, he ended up swapping the gun for another, the 9's arent bad though.

i wannna try the new kahr P45, after giving them time to work out the bugs.
 
I wouldn't get rid of mine for anything.. One of the best semi-auto pistols I have ever owned..
Pt 92 Af Para
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For the money(actual retail at a decent gunshop, not M.S.R.P.) they are very good firearms. They're not as nicely finished as the Sig, H&K, Beretta, or a high end S&W, but performance wise they're a much better deal.
 
Seems to me the best way to know what to expect is to take it to the range and shoot the durn thing. Then tell us what you think. :yawn:
 
I own a PT-111 9MM Mellinium (sp?) and have ran over 1000 rounds of Winchester ballnose ammo thru it, with not even so much as a wimper. When I EDC it, I use some JHP ammo (not sure what brand I have right now :rolleyes: ) This pistol has received some very good reviews.

It is fairly accurate, lightweight, and easy to EDC. I carried it in an ankle holster for a spell, and now when I carry it, it is in a Maxpedition M-4 waistpack.

A good all around EDC IMHO. Go fire a bunch of rounds thru it, and see for yourself. I think you'll be pleased.
 
So far I've put about 300 rounds through it.

*It seems a bit inconsistant and inaccurate sometimes. I'm not sure if it's me because I'm new to handguns, or maybe I'm expecting too much for a handgun. At ~25 meters, what kind of shot group is possible from a concealable weapon such as this? I'm not talking about super duper accuracy, I just don't know what to expect from such a short barrel.

*So far the weapon has fired every round without a hiccup. Knock on wood

*It is a pain in the ass to disassemble/reassemble. I cleaned the weapon today for the first time, and the retaining pin both sticks in the action then is extremely difficult to put back in. To pull the slide off, you have to point the barrel to the ground and pull the trigger a few times. It even says to do this in the manual. I'm putting it together correctly, and eventually things come together, but it's just... stubborn.

*the magazines are a pain to load.

*the handgrip is a tad too small for my hands, but i suppose that's situationally dependant on the user. the weapon IS very concealable and efficient with space.

*i am unsure exactly on what i think about DAO firearms. half the time i like it, but half the time i feel like it's missing something. the long trigger pull every time doesn't feel right.

those are a few mixed, initial impressions about the weapon. although most of what i wrote was negative, overall, i am impressed. for the price, functional fit/finish, ergonomics, and initial durability, this is definately a great beginner pistol. in the next week(s) i plan on putting through at least 1000 rounds and then i'll have some more solid opinions.
 
@ 25 meters if your hitting the black your doing good with a short barrel gun for a beginner.. depending on what targets your firing at.. there are lots of factors that can cause off shots.. keep your eye on the front sight and let the target go out of focus but still retain it in your view.. just not detailed.. place the front sight in the middle of the black area and concentrate on gently and fluidly squeezing the trigger .. Heck even the way you hold the gun has to do with where your shots are going to end up .. there are several tendons that twitch and do all kinds of crazy stuff when putting strain on them that are connected to the trigger pull finger..,..
grip the gun handle like a firm hand shake in the web of your strong hand .. then bring the other hand up and lay it over the strong hand knuckles and make sure your thumbs are pointing forward strong hand thumb on top other one right under it.. .. Would be easier to use a picture than to try and word it for me.. but hope this gets you in the right direction.

The long trigger pull is great for self defense even though it is a pain for target shooting.. it wont go off unless you are really wanting it too.. it gives you a chance to back off of it also with out it going bang ..

The mags always suck to load, Especially if they are double stacked.. .. maybe you can go to a gun shop and see if they have a speed loader for it.. I can tell ya that helped me out alot during my training.. ..
 
Midget said:
*It seems a bit inconsistant and inaccurate sometimes. I'm not sure if it's me because I'm new to handguns, or maybe I'm expecting too much for a handgun. At ~25 meters, what kind of shot group is possible from a concealable weapon such as this? I'm not talking about super duper accuracy, I just don't know what to expect from such a short barrel.

*It is a pain in the ass to disassemble/reassemble. I cleaned the weapon today for the first time, and the retaining pin both sticks in the action then is extremely difficult to put back in. To pull the slide off, you have to point the barrel to the ground and pull the trigger a few times. It even says to do this in the manual. I'm putting it together correctly, and eventually things come together, but it's just... stubborn.

*the handgrip is a tad too small for my hands, but i suppose that's situationally dependant on the user. the weapon IS very concealable and efficient with space.
Click to expand...

From a rest it will probably do something around 4-6", maybe a little more, maybe a little less. Given the guns size and intended purpose as long as you can keep all the round in the 9 and 10 ring of a B27 target at 15 yards you doing fine.

As to take down, the pin shouldn't be extremely easy to remove yet you shouldn't have to pull hard either. Having to wiggle it a little to remove it is normal.

This orthis should help with the grip situation.
 
Take it to the gun club and ask one of the local hotshots to try it -- and do that before you rant to everybody about how that stoopid little thing can't hit a barn door from inside the barn etc. etc. Hold your tongue and you won't be so embarrassed if he puts the whole magazine in one hole. I have seen that happen so many times ... :cool:
 
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