Taurus 1911

Would a Taurus 1911 be your first choice in the 400 to 600 price range?

  • 1st choice

    Votes: 174 48.2%
  • 2nd choice

    Votes: 61 16.9%
  • 3rd choice

    Votes: 42 11.6%
  • not an option

    Votes: 84 23.3%

  • Total voters
    361
Status
Not open for further replies.
SHOOTCRAPS Kimbers warranty is not 3 years. They do not have a written warranty, they say if you ever have a problem send it in it will be fixed, there is no need to put a warranty on something like a Rolex watch. These are not my words, but directly from Kimbers sales training manual.
 
SHOOTCRAPS Kimbers warranty is not 3 years. They do not have a written warranty,

Actually, they have a one-year warranty.

I don't buy my guns based on warranty, I buy based upon what I think isn't going to need a warranty.
 
Posted by HGUNHNTR:SHOOTCRAPS Kimbers warranty is not 3 years. They do not have a written warranty, they say if you ever have a problem send it in it will be fixed, there is no need to put a warranty on something like a Rolex watch. These are not my words, but directly from Kimbers sales training manual.


That's odd. I found this "written warranty" right on their website. But it doesn't mention Rolex watches. :confused:


"Kimber firearms and accessories have a limited one year parts and labor warranty. Should you experience a problem within one year of purchasing a new Kimber product that cannot be resolved by speaking with the Kimber factory (Call (914) 964-0742 and ask for Warranty Service. There is not a toll free number for this purpose.) it will be necessary to return the item to the factory for evaluation. Kimber does not authorize any dealer or gunsmith to attempt repair or adjustments to Kimber products, and non-factory adjustments or modifications will void the warranty."

Not even a toll-free phone number. Hmmmmm. :scrutiny:

But I was wrong so I'm glad you made me check on it. Only ONE year. Taurus' Warranty is lifetime for the gun. Doesn't matter if you're the first owner or the tenth. Not bad. :D
 
Kimber will back their firearms. It's kind of like a handshake deal. You don't have to have some peoples word in writing. They are just covering their but from people who screw up the firearm themselves. My experience anyway.
 
I do not discount Taurus' warranty. I am sure they back their stuff. I was only commenting on Kimber.
 
God have mercy upon your soul if you ever have to use that warranty
Ah, the great internet discussion hit'n'run tactic ... throw out a (in your own mind) pithy one-liner with no qualifying follow-up (i.e., personal experience, documentation or credible reason for your comment).

I personally have used Taurus' warranty, finding easy-to-follow instruction on the company's website and having the firearm returned in a very timely manner, with not only the requested minor repair accomplished, but a couple little extra touches as well.

Seems as though there are always folks who have to enter every thread pertaining to whatever manufacturer is the topic of the thread simply to make a negative remark about that manufacturer, yet never even attempt to substantiate their comments with explanation based on personal ownership experience.
 
I have put enought rounds through (5k+) my kimber to know if I am going to need the warranty or not...and I have not, plus my gunsmith is just down the street, I'll have him fix it in 10 or 15 min depending on the issue of course.

Warranties are important, lifetime or otherwise but really if you put enough rounds through the weapon within the 1year you will know if its gonna break or not and most gun parts are pretty cheap its why I keep the gun parts bible around.
 
I started reading this thread with the hope of getting some actual first-hand user info on the new Taurus pistol. Silly me, there I go trying to get reliable info off the internet again.

Honestly folks, what's the deal?
Nearly every manufacturer sends out a lemon from time to time. Be they Kimber, Taurus, Karh, or even Glock.
Personal anecdotes do not confirm or rule out anomalies in large production runs.If you think they do, then you could benefit from some remedial education in statistics.
Sometimes bad products get through. What's important in this regard is how well the manufacturer stands by their product.
Some companies have no warranty but will promptly repair and replace parts free of charge. Ruger does this as well as many other companies.
I've seen a Kimber that malfunctoned straight out of the box. And I carried a Taurus revolver for over a year that never gave me the slightest bit of trouble.
So what, my anecdotes are meaningless. After function-testing I would trust either of these manufacturers, but only after function-testing.
It seems that only one responder to this thread has actually done this with the Taurus (thank you Shootcraps).
I'm very interested if any others have.
 
The plural of anecdote is not data.


I too would like to here from people who actually own these pistols, not just those that will bash any Taurus pistol, nor those who will blindly praise any Taurus pistol.

I would imagine comparing the Taurus 1911 to a Kimber would be about as foolish as comparing a Kimber to an Ed Brown or Larry Vickers for chrissake.

But for a sub $500 1911, on paper the Taurus looks pretty nice ... I'd like to have some real data to go on here.



On a side note about Springfield, do they still make one in their "Compact" size? I see the ultra compact and micro compact and they still reference the "compact" in their "size comparison chart" but no other mention (seems to me that the low end Springfield 1911s are a better comparison vs the Taurus).
 
Ah, the great internet discussion hit'n'run tactic ... throw out a (in your own mind) pithy one-liner with no qualifying follow-up (i.e., personal experience, documentation or credible reason for your comment).

I personally have used Taurus' warranty, finding easy-to-follow instruction on the company's website and having the firearm returned in a very timely manner, with not only the requested minor repair accomplished, but a couple little extra touches as well.

Seems as though there are always folks who have to enter every thread pertaining to whatever manufacturer is the topic of the thread simply to make a negative remark about that manufacturer, yet never even attempt to substantiate their comments with explanation based on personal ownership experience.

Old Dog, a very fair and valid point. In fact, I will concede that I have never owned a Taurus firearm. However, my dissatisfaction with them is due to the experience of a good friend of mine. He purchased a pt92 that refused to feed.

He called Taurus and spoke to a few people who he felt didn't know what they were talking about. They finally told him to ship it in on his dime. When he got it back a month later, it still wouldn't feed properly. He sold it.

When buying a 1911 about a month ago I considered the pt1911 only because of the price. I realized that wasn't a good enough reason for me to buy a firearm, so I bought something else.

Old Dog, you are correct in stating that I probably shouldn't have said anything regarding Taurus's warranty without backing it up. I probably shouldn't have said anything at all since it wasn't even my gun. But the experience of a friend of mine is good enough for me.
 
Zundfolge, Springfield doesn't make the "Compact" anymore. It was the CCO version. Officer frame with Commander slide. Taurus is bringing one out in the spring. :evil:

Mad Chemist sums it up pretty well. Great post.

Compare it fairly. Go to the gun store and really look at the PT1911. Compare it to the Kimber Custom and the Springfield mil-spec. Compare the actual guns, not the brand names and not what you "heard" about them. Do it honestly and you'll see the Taurus is a nicely made gun, with a lot of features for the money. I wouldn't have bought one if it wasn't cause I can't afford to waste money on cheap guns.
 
Opinions are like a__holes, everybody has one and they all stink. Now facts, on the other hand, are proven and generally recorded for their intellectual use in the future. Did I just say that????

10 years ago I would have not owned a Taurus firearm, why.....because they were cheap copies of an original, that in itself, has a grand following. You know the Japanese have a nack for reverse engineering and we have some great inventions to show for that intelligent way of doing business. Now if Taurus had only continued to "copy" other manufacturers products and never come out with some of their own designs....well I might share your opinion but I am here to give some facts.

5 years ago I bought a Taurus 415 revolver in 41 magnum. While not the best trigger in the world.......it went bang every time I pulled the trigger for over 3000 rounds, it was reasonably accurate for a snubby, and well built. How do I know......by tearing it apart and inspecting the components to find out how it worked. The internals were no more "rough" than any Smith, Colt or Ruger revolver that I have looked into. The fact of the matter is I got what I paid for and it served the purpose adequately. I would buy another!!!

2 years ago I bought my first Taurus semi-auto. A PT-145 Millennium Pro. A pocket sized 45acp that holds 10+1 in the mag. I was impressed at how compact it was, but was skeptical. I read.....a lot!! Hearing that sub 4" barrelled 45acps are nothing but trouble, I figured this gun might just be the crow that I have to eat. You see I showed it to all my shooting buddies and they all laughed at it, and me. They new I knew my firearms and have seen the quality guns I own......they wondered if I had lost my mind. Well some 4000 rounds later, 3 of the 4 also have one. Why???? Fact #1- It is well made and the ergonomic design makes it very comfortable to hold, large or small hands. Fact #2- It has shot, very accurately, every time I pulled the trigger, almost unheard of these days. Fact #3- It is just a hoot to shoot. I was at the range today, and the Taurus was there with me, as well as both of my Wilson Combat 1911's and my Springfield XD-45. I burned about 500 rounds through the 4 guns and the Taurus had the mags reloaded 10 times. Five reloads in each magazine yeilded 10 ragged holes. What more can you ask for. If I have to send this gun to Taurus for any repairs....I will do it gladly....why???? Because it works, every time I need it to...fact!!!!

What I am trying to say here.....My son wanted his first 1911. I bought him a PT-1911 from Taurus. The gun dealer let me do a teardown and inspection of the parts prior to purchase......amazingly it looks just like my former Springfields, Colts and even my Wilson Combat 1911's when I cannot see the manufacturers name on it. I know that my son will be thrilled with his first 1911, from his dad......and from Taurus.

Merry Christmas
Big Mike
 
I voted for 3rd choice in that range, although I doubt I'd buy one at all ( and I'm poor, so that is my range) . The reason I say third then , is because it actually is third on my list if staying within that range. The two above it are a S&W 686 6" ( which I suppose you could say I already did because I put money on one this weekend, but it's not paid off yet ) , and an xd45 .. just because I want one. So, the taurus would actually be third in that range , but if I were to get myself a 1911, I'd probably save up and get a springfield somewhat above that price range range... but I'd certainly still consider one.
 
You also get a plastic hammer and the dreaded MIM in every small part in the gun.

500 rounds? Hmmmm, that's just about where you should be before you decide to carry it. Another 1000 rounds before you do.

Let me know when you hit 1500 trouble free rounds.

Of course that won't happen. It's a Taurus. It will be shipped back to Miami before you hit 1000 rounds.

MIM? So Kimber doesn't use any MIM parts? I was of the understanding that they owned one of the largest MIM furnaces in America, if not the largest.

And I don't have a PT1911, but I do have a PT24/7 PRO in 9mm, and will stack it's reliability (esp. feeding) with any of your production 1911's any day. (The trigger is crap, though, I'll give you that)

About the only thing I don't like on the PT24/7 is the oddly shaped METAL hammer (not plastic, dee dee-dee!), the billboard of a rollmark, full length guide rod, and the ambi safety. All very livable.
 
My apologies shootcraps, that is what my owners manual says word for word, I haven't checked their warranty since I purchased the gun a few years ago. Again, sorry for the miss information.:eek:
 
10 years ago I would have not owned a Taurus firearm, why.....because they were cheap copies of an original, that in itself, has a grand following. You know the Japanese have a nack for reverse engineering and we have some great inventions to show for that intelligent way of doing business. Now if Taurus had only continued to "copy" other manufacturers products and never come out with some of their own designs....well I might share your opinion but I am here to give some facts.

I might be able to buy the argument that Taurus as a brand has improved, perhaps now that they have evolved as a manufacturer. In fact, some day I will probably buy a pt1911 just out of curiosity.

Saying that, it is not like I heard from some Tom, Dick, and Harry on an internet forum that their brother's cousin had a Taurus fail. I mean, I saw the gun fail before and after it went to Taurus. So while it wasn't my gun, I still hold to the assertion that it was an unacceptable failure. The guy is a good friend and veteran who knows guns, the 92 genre more than any other. So again, perhaps Taurus made guns are better when not copies or perhaps this particular model was just a lemon. Either way, my limited experience was not positive.
 
Don't settle for an alternative, buy what you want. I wanted a REAL 1911. I found a Colt MK IV Series 80 that only had 100-200 rounds fired from it. Bright Stainless Steel, with a Galco holster and 200 rounds of 45 ACP for $550. Keep looking, your treasure is out there somewhere.:)
 
There are other choices out there in this price range that may be better than the Taurus 1911, like the Charles Daly M-5 1911. From what I hear they have the same accuracy but the M-5 has better constructed, higher quality parts. The pros of the M-5 is it has a 13 round capacity, the cons are that the mags are expensive.
 
I had an M5 and it was scary accurate. Being hi-cap makes it a bit different than the single stacks. It was a well-made gun, don't know if I'd say it was better or made of better parts.
 
Don't settle for an alternative, buy what you want. I wanted a REAL 1911. I found a Colt MK IV Series 80 that only had 100-200 rounds fired from it. Bright Stainless Steel, with a Galco holster and 200 rounds of 45 ACP for $550.

I'm calling 911 cause you stole that!!! What a great deal. :what:
 
I was thinking abot getting a Taurus 1911 last January. But they kept putting the release date further and further off, so I got fed up and bought a Springfield Armory 1911A1 GI instead. I do have an almost twenty year old Taurus 66 .357 maganum which still shoots as good as the day I bought it, which is darned good thank you very much, so I was not worried about Taurus quality. But I was a little concerned that they might not have had all the bugs worked out of a new production gun, so I decided not to wait.
 
As soon as I see one for less than $550 (any places that sell them for less around here doesn't keep them past closing time) I'm picking one up. I've scoured the internet (not that hard, google up pt 1911) and read almost nothing but good reviews from the people who actually own the gun or have tested it out extensively.
 
Ok, ok, ok.

I'm sorry if you've purchased one of these abortions from me/us, but I had no hand in the ordering and if I had my choice we would have only ordered the one to see what it was like.

These guns are total piles of ****. The Taurus "1911" should have been finished when it left the factory. The "checkering" is spotty, the front sights have gaps large enough to watch television under, the hammers are plastic and have a silly assed lock integrated into them. They are an insult to the model "1911."

If you're looking to buy a 1911, please, dear God, do not buy one of these.

So you work in a gun shop yet you don't know the Taurus 1911s that you all have ordered have, in fact, metal hammers?

And you wonder why there are so many "Arrogant Gunshop" posts here?
 
My Taurus experiences, especially with their warranty service, have been nothing but positive.

I have an ancient PT-945 that sits in our shop, under the counter. It is not a nice environment, we own a dry cleaners. Florida humidity, no air conditioning and lots of steam from the presses. After many years of perfect service, it started misfeeding. I sent both mags (as the springs and followers were well worn...it had god only knows how many rounds through it before we bought it) and the recoil spring back to Taurus. USPS lost the package! I called the warranty department, told them what happened and they sent me a new recoil spring and 2 magazines free of charge.

Can't beat that with a stick.

Earlier this month at the fun show my best friend bought a PT1911. I haven't shot it yet, but as soon as I pay off the gun safe I bought at the show (by January - I hate large credit card debt so I'm not going to bury myself) I'm getting myself one of the PT1911s.

Oh, I did notice, however, that the fit and finish differed from gun to gun. The one my buddy got was literally fitted like a $2000 custom gun. It is flawless, some of the others were slightly off here and there, nothing that would affect function but just not "perfect."
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top