Taurus PT1911 .45 pistol. One good review. One bad review.

Posted November 15, 2007 in Pistols, Reviews by Steve Johnson with 79 Comments
Tags: .45, 1911, handguns, PT1911, review, taurus

GunBlast.com has just reviewed the Taurus PT1911 .45 pistol. It is a big contrast to the review by B.B. who had a lot of trouble with his.

GunBlast.com

The Taurus delivered. It was one hundred percent reliable with every type of factory ammunition that I had available. It also functioned flawlessly with my favorite .45 ACP handload.

B.B. Pelletier:

I wanted so much to love this pistol, but poor reliability is the worst sin a defense gun can commit. I’m not sure I can forgive it

Steve Johnson

Founder and Dictator-In-Chief of TFB. A passionate gun owner, a shooting enthusiast and totally tacti-uncool. Favorite first date location: any gun range. Steve can be contacted here.

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N. Eaton

My wife bought me this one for a birthday and I have found it to be great (so great that its now my bed side gun). Mine has had no problems with any ammo that Ive put through it (other than the occasional stove pipe when my wife shoots it, this being from not holding it correctly). Ive shot well over 5,000 rds through mine and have loved every moment.
CAMPBAKER

I RESPECT THE RIGHT OF THE NEGATIVE REVIEW TO POST, WAS THE PISTOL RETURNED FOR SERVICE??? DID THEY REPAIR THE DEFECTS.

IT IS A BUMMER THAT YOU HAD DIFFICULTIES. YOU COULD HAVE LISTED THEM AND WHAT CONDITIONS IT HAPPENED UNDER. WHAT AMMO USED & HOW THE RESOLUTIONS WERE DEALT WITH.

I ONCE BOUGHT A NEW CAR AND HAD THE DASHBOARD FALL OUT OF POSITION,IT CAUSED A LOT OF DIFFICULTIES. WHEN REPAIRED I DROVE THE AUTO FOR 56,000 MILES AND SOLD IT.

I NEVER REALLY WAS AT EASE WITH IT,LIFE IS FULL OF POTHOLES.
oneshortofpar

I have to agree with campbaker. I had a Smith and Wesson Model 37 that the frame cracked in. Just leaving it at that would be terrible. What I would need to include is that Smith sent me a brand new 637 “in 4 days” for free that has had no problems yet!

I like the idea of the “Budget” 1911 that Taurus has put out but I would like to get some solid reviews. Gunblast reviews are always good, he doesn’t find a gun he doesn’t like. Just like reviewers in gun rags. We need more people like the author of this blog to review guns harder. For those of us who only buy a few a year and can’t buy every last one that every manufacture comes out with.
Noel Prieto

I shot a bullseye at 20yds. on this pistol (Taurus PT1911) the first time I took it to the range with my 11 yr. old son, then I let him shoot it at the same distance and he put his hole about an eight of an inch off my bullseye. This gun is the most accurate gun I’ve ever shot straight out of the box.
Dustin

I have the pt1911alr and i couldnt be happier. It has about 600 rnds through it its very accurate……..shoots any round u put through it.My friends with kimbers are acutaly jealous because the checkering and finish are alot better than his kimber……yes i didnt believe it either but, when i saw his kimber i was surprised. Ive noticed kimbers QC failing alot lately my buddies kimber went back after 100 rnds…..stove pipes fail to feed etc. I love my taurus Ill never get rid of it.
Eric

Just purchased this gun. Only had one opportunity to shoot yet and put 50 rounds through with great accuracy and no problems. Has some great features at an affordable price. At this point, very satisfied with the purchase. Ive found that Taurus has a bad rep and people are wary of their guns but the 1911 .45 cal really is a good gun.
Jim

I’ve owned a stainless PT1911. purchased used for $400. I am a long time glock jock and when purchasing a firearm reliabilty is one of the first things I consider, along with accuracy, feel etc.

I put nearly 500 rounds through the Taurus. Only had 2 stove pipes. But when comparing my department issue G21 with nearly 2500 rounds and no failures I was a bit dissapointed. But in my opinion this isn’t uncommon for 1911′s and “tighter” guns. Accuracy was good. golf ball sized groups at 20 yds easily obtained. Trigger was crisp beeing SA. Heinie sights where great. Installed nite sighters glow in the dark inserts to make the gun more capable in low light. I sold it during some tough times due to department layoffs, but would buy another. You can’t beat the price. Is it a Kimber? A Wilson? A glock? haha! Hardly. But for $600 new its a good way to get your foot in the “1911 door”.
tarkan

Detonics,Taurus,Paraordonance,or simply Colt;lets’ talk about your favorite 45 and why?
David

I am impressed with this pistol which I’ve only owned for a few weeks now. It shoots ever bit as accurate as my H&K USP45 Tactical (which cost a little less than 2x). I confess my USP45 was much easier to field strip than my new PT1911, but that 1911 “feel” is superior. I had no jams or miss feeds at all. The only issue was one of the two clips that came with it. One was flawless, one was quirky. The quirky one would not slam home easily when loading the clip into the handle. It also would not catch the slide when the last round fired. I was able to “reform” the leading edge of the clip to slide past the clip retaining pin, but I haven’t shot the pistol since to check for slide lock. Bottom line: I got a great pistol, at a great price. Accurate, full featured.
http://www.DFWCharityRacing.com Lee

I picked up a used PT1911 this past Wednesday. I walked in the shooting range/gun shop’s door knowing I was going to walk out with something; I just didn’t know what that something was going to end up being.

I picked up a box of 50 .45 ACP Magtechs, a couple targets and the PT1911.

The PT1911 chewed through the 50 rounds in what seemed like 30 seconds. Obviously it was a little longer than that, but as they say: time flies when you’re having fun.

I walked out of the range, took off my ear and eye protection then pulled out my wallet. Haven’t regretted it for a single fleeting moment.
Pete

I just bought at PT 1911 because my Dad loves his so much. He shoots IPSC tournies on the weekends and uses it, leaving his Kimber Custom 1911 in the safe, to keep it new. He’s very happy with the performance of the the Taurus, mentioning only one problem in the beginning, and that was the occasional misfeed. The very occasional repolishing of the feed ramp with a Dremel tool and some car polish took care of the problem thus far. I can’t wait to shoot mine. Thanks for all of your honesty and input. I feel encouraged about my purchase.
PETER

I purchased the PT1911 AS A JOKE,I OWN A KIMBER CUSTOM A SPRINGFIELD LONGSLIDE BULL BARREL,A USP H&K FULLSIZE AND THE COMPACT, GLOCK 21 AND MODEL 30,AND A FEW CUSTOM MADE 1911.GUESS WHAT…THE JOKE WAS ON ME.AFTER 500 ROUNDS IT WORKS LIKE A CHAMP.I HAVE USED DIFFERENT MAGS,GI ,TAURUS FACTORY CHIP MCORMACK,AND A FEW OTHERS.I FIRED 100 REMINGTONS,200 OF MY OWN HANDLOADS AND 200 DEPARTMENT ISSUE RANGER SXT.THEY ALL WORKED WELL.THE PT 1911 IS AS ACCURATE AS THE ABOVE MENTIONED PISTOLS.WOULD I USE THIS FIREARM AS PERSONAL DEFENSE WEAPON.THE ANSWER IS YES.ALL FIREARMS ARE SUBJECT TO USE AND SOMTIMES ABUSE.THE PT 1911 IS ONE OF THOSE THAT CAN AND DOES.IS IT THE BEST OUT THERE I SAY THIS ALL OF USE WHO SHOOT WILL AGREE ON THIS.THE SHOOTER MAKES THE GUN WORK.THE GUN AND THE VALUE THAT IT BRINGS TO OUR WAY OF LIFE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.PLEASE DONT LISTEN TO ME.STEP UP BUY ONE FOR YOURSELF.HEY IF YOU DONT LIKE IT SELL IT.TO FIND OUT IF IT REALLY WAS JESUS THOMAS PUT HIS FINGERS IN JESUS WOUNDS.
Fatboy

I have had my Taurus 1911 about 6 months now and really like the way it performs overall. very smooth hard hitting and extemely accurate.

The only drawback has been the ambi thumb safety. It kept falling out as I would shoot couldn’t keep it together.

I finally installed a Les Baer ambi safety and machined the right side to clear the Crimson Trace grips I put on the gun. So far so good. I have several friends that experienced the same thing with the safety on theirs also.
C moders

Was very wary about buying another Taurus after having a 3″ 357 revolver shoot loose in about 200 rounds (frame stretch, damaged crane & out of time)
But heard many positive reviews on Taurus’s as of late.
Took the plunge and got the blued (actually black parkerized?) PT 1911 a few weeks ago. Accuracy is very good, as is the trigger which should be expected in a 1911. Think one magazine may be bad however. The first round likes to nosedive when attempting to chamber. No problems with the other mag. Overall about 200 rounds threw this one.
Detal-stripping the pistol showed a lot of black “5th wheel” looking grease & metal chips & garbage inside, even under the grips. I recommend you clean this thing up first. No burrs on the parts however; must be a filthy assembly line they work on.
Overall, I’m happy with this pistol. I will upgrade the magazine, grips and maybe tritium sights as time/money permits.
A very good pistol for $500
Nu2-1911s

Taurus PT1911-ALR review
3-19-09

Short Review:
Buy your own, I’m keeping mine.

Long Review:
I have avoided 1911’s since my first one too many years ago to count because I didn’t like the poor accuracy of the old boy. Recently I have wanted to upgrade power from 9mm and a co-worker got me interested in the 1911’s again. I looked at everything, and was at the gun store in the next town over when the salesman forced a Taurus PT1911 with aluminum frame into my hands. Instantly, I noted the lightweight, and decided that it is something that I could carry all day and not mind.

The specific shopping began, and I bought one from Buds online. Good experience with Buds and a local FFL. Upon initial inspection, I noted that an incorrect front sight tool was enclosed; otherwise I apparently had a good copy. Field stripping, internal inspection and reassembly was straightforward with no surprises.

Ammo:
It took an eternal week, but I finally was able to get out to the country to give it a try. I fed it 6-7 brands / types of ammo and it functioned perfectly. Accuracy was best with MagTech ammo. I was satisfied with the accuracy-much better than the olden days.

Clips:
It functioned well with a Colt 7 round clip. I like the classic lines of the 1911 with the Colt clip as my primary clip, and the Taurus factory clips for 2nd/3rd clips. The bumper pads help with rapid reloads, but the first clip is just fine without a bumper pad-especially if you leave one round in the clip which helps with clip removal. Rapid fire was flawless.

Range:
The range of the .45 isn’t that of my .357, but any rock or stump within 50 yards was in mortal danger. I penetrated 4” of wood easily with the ball ammo.

Sights:
The sights on my copy were 3 dot like I am used to, so I liked them.

Trigger:
I was very pleased with the trigger-one of the best on any of the guns that I have shot. Overtravel adjustment set about perfect from the factory. I would estimate the pull at about 3 ½ pounds.

Recoil:
With the light frame, I was concerned about recoil. However, it turned out to be minimally bothersome with the fine checkering on the front / backstrap and bottom of the trigger guard for high hand positioning. The fine checkering and a high grip kept the muzzle flip to a minimum. I am definitely slower on follow up shots than with a 9mm, but faster than with a .357. Even with a high hold, there was no hammer bite due to the beavertail safety.

Grips:
Carrying in the field with the plastic grips became uncomfortable, so I stopped on the way home and bought some Hogue rubber side grips. I forwent the wrap around style because the front/backstrap checkering was fully functional. When I pulled the factory grips off, I found that 2 grip screws were actually loose, 1 was just right, and 1 was cross-threaded and pulled the bushing out with it. I was unable to get the screw out of the bushing, and had to purchase a new one. I did make a call to Taurus for a warranty claim on the bushing, and they grudgingly said that they would send me one. It should be here next week. I also asked for the correct sight tool, and we’ll see if they send it along also. I made a separate call about using +P ammo, and left a message after interminable hold, and they never did call me back. The Hogue grips had a cut out for the ambidextrous safety, but still had to be deepened/extended to accommodate the Taurus right sided safety. I noted that the frame under the grips was pretty dirty.

Holster Issue:
The next hurdle was finding a holster to fit the gun-the accessory rail is a Mil-Std 1913 which is apparently somewhat bigger than the Universal accessory rails. After purchasing and returning a couple of quality holsters, I just bought a Blackhawk cordura hip holster to tide me over until I can get a custom one built. Still, even with the “loose” nylon/cordura, it was a very tight fit due to the accessory rail. I laid the holstered / unloaded gun on a heater vent overnight to do some thermal cycling which helped a lot.

+P Ammo:
In Utah where I live, it is legal to hunt deer with a handgun as long as it develops 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. That makes my PT1911 ALR (5” barrel) legal to hunt deer if I use +P ammo. The manual for the gun uses some language that can be interpreted in various ways about whether you can use +P ammo in the gun. However, on Taurus Tactical, they do have a definitive statement that all Taurus handguns can handle +P ammo. With the aluminum frame, I purchased a guide rod bumper pad, and an 18 ½ pound heavy duty recoil spring to protect the frame. The difference in pressures between standard and +P ammo is about the same as between the factory and heavy duty spring, so I assume that the frame impact will be similar to standard loads/factory spring. I noted that you can tell the difference between the factory spring (right hand coils) v. the heavy duty with left hand coils. I like to lock the plug onto the spring by a ¼ turn and it helps to keep the springs differentiated by which way I have to turn the plug to lock it on the spring.

Accessory Rail:
Mounting a M3X light onto the rail almost took a sledge hammer both on and off. After some excellent customer service from Insight, I pulled the M3X insert and found that the friction fit was just about right, but with the alternate insert that came with the light, it can be mounted/pulled off with 2 hands instead of 2 people. I do wish the M3X light had a deeper recess for the insert to allow for some over-travel which would help with pulling the light back off. The Insight Customer Service Representative will pass along my suggestion to the engineers.

Summary:

I like:
factory rail, lightweight, good sights, good trigger pull, good trigger overtravel adjustment, not finicky about ammo, accepts Colt clips, can easily be legal for hunting.

I don’t like:
plastic grips, grip screw issue, wrong sight adjustment tool, mediocre Taurus customer service, trying to find a holster, tight fit for accessories on rail.

Bottom line:

I would rate this an 8 out of 10, not perfect, but I would still recommend this to someone looking to purchase a 1911 style handgun. Buy it.

Comments about this review appreciated: ais (a t) q (d o t ) com
Bob

I live in NE Oregon and go out occaisionally to shoot, especially with my son, a former marine exoert marksman with everything/sniper/National Guardsman. I have an XD 40 Compact and an XD 45 Compact(if you can call it that) and a couple revolvers. Have always wanted a 1911 type gun, fell in love with the S & W 1911 but not he price. Happened to be visiting in Central Oregon, went looking at guns. Stopped in at Big R ranch and home store in Redmond. Cameron behind the counter was very friendly very helpful, very knowlegable and not pushy, though like all of us, he has his opinions. Along with that, were the PT1911 and the .44 Mag stainless ported 6″ revolver for very good prices, and I had compared with several places. He assured me that taurus had taken care of the early action problem on the PT1911 and I had the money available, so bought them both. Two weeks later, after nasty weather up here, went out for a short session in the country with both guns. Been years since I had shot either type of gun, so took some getting used to, but the PT1911 was very comfortable to hold, recoil better than my Springfield Armory, probably because it’s all S/S and heavier. When I settled down and focused, the two dot sights, which I never tried before either, worked great. I danced a beer can at about 15 yards, slowly mind you, but it worked. When I missed, I just barely missed, could see the dirt kick up where I hit. Also danced empty shotgun shells at about 5-10 yards same way. I loved it, it never missed a beat with the two supplied 8 round mags. Took the .44 out and put 4 cylinders full through it. For a .44 Mag., it was awesome to shoot, very loud, but very accurate. I was almost as good as with the .45 at hitting the close in small objects and also some larger sticks and things at about 50yards, never a failure.

A week later, my son and his sniper unit and the local police SWAT unit went to the police range to fire all their stuff, along with their own handguns. He took my uncleaned .45 with him too. He didn’t give me all the details, but he said it definitely performed well and didn’t hang up. So far, all I’ve used was 230 grain either ball or hollow points. Manual didn’t suggest anything else, though can’t imagine why not use 185′s or +P’s, but it was against it, and handloads too, though I suspect that’s due to liability concerns.

Now, it sits in pieces, to clean and also to try to put back together, can’t seem to get everything to coordinate but as I said, this is my first 1911 and my two Springfields are dead simple to strip, so this is more complex. When I get it sorted out, I will carry it most of the time, even though my .40 is smaller and the other .45 carries way more rounds and both are dead reliable. I just really like the feel and natural pointing ability of the 1911 style gun. My son the expert either now wants a 1911 of some type with a rail or maybe a Glock to go with his Glock .40. If I can get this assembly issue figured out, I will be a happy camper, sounds like I should really pull it apart like the others and give it a good cleaning first, and an inspection. I would like to get some rubber grips, like the Hogues my son has on his Beretta 92, that feels really comfy, but in the meantime, the plastic ones give a good grip so can’t bitch much, at least till it warms up and I can shoot more.

I definitely recommend this gun to people, as I do the .44, and my son’s little 5 shot .38 is a great little weapon too, I may buy one down the road or maybe get a .357 just to have the extra strength if necessary.

I have to say, though there are smoother actions in S & W’s and different things here and there, I have a lot of respect for Taurus’ products, at least right now, and I hope that will continue.
RIO GLEN TANCINCO

I am a filipino soldier fighting in the jungles of mindanao against insurgents.

recently we were issued a local version cal .45 (Amscor) 1911. We encountered a firefight with a group of MILF bandits. it lasted for an hour. my rifle falted and had to rely on my side arm which by and by jammed.

I was lucky to have survive that encounter due to the fact we had high casualties. with that situation in mind, i elected to purchase my own pistol
and chose the PT 1911 of taurus.

Opportunity striked when we were on our usual patrol rounds when a group of bandits fired on us, we stumbled to a tunnel and i voluntered to enter it. hAD TO RELY ON MY PISTOL PT 1911. a welcoming committee was waiting and had to fire all 8 rounds from my clip in around 1 to 3 seconds.

After the smoke was over around 5 bandits were on the ground. I checked and smiled as this pistol saved my life and had revenge for my brothers in arms who were treachorously shot by these men.

CONSIDERING THIS PISTOL IS IN STOCK, I’D SAY THIS IS THE BEST WITH THE PRICE SO AFFORDABLE. I MEAN THE PRICE DOESNT JUSTIFY THE QUALITY OF THE GUN FOR THAT AMOUNT BUT IT SURE PACKS A WHALLOP AND IT SAVED MY LIFE.
chris mill

My brother bought a taurus pt 92 and the spring behind the left grip came out. He sent the gun to taurus to have it fixed and they sent it back without the clip and without a screw for the grip. He has called them several times for 6 months and they tell him the parts are on back order and theres nothing they can do. I think Taurus Sucks. I have heard other people including gunsmiths complain about ordering parts and having to wait months to get them. I would never recommend them to anyone.
Rick Castardo, MSGT, USAF (ret)

I’ve had my Taurus 1911 for about a month and I have had nothing but problems.
Although similar to the venerable 1911, there is just enough physical difference to make assemble/dissasembly troublesome.
The first thing I did was take it apart – thank goodness for the bushing wrench. BUT – it took me over an hour to get it back together – the slide stop would jam 1/2 way in even though it was thru the barrell lnk. Even with everything aligned the slide stop had to be hit with a mallet to seat all the way.
Then came the bushing – which tended to jam as soon as it was turned and aligned with the spring compressed and the bushing cap depressed.
After assembly, the gun refused to fire after 2 mags – further inspection revealed the lock had become engaged – I had to unlock this 3 times before a full box had been shot.
I contacted Taurus by phone and was repeatedly put on hold. I emailed 3 times with no answer – I even had the local shop that sold it to me call them – no luck.
As far as I am concerned it’s a paperweight in it’s present condition. How can one trust one’s life to a weapon that will lock up guarantted after 12 or 14 rounds???
Removal of the lock assembly voids the warrantee and of course would generate all kinds of legal hassles should someone get injured with the modified gun.
Both of my WWII era 1911′s are more dependable than this, but I do not want to carry a collecttor’s item so I will by a good used Colt or better yet a Kimber.
No more Taurus of any kind for me.
Regards
Rick C
Sioux FAlls, SD
Bob

Referring to my earlier comments on the PT1911, it turns out my own inexperience with the 1911 type gun was what caused the problem. I just wasn’t familiar enough with the assembly and disassembly methods to get it right. I found a video on the Net that shows how to do it with a PT1911 and though slow, I got it back together properly. I have noticed that the two 8 round factory mags have both become 7 rounders. I have not fired it since, just cycled some rounds through the action and both mags seem to work ok as 7 rounders. I also bought 2 S/S Kimber 8 rounders and will try them, they seem to feed ok just cycling the slide. I do think I’ll look for Hogue or similar grips soon, as someone else said, long term carry with the stock plastic ones is not comfy after while. Also, I had a customer service issue, not directly related to the guns, with Taurus and though I had to hang on hold for over 5 minutes, the lady was very helpful. Maybe all the complaints are reaching the right ears and customer service is improving, but I had no issues at all. Looking forward to more shooting with both guns and my others and getting more into where each bullet type hits. Still love the feel of the PT1911, no wonder that type gun has been around so long, nothing else feels like it.
John Cockburn

Chalk up another negative on Taurus 1911′s. I bought mine a few months ago. After fifty rounds, the safety detent had failed, causing trigger jams. I finished off another fifty shots while holding the safety down with my left thumb.

Sent the gun back to Taurus ($40 shipping cost out of MY pocket) and had to wait 6 WEEKS (not the four days promised in the owner’s manual).

When the gun finally arrived, I immediately headed for the range and fed it about a hundred rounds of mixed ammo, including reload hollow points. The safety worked fine, but I don’t trust it and have developed a bad habit of holding my left thumb on the safety. Additionally, the HP reloads were not easily digested.

I have also had some difficulty reassembling the Taurus. But still have less difficulty than with that crazy little “piece of wire” Kimber supplied with their Crimson Carry Ultra II.

All the “bells and whistles” you get on the Taurus (in essence, for free) really don’t cost Taurus much to manufacture. I think these features are on MIM (metal injection molded) parts. If so, the only cost is a one-time hit when the tooling is built.

One positive thing I must say, after the last trip to the range I cleaned the gun for the second time (about 150 rounds total), and I noticed a significant difference in how smooth the slide action has become. It is breaking in nicely. There was no plowing of the feed ramp (by those reloaded HP’s). I’ve got another box of those reloads and am planning a trip to the range Friday with a friend. If it stops “gagging” on them would be wonderful. In Taurus defense, the gun never choked on new HP’s or ball ammo.

Bottom line…Would I buy another Taurus? The jury is still out ! And, for now, my wallet is out of $$$ anyway.
Kirk

I bought a PT 1911 .45 and took it to shoot the first magazine through it. The safety fell out and the beaver tail popped out. I was upset my friend talked me into buying it. He knew someone to put another safety in it, not ambi. style, just on one side. Works fine now. The finish sucks on the newer ones with low serial numbers. Make sure you buy one that was made later. Mine started to rust in spots, and the company told me it was because the finish on the first ones produced was faulty. Just my luck. I have to keep it oiled real well, I don’t want to have to send it off to have it fixed. I still have mixed emotions, I loved my HK USP .45, want another one. I couldn’t afford it at the time. In all, I have shot this and it is acurate right out of the box, no complaints there. It feels tight in the action, again no complaints. It has an ok feel in my big hands, could be a double stack to make the grip wider for us big guys. I just hope it will work when the time comes, had to draw down on a man once, lucky I didn’t have to use it.
http://www.rcmfareast.com neal punsalan

I acquired my PT1911 ss two years back and havent regreted any second having it. True, its heavy but a month or so having it 8 to 10hrs a day…. you wont notice its there anymore.. 5000 + rounds have left the barrel without a hitch. Magtech were most accurate at 2″ handheld at 25 yards. THAT you can bet your life on. The 1911 is one of the most intimidating handgun thereis… plastic guns look like toys. hahaha… however, one has to be a pro or had enough training on 1911s… this is my 4th 1911 so far. the first was a 1916 era pistol with four digits, the second a remington rand WWII, next was a series 80 stainless colt…..but the Taurus was tops..
To the Guys of Taurus… long live and congratulations. YOu have made many gun enthusiast happy…..For “Doubting Tomases”…Hold on to your ears.. check out one,.. on the Stainless side… then no Cock will crow…
More Power Taurus….
C A Phillips

I purchased my PT1911 SS about 18 months ago. All that I can say is it’s a beautiful piece, shoots everytime that I pull the trigger and hits exactly where it’s pointed. I honestly don’t know what more you could ask of a pistol or any other weapon. Would I bet my life on it? You bet I would without hesitation. At this point, I’ve gone through approximately 1,000 rounds without a single problem. I have shot wad cutters, cheap ammo, defensive hollowpoints, reloads, you name it and it doesn’t know the difference. If I had $1,200 to spend on a 1911, what would I buy. A Taurus PT1911 and pocket the difference. After all, perfection can’t be improved on………….Long live Taurus!!!
magikm

Bought my PT 1911 AR yesterday at the gun show. $560 after tax. Didnt like the grip well enough so I bought Pachmayr grips, 500 rd. of reloaded crap, very accurate even at 80-90 yards with the crap shells. Put 300 rounds through it, at the end it finally slipped up once (alot of carbon residue) having the shell not feed all the way in. Thats it. easily customizable. The grip didnt fit with the left handed safety (not needed at all) popped it right out of there. Very Happy!
Bill Wolfel

I’ve had quite a few handguns (with a tendency towards polymer) and absolutely love my Springfield XD45–shoots great despite what feels like a crappy trigger–but really wanted a classic government model 1911. I ALMOST bought a Kimber for nearly twice the money but, after handling the two guns, I just couldn’t pass on a SS Taurus with gold accents and white pearlite grips for $650. Right out of the box, the thing shoots accurately (I’ve grow to really like the Heine sights) and reliably–at least a thousand rounds without any problem. I liked the gun so much, I bought another SS one (used) for my son, which behaves exactly like mine after hundreds of rounds. My daughter loved mine so much she had to have it, and I replaced it with yet another more manly SS one which shoots just as good. The triggers are absolutely awesome on our guns, but I did pass on a couple in the store that I thought had a bit of stacking. While I find them very good-looking guns, there are minor aesthetic machining details that are rougher than more expensive guns but well hidden. My son and I have added Hogue grips that allow us to really clamp on. If you can’t tell, I highly recommend the 1911. As for the PT145s I own, the verdict is still out, but that’s another story…
http://taurus, aaron kane

i have an pt-1911 ar and have handled kimbers a springfields right next to it, and i have to say “‘ll keep and stand by my taurus, thank you. it feels solid, shoots awesome, and was NOT overpriced for namesake
Joe

I’ve had my PT1911 for about 6 months now. I’ve had it at the range once, it shot pretty well. However, in that time, one of the screws that holds the grips on has fallen out, and there is a good bit of rust on the lower receiver. It lives in a safe, next to a 30 year old Star PD, and a Beretta Tomcat that I bought used. Neither of these guns have any rust. So that tells you something about the quality of the Taurus. Imagine how bad it might be if I carried it on a daily basis. Also, the trigger has some side to side play in it. If I had noticed that in the gun store, I would have passed on it. I would not recommend the Taurus to anyone, and I’ll never buy another one of their products. I’m gonna trade it in on a Glock 30 soon.
Adam

I have the Taurus PT 1911 and i love it. Man i can Hit anything u put out in front of me and not a jam yet. The only thing that i dont like about my PT1911 is the sights on it but its still a flat shot. Its a great gun. Jim How can u honestly compare a Glock to a Kimber thats like comparing a the Patriots to the Raiders. That shows a lot of dissrespect to kimber. Ill Stick to Taurus over many guns especially a Glock.
John Cockburn

Well, after the safety issue (see my July 6, 09 comment), I finally got to the range again. This time the front sight lossened and shifted right. Suddenly I was shooting 6 inches to the left!

This was the second time the sight loosened and when I got the gun home, I cleaned it and sighted-in with my laser bore sight. By the time I could torque the lock screw adequately, the sight was lifting off the slide so far the gun would obviously shoot low. So ANOTHER call to Taurus.

At first, they tried to tell me the sights were out of warrantee as the gun was two years old. I bought it “as new” this year and they agreed to cover it. But they warned me I might have to accept conventional sights, as the nite sights were indefinitely unavailable. I reluctantly agreed.

Well, only five weeks this time and the gun came back with a new slide. And with nite sights. Went to the range a few days ago and rattled off ’bout a hundred-fifty rounds without a hitch. I have to say when this gun works, it REALLY “WORKS” !!!

I was skeptical of the MIM (metal injection molded) parts in this gun. I have since learned even my Kimber has MIMed parts in it.

Is this gun a “keeper” or a “throw-back”? Well, the jury is STILL out, but leaning toward……………..KEEPER ! Truth be said, in spite of my frustrations, the vast majority of Taurus owners never have a complaint and I’m hoping all the bugs are outta mine by now !!!!
rio glen

id like to comment on the others who have BAD REVIEW ON the pt1911, you have to know your pistol first……master it care for it. thats a thing with shooters. you must become adaptive to the environment that you use your weapon with.

i can say with proper training or basic knowledge it should follow with the performance of your pistol.

its like a baby that needs to be cared for from time to time.

this pistol has been by my side already for quite sometime. weight is fine and even the recoil. easy to master as your first 1911 model pistol.

something worthy of a bringing on a gunfight. AND THATS THE BOTTOM LINE
John Cockburn

I know my Taurus well. Have and will continue to “nurture” it. But can’t trust it with my life. It has a tendency to “go to pieces” when I need it to “keep it together”.

I have other “babies” that have responded much more favorably to their nurturing. They are my carry/defense weapons. The Taurus has been demoted to “range toy”.
Bruce Sword

I bought my PT-1911 used for $450, thinking that I would shoot it to get back into 45′s. I would then buy a Colt or Kimber. I have carried a gun for more than 30 years, of late they have been Glocks a first gen. G-19 and a new G-26. Befor I carry a gun for defence use I shoot and test it to an extrem level. I had not carried a 1911 pistol in years so I wanted to do some failure drills. I loaded an empty case as the third round the PT even feed the empty. After more than 1500 rounds without a problem. The Taurus is hanging on my hip as I write this brief review
Allen

Regarding 1911′s, I have owned several over the years, mostly Colt’s. I have been in law enforcement since the mid 70′s and held an FFL for 21 years. I currently carry my “tuned” Glock 21SF or “tuned” Springfield XD45 Tactical for duty use. I bought a Taurus PT-1911 in the “black finish” in October 2008, mainly out of curiosity. I completely disassembled it for inspection and gave it a through cleaning. I strongly suggest thoroughly cleaning any firearm before its first trip to the range. The trigger was not quite up to my standards, since it had some (not real bad) roughness in it. I polished that out and the trigger pull is perfect now. I replaced the standard factory slide release with a Swenson extended release ($17.00). Amazingly, it required no fitting what so ever. After this, the Taurus was just a safe queen until until September 2009. I found that the factory Taurus magazines supplied with my pistol felt rough when fully loading them, which suggested that they were not going to be totally reliable. My suspicions were correct, so I ended up using a couple of MEC-GAR’s stainless steel 8 rounders (Approx. $20.00 Each). With the exception of the factory magazines, the pistol fed, fired and ejected without a hiccup. Testing its accuracy, I fired my test shots from a make shift bench rest at 5, 10, 15 and 25 yards using my own 230 grain FMJ reloads, which were loaded to +P specifications. I used the “B-27 Pistol Police Silhouette” targets. To my surprise, the Taurus was extremely accurate and reliable for such a reasonably priced 1911, especially with all the factory extras included on the pistol. I really like the Henie “straight 8″ sights and they were dead on right out of the box. It consistently cut the center “10″ ring out of the targets. I fired 100 rounds that date. Nothing shot loose, as some have stated above. For my usage, the Taurus will just be an occasional “tinker toy” range gun, not a primary defensive firearm. My complaints are relatively minor. I prefer the more tradition hammer, not the commander style; a more durable black finish; a factory installed extended magazine release and higher quality magazines. I plan on purchasing another PT-1911, but it will be in the stainless finish. All in all, my experience with my PT-1911 suggest it is a 1911 definitely worthy of serious consideration by anyone in the market for one that doesn’t want to spend a small fortune for one.
Todd

I bought my 1911 a couple of months back. at first all was fine but after 1000 rounds I started haveing problems the slide lock started to falling out under fire and when you emptyed the mag the slide would not stay open. I shipped back today for repair.
Denis

I just received my second Taurus 1911 AR this Christmas. It’s SS bead blasted frame and SS blackened slide. Have not shot it yet, but have shot the first one I got, a bright stainless AR model. That gun is the most accurate 45 I own. I could hit a 3 lb coffee can at 30 yards repeatedly. Never jammed. I own a Glock 21, S&W 645, AMT Hardballer and none come close to the accuracy and crisp trigger of the 1911 AR. I cannot wiggle the slide up/down, or left/right even a fraction of an inch. Both are very tight guns.
I admit early Taurus quality (especially on the small frame .22s was poor.
But these latest guns are head turners. Everyone likes them who shoots them. Never had a problem but after reading the woes above I’d better tear both down and make sure all is okay.
PT problems

I didnt see a section on the PT845 I recently bought so I am posting my experience here. Bought a 845 with several serious function problems. Gun has been in the repair center over a month now. Taurus reps will not discuss repair status, just giving the run around. The only thing that was touched on was there are no parts or accessories for this model right now. Taurus is cranking out too many new unproven models right now imho. They cannot keep up with repairs. They have had mine 6 weeks, will post what I get back from them, going to push now for a resolution. Taurus buyers beware, a lifetime warranty does not mean you will enjoy the warranty process!
John Cockburn

Well, Happy New Year! It’s been a few months since I posted. My Taurus 1911 (which originally had the safety fall apart and then the front sight migrating to the right repeatedly) finally seems to have settled down into a well-behaved piece. I have put about 4 or 5 hundred rounds through it now and it only failed to feed once (on cheap reloads). So in the 9 months I have owned the gun, It spent a total of 12 weeks in Taurus’ possession to get 20 minutes of their “gunsmith’s” attention. And on the last go=round, they replaced the slide with a generic (non=serialized) part. I have to admit though, it IS quite accurate. The fit is good and I am shooting 5 out of 8 rounds through the same hole at twenty-five feet, standing with unsupported two-hand hold. So I DO believe the gun is up to par at this point.

Bottom line and “final answer”…the Taurus is a lot of fun at the range. But will NEVER be my bedside companion, nor will we “be attached at the hip”. I have better guns with which to entrust my life. And because Taurus refuses to communicate and takes so damned long in the shop, I will never take another chance on them.

Their new 738 .380 TCP really looks nifty. It might even shoot a bit straighter than my Ruger LCP (which tends to “splatter” all over the target at 25 feet). But the LCP has never missed a beat and will undoubtedly “splatter” about five or seven projectiles into the torso of a would-be assailant if necessary. Where-as I would be haunted by expectations that the Taurus TCP would get ‘twisted in its shorts’ demanding a trip “home to Miami” for a little “attitude adjustment”.

And lately, there’s just too much competitively priced “nice stuff” out there giving Taurus a well-deserved “run for the money”.

Good luck, Taurus! You might need it!
TOM HENDERSON

PT 1911AL —– first round of JHP nosedives.
Mix FMJ and JHP in same mag and 99% of the time JHP’s nosedive.
Full mag of JHP’s – nosedive.

Main issue = NOSEDIVE! No matter the brand of ammo. I have spent 75% of the price of the gun trying to find JHP ammo it will like; NO success. Have tried five brands of well made mags without any improvement in function.

Customer Service representatives should be bull-whipped. Attitude is worse than mine after being abuse by THEM; simply horrible! One even refused to discuss the JHP issue, saying that, “the gun is designed for 230 gr FMJ – nothing else. We will NOT perform work on any 1911 that has issues with JHP’s.

Conclusion: Lousy Customer Service is NOT worth the savings. I will never buy another and I do plan on leting Mr. Morrison, the head honcho know my feelings!

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!

Tom
John Cockburn

To “Tom”,

Morrison doesn’t give a hoot either! Never got a response to my complaint.

Taurus is focused on VOLUME, not the individual. We can rant and rave all we want, but the 1% or so of us begruntled customers probably would go elsewhere for our next purchase anyway…and they know it. They will cut line and tie on a new rig while we swim away with the bad taste of a hook in our mouths for the rest of our lives. Better still…spit out the hook and move on to a “real gun”. Para and Springfield offer some nicely priced competition…and, personally, I hope they blow Taurus away. Like you, I HATE being talked down to by some “know it all” on an ego trip. But customer service gets its marching orders from “higher on the totem pole”. So their miserable attitude appears to me to be a cultural/corporate thing.

I have to admit, my Taurus WAS finally fixed right after two six-week visits to Miami for therapy. It will digest anything and creates a ragged hole shooting free-hand at 25 feet. Considering the novice behind the trigger, the gun gets all the kudos for accuracy.

Taurus is happy to engineer “potential unreliability” into their products, as long as the defect rate is managable. Guns with all forged/machined parts are expensive. That’s the price we pay for “total reliability”.

So…when you lay down money on a Taurus, accept the fact that you are taking a risk.

HAPPY NEW YEAR
PT problems

I called today about my pistol and pressed the point that they have had it over 6 weeks and it was promised back to me by now. The customer rep named Derek told me they were waiting on a replacement slide from Brazil. He was amiable, and I was very civil, but firm that they would have to send me a new replacement or just give my money back, I could no longer wait indefinitely for parts that are apparently unavailable. He then put a supervisor named ROBERT on the phone, who immediately began shouting at me that he couldnt give me a firm date, but he “would check on it.” He was adversarial and testy. I told him that this is unacceptable, to be run around like this, and I would be going online to relay my experience. He told me that was my right, that soldiers in Iraq were fighting for. I reminded him that soldiers in Iraq are not carrying Taurus firearms, for a reason. After some more testy exchange I was promised, on his word as a man, he would call me back by days end to give a firm date when the “repair” would be completed. Will report back here how this shabby situation continues to develop. For some reason I am not holding my breath for ROBERT to call me back.
Bob

As far as I know, my PT1911 is still ok, haven’t shot it much since last post, but did fire 50+ rounds a few months ago. Hadn’t tried much variety in ammo, but try some 185 grain flat points which worked fine, and did try some 230 grain Winchester JHP’s and no problems at all, profile is very similar to the standard ball, maybe that’s why.

From what I see from these letters, it seems most people have had good results with their guns, but there are many that have had bad luck from minor things to major malfunctions. Hard to believe any manufacturer would have such spotty quality, haven’t seen that from my Springfield XD’s or Smith & Wessons, though my PT1911 and Raging Bull .44 Mag and my son’s Model 85(?) .38 have been excellent so far. Very strange.
Rick Castardo, MSGT, USAF (ret)

Followup to original post July 2009

Since my original post nothing has changed with my 1911 – except I no longer own it – took a hit and traded it for a Springfield XDm in 9mm. Afetr 1000+ rds the XDm is running like a top.

Back to the Taurus:
Finally sent it in in early August thru the dealer – got it back in November. 1st mag jammed and after I cleared it the lock engaged – had to use the key to unlock the hammer. Again tried all typed of ammo but only thing close to reliable was ball 230 gr.
As I stated before – I traded it in at a big loss for a Springfield XDm in 9mm. I now have a reliable 19+ rounds of 9mm instead of a 45 cal rock/paperweight.

I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER TAURUS AT ALL EVER- What good is lifetime warranty when the life of the firearm is measured in months??

Refards
Rick C
Allen

After reading some of the most recent comments posted, I will definitely shy away from purchasing another Taurus firearm, even though my PT-1911 has been fine thus far. I haven’t fired it much, so time will tell. I will no longer recommend their firearms to friends and family members, as I have done in the past. I find it troubling that Taurus’s customer service department apparently doesn’t care how it treats its customers and that they are being just plain arrogant. I would suggest that they get on the ball and work with customers instead of against them. It appears that the old saying “You get what you pay for” still rings loud and clear today.
C A Phillips

I posted a glowing report earlier about my PT1911SS. Although it performed flawlessly while in my possession, I read so many negative comments on Taurus lack of quality, that I traded it for a Springfield Armory 1911SS Loaded .45. Took it to the range a couple of times and had jamming and FTF problems. So the “Cadillacs” also have their problems. However, Springfield’s customer service is beyond reproach. I called them, spoke with a very nice lady, returned it through my dealer and had it back in less than two weeks. It reeks of quality but had to be “fine tuned” for some unknown reason. SA truly cares about their customers. It now performs flawlessly. In spite of my early problems, I’d buy another SA in a heartbeat………..Taurus???? Would have to think about that one for a long, long time.
- Jeff
  
  If the taurus worked without flaw why would you get rid of it. Then you get a springfield that fails. THEN you brag on the springfield and berate the taurus that served you well. We know who not to listen to on a gun review.
  - B.Grass
    
    EXACTLY my thought.
PT problems

What bothers me most is I also own a Taurus Mil Pro that works perfectly. I really wanted to like my new Taurus and be able to brag about it to others, but customer service really “shot themselves in the foot” with the delays and run around. Another manager from Taurus called (I guess Robert didnt like me too much for demanding MY property back) and told me I would have a new replacement by Tuesday next week. Will report its condition and function on this blog. Taurus lifetime warranty should not mean YOUR lifetime to wait for resolutions to THEIR products problems! Its all in Tauruses ballpark right now how my situation is remedied. I realize I am just one person, and they have hundreds of thousands of happy customers, but in this day and age big corporations should be more adept at handling problems that do arise through no fault of the customer.
PT Problems

Got replacement 845, this one works as its supposed to, no failures to feed, good accuracy, sights are well regulated out of the box, the only negative is alot of takeup slack in the trigger, but this is a defensive plastic pistol after all. Not sure how it will hold up, time will tell, it doesnt strike me as a 20k round pistol, but probably will be fine for 2k. Good truck gun, wouldnt trust it for a main carry gun. Happy getting one that works as advertised, although there are no spare magazines available for it yet, maybe in a couple months there will be. Kind of stupid to offer a gun without making the mags available for purchase. If you can get a good Taurus that doesnt need work they are great guns for the money, but if you have to deal with their customer service team, woe to you! Based on their customer service dept this will be my last Taurus, shouldnt have had to raise a stink to get them to reluctantly do the right thing.
Joe

Springfield
Doc

I bought my PT1911 a couple days ago, just the nasic blue model. I took it to the range today. I put 250 rounds through it in about 30 minutes it fed everything I put in it. I tried everything I could, limp wrist etc… to get the gun to malfunction. I had no problems at all and at about 15 yards I was shooting 2″ groups. I think the gun is capable of much better but the shooter was the problem.
ptbeltek

I wanted a 1911 for years but the $1000+ pricetag for most models was more than my modest income could easily cover. I am also left handed so an ambidextrous safety is a must have. I researched the PT 1911 and found it difficult to find any bad reviews. So I bought one. I anxiously got to the range that same day and my extractor broke after firing three rounds. I can’t briefly explain how dissapointed I was. I had the gun sent back to Taurus for repair. 5 weeks later and they still have not even looked at it. I guess they can’t keep up with all the defects that keep coming in for repair/replacement. I’m left with the feeling that I just made a big mistake trusting the advertising and falling for the -$600 price tag. Shame on you Taurus, you will not fool me again. Like the saying goes…, “fool me twice, shame on me.”

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John Cockburn

PTBELTEK,

I empathize with you totally. You can probably find my history if you dig deep enough. The PT1911 is a piece of junk. Too many MIM’ed (Metal Injection Molded) parts (safeties, exractors, sights, trigger assemblies, etc.) and not enough quality control of the process.

After two trips back to Taurus (6 weeks each time) mine is performing beautifully. It is a wonderfully accurate range toy. But defense weapon? NEVER!

Whenever I squeeze the “GO” button, I cringe, in anticipation of the dreaded “click” (or silence).

I carry my Kimber (or my Ruger LCP when I want to travel light). The Kimber also resides in the nightstand.

But I DO take the Taurus to the range often. I don’t care so much if it goes “click” when shooting at paper!
http://cmblake6.wordpress.com cmblake6

As with any company there will be lemons. Shame about your PT1911s that were those. My understanding is that the early bugs have been worked out very well, and they do enjoy brisk sales.

My personal experience with MY PT1911AR-SS has been flawless. My $.02.

Accurate, reliable 100%, zero hiccups.
Juan

How does the Taurus 1911 SS stack up against the Smith and Wesson 45 cal autos?
Tim Mullins

My, I have to say this is a lot of negative Taurus reviews. I too have one of their 1911s, and it has never failed me. Thanks to all of you, I feel like finding some wood after saying that (but will refrain).

I should add that I have owned quite a few Taurus weapons, and never had a dud from them. I did own one 357 that was a bit loud due to a little too much space between cylinder and barrel about 20 years ago. But that’s my only bad memory of Taurus.

In my opinion they often tend to be a bit generic, which would always prevent them from being among my favorite brands. And as far as 1911s go, I own a Springfield HC that happens to be my favorite 45 acp.

A lot of the issues I read here smack of low maintenance. Hate to say it and I don’t know because I wasn’t there, but they do have that ring. Just my $0.02, and don’t fail to post future issues if I’m wrong simply because I said that.

Oh, one other thing. How many people here followed the recommended ‘break in’ procedure as recommended by the manufacturer? This is one issue where I’ve found most people don’t even know there is such a thing.

Have I ever had a bad weapon? Ever hear of Hi Point? And I have had a couple of lemons from top manufacturers. A Colt Double Eagle & a S&W Model 29 are two that stand out.
Jeff

I just bought a taurus pt 1911 in the duo tone finish. Fired 300 rounds of winchester and federal through it. Installed a Ed Brown hammer,sear and disconnect. Didnt care for the taurus hammer with the key. The items went in easily with minor fitment. Really could have dropped them right in but I am a bit pickey. 30 minutes. Left the 80 series firing pin safety intact. Over a thousand rounds and it is now my duty weapon. This is what a good reliable 1911 should cost. I have 700.00 in this pistol,with the added bells and whistles that came with it. There are many fine 1911 pistols out there but this is the only one with a fair price for what came in the case. I started carrying 1911 in 1979. They were fair priced then. Somewhere along the way someone came up with the notion that the price was more important than quality and the shooter. And name brands always come into play with the cliche crowd. I remember when a marines 45 might be made by ithaca,colt remington,springfield and a host of manufacturers. They all fired ok for basic pistols. The shooter was still the most important part in the equation as long as the pistol was reliable. I have seen lemons in all pistol manufacturers,and I have seen good . This tarus is a good pistol. And if it does give a little trouble do what you do with any good pistol with a glitch. Take it to your favorite smith and ask him to fix it. Dont gripe as if it hasnt happened with others unless this is your first.And if it is your first pistol maybe you should start with a 22.
Chavel Silva

My sons bought me my Taurus 1911 for Christmas 2008. I love this gun. Ive never had a problem with it. It is my everyday concealed carry and I love the fact that its dependability and flat, low profile make it an easy hide on my person. My sons call it a hand cannon, but hey I love it and now they want one. Dont understand how some folks are having problems with theirs, but I assume, because of my pistols flawless operation that its a griping problem and not a pistol problem. Thanks for taking time to read my review. Two handed grip and squeeze.
Mike Maxon

I like my taurus 1911 except that when i break it down to clean it i have a hard time getting it to go back together. putting the gtuide rod and the retainer back together is a bitch. my friend with a kimber does not have this much trouble with his weapon. what gives?
Andrew

I recently picked up a PT1911 at a local gunshop and was absolutely blown away by the aesthetics and feel at that price range. i immediately knew what a portion of my income tax check was going to, and promptly scheduled a trip to the range with a friend. I put an entire 8 round mag through my brand new Taurus, after dissasmebly and cleaning of course, with no hiccups. I decided I would dedicate the second eight rounder to a bit of a stress test, and did eight rounds rapid fire. Well, as rapid as an amatuer could safely and accurately do. I loaded up the first mag for a second go around and after a single shot on the third set the gun jammed. I Locked the slide, removed my mag and tied again. Jam. I tied cycling rounds manually through the chamber, and realized that there was a serious problem with the extractor. i contacted Taurus via their website, and was extremely satisfied with their customer service. The gun was picked up next day, and i am expecting it back within the week. A gun is essentially a tool, and every now and then a tool has flaws. Taurus was receptive and courious, and I’m certian I will recieve my firearm with no deffects. I’m satisfied with taurus overall, and excited about getting my first 1911 back.
Red

I have owned many 1911′s and this is one of the better ones. I have had no issues with this firearm to function. I’t has all the features you wan’t to add to a 1911 without buying them and spending more money. The only upgrade I would do is to Tru Glow Sights.
GunMaster

For nearly two years I have used aTaurus PT 1911 38 Super in local gun club competitions. During this time the PT 1911 has digested over 4000 rounds with no feeding, extraction or mechanical problems. A close friend had asked my opinion on purchasing a 1911 pistol. I advised him to concider the Taurus. Several days later he asked me to visit this site. I was quite surprised to read the numerous negative comments about a pistol I have had nothing but praise for. I would hate to believe purchasing this pistol envolves “Luck Of The Draw.” Other than my own experience with the PT 1911, I knew of only one other person who owned one. Last night, I called him to find out what he thought of his. He was quite positive in his comments and would also highly recommend it’s purchase. I have no idea how many 1911′s Taurus produces, but it would not surprise me to learn the total eclipes most of the other companies who turn them out. With that in mind, perhaps the negatives are a bit out of perspective. Reminds me of the one hundred diners at the restaurant. Ninety-nine having enjoyed the meal and forgotten it the next day and the one who was disappointed, who spoke of it for the rest of his life.
C A Phillips

I challenge anyone to pick a 1911 brand name and show me a thread where everything is positive……sooner or later there is a dud. As previously stated above, I owned a PT1911SS that ran perfectly regardless of the ammo. However, I read so many negative comments from basically the same people that I traded mine for a SA 1911 .45 Loaded. It had all kinds of feed problems. Took it back to the dealer and he had his smith check it out. His comment was “It’s rougher than a cob on the inside”. He did some polishing, I took it back to the range and at two hundred rounds the firing pin support broke which left the pin exposed. Luckily it was exposed enough that it couldn’t feed or I fear it would have gone into an “automatic” mode…that would have been fun. I returned it to SA and I’ll have to give them credit…..they repaired the gun and had it back to me in less than two weeks……it has performed flawlessly since then. Would I trust the SA for self defense…..a definite yes. I’ve also purchased a new Taurus PT1911 9mm that runs like a well oiled machine on anything I feed it. Would I trust my life with it……..yes I would. I’m also old enough that I’ve learned that if it’s broke, fix it, if you don’t trust it, sell iit and get on with your life……There’s too many choices out there to get all bent out of shape on a given brand……they all fail at one time or another………
J Henson

i just bought a used pt1911 and after 30 rounds the extractor broke. i called taurus and they told me they already had 2 request that day for extractors that had broke, and that they didnt have any in stock. Im still waiting for it to come in but so far i absolutely love it and its the best shooting 1911 ive seen. I still shoot it as a single shot and its still worth it
http://www.thefirearmblog.com B. Jordan

You know gentlemen, as always happens when I go on line to research something, a household appliance, a gun, a car, I discover so much conflicting information that I might as well not have bothered. One comes away no better informed and if anything more confused than when I started. Some damn the product with faint praise, others are specific in listing a litany of problems, and others, here’s the rub, praise it to the skies. So, what do we believe. A handgun doesn’t cost a fortune, but every time I think I’ve zeroed in on my next purchase, I go on line, and then I have to back up and start over. No one’s fault, really, just an observation. But frustrating. Gun people have strong opinions as a rule, and they are not shy about expressing their dislikes, but I honestly wish I could find a reliable website that would give me the basic dope on the product, based on demonstrable evidence, and dispense with the shilly shally. Unfortunately consumer reports doesn’t review firearms, and most of the gun mag writers are so enamored with the products they review, I don’t think they can be subjective. To paraphrase Will Rogers, “they never met a gun they didn’t like.” I guess what I’m missing is oversight, or just someone who’ll say, “this thing isn’t worth a damn, don’t waste your money.” or “Buy this one.” Sorry about the rant. Good shooting.
chris arendt

i bought 2 new pt 1911′s at the same time, love em both, emptied 2 clips per gun back to back to back and again, never had a stove pipe, nothing perfectly accurate even shooting both at same time, love em go buy a couple.
dave

I purchased a PT1911 at the end of April.Shot great no jams for 230 rds. Then the shell extractor broke.Sent it to Taurus,took 2 weeks to get it back.I fired 40 rds. today ,it broke again.I’m shooting 230 gr. FMJ Federal ammo.Am i doing something wrong or is it the quality of the gun? Does anyone else have this problem? Dont know if i want to keep it once it is fixed!
- Dave
  
  Put a WIlson combat extractor.Not a Mim extractor.
bill in pa

i have gotten so sick of taurus complainers i have to respond. i have a 1911. it shoots great. the only problem ever encountered was when my son and his friend decided to put it thru their own tortue test. apperently they did something right, after god knows how many rounds. the safety dislocated from the pistol. how they did it i don’t know, my son took it to the dealer before i ever saw it. i work construction on the road. by the time i got home the local gun dealer had the repaired unit back from the factory, no charge and looked like new. i have put tens of thousand of rounds thru it with no malfuctions. what are the whiners shooting?
JamesD

I have a Taurus 1911. The only problems I have had were related to one of the magazines. One magazine only feeds round nose ammo. Aftermarket magazines have all worked flawless with it.
blaine

I bought a well used pt1911 with the intent to customize. I bought it cheap and wasn’t expecting much from it. After. A few shots I realized that the gun was a steal. I decided not to upgrade or modify any part of it. To all of those who have had issues with the gun, its a cheap 1911. Its. Not going to be perfect. I bought a sig mosquito a few months back. Poorest reviewed gun out there. Failure to feed, fire, and eject constantly. After polishing the ramp and chamber and replacing the spring it works flawlessly. Moral of story, if a gun isn’t perfect, mod it and make it so. You could put several hundred dollars into that pt1911 and it would still cost less than a kimber.
Jesse McCafferty

I bought a .45 Taurus PT1911 in November 2011, I was as many other Taurus owners blown away by the bang for my buck. I bought the cheapest ammo i could find “TulAmmo” and the very first round i ever tried to fire jammed, to myself i though “bad ju-ju,” i simply ejected the mag pulled the slide back, dropped the round and as pissed off as i was put a literal 100 rounds through it “RAPID FIRE” of dirt grade 230 grain FMJ ammo and the Taurus performed every action and flawlessly I might add. Even with my cheap 1911 7 round mags. Needless to say the Taurus is carried with me and is planned to be carried concealed soon enough. Also had a friend purchase the same gun and he will swear by it as well. Also a lifetime warranty came with it. My only tip would be to Oil the gun with a quality oil before the first use, but i would recommend that with any fire arm. Hope this helps!
http://www.diigo.com/user/enriqueevere410?domain=www.dailystrength.org shops online with golf equipment

Pretty great post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I’ve really loved surfing around your blog posts. After all I’ll be subscribing on your feed and I am hoping you write again soon!
Cesar Alatriste

My new PT1911 didn’t work I had to send it back so they replace it after waiting almost a month i got the a new one from Taurus a few weeks and 200 rounds later the extractor broke is a 5 minute fix and common of 1911 I mail it back for repair they got it on the 4/26/2012 today is the 5/2/2012 I have call many times to have them take care of it ASAP I ask someone to have the manager call me back that was 2 days ago and nobody has call me I call this morning to check on the status and is still has not been repair the cost of this 1911 was almost 700$ plus all the shipping i have to pay many times and it looks like not only I got stock with an UNRELIABLE GUN but also with the reality that they don’t care about my case and now i know it was a mistake getting a Taurus the worst part is that I still don’t when are they going to fix it all I know is that i have to go get another gun today if I want to protect my Business and Home the problem here is not so much a problem with a gun but with 2 guns 1 after the other and no one seems to care…..
- Derek Bassett
  
  I had the same problem. was so displeased with my 1911 taurus never again will i buy a taurus anything
wsm

Just thought I’d put my .02¢ in. I have a Taurus and a Kimber 1911 and they both have MIM parts. Both have 1000′s of rounds through them without any problems. On that note my Kimber is about six years old and has the dreaded external extractor that a lot of people hate. Never had a problem with mine and it’s never been back to Kimbers repair shop.
Scott

I bought my Taurus 1911 I think maybe 3 years ago and it’s been an excellent pistol that shoots everything without any problem from store bought to reloaded ammo and never had any problems with it. The only down side I can see to it is Taurus doesn’t have the best finish on their pistol compared to my 15 year old Sig P220 but I just got it back after having it Cerakoated and it looks great now. I have no regrets on buying the Taurus, I got it brand new for $499 and would tell anyone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a 1911 to buy one. The only thing I have done to it other than the coating job was Hogue grips when I first bought it and nothing else.
Clint

I just picked up a Taurus PT1911 Talo edition with a high polished gloss blued finish and checkered walnut grips. It shoots as beautifully as it looks! The first three rounds fired shot low and left with all three rounds touching using American Eagle 230 fmj ammo at 20 yards. As I continued firing three round groups, the groups were moving closer and closer to zero. At nine rounds it was grouping at center mass and has stayed there. This is absolutely the most accurate semi auto pistol that I own! I have had nothing but striker fire, double action semi autos like Glocks or Xd’s. This is my first 1911 platform pistol and I have absolutely no regrets!
Dean

cause u don’t know how to handle the pistol or you’d be satisfied. Try manhandling it and putting your sack behind it if you want it to do what u want. Trust me, u can’t baby it!. Rack them rounds in their like you got a pair. My opinion. Works great for me and very accurate to. Just have to know how to handle a firearm. I’m a marine. Maybe they work different for civilians that shoot much. Lol

The Firearm Blog

Taurus PT1911 .45 pistol. One good review. One bad review.

Steve Johnson

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