Taurus PT-111 Question
- Thread starter rmc2002ag
- Start date
Charles Johnson
New member
My first fun was a PT-111. I bought it in 1998, so Taurus may have improved them by now. Anyways, my PT-111 was next to worthless. It would never feed any hollow points. The safety lever broke. Finally, the take down pin broke, which completely incapacitated the gun. At this point I had totally lost all trust in the gun so I stuck it in the safe where it sat until last month.
I had heard good things about Taurus' service and warranty so I decided to go ahead and send it back to them. I asked them if they would replace it with a different model (I have a 100% reliable Glock 26 now) or at least replace it with a new PT-111. They took three weeks to decide not to replace it
. So on Friday my gunshop gets it back from Taurus, saying it had been fixed. All they did was replace the take down pin!!! They didn't even fix the safety (a big hole was very conspicuous where the safety lever had been! ) And they didn't replace the barrel (the 'ramp' was more like a wall). So my gunshop called some VP in Taurus before even calling me. My dealer is going to try to get them to replace it with a new PT-111 which he will give me credit for on the purchase of a new something-other-than-a-Taurus.
So the bottom line is my experience with the PT-111 and Taurus' customer service was 100% unsatisfactory.
I had heard good things about Taurus' service and warranty so I decided to go ahead and send it back to them. I asked them if they would replace it with a different model (I have a 100% reliable Glock 26 now) or at least replace it with a new PT-111. They took three weeks to decide not to replace it
. So on Friday my gunshop gets it back from Taurus, saying it had been fixed. All they did was replace the take down pin!!! They didn't even fix the safety (a big hole was very conspicuous where the safety lever had been! ) And they didn't replace the barrel (the 'ramp' was more like a wall). So my gunshop called some VP in Taurus before even calling me. My dealer is going to try to get them to replace it with a new PT-111 which he will give me credit for on the purchase of a new something-other-than-a-Taurus.So the bottom line is my experience with the PT-111 and Taurus' customer service was 100% unsatisfactory.
Lucky?
I have a pt111 that I have carried it for better than a year now. I use Hydroshock ammo and have yet to have one fail to fire or jam. It has been totally reliable and has had about 900 rounds through it. I average about 50 rounds a month to keep proficient with it as the trigger does take some getting used to. I use a S&W 5906 for target practice but it is a little big to carry sometimes depending on my clothing so the taurus winds up being carried more often. I am not trying to be a salesman for taurus but I am pleased with mine.
I have a pt111 that I have carried it for better than a year now. I use Hydroshock ammo and have yet to have one fail to fire or jam. It has been totally reliable and has had about 900 rounds through it. I average about 50 rounds a month to keep proficient with it as the trigger does take some getting used to. I use a S&W 5906 for target practice but it is a little big to carry sometimes depending on my clothing so the taurus winds up being carried more often. I am not trying to be a salesman for taurus but I am pleased with mine.
Personally, I'd find it hard to recommend a PT-111 Millenium. I bought one a bit over a year ago based on my previous good experience with Taurus products (PT-92 and model 66 revolver) but I was sure disappointed in this one. After a few trips to the range (maybe 4 or 5) the striker assembly broke and made it an expensive paperweight. I sent it back to Taurus and, to their credit, they fixed it but I had lost confidence in the pistol. I traded it away at a gun show and picked up a Kel-Tec.
If you are wanting a small DAO 9mm the Kel-Tec, IMO, is a better item and has a better price also. I liked the Kel-Tec well enough but I could never warm up to the DAO firing so I sold it also.
I now carry a CZ-75 Compact when I want to tote a 9mm. Now -there's- a pistol I can recommend without hesitation.
Joe
If you are wanting a small DAO 9mm the Kel-Tec, IMO, is a better item and has a better price also. I liked the Kel-Tec well enough but I could never warm up to the DAO firing so I sold it also.
I now carry a CZ-75 Compact when I want to tote a 9mm. Now -there's- a pistol I can recommend without hesitation.
Joe
I would also recommend checking out the Kel-tec P11 or P40. I have both and like them, although my P40 jammed a lot at first (but seemed to break-in and work better after some firing). Both are now at Kel-tec for the hard chrome upgrade (only $20!). My P11 worked great from the get-go. I don't doubt that both can easily be made to work reliably if they don't right off.
I looked hard at the Taurus PT111 - I was especially interested in the titanium model. But they are a little heavier than the Kel-tecs (I think the Taurus titanium is about the same as the Kel-tec), and the trigger was significantly better on the Kel-tecs I handled. I do like the manual safety option on the Taurus (I'm probably in a minority there - I know it really isn't necessary), and they look cool, but I just couldn't see any good reason to choose the Taurus over the Kel-tec (which are also considerably less expensive - although that wasn't a big factor in my choice). I'm happy with my choice. I do wish someone made a TRADITIONAL double-action in a pistol this small and light-I would like to be able to cock the thing and get a better trigger pull if I want.
Doug
I looked hard at the Taurus PT111 - I was especially interested in the titanium model. But they are a little heavier than the Kel-tecs (I think the Taurus titanium is about the same as the Kel-tec), and the trigger was significantly better on the Kel-tecs I handled. I do like the manual safety option on the Taurus (I'm probably in a minority there - I know it really isn't necessary), and they look cool, but I just couldn't see any good reason to choose the Taurus over the Kel-tec (which are also considerably less expensive - although that wasn't a big factor in my choice). I'm happy with my choice. I do wish someone made a TRADITIONAL double-action in a pistol this small and light-I would like to be able to cock the thing and get a better trigger pull if I want.
Doug
Steve Smith
New member
My wife had one for her first pistol. Charles Johnson's experience was similar to ours. She and I hated it. She has caried a Springfield Ultra-Compact V-10 for almost 2 years since.
Bill Adair
New member
Hi Joe,
How the heck are you?
I still have my PT111, and it still hasn't failed, but if it did break, I probably wouldn't waste the $25 shipping, to get it fixed by Taurus!
Think the only reason mine is still going, is that I greased the hell out of that striker after hearing about yours, and the others that had similar problems.
It doesn't get shot very often, though I do use it to base line 9mm reloads through the chrono, once in a while.
I never ever shoot it for fun, because it isn't!
Bill
How the heck are you?
I still have my PT111, and it still hasn't failed, but if it did break, I probably wouldn't waste the $25 shipping, to get it fixed by Taurus!
Think the only reason mine is still going, is that I greased the hell out of that striker after hearing about yours, and the others that had similar problems.
It doesn't get shot very often, though I do use it to base line 9mm reloads through the chrono, once in a while.
I never ever shoot it for fun, because it isn't!
Bill
Bill!
Hi there. Been a long time since I heard from you. Everything still OK out there in the great northwest? I've been keeping real busy lately. You can click on the links in my signature line and see what I've been spending time doing.
Glad to hear your 111 is still doing good for you. I still think I might just have gotten a lemon but it is hard to recommend the pistol to someone else after what happened to me.
So, what new additions have you added to the collection since I talked to you last?
Joe
Hi there. Been a long time since I heard from you. Everything still OK out there in the great northwest? I've been keeping real busy lately. You can click on the links in my signature line and see what I've been spending time doing.
Glad to hear your 111 is still doing good for you. I still think I might just have gotten a lemon but it is hard to recommend the pistol to someone else after what happened to me.
So, what new additions have you added to the collection since I talked to you last?
Joe
I also had a bad experience with a PT-111. It would jam half way on the slide during reassembly. Sent it back to Taurus several times. They would send it back reassembled and claim there was nothing wrong with it. Finally brought it back to the dealer. It jammed half way and he, his gunsmith and Taurus Customer service on the phone spent half a day trying to unstuck it. Never got to fire it, didn't consider it a safe gun and Taurus would never acknowledge anything was wrong with it. Fortunately, the dealer refunded me.
Whenever I see one at a show or shop, I ask the dealer to take it down. It usually takes them awhile to put it back together. If you want to buy one, I suggest you have the dealer take it apart and put it together in front of you.
Whenever I see one at a show or shop, I ask the dealer to take it down. It usually takes them awhile to put it back together. If you want to buy one, I suggest you have the dealer take it apart and put it together in front of you.
Bill Adair
New member
Joe,
Wondered why you weren't posting here as often. Didn't realize you were into Vice full time, chairmanship that is.
Congratulations on a good campaign, if you had anything at all to do with Bush, and your own states Republican candidates getting into office.
I don't think you got the only lemon with the PT111, as I've heard other complaints on other forums. If anything, the grease pack around my striker is all that is standing between failure and success on mine.
So what CZ are you shooting? I saw one of their satin nickel finish 75's at my gunshop, and fell instantly in love! I still picture that beautiful light tan finish, with a set of clear maple stocks, in my collection! Way too pretty to shoot!
Only new gun in my collection is a S&W model 547, 9mm revolver. Found one last month at a local gun show for about a hundred under book, and bought it on the spot! It's in excellent condition, and I'm having a lot of fun working up a load that shoots to POA. Seems the 547 model came out when the 147gr bullet was favored for 9mm, and that's the only one I've found that shoots to POA.
Still haven't bought a gun safe, but have trigger locks for all of my guns, and did increase my home owners insurance coverage. Since I don't own any valuable collector guns, and very few that are small enough to conceal, I think that's enough for now.
Bill
Wondered why you weren't posting here as often. Didn't realize you were into Vice full time, chairmanship that is.
Congratulations on a good campaign, if you had anything at all to do with Bush, and your own states Republican candidates getting into office.
I don't think you got the only lemon with the PT111, as I've heard other complaints on other forums. If anything, the grease pack around my striker is all that is standing between failure and success on mine.
So what CZ are you shooting? I saw one of their satin nickel finish 75's at my gunshop, and fell instantly in love! I still picture that beautiful light tan finish, with a set of clear maple stocks, in my collection! Way too pretty to shoot!
Only new gun in my collection is a S&W model 547, 9mm revolver. Found one last month at a local gun show for about a hundred under book, and bought it on the spot! It's in excellent condition, and I'm having a lot of fun working up a load that shoots to POA. Seems the 547 model came out when the 147gr bullet was favored for 9mm, and that's the only one I've found that shoots to POA.
Still haven't bought a gun safe, but have trigger locks for all of my guns, and did increase my home owners insurance coverage. Since I don't own any valuable collector guns, and very few that are small enough to conceal, I think that's enough for now.
Bill
Bill Adair
New member
Ozark9mm,
You already have more rounds through your PT111 than I have through mine, and may never see the problem Joe, and other people have seen.
Seems the firing pin, springs, and striker, are all on one shaft inside the slide. The trigger bar engages a tang on the end of the striker shaft, and pulls it to the rear as the trigger is pulled. The trigger bar also has ears that ride in slots in the frame, and these slots curve downward. As the trigger bar moves rearward, the ears riding in the slots pull it downward, until it slips off the striker shaft tang, which lets the shaft (under spring tension) slam forward driving the forward end of the shaft (firing pin) into the primer.
The problem is that this long shaft is supported by a bushing, and to some extent by it's firing pin forward end, riding in the slide.
My theory is that the shaft is being pulled downward ever so slightly by the trigger bar moving rearward and downward, while pushing against the striker shaft tang. When the bar slides down, and then slips off the tang, the shaft rebounds upward slightly, and probably even oscillates, as it slams forward, putting undue stress and wear on the support bushing.
At least two people that I've corresponded with on the forums, have reported bushing fractures. I called Taurus, and they deny there is a problem, and told me they will not release drawings on the PT111, because they don't want owners disassembling further than slide removal. (I wanted to inspect the striker shaft bushing in mine for wear.)
I took the precaution of removing the metal plate on the bottom of my slide (careful, the spring under that plate is very tricky to get back in place), and applying gun grease liberally to the striker shaft, hoping some of it will keep the bushing well lubricated and prevent the problem.
So far, with about 500 rounds fired, it's still working!
Bill
You already have more rounds through your PT111 than I have through mine, and may never see the problem Joe, and other people have seen.
Seems the firing pin, springs, and striker, are all on one shaft inside the slide. The trigger bar engages a tang on the end of the striker shaft, and pulls it to the rear as the trigger is pulled. The trigger bar also has ears that ride in slots in the frame, and these slots curve downward. As the trigger bar moves rearward, the ears riding in the slots pull it downward, until it slips off the striker shaft tang, which lets the shaft (under spring tension) slam forward driving the forward end of the shaft (firing pin) into the primer.
The problem is that this long shaft is supported by a bushing, and to some extent by it's firing pin forward end, riding in the slide.
My theory is that the shaft is being pulled downward ever so slightly by the trigger bar moving rearward and downward, while pushing against the striker shaft tang. When the bar slides down, and then slips off the tang, the shaft rebounds upward slightly, and probably even oscillates, as it slams forward, putting undue stress and wear on the support bushing.
At least two people that I've corresponded with on the forums, have reported bushing fractures. I called Taurus, and they deny there is a problem, and told me they will not release drawings on the PT111, because they don't want owners disassembling further than slide removal. (I wanted to inspect the striker shaft bushing in mine for wear.)
I took the precaution of removing the metal plate on the bottom of my slide (careful, the spring under that plate is very tricky to get back in place), and applying gun grease liberally to the striker shaft, hoping some of it will keep the bushing well lubricated and prevent the problem.
So far, with about 500 rounds fired, it's still working!
Bill
I owned a PT-111 for about a year. The trigger broke on shot number 65 my first time out. There was a story printed in one of the gun magazines recently that had the same thing happen to their test gun. Taurus repaired it (about 5 weeks) and I proceeded to put about a thousand rounds through the gun. The gun fed every type of hollowpoint and fmj that I gave it. At approximately 1000 rounds it started to fail to extract spent rounds. I sent it back to Taurus a second time (4 to 5 weeks). Taurus sent it back without any explanation of what they had repaired. After a couple of calls to Taurus I was told that they had adjusted the extractor. I then put a little over a hundred rounds through the gun and it only failed to extract once. I sold it shortly thereafter. I really liked the PT-111 but after two trips to the factory I had lost faith in the gun.