Anyone Carry A Taurus PT145 Mil Pro and Feel Comfortable With It?

[Gunmeister]

I recently purchased a new Taurus PT145 Millenium Pro. I'm an old gun handler and presently have several to choose from. I "fondled" the pistol in the gun shop and it really felt just right to me. At $298 for a stainless one it was a bargain and I thought it would make a good glove box gun. Truthfully, I bought it on impulse because it fit my hand like it was made for me. I have read the search engines and it seems that the positive comments far outweigh the negative ones. I won't get a chance to shoot it until next week, hopefully it will perform as good as it fits.
Comments pro and con would be appreciated. Regards, JW

[wally]

Mine's a late production non-Pro model, like you I got it on impluse becasue of price for those times I'd have to leave it in my car, something I'm loathe to do with my significantly more expensive Kahr and Kimber.

Mine's been 100% reliable with factory ammo. I'm not fond of DAO guns but I hit better with my PT145 that I did with my Glocks before I got the 3.5 lb connectors (which are probably too light for safe carry).

--wally.

[PCRit]

It's a great carry piece, 11rnds of .45ACP in a fairly small package... what's not to like

I recently picked up it's little brother, the PT745, single stack, for summer carry (it's a little thinner and weighs less).

Both are very nice and the new Mil Pro models are much improved over the non-Pro, especially the trigger, which is smoother on the newer models.

[john from md]

I carry mine in a Don Hume IWB clip holster and find it to be very comfortable. It feels much better than my G27 ever did. I find it to be very accurate and so lite, I forget I am wearing it.

[ShelbyV8]

I carry one no malfunctions, very good DOA trigger.

[CougarRed]

Short barrel takes its toll on velocity of 230 gr rounds (700 fps).

Stick to 185 gr Corbon DPX or Taurus Hex and you should be fine.

[Hypnogator]

I've carried mine for a couple of years now. 100% reliable, accurate, easy to care for, and 11 rds of .45 ACP in a package only slightly larger than a compact 9mm. Just qualified to TX state standards with it yesterday - shot 99% on the TECLOSE target. (Not a big challenge -- the longest shooting was from 15 yds.) Only pulled 1 out of the "kill" zone because I was shooting rapidly from the hip.

BTW, I carry 230-gr Hydra-Shoks in it. True, they aren't as zippy as they are from a 5" bbl, but they've still got plenty of oomph to expand, and have quite a bit more momentum than the 185-gr stuff. And like the man says -- even if they don't expand, they won't shrink!

[ranger7]

Bought a Mil-Pro 45 about a month ago and liked it so much I bought a second one for a backup/spare. I have two Don Hume IWB holsters for them, one with a steel belt clip and the other with loops and snaps.

Have about 300+ rounds through each of the pistols and they are 100% reliable. I've owned Glock 26, 27, 30 and 36. I find the Taurus to be as easy to carry as the G36 with the good attributes of the G30 at almost half the price.

[Old Dog]

Wife's usual carry pistol ... she is comfortable with it, and I'm comfortable with her with it ... it's 100% reliable, amazingly accurate, light and easy to shoot.

[scubie02]

I don't believe I've ever owned a autoloader from taurus, but I've woned several of their revolvers and have two now. I have never had a problem with one, and they have always performed well. Actually, they have performed as well or better than any smith, colt or ruger revolver I have owned.

[Dave R]

Yup.

I went shopping for a budget 1911 and was seduced by the PT-145. Like Gunmeister--it just fit my hand like it was made for it. Points real well for me.

[crazyends]

I am a new gun owner of a PT-140 Millennium Pro. I've had prior experience with the Walther P99, and have field stripped it once with success. However, after shooting my PT-140 (had a great time/less fatigue than expected for my first .40 cal), I began to field strip it, and got to the point of removing the take down pin. I tried to move the slide all the way forward (as in the instructions), and was unable to remove it from the receiver. The shop owner I bought the gun from, demonstrated it to me mearly hours ago. It seemed very simple then. However I am unable to do this myself, and am wondering if there are any tricks or strategies that I should know of.

[Okiecruffler]

Been carrying mine for a couple of months now, put tons of rounds thru it and it's stone cold reliable with everything except some 185gr SWC's I loaded last time out. Fits my hand better than any compact I've ever held and it's more accurate than it has any right to be.

[john from md]

Crazyends,

1. Remove mag, lock slide back and insure clear.
2. Turn takedown lever to right until straight up and down
3. Pull out takedown lever. Sometimes levering out from frame with a little screwdriver helps.
4. If slide does not slide right off, slowly pull trigger while pushing slide forward.

Regards,

[CougarRed]

Hypnogator

I am not a big "energy" guy, but since you mentioned momentum, 230 gr at 700 fps is only 250 foot-pounds of energy. 185 gr at 1000 fps is 411 foot-pounds.

I am more concerned about how a round performs in the FBI protocol. According to ballistics expert Dr. Gary Roberts over at the Tactical Forums, 230 gr rounds show inferior results in FBI testing once you use a barrel less than 4"

The Taurus barrel is 3.3" If you look at the Taurus owners manual, it has some language suggesting a weight limit of 225 gr.

As a firearms instructor, you have a responsibility for the safety of your students, and those who read your posts. If you are fully convinced that 230 gr rounds are safe and effective to use out of the PT145, then by all means, advocate it. If you aren't, please take a moment and reconsider the issue.

Thanks.

[Too Many Choices!?]

Zero failures and accurate to boot. I got it after qualifying in the spring with a G23 in .40 for concealed carry, when I realized the Glock would print way too easy in the upcoming summer. It was a good excuse to buy an 11 round sub-compact .45, that carries and works like a Revo .

PS: Does the Millinium "PRO" actually have PRO written on the frame behind MILLINIUM? I don't know if my model is a PRO or not since I got it like two years ago ...

[GunGoBoom]

I did for awhile, but ultimately sold it because I wasn't comfortable with the super short and light mag release catch - didn't want to take the chance of the mag falling out from being bumped during carry. I prefer very positive mag catches like 1911 and Kahr. Otherwise, excellent gun; very safe; best firepower to size ratio out there. Takes practice to hit well with the true DAO trigger, however.

[john from md]

I shot my PT 145 Mil Pro in an IDPA match today. Even with the double action only trigger, I did very well. It grouped very well even with the 20yard shots. Today's match was one of the smaller that we have, it was only about 70 rounds. I had no failures and felt very confidant using the small gun. Normally I use a Hk USPc 45 or 1911 45 when I shoot IDPA. The PT is slower, due to the long trigger reset but it drew and handled well even though the Don Hume holster really tucks it in tight.

Regards,

[Hypnogator]

I am not a big "energy" guy, but since you mentioned momentum, 230 gr at 700 fps is only 250 foot-pounds of energy. 185 gr at 1000 fps is 411 foot-pounds.

You're talking muzzle energy, which is weight times (velocity squared). I'm talking momentum, which is weight times velocity. BIG difference. It's why some argue adamantly that the 9mm is more powerful than the .45 ACP, even though they can't figure out why it seems to be less effective in combat.....

I am more concerned about how a round performs in the FBI protocol. According to ballistics expert Dr. Gary Roberts over at the Tactical Forums, 230 gr rounds show inferior results in FBI testing once you use a barrel less than 4"

And I'm more concerned about how a round performs when it hits a bad guy. The 230-gr Hydra Shok has an excellent one-shot stop record. It is designed to expand at velocities as low as 600 FPS, and has by far the longest track record of effectiveness of any of the premium .45 ACP bullets.

The Taurus barrel is 3.3" If you look at the Taurus owners manual, it has some language suggesting a weight limit of 225 gr.

Read the full specs. They suggest a weight limit of 225 gr @ 900 FPS from that 3.3" bbl. That's quite a hot load. A 230-gr load @ 700 FPS (using your figures) would be considerably milder, other factors being pretty much equal. Even the milspec 230-gr bullet @ 850 FPS (albeit from a 5" bbl) is equal to or less than the pressure that Taurus put in their manual.

As a firearms instructor, you have a responsibility for the safety of your students, and those who read your posts. If you are fully convinced that 230 gr rounds are safe and effective to use out of the PT145, then by all means, advocate it.

I am, and I do. Do you seriously think that any firearms manufacturer would market a product that would be unsafe to fire with the original and still best-selling loading of its cartridge? Why Taurus chose to include the maximum spec for a bullet that almost nobody sells at a very high velocity is beyond me. But I can assure you that I have no qualms about using Federal Premium 230-gr Hydra-Shoks in my Taurus PT-145 Millennium Pro, and do not hesitate to recommend them to others who are looking for effective self-defense rounds for similar weapons.

[CougarRed]

You lost me at "one shot stop record"

That's all I needed to hear.

[chaim]

No PT 145 Millennium Pro but I do have a PT140 Millennium Pro. I love it. Not to sound like a broken record but...it fits my hand pretty close to perfectly, it points very well, quite accurate at combat ranges, and 100% reliable to date (only 400 rounds, about 1/2 JHP and 1/2 FMJ).

I trust it implicitly and use it sometimes as my home defense gun. When visiting a state where I can carry, if I bring an auto it is this one. When/if I move to a CCW state or if MD becomes one this will probably be my primary carry auto and is the one gun that has me thinking that I may carry an auto more than a revolver.

[bigmike45]

I carry a new model (with the light rail) PT-145 Millennium Pro everywhere, either as a BUG behind one of my 1911 guns or as a primary when in the office. Over 2000 rounds without even a hiccup tells the tale. It is a really fun gun to shoot and recoil is surprisingly minimal for such a small, light pistol.

At night I slide a light on the rail and tuck it in the pocket of my bathrobe next to my head. It has been totally flawless in it's operation.

I will trust my life to this gun if needed!!!!

[Smurfslayer]

My experience(s) with the PT145 Mil. Pro (detailed on here in previous rantings) were not so pleasant.

First I had some failures to fire. This was first with reloads, then factory ammo. I was compelled to discount the reload failures to fire due to a bad batch of primers. Nevertheless, I continued to test with both commercial of different types and reloads. The reloads, with a very light crimp for subgun use, fed reliably, all the time. The factory ammo would not feed reliably from either magazine. Switching back to the reloads would allow flawless feeding, but again I was having FTF's due to the bad primers. Accuracy wise, it was certainly acceptable, no worse than my compact EAA witness .45, and with a better trigger pull and capacity. I could not shake the reliability demons, and the final straw came when it sort of spontaneously disassembled itself at the mag release... I was able to collect the parts, go home, reassemble and trade it on another brand .45...

YMMV

[marshall3]

I really like my Mil Pro PT145. Here's some pix:
http://www.mouseguns.com/ratguns/pt145/pt145.htm

[mquaack]

My dad is looking for a pistol but he wants a MANUAL safety on it. I will look into getting him the Pro model and in 9mm.