chaim
Member
I used to dislike polymer pistols (I even disparagingly called them "plastic" pistols). A gun is supposed to be metal and wood, it has soul, if you really need lightweight get alloy, polymer is cold and soul-less, and all that stuff. The only polymer pistol I envisioned myself owning was the Kahr PM9- it is a 9mm that is nearly a true pocket sized gun, and it is actually lightweight enough for pocket use unlike the similar MK9 (though I'd have prefered that they make an alloy version).
Well, some time ago I decided to try out the Taurus PT140 Milennium Pro. I had heard so much about the M. Pros being such an improvement over the prior non-Pro Milenniums and I wanted to see for myself. So, I bought my first polymer pistol. I love that gun and ever since polymer has become a legitimate gun material for me. I've since bought a Ruger KP345 and I've become very interested in the Glocks, the new Kimber KPD, the SIG Pro, the Taurus 24/7 (now Pro), the...(you get the idea).
Anyway, I went to the range yesterday with my Charles Daly 1911 (for comparison), my Ruger KP345 and my Taurus PT140 Milennium Pro. In total I shot off 40 rounds of .45+P Magtech 185gr JHPs, 100 rounds of WWB 230gr FMJ .45acp, 20 rounds of Speer GD 165gr .40S&W, 20 rounds of Magtech 155gr JHP .40S&W, and 50 rounds of Remington 180gr JHP .40S&W.
Before yesterday I had shot 550 flawless rounds out of my Taurus (the one problem was clearly ammo related) and 350 rounds out of my Ruger with only a couple minor problems (it became clear early on that it likes to be kept well lubed, much more than my other guns, and once I figured that out it has been flawless).
Shooting the Taurus I found that the lighter 165gr and 155gr rounds were hitting low and to the right, but the 180gr was hitting pretty much right where I was aiming. I shot up the 165 and 155gr ammo right after shooting quite a few rounds out of the 1911 and KP345 so it is possible it was me and not the ammo, but I doubt it. All 90 rounds fed and ejected flawlessly. I'm now up to 640 flawless rounds out of my Milennium Pro.
The KP345 and 1911 had to share ammo. The KP345 got 32 rounds of the Magtech 185gr+P and 68 rounds of the WWB 230gr FMJ (100 rounds total) and the 1911 got 8 rounds of the Magtech (one mag for a superficial function check) and 32 rounds of the WWB (I was there more to test out the KP345 than the 1911).
The KP345 is still running flawlessly since I realized I needed to keep it more lubed than my other guns (it is the only gun I use grease instead of oil on the rails and that does it). The slide no longer feels sluggish after about 50 rounds of ammo. It was a little less accurate in my hands than my 1911, but then I've shot the 1911 a whole lot more (over 10K rounds) so I'm more used to it. Still, the groups were more than adequate for a self-defense arm and as my ammo dwindled my groups got smaller. I'm now up to 450 rounds through this gun, most of it without a hitch (early on before I knew it had to have more lube, and possibly just "break-in" issues, it failed to eject a fired round a couple times and I could feel the slide becoming sluggish on recoil later in my shooting sessions).
The 1911 was the most accurate. I was shooting pretty tight groups. It actually made me look good, and I don't shoot much anymore (only about once a month). It shot 8 rounds of the Magtech and 32 of the WWB for 40 rounds. In the past I was having an issue with the slide not locking back on an empty mag- I was thinking it might have been from an old worn mag (most of the rounds in this gun went through the same mag) and I switched out the mag. Sure enough, no problems with that- it locked back every time. The only issue was a round of the WWB didn't want to chamber, I reloaded the mag (with this round last) and every round chambered without a problem except the exact same round (I expect there was a burr on the case or something since both times it was the same round) but I did manage to get it to chamber by pushing on the rear of the slide. Strangely, when shooting the .45+P the lighter weight (27 or 28oz) KP345 was fine, I didn't really notice that it was +P ammo while the heavier (38 or 39oz) 1911 was almost punishing. There really does seem to be something to the conventional wisdom that polymer soaks up recoil.
Overall I'd say it was a successful range trip. My Milennium Pro is more than proven in my mind. Perfect through 650 rounds, many JHPs (of several different designs now), low recoil (considering the caliber and size and weight of the gun), decent accuracy, and it just feels well made. The KP345 is getting there. Perfect since I found it needs to be kept well lubed, and near perfect altogether, no problems with the two JHP designs its been fed, well made, soaks up recoil like a much heavier gun, and accurate. Probably one more range trip like today and it will be in the rotation for bedside gun (I may even do it now). The 1911 did OK. I'm pretty sure its bobble yesterday was ammo related (since both were the exact same round), it was very accurate, but I really did feel the +P ammo out of this one (I'll stick with polymer pistols when shooting .45+P from here on out). While I enjoyed shooting all these guns, I actually had more fun with the polymer Ruger and Taurus over the steel 1911 though in its defense that is possibly a reaction to the +P ammo or simply due to the fact that I only fired 40 rounds through the 1911.
I definately will be adding more polymer pistols soon.
Well, some time ago I decided to try out the Taurus PT140 Milennium Pro. I had heard so much about the M. Pros being such an improvement over the prior non-Pro Milenniums and I wanted to see for myself. So, I bought my first polymer pistol. I love that gun and ever since polymer has become a legitimate gun material for me. I've since bought a Ruger KP345 and I've become very interested in the Glocks, the new Kimber KPD, the SIG Pro, the Taurus 24/7 (now Pro), the...(you get the idea).
Anyway, I went to the range yesterday with my Charles Daly 1911 (for comparison), my Ruger KP345 and my Taurus PT140 Milennium Pro. In total I shot off 40 rounds of .45+P Magtech 185gr JHPs, 100 rounds of WWB 230gr FMJ .45acp, 20 rounds of Speer GD 165gr .40S&W, 20 rounds of Magtech 155gr JHP .40S&W, and 50 rounds of Remington 180gr JHP .40S&W.
Before yesterday I had shot 550 flawless rounds out of my Taurus (the one problem was clearly ammo related) and 350 rounds out of my Ruger with only a couple minor problems (it became clear early on that it likes to be kept well lubed, much more than my other guns, and once I figured that out it has been flawless).
Shooting the Taurus I found that the lighter 165gr and 155gr rounds were hitting low and to the right, but the 180gr was hitting pretty much right where I was aiming. I shot up the 165 and 155gr ammo right after shooting quite a few rounds out of the 1911 and KP345 so it is possible it was me and not the ammo, but I doubt it. All 90 rounds fed and ejected flawlessly. I'm now up to 640 flawless rounds out of my Milennium Pro.
The KP345 and 1911 had to share ammo. The KP345 got 32 rounds of the Magtech 185gr+P and 68 rounds of the WWB 230gr FMJ (100 rounds total) and the 1911 got 8 rounds of the Magtech (one mag for a superficial function check) and 32 rounds of the WWB (I was there more to test out the KP345 than the 1911).
The KP345 is still running flawlessly since I realized I needed to keep it more lubed than my other guns (it is the only gun I use grease instead of oil on the rails and that does it). The slide no longer feels sluggish after about 50 rounds of ammo. It was a little less accurate in my hands than my 1911, but then I've shot the 1911 a whole lot more (over 10K rounds) so I'm more used to it. Still, the groups were more than adequate for a self-defense arm and as my ammo dwindled my groups got smaller. I'm now up to 450 rounds through this gun, most of it without a hitch (early on before I knew it had to have more lube, and possibly just "break-in" issues, it failed to eject a fired round a couple times and I could feel the slide becoming sluggish on recoil later in my shooting sessions).
The 1911 was the most accurate. I was shooting pretty tight groups. It actually made me look good, and I don't shoot much anymore (only about once a month). It shot 8 rounds of the Magtech and 32 of the WWB for 40 rounds. In the past I was having an issue with the slide not locking back on an empty mag- I was thinking it might have been from an old worn mag (most of the rounds in this gun went through the same mag) and I switched out the mag. Sure enough, no problems with that- it locked back every time. The only issue was a round of the WWB didn't want to chamber, I reloaded the mag (with this round last) and every round chambered without a problem except the exact same round (I expect there was a burr on the case or something since both times it was the same round) but I did manage to get it to chamber by pushing on the rear of the slide. Strangely, when shooting the .45+P the lighter weight (27 or 28oz) KP345 was fine, I didn't really notice that it was +P ammo while the heavier (38 or 39oz) 1911 was almost punishing. There really does seem to be something to the conventional wisdom that polymer soaks up recoil.
Overall I'd say it was a successful range trip. My Milennium Pro is more than proven in my mind. Perfect through 650 rounds, many JHPs (of several different designs now), low recoil (considering the caliber and size and weight of the gun), decent accuracy, and it just feels well made. The KP345 is getting there. Perfect since I found it needs to be kept well lubed, and near perfect altogether, no problems with the two JHP designs its been fed, well made, soaks up recoil like a much heavier gun, and accurate. Probably one more range trip like today and it will be in the rotation for bedside gun (I may even do it now). The 1911 did OK. I'm pretty sure its bobble yesterday was ammo related (since both were the exact same round), it was very accurate, but I really did feel the +P ammo out of this one (I'll stick with polymer pistols when shooting .45+P from here on out). While I enjoyed shooting all these guns, I actually had more fun with the polymer Ruger and Taurus over the steel 1911 though in its defense that is possibly a reaction to the +P ammo or simply due to the fact that I only fired 40 rounds through the 1911.
I definately will be adding more polymer pistols soon.
