Taurus PT-111 update

[lock n' load]

I had posted awhile back about the Taurus PT-111 9mm I had bought. I have taken it to the range on several occasions and fired several hundred rounds through it. I have enjoyed it immensely. The trigger does have a rather long pull before firing (training gets one used to the pull) but it does have a short reset and follow-up shots are easy. Even one-handed shots are comfortable. I did replace the stock dual recoil spring assembly with an all stainless steel version from Lakeline, LLC. I am considering buying some tritium night sights from them to put on the gun. It has been a reliable pistol. So much so that I bought me a Alien Gear Super Cloak 3.0 iwb holster for it. It conceals really good with my new holster. I will say that wearing the gun next to the skin with an iwb can be slightly uncomfortable with the aggressive texturing on the grip.  I have read a lot of great reviews (albeit a few negative ones) about this gun. I had been reluctant to consider Taurus pistols as a purchase due to the negative reviews I have read and heard about them. Their QC seems to have improved with the PT-111 Gen 2. If you are looking for a decent 9mm compact pistol which can hold 12+1 rounds then I highly suggest giving this gun a try. I paid roughly $280 for it at my local Bass Pro store. I have seen them on PSA for $209.

[hipower]

Taurus has had its ups and downs in the market over the years. But I have never had a major problem with any of their auto loaders I have and have owned.

The worst I will say about them is that they may have the industry's worst customer service.

[peejman]

I've had a PT145 for years and it's been great. Several friends have bought those PT111's for around $200 and been quite happy. 

[krunchnik]

My son bought a PT92AR from a pawn shop a few years ago-upon getting it home and to the range we found a good size chip out of the area under the feed ramp-he called Taurus to see if this was a problem and they agreed to have him send it in on their dime.

They found the pistol to be not fixable-although in all fairness the chip did not effect function.

They replaced it with a brand new PT92 with the railed frame free of charge-which I still have and shoot.That was in 2010

 

 

[Cookies]

I've got a 111 g2 just for playing and plinking. It's surprisingly accurate for such a small cheap pistol. Those aggressive grips are nice, I would imagine they would keep that small pistol planted even in a 40.

[Guest PAULSHOOT]

I am for from a gun expert as just started shooting pistols DEC 2015 with my first one (Ruger SR22).

Bought a Taurus 9MM Millineium G2 middle 2016 year (on sale then for $189 at Floyds Gun & Golf in Sevierville, TN -- $199 other places nearby).

It has been reliable except when I use Steel Casing 9MM ($7.98 plus tax for 50 rounds) when I get some jams (fail to reject and tries to load another round and if you don't clear it properly can really be jammed).

I mostly shoot Blazin Brass (50 rounds runs from $10.98 to as low as $8.98 on sale - plus tax). Runs those very good.

My accuracy is not good - get a lot of low and left of target. My guess is it is Trigger Pull (find the trigger to be harder to pull and breaks way back). I have been practicing using snap caps (dry fire). By the way -- called MFG and they do not recommend  Dry Firing unless snap caps are used.

Compared to the 22 Ruger I am a lot less accurate with the 9MM.   

Very happy with it for my shooting (mostly plinking) considering the $189 price (plus tax and background check). I do have a carry permit (TN), but seldom carry except sometimes on  Motor Cycle rides.

I do keep it loaded with Hollow Points at home and when I do carry ( I have never practiced with those - expensive rascals).

Here is example of last shoot. I found 21 of 23 rounds -- note the patch sheet was placed beside the target to cover previous holes on the cardboard. Then there are two black repair dots  on the main target from a previous shoot.   

   

 

 

 

 

[peejman]

@PAULSHOOT  Low left usually means you're squeezing with your whole hand when pulling the trigger and anticipating recoil. I did that too until I learned to not squeeze so hard with my support hand. 

Try shooting bullseye style... slow with one hand. My accuracy improved significantly which told me I was the problem, not the gun. 

And please run a couple boxes of those hollow points to make sure they feed. The $50 expense is worth it. 

[xtriggerman]

On ‎3‎/‎3‎/‎2017 at 11:35 PM, hipower said:

Taurus has had its ups and downs in the market over the years. But I have never had a major problem with any of their auto loaders I have and have owned.

The worst I will say about them is that they may have the industry's worst customer service.

+1  about 6 years ago a co worker brought me a nice Stainless PT1911 that had major accuracy issues. It shot way off to the right and would even key hole every now and then. The gun had a bad barrel. Visibly, the outside of it looked OK but internally, you could see a pronounced bend and a bit of a kink mid way as if the raw rifled casting had gotten bent after rifling but before the barrel OD was turned. The kink would explain the key holes. So I called Taurus and sent them the barrel as requested. I called them every month for my replacement that was supposed to be a 4 week max wait. Mean while after 2 months, the owner agreed to have me install a Clark match barrel that made the gun shoot 2" @ 25 yards with factory FMJ.  Still no barrel from Taurus! After a couple more calls and 3 months latter, I get a "new ?" replacement barrel that was clearly a re-sandblasted and polished up used one.  Very sad..... because the rest of the gun was actually pretty nice. As a side note, I spent some time on targets with my brother's new Ruger SR1911 and I was impressed. Ruger hit it out of the ball park! Trigger, sights, groups..... perfect! A need nothing factory package worth every penny.

[chances R]

Grip can be elusive....but I would tell you to squeeze with your support hand as hard as you can without shaking.  Your grip will be much more consistent and your groups will tighten.  The key is to keep the front site still while you press the trigger.  We all jerk the trigger to a degree, the trick is to jerk, press, squeeze the trigger without disrupting the front site.  Once you have a consistent grip, 90% of shooting will be the trigger.

[peejman]

4 hours ago, chances R said:

Grip can be elusive....but I would tell you to squeeze with your support hand as hard as you can without shaking.  Your grip will be much more consistent and your groups will tighten.  The key is to keep the front site still while you press the trigger.  We all jerk the trigger to a degree, the trick is to jerk, press, squeeze the trigger without disrupting the front site.  Once you have a consistent grip, 90% of shooting will be the trigger.

That's exactly what I was trying.... squeeze as hard as you can and maintain control... "crush the gun".  My groups were mediocre as best. When I loosened up a little, everything got better. 

[chances R]

Search Rob Leatham video for " aiming is useless" .  My take on grip is that it has to be repeatable for consistency.  To me there is too much variation with a less than firm grip.  Most squeeze their thumbs down, IMO your thumbs should be "loose".  This is one of those areas hands on instruction is helpful early on.  If you watch video of some of the top shooters you will see the forearm muscles really 'pop'.  You don't get that with a less than firm tight grip. Next dry fire session also  try to drop or tuck your elbows in as if you are going thru a tight door.  You will feel an increase in your side to side grip pressure which of course will firm up your grip.  Just my 2 cents, YMMV

[Guest PAULSHOOT]

Thanks for taking time for the ideas. I will keep working on it (as much as I can afford AMMO). :-) 

I looked.

http://search.aol.com/aol/video?q=Rob+Leatham+video+for+"+aiming+is+useless"&s_it=video-ans&sfVid=true&videoId=4237E45F086B871A8D124237E45F086B871A8D12&v_t=client97_searchbox

 

Edited March 14, 2017 by PAULSHOOT

[Guest PAULSHOOT]

I did not intend to put the Video in the last Post (don't know how I did - was trying to put the U-Tube link).

I did put the link to the site the previous poster listed (that worked, then I tried to add the link and got the video). ???  

By the way - was in Knifeworks on Hwy 66 south of Exit 407 a few miles). A guy was looking at Taurus 709 (I think I have the number right). It is like a PT111 but has single stack (8 rounds). Selling for $209 with 2 magazines (AND 4 MORE MAGAZINES come with it from TAURUS after prurchase). 

Edited March 14, 2017 by PAULSHOOT