Experience-based Taurus Mil Pro PT145 opinions sought

[Hypnogator]

I've had a 2nd generation stainless PT-145 Millennium Pro for a number of years. Loaded with Federal 230-gr Tactical Bonded, it's still my favorite "serious social occasions" carry piece. Right now, it's my primary HD pistol, residing in the headboard of my bed.

I'm not aware of anything even approaching its firepower in a weapon of its size and weight. Mine is remarkably accurate and 100% reliable with any ball or premium SD ammo I've tried in it.

I don't carry it much any more, because I seldom wear a jacket or coat and tie, and it's just a bit bulky to carry IWB under a lightweight shirt. For that role, I've settled on my Walther PPS in .40 S&W.

FWIW, my "always" gun is a Ruger LCP loaded with 60-gr Cor-Bon DPXs. It's rapidly becoming my BUG to the PPS, though.

 

[Jim NE]

I'm picking my new PT-145 today. Excited to get it based on the comments I've been reading.

Curious - Do they come with just one mag. or two?

 

[LiveLife]

Congrats! It comes with two magazines.

 

[BRE346]

Thank you for this excellent article and experiment. The info derived and conclusions reached are well planned and executed. I envy anyone who can put arrows on a photo.

 

[Jim NE]

I envy anyone who can put arrows on a photo.

Same here. Thanks again to bds and others for the info provided. I think I'm going to print out this thread to have it handy.

 

[Dr_2_B]

Jim, some people have trouble taking out the PT145 take-down lever

Oh jeez, I had to send mine back to Taurus after having a go-around with that lever. You ain't kiddin.

 

[LiveLife]

Here's a little trick to taking it out the "easy" way:

1. Lock the slide back
2. Rotate the take down lever/lug pin down (clock-wise)
3. Pull back on the slide to release the slide lock and slightly move the slide forward - the take down lever/lug pin will pop out from spring tension
4. Lock the slide back and the lever/pin will pull out without any struggle.

If you try to take out the take down lever/lug pin that's rotated down just by locking the slide back, it will be VERY difficult to pull out. Unlock the slide and gently ease the slide forward and the pin will pop out on its own (there's a spring under it) and when you lock the slide back, the pin will pull out without any effort.

 

[Jim NE]

OK, got my gun. It's BEAUTIFUL. Fit and finish is real good. After a minimal cleaning, I cycled a full magazine of live rounds, and they all chambered and ejected just fine. Action seems very smooth to me. We'll see when I actually shoot it. Was going to see if I needed to buff/polish the internals before I first shot it, but it doesn't really look like I need to.

I can believe, however, that some people have had issues with magazines dropping. I purposely checked for this on my gun. When the slide is back at it's furthest rearward position, a mere light touch of the mag release button will disconnect the mag. It takes more effort to release the mag when the slide is at any other position. I could see that the recoil of .45 acp round might make people inadvertantly hit the button with their hand when the slide is all the way back. Don't know if that's the source of people's problem, but, with my gun, I can see I might have to change my grasp/grip to avoid this (though my fingers don't actually touch the button.) I was thinking about getting a Hogue handall grip anyway - that may actually help keep that from happening.

 

[wally]

Since yours is presumably current/new production, please check to see if they've fixed the "fire with the safety on" issue mentioned earlier in this thread.


Here is how to test it safely, verified with my PT-140 that has the problem, before going to the range:

1) remove the magazine and insure the chamber is empty.
2) dry fire the pistol and hold the trigger fully back.
3) cycle the slide while continuing to hold the trigger fully back.
4) slowly let the trigger come forward just until you hear/feel it reset and hold it there.
5) put the thumb safety on and then fully release the trigger.
6) point the pistol at the ceiling and insert a pencil or pen into the barrel so it rests on the firing pin hole.
7) leaving the safety on, pull the trigger, if the pencil goes flying, you got a potential safety problem!


One can pontificate that this is a contrived situation, but I was shooting steel plates and after knocking over the last plate I reflexively flicked on the thumb safety and found the gun in this potentially dangerous condition, as a mostly 1911 shooter, this is my normal mode of operation for any gun with a thumb safety, heck I even wipe the safety on/off on shooting Glocks even though there is nothing there.

 

[Jim NE]

Wally,

I haven't become thoroughly familiar with the owners manual yet but went through the procedures you desscribed

- first off, my gun won't fire without the mag in place. I'm presuming you mean an empty mag instead of no mag, right?

- with the empty mag installed, and going through your procedure, my gun will NOT fire. This is in part because when I put the safety on at the point you specify (after the click), the trigger when released will not go completely forward. The safety, although it's "on", doesn't feel like it's "on" because I can pull the trigger all the way back, but the gun will still not fire as the trigger isn't engaged.

When I take the safety OFF at this point (with the trigger released), the trigger will then travel another 1/10th of an inch forward. At this point, you CAN fire the gun, unless you put the safety on. Having the safety on in all other cases (from what I can tell) allows you to pull the trigger back only a third of the way or so.

Sounds like they may have addressed the issue.

I'm really liking the gun. In some ways it even seems a little nicer finished than my new SR9c. But I'm going to shoot the Mil Pro before I become topo attached to it. (though it's kinda hard to do.)

The mag release isn't troubling to me. Just an aspect of the gun to be aware of. And I think my Hogue handall solution will only help.

 

[wally]

Sounds like they may have addressed the issue.

Glad to see they have fixed it, although I don't like the addition of the magazine disconnect safety (YMMV). I noticed they had fixed in the OSS .45 model which behaves pretty much as you describe except it'll fire without a magazine inserted.

 

[LoadandShoot]

Old thread but here's my experience with the PT145 Mil-Pro. Bought it new in march 2013. The mag catch was hard to work, very hard to release the two taurus mags that came with it and even harder with the Pro-Mag spare mag I bought new. After the first outing, the mag catch problem got even worse, I finally had to push so hard on it to release the mag that it popped clean out of the frame. Sent the gun back to Taurus, they put in supposedly a new mag catch, mag catch is still sticky in taurus mags, the Pro-Mag magazine became stuck when I inadvervently tried it in the gun. I had to take off the floor plate, remove spring and follower, and use a giant pincers to crush the magazine to get it to come out of the gun. It was stuck that tight. I wish I had not bought this Taurus, but will probably trade it off or sell it at the first reasonable opportunity. I also have a LC9 and a S&W M-P Shield in .40. The LC9 is the best designed, best operating, and best built of the three in my opinion.

 

[LiveLife]

PT145 Mil-Pro. Bought it new in march 2013. The mag catch was hard to work, very hard to release the two taurus mags that came with it and even harder with the Pro-Mag spare mag I bought new.

Many have posted the ProMag magazines for the older PT145 Millennium models won't work with the newer Millennium Pro models. For newer "Pro" models, I suggest using factory magazines.

Sent the gun back to Taurus, they put in supposedly a new mag catch, mag catch is still sticky in taurus mags

I would suspect the magazines as I would think Taurus tested the new mag catch using factory magazines. I would contact Taurus customer service and explain that you are still having problems with the two factory magazines and request replacement magazines for them.

 

[Jim NE]

Well just an update since the thread was revived.

My PT-145 has been a real good gun. No problems other than one of the magazines going through a "break in" period. Had about 6 or 7 fail to feeds in that one particular mag. Only with THAT mag. But the problem is gone now. I think I have about 500 rounds through it so far.

Ammo has been so expensive over the last half year, that I haven't shot it alot, but have shot it some, and it's very reliable. Theproblem with not shooting regularly is that you have to stay practiced with a .45. If I stay practiced, the accuracy is good. If I don't stay practiced, the accuracy is still acceptable for defensive purposes.

Hint: A Hogue Handall is a big help, though the recoil isn't as bad as you'd think. Also...SPEND SOME GOOD MONEY FOR A GOOD HOLSTER! Kirkpatrick is what I'm using now - very good. Gun rides up high making it concealable and comfortable.

 

[LiveLife]

Yes, agree on the availability and cost of practice ammo.

If you don't reload, now may be a good time to consider reloading as components and equipment are available.

My Mil Pro PT145 particularly feeds 200 gr SWC lead bullets well and the cost to reload 50 rounds runs below $7 at current costs. Of course, it has reliably fed other bullet nose types and factory ammunition at 6000+ rounds and still maintains tight slide-to-frame fit.

Another benefit of reloading is being able to load lighter recoil target loads. With the 200 gr SWC bullet, I usually use 5.0 gr of W231/HP-38 for range practice but 4.0 gr of Red Dot/Promo produces even lighter recoil accurate target load that is easier on hands and pistol.

 

[benzuncle]

Congrats on a fine purchase

I own 2 PT-145's. I bought the second one because I liked the first one so much and was afraid they might stop production. The PT-145 is my EDC. I also have a SIG P238 that I use when I can't carry the Taurus. I do reload (This after purchasing my first 45ACP, a SIG P220 Compact) and reading an article about reloading. I have shoved a lot of rounds through the first PT-145 with zero problems. It does not break down as easily as the SIG but once the process is learned it is no longer a problem. The PT-145 is a great carry gun and holds 10+1 rounds of 230gr Golden Sabers. Big pills, those. While the sights take time to get used to, that's what range practice is for...