Taurus 1911's

[beararms1776]

I don't own any taurus right now, but if I get a good deal I'll buy one

Same here. I'd like it to have adjustable sights though.

 

[04DarkShadowGT]

I don't own any taurus right now, but if I get a good deal I'll buy one

That is how I got my Pt1911, I was actually going to a gun shop to buy some 9mm lead bullets for loading. I took a look around and saw what looked like a pretty much flawless used stainless and the price was right.

(1) The gun that works for you is not the gun that I can buy at a store, even if I can get the same model. Your Taurus/Kimber/Nighthawk might work flawlessly, but I might end up with a bad "copy." People who think that their model can do no wrong are as bad as people who think that Taurus guns are worthless. This is a gray zone of quality control and reliability percentages, for all manufacturers. Just because your gun works/doesn't work, it doesn't say anything about that company or even that model. Some Glock owners cannot believe any Glocks failing, but I've experienced problems with a Glock. Does that mean all Glocks are bad? No, just my particular "copy" on that day. But the other Glock owners need to understand that quality is not black and white.

I understand that and agree to an extent. But if you discard the people who had issues with a gun and those who are happy with the gun, then who are you going to listen to? Those left are pretty much the ones who have no experience with that particular model.

Im not really pro taurus per say, I do own some of their guns and am happy with them. But I know others have had issues and have heard stories about their customer service, both good and bad.

Clearly any particular brand or model will have its bad apples. I guess my thought is to take everything with a grain of salt and buy whatever you, the buyer, likes. Let the cards fall where they may. Sometimes you get a good one, sometimes not.

(2) Consumer Report doesn't collect data on firearm repairs, and as far as I know, no one does. My information comes from candid gun store clerks. They get most repair requests for Taurus firearms. No, they weren't trying to steer me away from Taurus guns, because I am a Taurus owner. This is somewhat better than anecdotal data, but I don't have the percentages, so I can't tell how the different companies do relative to one another. There could also be factors that skew this particular report (varieties of guns carried, population sample size, the type of buyer, etc.).

By the way, for what it's worth, these same clerks also say that the PT1911 is a reliable firearm, based on their retail experience. But again, this is not a guarantee from God. It just means it's less likely to have problems. Weapons all eventually fail, after all. They are just material tools.

Da Bing

I just have a hard time taking statements put out there as fact when its impossible to back them up. What a gun shop clerk says is really not proof. Too many variables, that shop may very well send more Taurus guns back than any other brand, they may also sell more Taurus than any other brand.

Again I am not saying that its not true, I'm not even saying Taurus is as reliable as a Glock, Kimber, XD, whatever. I would venture a guess to say that in general Taurus guns are not as reliable as Glock or Springfield, but its simply that, a guess.

 

[bingley]

But if you discard the people who had issues with a gun and those who are happy with the gun, then who are you going to listen to? Those left are pretty much the ones who have no experience with that particular model.

...

I just have a hard time taking statements put out there as fact when its impossible to back them up. What a gun shop clerk says is really not proof. Too many variables, that shop may very well send more Taurus guns back than any other brand, they may also sell more Taurus than any other brand.

(1) You listen to a good gunsmith or someone who actually has the expertise to examine a gun and determine its quality. (I don't include myself in that category.) Sometimes the difference is visible even to the untrained eye. In the case of 1911 guns, once you open up a Taurus and compare it to, say, a Springfield, a Kimber, etc., you'll see that it's not as nice. I know we are agreed on that. But the real issue at hand is balancing quality and price. How much are you willing to pay? This is a personal decision, and the typical brand-bashing or exaggeration just won't help.

I can tell you for sure that the finish on the PT1911 is a bit on the thin side. It will get scratched and worn fast. Some people mind, others don't. The barrel isn't as nice looking or polished, but the feed ramp is polished enough. Some people have to deburr the insides themselves because their particular copies have rough insides. You'll probably want to get good magazines. I find the balance to be a little too forward for me.

(2) No, I don't have proof. On the other hand, an inspection of the inside of a Taurus gun will tell you that it's somewhat lower in quality than a better (and usually more expensive) brand. This agrees with the clerk's personal experience, and with the general consensus out there. So your standard of proof may be a bit too high for practical purposes. But then again, the general consensus is that Taurus is moving up in quality. That's one reason we're having this debate. But at the end, the question is again a personal one: is the value, reliability, etc., offered by the Taurus good enough for you?

Again, I'd caution everyone against the useless black-and-white statements ("X brand is the best!" "Y brand is worthless!"). Some people end up making their particular gun a part of their identity and pride, so they cannot take even the slightest criticism. Some people buy guns because they are afraid, and they want a savior. That makes them susceptible to such exaggerations. The truth, again, is that all weapons fail. Training and tactics will matter more.

So I guess my final advice is buy the Taurus if it fits your budget. If you can find one for $550 or less, it's probably about as good as it gets. (The shiny finish costs more, and not worth it for me since I don't mind some scratches. Your own preferences may vary.) Be aware that you're buying a budget weapon in the 1911 world. So adjust your expectations accordingly. Don't get upset if it breaks, as with all budget items. Have a backup plan. If you are willing to spend more, you can definitely get a nicer gun.

Da Bing

 

[qualitytym]

What 8 rnd mags are compatible with PT 1911?

 

[04DarkShadowGT]

What 8 rnd mags are compatible with PT 1911?

Pretty much all of them designed to work with a full size 1911. It is a 1911, pretty much any part for a 1911 will work if fitted properly. The gun comes with two mags, but I have a mecgar that I had from an old springfield and it works fine.

 

[Bonez87]

I had one and loved it. Ive had colts and kimbers as well and i think the taurus shot just as well.

 

[Gunner52]

Great gun but avoid the other Taurus pistols.

 

[chraland51]

The gun store that sold me my PT1911 sure told me it was a good quality, reliable gun when I was comparing it to a couple of other more expensive ones from other manufacturers. Maybe I just looked like a guy who did not want to spend more than $650 or whatever the price was when they first came out so the salesman thought that the best he could do would be to steer me to the less expensive Taurus. The same guy steered me to my unnoticably used stainless S&W 1911 when I when I was comparing it to a new ss SA 1911 that cost about $250 more. He told me that he could not tell me anything that would come near to justifying why I should buy the SA 1911. He could have made something up and I might have believed him and would have bought the SA. Anyway, guns are like cars and women. Most times you get a good one, but sometimes you get one that is so bad that you want to give up on shooting. Sometimes you get a few bad ones in a row that makes you start to wonder what you did in a previous lifetime that made you deserve this kind of treatiment in your current life.

 

[chraland51]

With my 60 year old eyes, if it will allow me to get all shots in the head or heart area of a man-sized silouette at 50 feet, that is good enough for me. My Taurus 1911 has done that for the several years that I have owned it and for the several hundred times that I have shot it. That is all that I care about.

 

[Robert Richardson]

Bought an Alloy frame PT1911 in 09. It's now at 6k rounds,I've replaced the recoil spring,the hammer (it was fugly ),Duracoated the slide,and replaced the grips.No abnormal wear anywhere The gun feeds anything I put in the mag. No complaints. More accurate than I am.
Over the past two years I've had 2 Springfields,1 SST Loaded Champ,1 Loaded fullsize blued, 1 Kimber Custom2 SST, 1Colt fullsize series 80.Maybe I'm just stupid but,I sold the others and still carry the PT1911 everyday.It works for me.
To each their own.