Taurus PT 92 vs Taurus PT 1911 in 9x19mm. Which is better?

T

TheGuyOfSouthamerica

Moderator
Dear all,

I almost settled on the Taurus PT92 and PT1911 in 9mm Luger as an replacement of my too light SD9VE. I find I hit few things because of muzzle flip when firing the 22 oz SD9VE 9mm Luger Plastik gun.

So I look for heavier guns to replace like the 34 oz PT92 and the 38 oz PT1911.

The grip of the SD9VE doesn't fit me particularly well (too big) and the PT92 grip are fairly big for me too. I had never the Chance to try an 1911.

Other brands 1911 (as well the Berettas) are just way to expensive and will end up costing about 2000+ US$ here in Southamerica.
Nevertheless the not Fitting grips the Taurus PT92 may be the best Option to have an shootable gun.

Which one is better: PT92 (the Beretta clone in 9x19mm) or PT1911 (the 1911 in 9mm Luger)? Reliable, durable, no breaking parts, fewer moving parts, etc
 
Disclaimer: I am personally fond of Taurus handguns.

PT 92 verses PT 1911.
Reliability. Well they’re both Tauruses (Tauri?) so you would be dealing with the same company if you have any problems. IMhO both are pretty reliable but there ARE companies out there that have a better reputation than Taurus. Like S&W and Ruger.

There's a pretty good recent discussion on this here:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=581310

The PT 92 holds 17+1.
The PT1911 holds 9+1.
The PT 92 is a single action/double action pistol with a decocker/safety lever.
The PT 1911 is single action only and a safety only.

If you’re looking for a general all around defense gun I think the PT 92 is the much better choice.

If you’re looking for a fun gun, range toy the 1911 probably has a better trigger and probably will fit your had better.

Good luck.
 
I know Taurus is not the best gun maker. But...

I would prefer SIG 1911 guns. No Problem. I will take it any day. As well the Beretta FS92. I will take the Beretta 9x19 stainless anyday.

But... the Prices. Even an cheap Remington 1911 R1 I saw have an steep Price which translates to the triple of Price over here.

Taurus is at least somewhat affordable and the Model PT92 as well PT1911 have an somwhat good Reputation on the Internet.

A SIG 1911 cost ya in the US let's say 800 to 1200 US$. If it get's here in Southamerica the final sale Price is about 2000 US$ to 3000 US$.

An gun costing there in the US 300 US$ is easily costing here 1000 US$.
 
I have a full size RIA Rock 1911 in 9mm. I am far more accurate with it than I am with my SD9VE and the more narrow grip fits my hand better. I paid just under $500 for it from Gallery of Guns. It is by far my favorite gun to shoot. I carry the SD9VE or a Taurus TCP but I shoot my 1911.
 
Taurus PT 92 vs Taurus PT 1911 in 9x19mm. Which is better?

Both guns are based on a well proven design. Personally as a 1911 type I would likely run with the PT 1911. Purel;y as a matter of liking 1911 guns. This while I also like the PT 92 design and both are really reliable guns. You could about flip a coin and come away happy.

Ron
 
The PT92 is more likely to run out of the box. The 1911 is much more user serviceable, in my opinion.

Based on your small hands, the 1911 is the only way to go. The PT92 is a big pistol, and when the hammer is decocked, the trigger reach is very long.

Get a 1911, drop in a short trigger, maybe change to a flat mainspring housing, and sand the grips flat on a belt sander. You'll have a sweet shooting pistol.

One suggestion: if you decide against the PT1911, get the PT99 instead of the PT92. The PT99 has adjustable sights. These are well worth the extra money.

Also, you can carry the PT92/99 cocked-and-locked, as well. This will mitigate the size of the grip frame.
 
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Thanks John C

Yes I figured as well I will not use the DA on the PT92 but only the SA. Like in an Revolver.

Again we have here an issue. The importer does not bring neighter the PT99 nor the PT1911. People here seems to not like the 1911 and so nobody bothers to bring them because there is "no market" (no sales). The only they bring is PT92.

I believe it is due to 1911's are allways a few 100 Dollars more expensive than the other pistols.
If the grip fits and the Trigger is good and it's heavy: wonderfull.

The PT92 in 9mm is here around 1170 US$ while the PT1911 will be about 1600 US$.

How much is the Trigger reach on your 1911?
 
I can measure my 1911 that has a short trigger in it. I'm away from home this weekend, so it will be tomorrow at the earliest.

If you compare your SD9VE and the PT92, and the PT92 on SA is better for you, then go for it. I understand the availability issues on the PT99, I has erroneously assumed that both would be available. Considering that you reload, the PT99 would be worth $100 more, from my perspective.

The key difference between the 1911 and the PT92 and SD9VE is not only the trigger reach, but the fatness of the grip. The 1911, being single stack, is much thinner.

In the meantime, before you sell your SD9VE, have you considered a replacement trigger and spring kit from Apex Tactical? The whole thing is $60, and it will shorter the trigger reach and lower the trigger weight. This might narrow the gap between your SD and a PT92.
 
The question is more of an Long term.
Which Frame is stronger.
The alloy one of the PT92 (aluminum I guess) or the polymer one of the SD9VE (really very thin plastic on some parts).

Right now to gain weigth I hang on the SD9VE an rail System, and foregrip and flashlight (Mini mg light). And even then it is to light for the recoil (I preferebly want it to recoil like an 22 LR).

With my "real estate" on the SD9VE the gun weigths 1.4 Kg that is 49 oz with a few rounds in it. That is to light.
The grip is 1.29" thick and 1.99" deep (on the smallest part)
Compare that to your 1911 (I bet the 1911 is not much different from that so grip size may not be improved).

I may just make an compromise taking the PT92 considering grip size due to Mayor capacity.
 
I think you're asking a pistol to do things they're not designed to do. Only a .22 pistol will recoil like a .22. If 49 oz is too light, you need a carbine or rifle. You CAN shoot a pistol fast and accurately, but you need a lot of practice. You're looking for a hardware solution to a software problem.

However, a heavier gun will shoot with less recoil than a lighter gun. The SA trigger pull of the PT92 will be better than the SD. Hopefully that works for you.

S&W pistols are generally very reliable, and will last a long time. As for which is more durable, the SD or the PT92, I can't answer. My guess is that both will last a good, long time. Especially since you're not a high volume shooter.

Good luck!
 
I have been shooting my PT99 (same as the 92, but with adjustable sights) for over 25 years. It is a good pistol. Its handle is fat, though, and better for larger hands. I have several 1911's as well. They are better suited for smaller hands, imho.
 
Either of your choices should serve you well. The grip on the PT92 will be larger than the grip on the PT1911. Is there some place near you that has both so you could try holding them for your comparison? The 92 has a larger magazine capacity if that is a concern for you. I believe the 92 would also be lighter in recoil. Takedown for cleaning is a little more involved for the 1911 but shouldn't be a problem after you do it a couple of times.
 
Today I took of the Flashlight of the SD9VE and left on the other "real estate".
It is more nose heavy now and I was able to hit were I was Shooting.

The days before I was missing while Shooting from 45 meters with the complete "real estate" on the gun making it 49 oz heavy. No nose heavy with this.

Today with the foregrip and pistol rail Mount only on the gun it had 42 oz of weight and was somewhat nose heavy. With this I was able to hit at aim. from 23 meters.

Maybe an pistol is a 25 meter gun and an Revolver an 50 meter gun. Supposedly Police while having Service Revolvers only for duty they practiced allways from 50 meters which changed to 25 meters as soon as pistols became the duty weapons.
May this be due to the moving Barrel and slide/sigths that pistols are inherently inaccurate?

So I don not know if I really will sell this gun in favour of the Taurus PT92.
Why spend much Money on something is not even an heirloom item. Later maybe if I handle the PT92 at gun store I may Change but right now there is not much improvement exchanging the gun.
Unless the PT92 is considerably inherently more accurate then this tilting Barrel Glock style Plastik gun the Change benefits are minimal.

I still believe the PT92 is more accurate similar to an Revolver.
 
It doesn't matter. Or maybe the United States is different. I have the misfortune of having had a number of family members, friends, and acquaintances who have been sexually assaulted, robbed, and even murdered. In EVERY case a snub 38 would have been plenty enough to have saved them. All of the assaults were sudden, up close, and personal.

I think it is about having a reasonably powerful firearm which you carry with you at all times, and you can quickly draw it and hit with it with reasonable accuracy at close range.

In the US, at least, no one is going to try to assault you from 25 yards away. It is going to be up close and personal.
 
I agree with you tallball and all other replys,

First let me express my sorry for what happened to your friends&family!
That must be an terrible experience. I know those things just from movies.

Lately assault-robbery what happened locally have been every time more violently as well. More People in the Country and less employment and ever more disparity in income.
That is why I ordered the Beretta Pico 380 acp to have as carry gun.

There is a very nice thread on TFL on small Hands and 1911's: <<seems all 1911 have fat grips except one from Springfield. Even if they are single stack they seems to Beef up anyways the grip.>>

I want to address however a few more questions.

Someone posted the PT92 has to be redone the FALLING BLOCK. What is that? Has to be done the same to an Glock style SD9VE?
The 1911 guns seems to Need rebuild after only 20000 rounds as one posted since they have small lock up parts bearing surfaces.
What about the SD9VE and other Glock Systems: Do they Need rebuilts as well?
 
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Which is the difference, benefits and deficiencies of:

Walther-style tilting locking block (I assume this is the System of the PT92 and Beretta FS92)

and

John Browning’s tilting breech design (I assume this System has the SD9VE and all Glocks and most Plastik pistols).

Which one has the 1911? (I assume the tilting breech is that correct?)

Benefits and deficiencies of both.
 
I'm glad you decided to keep the SD9VE. It's a fine pistol, and the PT92 isn't really any better or worse than the SD. It's just different. I think if you work on your skills with the SD, you'll get the same or similar results you would have gotten from the PT92. The only change I think you should look into is an Apex tactical trigger and spring kit. Anything you can do to get the trigger pull down to a reasonable level will help you, since the weight of the gun is a fraction of the weight of the trigger pull. Thus when pulling the trigger, you're imparting a lot of movement to the gun, more so than if the trigger pull were less. This is a main reason your Pietta 1873 is so much easier to shoot.

As for the 1911, most grip panels are large because most users need a larger grip to be comfortable. The option of smaller grip panels is available. Not so much with double stack pistols. Also, 1911s use a different Browning locking system that uses a link instead of a machined cam. This allows for adjustability. It's basically the forerunner to the Glock locking system.

The Glock and SD use a different locking mechanism than the PT92. The Glock and SD will not need a rebuild in the same way. The locking block of the PT92 is a "wear" part. Think of it as a sacrificial part. It wears, and is easily replaceable, so that the rest of the system can easily be rebuilt. The Glock and SD do not have this, and eventually the whole pistol will be out of tolerance. That's in over 100,000 rounds for a Glock. I have no idea how many rounds an SD will hold up to.

The 1911 needs a rebuild because the locking surfaces are smaller and more finely mated than newer pistols. This is bad from a maintenance standpoint, but good from an accuracy standpoint. The pistols can be tuned to extreme accuracy and performance, something an Glock or SD can't do. Any finely tuned machine will need more maintenance compared to a rougher, looser machine.

The benefits to the later Browning locking system, as on the Glock, is that the timing of the unlocking is set at the factory, and can't change. The disadvantage of this system is that it's set at the factory by the machining of the angles and surfaces of locking portion of the barrel, and cannot easily be changed for the pistol. The locking will never be better than an assembled pistol. A 1911, with many different parts to the locking system, can be timed to the pistol for better performance. The disadvantage of the 1911 system is that eventually, the pistol will need to be retimed, typically during rebuild.
 
Very kind John C for your informative reply.

So basically the PT92 will need an rebuilt on the falling block? Over here nobody will do that due to total lack of service.
How many rounds the PT92 will last before it needs repair?

And I understand the SD9VE as part of the Glock family will need no service whatsoever. I read somewere the SD9VE is rated for 25000 rounds. Only after those 25000 rounds the SD9VE is then a toss away gun? So that is in the ballpark of an 1911 rebuilt.

Once the gun shop has the PT92 I will handle it again and see what I do.

A benefit of these plastik pistols is nobody of the local population want them so they are not getting stolen.
 
If you have some mechanical skill, you can fit a new locking block yourself. There are many videos on youtube showing you how to do it. You can order them for about $38. Apparently Beretta states the average locking block lasts 22,000 rounds. This is a part replacement versus a rebuild.

Though the SD9VE may be spec'd for 25,000, my guess is that it will go much longer. The pistol won't be junk, it will just loosen up and accuracy will decline. Finally, very far down the road, the pistol may loosen up to the point where it won't function. I don't think anyone knows the real number, outside of Smith & Wesson. 25,000 rounds is the number S&W expects the pistol to perform within the standards of new.

A 1911 rebuild is a much bigger undertaking.
 
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