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A little on why I don't like Taurus 1911s....

4K views 10 replies 4 participants last post by  Steve M1911A1 
#1 ·
From a friend of mine. They suffered a minor water hazard and I'm going to clean them up a little.

Initially all I can say is that the triggers are amongst the most squishy I've ever felt, but who knows what the insides of these guns look like.

More pictures and thoughts/findings to follow.
For my findings on these two guns:

For the entire read:
Guns, Guns, and More Gosh Darn Guns: Update on the PT1911s....

The down and dirty of which is:


Plunger lever being lapped by slide,
if left uncorrected, this will probably shear off.



Imperfections from MIM casting, waves could break
off and foul gun, possible integrity of part is compromised.



Not sure why they chose to gouge the barrel rather than
relieve the frame but that cut mates up the the frame.



Machining marks, sharp edges. I've seen better work done
on ball point pens.


All in all I'm not very impressed with the Taurus offerings, but that's more of an issue with their marketing department, hype and current trends in cost...which is probably the fault of the market for buying the hell out of these things...If they were still $450 and $500 1911s, I wouldn't be as miffed about some of this findings but for "$2100 worth of features" I think I'd rather have a Rock Island Armory Tactical Model for around $450. I've often thought about getting one of their matte nickel models and just trying to run the thing into the ground...maybe one of these days...Or just pony up a couple extra bucks and get a Ruger SR1911.

Will post some comparison pics later of of specific areas / features of some of the other guns.

One thing I will say for the PT1911, the stainless 1911 cleaned up real nice with a little Flitz, a scouring pad, and some gun oil. The trigger on the .45 is pretty nice after my work, better than the current state of my older Springfield, the 9mm could use a little more work, but I'd not put the effort into it until it came back from warranty service.

Some things I would probably do with the PT1911 if I were to buy one.

First thing's first, I would buy a stainless steel model. There have been many accounts of the finish on the blued guns not holding up well and what I saw on these two guns reinforces that. The slide of the blued model needs to be refinished. I would ditch the full length guide rod (FLGR) for a GI plug and guide, probably ditch the slide stop of a Wilson Bullet Proof part, and inspect all the internals, if nothing else appeared suspect, at minimum replace the ignition parts, and add a Cylinder and Slide Series 80 Trigger Pull Reduction kit, and maybe switch to a single side safety.

The slides and frames themselves seemed to be made OK and might be good for a build, the only thing that would give me pause is that checkering, it would have be sanded down for either some proper texture to be applied or left smooth etc.
There's more photos and commentary on the guns and some other issues encountered.

Yeah, I'm a gun snob and just "hating on Taurus", but now you can see a little as to why.

The owner of the guns will be following up with Taurus, I'll be sure to post follow ups on how Taurus handles the issues.
 
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#3 ·
If there were only one platform of handgun to choose from, then the choice of manufacturer would be our only concern. That choice has been and will always will be a matter of personal preference.

Some folks choose to drive Fords, Chevy's, Dodge's, or similar vehicles. Other folks prefer and can afford Corvette's, Jaguar's, Porche's and the like. Personal preference doesn't make anyone right or wrong, smarter, or dumber. For my two cents, any thread started with the intent to disparage another gun maker, is either made by a person fishing for trolls, or is trolling themselves, or just trying to generate conflict. Be glad there is a choice available to us. I could care less what anyone else thinks of my firearms purchases, and what anyone else chooses to purchase, doesn't make a whit to me either. If one feels the need to mount a pulpit, to convince others that their word is the last word, well, sorry to bust yer bubble.... it ain't likely to happen.... unless there is no longer a choice. :smt1099
 
#4 ·
If there were only one platform of handgun to choose from, then the choice of manufacturer would be our only concern. That choice has been and will always will be a matter of personal preference.

Some folks choose to drive Fords, Chevy's, Dodge's, or similar vehicles. Other folks prefer and can afford Corvette's, Jaguar's, Porche's and the like. Personal preference doesn't make anyone right or wrong, smarter, or dumber. For my two cents, any thread started with the intent to disparage another gun maker, is either made by a person fishing for trolls, or is trolling themselves, or just trying to generate conflict. Be glad there is a choice available to us. I could care less what anyone else thinks of my firearms purchases, and what anyone else chooses to purchase, doesn't make a whit to me either. If one feels the need to mount a pulpit, to convince others that their word is the last word, well, sorry to bust yer bubble.... it ain't likely to happen.... unless there is no longer a choice. :smt1099
People can take whatever they want from this thread, not trying to generate conflict, just showing what I found and my opinion on the matter, if that's worth anything to anyone is not my concern. Some won't care, some will.

Caveat emptor
 
#5 ·
No, sorry, it's not just a matter of personal preference.
All 1911s are not alike.

Choose a Ford, a Chevvy, or a Toyota, and keep it gassed-up and lubricated, and, rattle though it might, it will always take you from point A to point B.
If you want to do it in greater comfort, and with fewer rattles, buy a Rolls Royce.
But functionally, there's no difference. It's purely a matter of personal choice.
(However, some people will refuse to buy a Ford or Chevvy that was built on Monday or on Friday.)

Some 1911s are built more carefully, of better-made components that are better finished and maybe even tuned, than are others.
Better-made 1911s don't jam, they feed HPs, and they don't suffer unnecessary parts wear and breakage.
No matter how well-repaired and well-prepared some 1911s are, due to very basic manufacturing criteria they will prove to be sufficiently unreliable to deter you from letting your life depend upon them. Others, however, are going to keep running reliably until Judgment Day.
This is not merely a matter of the personal choice of a brand name or the country of origin. It is not merely aesthetics. Unless one is Oscar Wilde, one does not normally risk one's life according to aesthetic choices.
 
#6 ·
This is not merely a matter of the personal choice of a brand name or the country of origin. It is not merely aesthetics. Unless one is Oscar Wilde, one does not normally risk one's life according to aesthetic choices.
Quite true. By the same token, one does not risk one's life on EVERY firearm that one possesses. Most folks buy a firearm for a purpose, and personal preference usually dictates which to firearm a specific preference applies. My choice of a personal protection firearm, does not have to conform to the selection criteria of anyone else. Nor does anyone else's choice sway mine.

Whose preferences do you use to select your personal protection firearm? I would hope that you choose your own.
 
#7 ·
...[O]ne does not risk one's life on EVERY firearm that one possesses.
We're much too practical, due to my own training and philosophy.
Jean and I do not own firearms upon which we would not risk our lives.
We can never know in advance, at what moment we might be called upon to defend ourselves. Therefore, all of our firearms, even my few muzzleloaders, are proven practical and dependable.

...Whose preferences do you use to select your personal protection firearm? I would hope that you choose your own.
Of course we choose our own, but we accept guidance from others, equally as, or more, experienced than we. We are critical listeners and critical thinkers, and capable of discriminating among competing inputs.
After all, we can't try everything ourselves.
Why reinvent the wheel?
 
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