Taurus PT-111 Millennium Pro Range Report - Not Happy

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Bugs66

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Taurus PT-111 Millennium Pro Range Report - Happiness Pending

I just received my brand new Taurus Millennium Pro and had high hopes after reading that many people with the regular Millennium has worked out their problems. Based on some initial information it was believed that the Pro series would be a great improvement over the previous.

Today I take my PT-111 Pro to the range and load up a magazine with Winchester FMJ ammo. First shot, BANG! Right in the 10 ring (@ 25ft) ! Woo hoo! I'm lovin' it! Has a great feel and balance, not too much recoil. This is gonna be sweet! Next shot - CLICK. ***? Bad ammo? I pull the trigger again - BANG! Ok, that's weird. The next few go bang then I get another click. Then another. I'm losing faith real quick. Maybe it just needs a break in?

Fast forward two hours and approx 150 rounds later. No matter what ammo I put in the magazine, I could not get one magazine to complete without FTF. Kinda went like this, in random order:
BANG - CLICK - BANG - CLICK - CLICK - BANG - BANG - CLICK

I tried Winchester FMJ, Wolf FMJ, and Ultramax lead. This is supposed to be the weapon I depend my life on? What's the deal here? Yes, before firing the first time I field stripped as shown in the manual, cleaned with CLP, and reassembled fine. It seems the firing pin has a problem striking the primers with enough force. It might be hanging on the firing pin locking mechanism. See photos below of FTF ammo.

Anyone have any advise? I never had to return a brand new gun. Should I get my money back? Again, this was to be my CCW, there is no way I can trust this now. This is really frustrating. Especially since this pistol is a great shooter (when it fires). I'm glad I still have a Makarov as a backup.

Update as of 9/29 - Returned to dealer, who returned to Taurus. Told it will be one week. We'll see.


pt111pro_sm.jpg


pt111pro_casings_sm.jpg
 
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I hate to say I told you so, but...
So, all I'm gunna say is "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!!" :rolleyes:

Do like I did. Send it back to the womb, and when it comes back, get rid of it!! That is, if the gunshop will not take it back!! ;)

Get something good, like a Springfield mil spec 1911A1 or a Glock!!!! :D
 
Lightsped,

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that light primer strikes are not usually an indication of a bad magazine. ;)
 
I wouldnt give up the ship as of yet. Light primer strikes may be something as simple as a dirty/blocked passage way.

The inconsistancy tells me its probably something other than a mechanical defect. Typically if its mechanical its very consistant....although its not always a rule.
It could be spring related..striker spring binding up or what have you.

Seriously..IMO, and god knows Ive been wrong before, Ive shot one of these before...rental a couple of weeks ago..and if it had been for sale...
I would have gotten it as a BUG.

Id call Taurus....ask to talk to the shop, they will tell you they dont do that, if you have to tell them you have a question about main spring weight on your gun..anything really technical they cant help you with...so they will get you to the people who can REALLY help you. See what they say to do.

Ive had great luck with my Taurus guns....in the past. Maybe Ive been lucky...but I really doubt it.

Shoot well.
 
Unfortunately this sort of thing isn’t limited to any single maker. It may be something simple, like some internal parts that need to be burnished by dry firing, or a too-weak hammer spring because someone tried to make the double-action too easy.

Another possibility that is often overlooked is that the trigger isn’t pulled far enough to cause the firing pin block to completely unlock the firing pin. When this happens you can get light strikes, which seem to be the case in your photograph, or no strike at all. The block may also be sticking because it’s too tight or dirty. I’d try dry-firing the gun about 500 to 600 times (put a snap-cap or fired case in the chamber) and see if things got better. If not, I’d send it back to Taurus for repair or replacement. Sometimes it’s better to pick a particular pistol and work out the problems rather then to change guns and get a whole new set to contend with.
 
Taurus PT-111 Millennium Range Report - Not Surprised

There is a certain "PC" even among us non-PC types.
The PC-ness at this point seems to be to WANT Taurus S/A's to be "all that".
At the same time, it ALSO seems to be to want Kel-Tec handguns to be "all POS's" of questionable reliability and dubious manufacture.

There's a very thorough comparison of the P-11 vs. PT-111 by a THR member here. I suspect the reality of failure rates between the two guns is comparable, but the first-class Kel-Tec service in comparison to Taurus' Consumer Resistance program makes it a no-brainer.

As always, YMMV.
 
...Another possibility that is often overlooked is that the trigger isn’t pulled far enough to cause the firing pin block to completely unlock the firing pin...
Click to expand...

Just an FYI, I shoot left handed but also let my buddy try (right handed) and the problem persisted. I can assure you we pulled the trigger completely.

Thanks for the contributions by everyone. I am going to call the dealer today. So if I have to send to the factory, is that on my dime? Why should I have to spend $30 on Fedex for their defect?

I will post updates as I get them. I am leaning towards getting my money back or a store credit.

Bugs
 
Is it on your dime?
Depends.
When I had to send my PT145 in, I let my dealer do it.
They only charged $5.
But, they waited two weeks to get it on a truck!:fire:

Taurus refused to pay for shipping.

I called Walther USA, about ammo sensitivity with a P22.
They said that they would gladly pay for a pickup.
(Turned out to be one brand of ammo that the gun didn't like.)

Unless Taurus has changed their policy, you'll be out a few bucks.
 
I've purchased exactly 1 Taurus. I was grinding my teeth while making the purchase and while shooting it the first few times. I was so afraid of what was going to happen and how I would have to deal with customer service to get such and such fixed. It works fine. But that's the only Taurus I expect I will ever buy. Too many horror stories out there. I've experienced a few poor Taurii myself. My recommendation is don't buy something you are going to bet your life on if the bad review isn't the anomoly. Stick with the big names people know and love: Glock, Sig, H&K, S&W, Ruger, Kimber, and Colt. Things can go wrong with any gun. Take the lowest gambles. If you lose, at least with those guys, you will get good customer service.

PCRCCW, how is a spring bind not a mechanical problem? Is the spring just being grumpy?
 
Update, dealer will be sending pistol to Taurus for repair. Dealer will pay for postage. I am willing to go through one interation of the repair process. I hope this nails it, look forward to an update.

Bugs
 
Izzat PT11 a Kel-Tec knock-off?

If I'm not mistaken, the PT111 is a clone of the Kel-Tec P11 which makes it a striker-fired action. If that's the case, the firing pin has a retaining screw or allen fastener on top of the slide that holds the firing pin in place. Unlike a hammer-striker which uses mass to fire, the striker-fired mechanism utilizes speed and momentum. Any drag on that lightweight firing pin and you have light strikes! The firing pin retaining screw must be snugged up against the firing pin, then backed off at least 1/4 turn to free up the pin. Perhaps something was gunking up the firing pin channel, another possible problem. It's too bad your gun dealer couldn't have checked that out because the fix is really-really easy, if that is indeed the problem and I'll bet it is. Sure, you're getting proper indentation on your primers but if there is the least bit of a drag on that firing pin, it could be slowing down to the point of denting but not igniting. I carefully chamfered the firing pin channel on my P11 to keep it cleaner. Does any of this make any sense?
I wouldn't worry about your PT111; Light strikes are usually an easy cure and your pistol should work fine when you get it back.
 
MJRW,
Well yes as a matter of fact....grumpy springs are the culprit for every gun problem arent they? :D :evil:

In regards to your remark...I seem to break things down differently than some people do.....:what: To me spring related issues are a common thing on most guns...remember I love the gun company that uses the biggest maker of crappy springs on the planet...my beloved CZ.

Although properly working springs do equate to proper mechanical function...I still equate them as a non mechanical part. REAL mechanical parts are the striker, trigger mechanism, trigger bars...hammers, sears and such or "hard parts" as it were.

I understand your point...and yes I weird...but you may be too for all I know. In my mind...my analogy makes sense and the voices I hear agree with me .....thats all that matters. :D

Shoot well
 
The best Taurus pistols are the ole' Berettas..some even say they are better than the current Berettas (on a price point basis)..if you must have a Taurus get one of those:evil: ;)
 
You are SOOOOOOOOOOO lucky that the dealer is handling this for you and you don't have to deal with those BOGUS Taurus customer service reps.

Also good luck with Taurus actually fixing your gun. I sent a Millinium series pistol in to have some work done on it and after about a month they fixed one of the three things that I asked them to.

Hey, I can tolerate getting a lemon of a gun but there so called customer service is a FREAKING JOKE.

Taurus doesnt make that good of a gun to have as many internal problems as they have.

Oh yeah, they lost my gun for about a week. That was fun.

Ok I quit before I get to excited, now I need a smoke

:fire: :cuss: :banghead: :fire: :cuss: :banghead:
 
I was involved in a similar situation awhile back. I was at a gun range & the guy at the next stall over had a taurus millenium. He let me fire it & it took about 10 trigger pulls to get off 5-6 rounds. I gave it back too him & shot my p-11. I was using the cheapest ammo I could get & the p-11 had no failures. I'm not a big Taurus fan, but you'd think they would make good on it.
Jerry
 
Wow, you guys are brutal. Well, my dealer says it will be back in a week. I don't know if he has an inside track, but he promised he would make good one way or another. If this thing doesn't work then I'm gonna expect something else, like a store credit or something. I will definately let you know.

Bugs
 
Beware products marketed with words like:
millenium
eXtreme
HYPER
Radical
new and improved
Pro

For example this from the Taurus web site:

Hey chump....I mean fella try the all NEW and IMPROVED MILLENIUM PRO. This HYPER concealable pistol with its eXteme RADICAL design is so cool you just got to have one.
 
Before you crucify Taurus for this cat having light primer strikes... Look at all the other guns talked about in other threads. Every company let's slip a lemon now and then.
The real measure is how they deal with those lemons.
Taurus will make it right if you give them a chance.

Personally, I like Taurus.

I have delt with other "better" companies who didn't give a crapola if I had a problem with my brand new gun.
HK is one. SIG is one. Beretta is one. Colt is one. Browning is one.

I don't care about a company that makes a booboo. I care about the company that fixes the booboo.
 
Wow, a week would be really quick for Taurus. I had to send my PT-111 back twice (also a 650 CIA once) and it never took less than a month & a half to two months. I hope your experience with Taurus customer service is better than mine. Good luck & if you do decide to get rid of the Taurus, check out Glock.
 
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