Taurus PT-111?

[Squirrelsaurus Rex]

I'm looking for a compact 9mm semi-auto for CC that won't break the bank.  A gun shop in my area has a used PT-111, stainless/polymer.  I think it's an older model, it doesn't have the built-in key lock on the slide.  I haven't actually seen it yet, I just found out about it today and it's an hour's drive from here.  They tell me it's in excellent condition.  I don't need a top-of-the-line gun with space age materials and lots of bells and whistles.  But I like this one's 10+1 capacity, and I just want something I can count on to go 'bang' when I need it to.   I also read an article by a guy who owns several of them and says the overall quality is good, but I don't know anyone myself who owns one.  Before I drive down there, does $299 sound like a fair price, or should I just save up a little more and buy a new one?  Any pros or cons about this gun?  Thanks.

[pasquot]

I have the 40 cal version. It goes bang every timez: trigger is terable. I would guess about 12lb pull. and not smooth. It's kinda like 20 seperate stops before it goes bang.

Other than that its a good gun.   $300 is too much for a 9mm.

Look into keltec. Made in Coco Fl, and good for life.  I toured the factory and was very impressed with there comimentment to quaity.

[Squirrelsaurus Rex]

Thanks.  I already looked into Kel-Tec, the P-11 was my first choice.  But like so many other handguns, they aren't available in California because of the ridiculous drop-test requirement.  CA requires that any manufacturer that wants to sell a handgun here must submit one for a drop-test.  They drop a loaded one from 6 feet up (I think) onto a concrete surface.  If it goes bang, it's considered an unsafe design and not allowed for sale here.  It's a very scientific test, of course, dreamed up by some extremist left-wing politician who knows nothing about guns.  There are many handguns (popular models made by the big name manufacturers that you can buy anywhere else) that aren't available here, not because they didn't pass the test, but because the manufacturers just don't bother to submit one for this silly test to please some California politician.  There have been several handguns (Mauser M2, Bersa MiniFireStorm, Accu-Tek XL-9, to name a few) that I've been interested in before, only to find they're not available here because they were never submitted for the drop-test.  

Thank God I'm leaving California for good this summer.  I'm tired of my rights being squashed (can't have a CC permit here, either).

Stepping down off my soapbox now. :mrgreen:

Have you tried to have anything done with the trigger of your .40?

[pasquot]

My condolences for living in Kalaforniastan!

The trigger on my pt140 is actually a misnomer. If you take the slide off the frame the trigger is smooth and light.  The proplem comes in with the mechanism in the slide that cocks the internal hammer.

A guy i met at our local gun range suggested i try some valve grinding compound on the mechanism and dry fire it every night for as long as i can stand it, then spray brake cleaner on it to clean the compond out and re oil.

I will eventually try that.  It won't help the 12lp trigger pull but it should make it smoother. I can.t find any info on custom triggers for the melenium series.

I guess i got spoiled with triggers: I have a sig 2340 in 357sig. It has a glass smooth trigger pull.  1st round is about 12lp then the next 11 are 4.4lb. I can hold my breath and squese. It's a suprise when it goes off.
I love it.  Having said that, the 40 is what i carry due to its size, weight.

[Squirrelsaurus Rex]

Pasquot, here's another question for you.
I was looking at a new PT-111 at a gun shop the other day (not the used one I mentioned last week).  I think it's the same design as the PT-140, isn't it?  I really liked the one I was looking at (9mm).  The trigger was lousy, but my gunsmith said although he can't lighten it, he can polish it to make it smooth and consistent, so I'm not worried about that.  The one little thing I noticed was the mag release.  When you push it in with your thumb, it protrudes out the other side.  The problem with this is that when I pushed it in, the other end that sticks out was being prevented from going out as much as it needed to by the base knuckle (where the finger joins the hand) of my trigger finger, making release of the mag difficult.  I found I had to rotate the gun slightly in my hand, to get that 'base knuckle' off the other end of the mag release, so I could push it far enough to release the mag.  Have you had a problem with this with your PT-140?  If so, do you know of a cure?  Maybe taking off some material from the other end of the mag release button so it won't stick out so far when you push it?  I don't know, just guessing.  I really like the gun, but it will be for concealed carry, so I can't afford a problem like that if it can't be corrected.

[pasquot]

When you sent me the last message; i really had to think about how i release the magazine in a hurry. I couldn't picture it in my head so i got the gun and tried it.

What i do, and realize what i do with all my pistols is eject the mag with my left hand.

I believe the Taurus is designed that way so you don't accidently push the mag release before your ready.

The other thing is i can't'imagine any situation that you would actually use more that 10 shots.  Most actual self defense gun situations happen from point blank to 7 yards.  So it wouldn't take more than 2 maby 3 shots at close range to disable your attacker.  

Anyway good luck with your decision

[Squirrelsaurus Rex]

The other thing is i can't'imagine any situation that you would actually use more that 10 shots.

Yeah, I know, like they say, you shouldn't need more than five shots anyway or you're doing something wrong.  I realize that, and I would never expect to have to use up a whole magazine in a real situation.  But still, with a concealed carry gun, it's just something I would require has no problems, no matter what the situation may be.  So I was just wondering.  Maybe I'll go take look at it again and see if it's just a matter of spending time becoming comfortable with the gun.  Kind of hard to do until you've bought one.  It's not a matter of spending time shooting it, it's just the mag release I need to get comfortable with.

[T.J. McSuds]

The reason Kel-Tec and some others don't submit their guns for the drop test usually isn't because they are worried that the gun will fail. Standing on pricipal is one reason. The other is the cost. Each model and variation must be submitted. The charge for the testing is $3000 per. This came from a manufacturer that would not submit guns for test. This may have changed but was the case three years ago.

 Tom

[sageman]

I had one and i liked it but it wouldent feed hollowpoints reliably  i would feed the first one then they would catch on the feed ramp and not feed