Caleb: I also predict that in the comments, someone will accuse me of having a soft spot for Taurus…they would be correct, I do have an affinity for Taurus’ semi-automatic pistols.
Me: I have a soft spot for mentally-disturbed homeless alcoholic vets on the side of the road, but I wouldn’t bring one home.
I've seen PT-111 Millennium 9mm's with more frequent-flier miles to Miami than a Colombian cocaine mule.
Hey now...
ReplyDeleteMaking a soft spot out of mentally-disturbed homeless alcoholic vets on the side of the road might be okay if you are in the movie Death Race 2000 but in real life it really is not a nice thing to do. Not to mention the fact that they are a low point value unless you also have blind cords tightly wrapped around your neck and privates.
hehe. I am but a learner...
Whoa whoa now, I didn't say anything about no PT-111 Millennium. Those are wretched. I guess I forgot that Taurus bottom feeders other than their generally decent 92 and 1911 series.
ReplyDeleteTheir 92 clones seem okay, but I've never really seen one get the piss shot out of it at a three day class (PT-92 buyer generally != case of ammo at Thunder Ranch shooter.)
ReplyDeleteI've personally kinda cooled on their 1911's. For what I'd have to do to one to make me happy with it, I might as well have started with a Springfield as the base gun. If someone doesn't mind the chunky frontstrap and the 1/8" of daylight under the Heinie's, I guess they work fine.
The Millennium/24/7 line is pretty much unmitigated crap, though.
Frequent flyer miles to Miami.
ReplyDeleteYou kill me.
And, Ouch, it also hurts.
So, what's going to happen to my Taurus Millenium 145 that I should be aware of? 500 rounds or so far and still running smooth as silk.
ReplyDeleteShooty stick go bang bang. Sometimes not go bang bang.
ReplyDeleteThat's about the extent of my knowledge. :-P
From personal experinice with the Taurus 1911, I would only recomend to someone I didn't like.
ReplyDeleteThe 92 series are ok
The rest well they are firearms, & that's about all, seem on par with Hi-Point
I shot the beans off a used PT-92 once - it went to 7kish rounds before it stopped working. Shockingly, I had cracked the locking block on it.
ReplyDeleteBut don't worry, if I feel the need to buy a plastic framed gun, I wouldn't go near the 24/7 guns - there are plenty of XD(m) guns in the world that I'd rather have before I got a 24/7.
Apparently their 92 and 1911 clones are decent. That said, if you're going either of those routes why not just buy a 92 from Beretta or 1911 from a more reputable manufacturer?
ReplyDeleteI just don't see any good reason to buy a Taurus.
I've been returning about a half dozen a week for repairs. Many straight out of the box.
ReplyDeleteFirst time I've heard of someone with a soft spot for Taurus autos.
ReplyDeleteNow, their .38 snubbies aren't half bad. Just be sure and do a quick fit-check in the store. My 85UL was a fine little pocket piece.
Mike W. - a lot of people like the Taurus 92 and 1911 series guns specifically because of their price point. Since Taurus controls pretty much every aspect of their machining, they charge absurdly low prices for their guns. I mean, if I didn't have Tam as a friend, I would bought a Taurus PT1911 when I came back from Blackwater.
ReplyDeleteI'm not one to throw Tam-like opinions around, but I agree. When 90% of the guns I send back to the manufacturer for repair are Taurus, which is one of 30 makes we sell...then something is wrong.
ReplyDeleteI feel the 92 series is the only one worth a damn. Recently, they've gotten mighty proud of them price wise (new) so much so that a new Beretta is only going to set you back a Benjamin more.
The 1911s are pure, unadulterated crapola. I saw one break on the line at Thunder Ranch, one break on the line at a local range, and have had 10 customers bring them back for various failures. The most of common of which is the ambi safety.
Junk, junk, and more junk. Let's not get started on Taurus' lack of customer service and inability to fix anything in a timely fashion...or actually fix anything.
It's a shame really, because the new "small framed" Judge, seems like a cool concept and execution. I guess I'll wait for Smith and Wesson to copy it and build it.
-Rob
"...their .38 snubbies aren't half bad..."
ReplyDeleteUm, I'm not saying you are incorrect, but I bought one on the pretense that they'd be fairly durable. Mine, not so much. YMMV.
I've always been quite impressed at the accuracy, reliability, and value of the PT92/PT99 series. I have a certain friend who ran a local gunshop for years and who now runs a very nice local range, who is widely known as a "Human Ransom Rest," who, last time I checked, kept a PT99 as his go-to pistol. Yes, that's anecdotal, but he's been slinging guns across glass for at least as long as anyone here, and I personally am going to credit him with knowing how to read a sampling, given that he has a master's in Accounting. (An odd skillset, now that I think of it. :) )
ReplyDeleteNow, as for P-89's, I'm not a fan. P-90s seem to work, but so do anvils.
I know you're not talking about their revolvers, but I've been appreciative of their M85 snubby varients, for their value.
"Shooty stick? That, my friend, is a Winchester 30-06!"
ReplyDeleteOf the few firearms that I've had to junk (beyond rebuild) have been three Tauri: an 85, a 94 (I think, the 9 shot DA), and a PT92. I have a Judge but it made me laugh at its name and fecklessness; I rarely shoot it. I doubt if it can survive me. *Behold, I am Death, Destroyer of Guns*
ReplyDeleteI'd like to get a re-make of the 63 rifle for the nephews but am concerned that it will not hold up the way my family shoots.
You dig the homeless, alcoholic types? Tall, dark and under arrest? You like a man with his own public defender? A man with the initiative and consideration to steal a bottle of Boone's Farm for himself and you?
Hmmm, memo to self: use homeless bridge-dweller voice more.
*Bridge dweller voice* "Hey, baby, steal me some ripple and come over to my cardboard box down by the river."
Shootin' Buddy
I shot the Taurus 92 series in 9mm and .40 and must say I like it better than the Berettas that I have shot, but concerning Taurus, that's about it. I was shooting an IDPA in Greenville, SC and there was this guy there who was about ready to throw his 1911 Taurus in a field over the frustration of not having it work. That and the numerous customer service complaints from people who have bought them. Their revolvers are well.....you can get'em cheap!
ReplyDeleteNo thanks,
I'll stick with guns that work.
Caleb, funny you should mention that you broke the locking block on a 92. I know two other guys who also broke the locking block on their 92's this last year as well. Not a good trend.
ReplyDeleteI almost bought a Taurus 1911 right after they came out. More than a little glad I didn't, now.
ReplyDeleteAs for the P89 and P90, I take it you were talking about the big blocky Ruger autos, Matt? I have one of each and love 'em both. To each his own, as they say. :-)
Well there goes my chance to go on a date with Tam...
ReplyDeleteKnow what you mean, Don; everything was clicking along, then I remembered I have a house.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. Haven't had any problems with my blued PT-911 (not 1911 or 111) as long as I keep it clean and oiled.
ReplyDeleteIt's only had about 1200rds through it though. c
The fit & finish ain't the greatest though. But it's just a carry piece, not a center-piece for an armoire.
500 rds... 1200rds...
ReplyDelete1200 rounds is a three day Handgun I course, two good Saturdays at the range, and a bowling pin match. How many rounds will you run through it next month?
Wish I had the time to shoot like that. Or could find the ammo. I have maybe 300 rounds through my glock.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of high round count guns, my Gun Blog 9mm just hit the 5k mark, and that's with me babying it since last year. I've got two majors in September, so whatever gun I end up shooting in those matches will end up with 5k rounds on it easily before then.
ReplyDeleteI always preferred teh PT92 series guns to their Beretta counterparts, and feel the 3-position frame mounted safety was "Da Bomb". I also liked their revolvers, even more so than the conteporary S&W cousins (but I haven't looked at many new revolvers since the mid 1990's, so maybe Taurus QA has slipped there since then.)
ReplyDeleteCan't get a liking for their polymer guns -- but then, the only Combat Tupperware that really floats my boat are Glocks (the 21st Century equivalent of the "cop .38") and Springfield XDs (if I was running a US military service pistol program, the XD .45 with thumb safety would be how the RFP would be written.)
I've had good luck with my 2nd Generation Mil Pro PT140. Based on that, my son bought a NIB PT145 last November. When the packing grease was cleaned from the barrel he found a series of very noticeable longitudinal scratches in the bore. The gun also shot a good foot below point of aim at 7yds.
ReplyDeleteSeveral weeks of calls to Taurus finally garnered permission to send it back. Either weeks later he received it back, this time with a black-finished barrel instead of stainless. The new barrel's under-barrel lug was too short to even contact the recoil spring assembly when in battery.
After numerous phone calls he finally got a FED-X account number to return it on their nickle. It came home again last week after eight weeks at Taurus. The only thing Taurus did was polish the black finish off so that the same defective replacement barrel now matches the slide.
When he called Taurus euphemistically named "customer service" yesterday they suggested he send the barrel in and, once they got it, they'd send him a replacment. He pointed out that they'd made that offer once before except that time they'd offered to send the replacement first; he'd waited two months and several phone calls before they'd admitted that Taurus USA has no spare barrels in stock. He's ready to try to drum up a class action lawsuit against Taurus for their crappy warranty service.