[MachIVshooter]

After responses to my query on the PT145 Milennium Pro, I will likely buy one. There is, however, one last stumbling block; the ILS. My question is this: How integral is it? If it cannot be removed from the gun, I will not buy the gun.

Any of my firearms that have been equipped with mag safeties or ILS have had them removed, or been sold. I'm not about to make an exception.

[45+]

All new Taurus handguns have the locking system and it would probably be very difficult to remove. On a revolver, one could probably dremel off the "ear" that locks the gun and make it inoperable. On the semi's, I am not sure that would be so easily done.

The lock is unobtrusive, and if you throw away the keys, I can see no way that it could ever be locked unless someone else comes along with a key and locks it. That would require someone having access to your handgun and changing its condition without consulting you. I consider that a scary possibility.

I only considered using the locks once, when we were going to spend the night in a house with children that had not been properly taught about firearms. I was planning to take only Taurus firearms so they could be locked while we were asleep. The trip did not work out, so it came to naught.

I understand the philosophical objection to the locks, but this is the most functional, unobtrusive design I have seen so far. It is designed so that you can use it or not, but it is not in the way functionally or practically.

Good shootin'....

[MachIVshooter]

I can see no way that it could ever be locked unless someone else comes along with a key and locks it

I have no experience with Taurus' locks, and the only guns I have bought that had them were Remington Rifles (3 of them). In the case of the M700, the ILS can be locked without a key, but reqiures the key to unlock. I removed the ILS from the bolts of each and every one. LEaves an ugly hole, but I know the gun will fire. I have been meaning to contact remington about new bolt ends w/o locks.

[BluesBear]

I don't believe locks are needed on firearms.
I will not buy a S&W with a lock.
However, Taurus does have the most unobtrusive locks.
I own several Taurus' and I have never been able to make any of the locks malfunction. I know of no one else who has been able to either. They designed their lock differently than S&W.

[procomps]

I have had 4 and still have 2 Taurus pistols; all had/have the lock. I don't use it, but some of the more gun-restrictive states require such a lock. In order to sell in all 50 states, several (if not all) gun manufacturers are installing these locks.

If you do not buy Taurus pistols, you are depriving yourself of the 24/7 (NRA Gun of the Year 2005) or a very compact and light PT111 Titanium Pro, the 2 guns I still have in 9mm.

If you don't like the locks, simply don't use them. I have seen no reports of such a lock locking itself, thus rendering a firearm useless. (I know that doesn't mean there are no such incidents, but I do read more than at least 10 average shooters.)

[DAVE RICHARDS]

I've had it on every taurus I've ever owned and never used it. I don't know their exact set-up but it doesn't seem to interfer with trigger pull or relability in anyway. Several of my guns have such systems. H&K, S&W, SA 1911's, and so on. Just not a bi problem. Most don't seem to interfer at all with the guns actions.

[JimLally]

Don't worry about the lock. As many have said, just don't lock it.

I've had the PT-145 Pro for almost two years. Never a failure of any kind. I have the key but have never locked it after the first day whan I tried it just to see if it worked.

I would advise against removing the built-in lock from any weapon. If you were ever involed in a shooting incident an anti-gun lawyer might use that as a way to show you no regard for the proper use of the weapon and didn't care about the safety of others, causing you a lot of legal grief.

Of course, common sense says that to defend yourself the weapon must be unlocked, but remember that when dealing with the anti-gun crowd, truth and common sense don't always come into the picture.

Just keep it unlocked, keep the key on your keychain to show the authorities you have the ability to use it, and enjoy the pistol.

Take care.

Jim