Taurus PT1911 Torture Test Part 2.5

Today on the PT1911 Torture Test, I run the Taurus 9mm through the 10-8 Performance function check. The 10-8 Performance function check allows users to check their 1911-style pistol’s operation to verify whether or not the pistol is fit for duty or concealed carry. If a pistol fails any portion of the test with duty/carry ammo, it should be considered unfit for carry.

Now let’s talk about what happened in the video, because it’s important. It also goes back to what I said yesterday about the PT1911, because the problems it has are something that would drive a serious shooter absolutely nuts, but aren’t really so significant to deter a casual from buying a $500 range toy.

Breaking down the test itself, we had three definite failures in the gun – three failures to eject/extract during function/extractor testing. During the “limp wrist” test the gun failed once, and twice during the extractor testing. Then we had two more failures to feed a JHP from a fully loaded magazine, for a total of five failures during the 50 round test. When I repeated the test with FMJ ammo, I had two failures during the extractor test, but no failures to feed from full magazines or cycle with a magazine in the gun.

That puts the gun at a total round count of 806 with 7 failures of any type. There have been no parts breakages, just simple failures of the gun to properly complete its cycle of operations. Mind you, we’re not using cheap ammo or mags here, the failures to feed from a slidelock reload were with Critical Defense and Wilson ETMs. However, the Critical Defense does have a relatively short OAL, especially when compared with FMJ ammo, so for matches I’ll have to make sure to only use this gun with FMJ ammo.

Next step: run another 200 rounds through the gun to get it to 1,000 total, then do a comprehensive detail strip. During the detail strip I’m going to attempt to fix the extractor tension, then re-evalute the gun using the 10-8 test again. At this point, I would not consider this gun fit for duty or carry use, and actually wouldn’t consider it fit for serious competitive use either. If you told me you were thinking about buying one as a fun range toy? Knock yourself out, because truth be told the gun is really fun to shoot.

In fact, I want to take a minute and focus on the positives here, because this gun is actually fun to shoot. And it’s easy to shoot well; doing 2 shot drills to a 3×5 card at 7 yards yesterday it was too easy to drop two rounds into the card under 2.00 seconds from a Safariland ALS holster, simply because the gun has no recoil. First shot, second shot, too easy. It’s fun to shoot, and it’s comically easy to shoot well. That’s why I’m going to stick with it and see if I can work out these niggling little issues like the extractor and the magazines.

6 Comments

  1. Caleb,

    Nice job so far. The only thing (criticism) I can think of is that it might be appropriate to do a side-by-side comparison with an equivalent gun–perhaps a Springfield Range Officer or something like that. Then we’d have a much better understanding of the +’s and -‘s of the Taurus. However, I realize doing a side-by-side would double your cost and take twice as long to complete, so I understand that the “cost-benefit analysis” might not support doing it.

    1. Depending on how well this test goes, I actually plan on doing a follow up with this gun’s competitive set: namely the Springfield RO in 9mm, the RIA in 9mm, and the American Classic 9mm.

  2. Don’t think i would buy a1911 in 9mm.If your going to buy a Taurus might as well get the pf92 more round cheaper price more reliable.I have a Beretta my little brother has Taurus besides safety they are almost identical

  3. Good luck trying to bend that extractor for tension. MIM extractors tend to snap in two instead of bend like a real one.

  4. In my Sig 1911, the only mags I trust are Wilson Combat. They work remarkably well, because they use a nylon/polymer follower that keep shells oriented right. The Sig mags and the Kimbers I have always give a me a miss feed.
    For those with 7 round officer/compact 1911’s, Wilson Combat makes a metal base plate to go on 8 round magazines that will allow it to fit in in our 7 round gun with out fear over of over inserting the mag when jamming it in.

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