Update on Taurus 1911 9MM returned for service

[whatnickname]

"Original problem:I bought a used PT1911 in 9MM off the GB site. Pistol looked new. Very disappointing performance at the range. 20% FTF with both factory magazines. Slide locked open on several occasions about half way through a couple of magazines...and no I did not accidentally hit it with my thumb. Three different loads tried. Winchester white box 115 grain FMJ. 124 grain FMJ truncated cone Hornady match. 147 grain Ranier Penta Point. Bullet confirguation made no difference. Pistol shot about 10" low over a sand bag rest at 25 yards (when it shot at all). Upon closer inspection I noticed a very pronounced vertical dent on the back of the case head about .020" fron the edge of the case head and about 2/10" long, 90 degrees across from the extractor and on the opposite side. This corresponded to a raised area of metal on the breech face of the slide that appears about .002" high. When the gun goes into battery (if it goes into battery) the case head is not resting flush up against the breech face...it's resting on that thin area of raised metal at the breech face. I can't believe this one left the factory this way. I called the Taurus customer service department this morning. After 35 minutes on perma-hold, I got to speak to a live person. The only problem was that she had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. Zip, zero, nada understanding of firearms! Told me I could send the pistol back to them. Gee that was nice! For my money the issues looks like an improperly machined slide coupled with an slide latch that is undersize or a slide latch plunger spring that is weak or both. IMO the entire issue with not reliably feeding rounds seems to come from that raised area on the breech face. You should see what it does to the brass...one firing and the brass is completely unusable! Have any of you experienced similar problems with the Taurus PT1911 in 9MM?"



Sent it back. Pistol was returned in three weeks. Repair ticket stated: "Poorly finished slide...replaced" Yes they replaced the slide alright. Too bad they didn't finish the job. Rear of the slide sticks out almost .020" in back of the frame! Both an eye sore and a potential problem drawing from under my vest (IDPA)...the raised slide tends to get caught on stuff. The pistol did run however. Only problem is that the only thing that held the rear sight on the back of the slide was the set screw. After the third magazine the set screw backed out and the rear sight flew down the range. No problem putting it back on the slide...just picked it up and placed it back on the slide with my fingers. Only problem was it fell off again before I could tighten the set screw. Back to Taurus for more of that "world class" customer service! Who knows maybe the next person will do it right rather than just doing it fast!!!

 

[smalls]

This is why I have a problem recommending the pt1911.

From everything I've read/heard, it's not a bad gun for the price. But their CS is atrocious.

 

[JR47]

This was a used gun, and there is no way of telling what was done to it by the original owner.

The slide stop might not even be a Taurus piece. Is the rear sight a Taurus piece?

Trying to decide how good a gun was originally, based on an unknown provenance, comes under the heading of impossible.

You should be happy that Taurus would even work on it, not many other companies honor Warranty claims by follow on owners, especially when they may well have been modified.

I'm curious how they got a slide to extend that far back, but still go into battery. Usually, that much difference would cause the gun to go safe.

 

[Jim K]

I don't know about Taurus, but the normal practice by Colt for years was to make the slide overlong, then fit it to the frame by grinding/polishing the two pieces down together, along with the rear of the extractor. Everything looked great, but a replacement slide would often overhang.

Jim

 

[whatnickname]

Jr 47

"[/This was a used gun, and there is no way of telling what was done to it by the original owner.

The slide stop might not even be a Taurus piece. Is the rear sight a Taurus piece?

Trying to decide how good a gun was originally, based on an unknown provenance, comes under the heading of impossible.

You should be happy that Taurus would even work on it, not many other companies honor Warranty claims by follow on owners, especially when they may well have been modified.

I'm curious how they got a slide to extend that far back, but still go into battery. Usually, that much difference would cause the gun to go safe. ][/I]


The slide was definitely Taurus OEM part...It had their logo on it and did not appear to be modified in any way. The sight fit properly and required an MGW tool to adjust the windage. The only problem was that the pistol wouldn't run. As for the overhang, what they failed to do was machine the back of the slide to match the demension of the frame...a common step in fitting a new slide to a frame on occasion. They did properly set the head space and the slide fit tightly on the frame rails. The barrel link was replaced and lock up was good. The protruding slide was both an eyesore and detracted from the overall value of the pistol as well. As for their willingness to work on the pistol I understand your point. However the pistol was an obvious manufacturer's defect. Taurus agreed and undertook to correct the problem. I appreciate their willing to handle the matter as a warrantly claim but, I would have also been glad to pay them to repair the pistol had they wished me to do so. In a sense I did pay for the repair. It cost me nearly $100 to ship the pistol to Taurus courtesy of our pals at UPS. Their repair efforts were hap-hazard and poorly executed...something I find objectionable. To their credit they did pay for the shipping to send it back a second time

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I'm not going to go on my usual Taurus rant...........

 

[JR47]

The slide stop might not even be a Taurus piece. Is the rear sight a Taurus piece?

Try reading it again. I never mentioned the slide belonging to anything else. Just the slide stop, and the sight, itself.

Thank you, Kodiak, for sparing us the usual opinion masquerading as fact tirades.

You might even find it revealing that Taurus was the fourth highest manufacturer's guns purchased in a study funded by NSSF. Only 2% lower than Glock. It is patently impossible for a company with the mythical QC attributed to Taurus to exist, year after year, with the volume sold in America.

 

[cyclopsshooter]

I too had a similarly bad SS PT1911 9mm .. Now I have a Colt Super .38 with a 9mm conversion barrel and I couldn't be happier.

 

[orionengnr]

Thank you, Kodiak, for sparing us the usual opinion masquerading as fact tirades.

You might even find it revealing that Taurus was the fourth highest manufacturer's guns purchased in a study funded by NSSF. Only 2% lower than Glock. It is patently impossible for a company with the mythical QC attributed to Taurus to exist, year after year, with the volume sold in America.

Am I the only one who sees the irony in the two quotes highlighted above?

Glock sells a lot of pistols, and has for a number of years. The vast majority (by anecdotal evidence) of them work. I have owned (past tense) two, and while not a fan, I will admit that they worked. I may or may not own one in the future, but my decision will be based upon ergonomics, not on reliability.

Taurus sells a lot of handguns (pistol and revolver) and (again, anecdotally) a disturbing number of them don't work. I have owned (again, past tense) one, and it worked fine, but it was readily apparent that it was a $300 gun. I have not had the desire to own another, and the more I read, the more certain I am of that this will not change.

Those are part experience, part opinion...not necessarily facts, but they are conclusions that anyone who has spent a fair bit of time on this board (or most other boards) has probably encountered...and may well agree with, their experience noted.

The fact is that Taurus builds lower-priced handguns, and those may appeal to buyers with less money and/or less experience with firearms. Some may put one cylinder or mag full downrange...some may not even do that. That indicates that the actual quality may be lower than what is reported, as a lot of people have not fired enough rounds to experience a failure.

You may deny or attempt to discredit other peoples' opinions and experiences, but that changes nothing.

There is plenty of (also anecdotal) evidence that a number of dealers no longer carry Taurus handguns because the return rate is more hassle than the sales are worth.

We have all heard that the plural of anecdote is not data...but when the volume of anecdotes becomes overwhelming, it is not coincidence. Some of us have experience (or have friends/shooting buddies/gun shop owners) that can help validate that data.

Your money, your choice. I know six people who currently own Taurus handguns. Three (for sure) and maybe four have never fired their handgun (four of six are Judge owners... seems to be a recurring theme).

If I had a dollar for every "piece of crap" Taurus thread I've read...I could buy a new Taurus.

If I had a dollar for every "piece of crap" Glock thread I've read...I might be able to buy a used Glock 10-round magazine.

Or maybe cover the admission to next week's gun show.

So much for opinions and facts.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I do have personal experience with three bad Tauri, and heard tales of a 4th from an aquaintance. To be fair, I heard a good story about a Taurus made 1911 just the other day.

IMO.........

No thank you.

The fact is that Taurus builds lower-priced handguns, and those may appeal to buyers

This much is certain. It's how they stay in business. I just would rather spend more money, and have a reduced chance of a bad gun coming into my possesion. And IMO, buying a gun from a different vendor will get me that reduced chance. Bottom line, all companies make lemons, I've just seen a high proportion of bad guns come from Taurus..... from an admitadly small sample size.

It's JMO. I'm entitled, and so is everyone else. I know lots of people are happy with their Tauri, I just don't trust them from what I've seen. So enjoy yours!!!!!

 

[GWARGHOUL]

Heard the pt1911 was killer. Just like my 85, that had a 1 week repair turnaround.. and my great grandpa's 608 that he's had for decades..