Taurus PT1911 Torture Test Introduction

At least once a month I’ll get an email or FB message from someone who wants to know why I hate Taurus so much. The fact is that I don’t. I actually really want to like Taurus. I want their guns to be good, because the idea of affordable, reliable 1911s or metal framed revolvers is awesome.

The problem is that I’ve been burned in the past. I’ve spent my own money on Taurus pistols and revolvers, some of which have been okay, some of which have not, and one, a Taurus 82 that was so poorly made it was actually rather dangerous.

But like I said in the video, I’m putt all that to rest now. I bought this gun with my own money, it’s totally stock, and I’m going to document every single round that exits the barrel from it. Make no mistake, I want this gun to kick ass. I want it to be good so bad it hurts a little bit, because I love 9mm 1911s, and one that doesn’t cost a fortune makes me happy on the inside.

10 Comments

  1. One of my favorite guns to shoot is a Taurus 608. It’s a 8-shot .357 Mag with a 6.5″ ported barrel, and if I remember correctly I paid less than $500 for it new several years ago. It is absolutely a range toy however, my serious defensive firearms are all from companies like Springfield Armory and Beretta.

  2. I have had three different Taurus handguns,(Tauri?) fail; but I find this oddly intriguing.

    I am interested in the reliability using factory ammo since you don’t reload. Most people I have met that shot 9mm 1911’s do so for Single Stack or ESP and the common theme seems to be handload so you can maintain a longer OAL.

  3. I just can’t wait to see how this one does. I’ve encountered several exemplar 1911 tauri in classes, and none of them worked. On the other hand, I have a soft spot in my heart for the old 431 5-shot .44, several of which I’ve seen run well with my own eyes. Bated breath, C, bated breath.

    1. I got a 431 about a year after they first came out.
      It failed on the 14th round, when the trigger refused to return. Then it would fail every second or third round. Never when dry firing, only under recoil.

      The trigger itself was poorly machined, received obviously no fitting, and could not be revived. Luckily, Numrich had a grooved version for thirty bucks. I dropped it in and it works. Any fitting would be pointless.

      I still have that gun. Why I’m not sure. Maybe because I have a soft spot for snub .44 specials.

      Anyone with a curious nature needs to take the side-plate of Taurus revolver and compare it to it’s aspired to be like Smith and Wesson.

      Then you will know that there is nothing that can be done for them. If they looked on the outside as they did on the inside, they would look as if they has had a bad ride at the end of a rope on a gravel surface.

      If they have improved, I stand corrected. And I’m not saying I will never buy another Taurus firearm, I’m just saying it will have to convince a jaundiced eye, and fill a need or want that has no reasonable equivalent to fill it.

  4. I have a Taurus PT99 that I have been shooting for 20+ years. I purchased it used at a local gun shop. Initially gun the screw in the rear sight was broken and required a visit to Taurus as I DO NOT work on firearms. I use it in local matches. This firearm has at least 30K rounds through it and is still very reliable. I purchased a PT940 compact .40 and have had NO problems with it at all. I carry it in a IWB and trust it completely. The only thing is it ejects the brass so far you cannot find it most of the time.

    I also have a Diamond Back DB9 that I carry in a pocket holster most of the time or in an Alien Gear IWB rig. This little 9 shoots good. I have shot at least a thousand rounds through it with no feed problems and no fail to extract problems. Recoil is bad and no slide lock back are the only draw backs i see.

    However I was shooting with a friend and he was shooting a Model 66 6″ stainless. After three cylinders of factory .357 every screw on the firear, had backed out. The cylinder was locked up. Even the rear sight screw backed all the way out.

    So I hope that your test proves favorable as I am a fan of Taurus. I will be watching faithfully.

  5. Caleb, just curious; you mentioned really wanting a $600 all metal 1911 that works, any experience with the Rugers? I’ve handled a few in the stores and they always seem to feel pretty decent and solid. I’ve commonly seen them go for between $650 and $750 street price, so not much more than $600. But I have yet to see one at the range, or know anyone with actual first hand experience with one.

    1. You know, despite my excellent relationship with Ruger, I’ve never put hands on one. I’ve heard from dudes I trust that they’re reasonably good though.

  6. A friend has a PT99. He said that he has a few thousand trouble free rounds though it. I tried it at the range and while I am not a Beretta 92 guy, this thing was an absolute tack driver. It was really astonishing. That said, I completely expect people to have different experiences with different models.

  7. OK. Interesting.

    “It’s a 1911. It’s not like you have to go to Taurus for parts and service.” Except that I read — Internet gunboard BS hearsay, YMMV — that the extractor is proprietary.

    My experience with Taurus has been “OK, I guess” — one old 66 that developed persistent problems (mashing the firing pin to uselessness) after 10 years, and a snubby that works fine.

  8. I have one Taurus hand gun… 9 shot 22mag. Smoothest trigger EVER. But a 9mm 1911?…Meh. I’ll stick with .45ACP

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