Experience-based Taurus Mil Pro PT145 opinions sought
- Thread starter Jim NE
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LiveLife
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I have a Gen3 stainless slide Mil Pro PT145 with SA/DA (multi-strike) trigger (earlier generations had DAO trigger which I do not prefer). The SA/DA trigger always stays in SA mode unless a chambered round don't fire on the first strike, then it goes to DA. I do like this as most DA/SA pistols will have the heavier DA trigger pull on the first shot but PT145 has lighter SA trigger pull for the first shot also.
As to Heine-8 sights, I didn't mind it once I got used to the two dots. Some people upgrade their three dot sights to Heine-8, so I would suggest you give yourself a chance to get used to them. If you don't like them, you can replace them with 3 dot sights.
As to size, slide length is comparable to my Glock 27 (PT145 actually has shorter slide) and grip length is close to G19/G23. Slide thickness is comparable to XD (slightly thicker than Glock 27) and PT145 Fobus paddle holster will also fit the XD pistol. PT145 is one of smallest double-stack 45ACP pistols and also has the smallest grip size. I had a Glock 30 which the PT145 replaced because my wife's small hands did not fit the fat G30 grips (imagine that, this Glock fan replacing the G30 with PT145 - but I have no regrets).
As to performance and reliability, it has shot thousands of factory and reloaded ammunition without feeding/chambering issues. It particularly feeds/chambers SWC lead bullets well (Glock 30 won't feed/chamber SWC bullets). My PT145 has oversized barrel that will shoot factory pressure FMJ/JHP rounds well but didn't group Missouri 18 BHN 200 gr SWC bullets very well at target pressures. Switching to softer 12 BHN bullet solved the problem.
There's going to be the typical "Taurus pistols are junk with poor QC/CS" posts that will soon follow but I have been happy with mine enough to put in CCW rotation with G27. It frequently shares space in my range bag along with Glocks, M&P40/45 and Sig1911.
BTW, Taurus offers life-time warranty on the pistols regardless whether you are the original owner or not.
As to Heine-8 sights, I didn't mind it once I got used to the two dots. Some people upgrade their three dot sights to Heine-8, so I would suggest you give yourself a chance to get used to them. If you don't like them, you can replace them with 3 dot sights.
As to size, slide length is comparable to my Glock 27 (PT145 actually has shorter slide) and grip length is close to G19/G23. Slide thickness is comparable to XD (slightly thicker than Glock 27) and PT145 Fobus paddle holster will also fit the XD pistol. PT145 is one of smallest double-stack 45ACP pistols and also has the smallest grip size. I had a Glock 30 which the PT145 replaced because my wife's small hands did not fit the fat G30 grips (imagine that, this Glock fan replacing the G30 with PT145 - but I have no regrets).
As to performance and reliability, it has shot thousands of factory and reloaded ammunition without feeding/chambering issues. It particularly feeds/chambers SWC lead bullets well (Glock 30 won't feed/chamber SWC bullets). My PT145 has oversized barrel that will shoot factory pressure FMJ/JHP rounds well but didn't group Missouri 18 BHN 200 gr SWC bullets very well at target pressures. Switching to softer 12 BHN bullet solved the problem.
There's going to be the typical "Taurus pistols are junk with poor QC/CS" posts that will soon follow but I have been happy with mine enough to put in CCW rotation with G27. It frequently shares space in my range bag along with Glocks, M&P40/45 and Sig1911.
BTW, Taurus offers life-time warranty on the pistols regardless whether you are the original owner or not.
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larryh1108
Member
I own one and love it. 10+1 rounds of .45ACP in a nice size carry package. Sights taking getting used to but so does any different sight than what you are used to. Reliable and accurate and the recoil isn't as bad as you'd expect. I have nothing but praise for mine.
Well ya got me there...I own one, but I've only shot it once-been a safe queen (whore?) ever since.
When I retired, I took all the guns I'd been working OT to buy to the range (a wide range of names / models / calibers) and was knocking down plates rapidly 'til I got to my PT145 (2nd Generation). I have no idea where the bullets were going! Moved on over to the paper targets and kept moving closer, closer, closer...still nothing on paper. It was getting dark, so I packed it in figuring I'd try to troubleshoot later, and later has never arrived!
BTW - I bought it 'cuz way back then there were just so many features to like 'bout it, but there is more to choose from these days.
And don't kid yourself - Taurus is a notch (or more) below others AFA something you'd want to trust your life to.
My relative is the gunsmith at a local shop - way back when I told him I was thinking 'bout the PT145, he really looked like he wanted to beat me over the head with his Brownells catalog...
As a divorcee, I tell folks everybody ought to be married once.
I feel the same way 'bout a Taurus...
Nushif
Member
Owned one for a while via the wife. Good gun. I think it's one of the few guns she regrets letting go.
Very soft shooter for its size.
Very soft shooter for its size.
Spdracr39
Member
My pt145 is the best shooting gun that I own accurate and comfortable. It is fairly easy to conceal and I trust it without question.
wally
Member
Better still paint the rear dot flat black. You want to be focusing on the front sight, any thing to "look at" on the rear is more hindrance than help.
I've got the old original DAO (non-Pro) model, its been reliable in limited shooting, like the size, carried it a bit until I got my Kahr PM40.
Be careful, there is a design flaw in the Millennium Pro models Taurus refuses to acknowledge -- if you apply the thumb safety with the trigger not fully forward the gun will fire if the trigger is pulled even though the safety is on! Details are in this thread: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=557528. Its possible they have quietly fixed the issue in newer production, I haven't look at a Millennium PRO in several years. Check you pistol and be sure you understand how to avoid the issue.
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Jim NE
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Yes, by asking for experienced-based opinions, I'm trying to eliminate all the people who don't like the Taurus brand "on principle" and get reviews from people who actually own this SPECIFIC gun. Don't geyt me wrong, I encourage sincere negative opinions, but the reviews so far seem to reflect what my research on the net has come up with - the PT145 seems generally well thought of, Taurus bashers aside. I don't see myself shooting .45 acp a lot due to cost, so I don't want to spend a lot on a gun, but I don't want something that's sub-standard (not reliable), either. Thanks bds for the info. Thanks wally for the warning.
LiveLife
Member
wally, I just read through the linked thread and checked my PT145 (yes, I performed all the operations listed in the thread) BUT I think there are some things that need to be clarified for everyone's benefit (This is THR after all and we should be spreading facts and not "internet rumors").wally said:
Since my PT145 has SA/DA trigger, I cannot speak for older DAO trigger models.
To actually test whether the pistol would fire, I made a modified dummy round with a bullet, no powder charge but a live primer.
1. I chambered the modified dummy round from the magazine to repeat the operations listed in the thread. Because the pistol's trigger went to single-action (SA) mode when the slide was racked (Green arrow striker in the slide is held back to be released by lowering of striker release - green arrow on the frame), when the safety was engaged with the trigger partially pulled back, the striker would not release.
2. The only way the striker can be released on my PT145 with the safety on is by partially pulling the trigger in double-action (DA) mode (Red arrow points to trigger part that pulls back on the striker and releases striker). So with an empty chamber, I pulled the trigger to engage the DA mode and partially pulled back on the trigger while applying the safety.
= Drum roll please =
But because the chamber is empty, being able to release the striker with the safety on would not result in a discharge of a bullet. The only way to load a round in the chamber (either hand chambering a round or feeding from the magazine) is to pull back on the slide that would force the SA trigger mode and we are back to situation #1 above. Since the safety also locks the slide, you would have to disengage the safety to pull back on the slide.
3. Another clarification is whether the striker is "actually" able to hit the primer. With #1 and #2, we already established that a round cannot be chambered and fired with the safety on. However, even if that was possible, engaging the safety limits the trigger bar travel that pushes on the striker pin block (at least on my PT145 - see yellow arrows). If the striker pin block is not pushed up in the slide, releasing the striker would only allow it to hit the block and not the primer.
So even if there was a round in the chamber (which the PT145 is not designed to do), there would not be a discharge of a bullet.Now, if your PT145 with SA/DA trigger does something other than what's outlined in #1, #2 and #3, then I highly recommend that you contact Taurus as your pistol is doing something different than my PT145.
In summary, it is of my opinion that my PT145 with SA/DA (multi-strike) trigger does not have any "design flaw" that would allow it to fire a round with the safety engaged.
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LiveLife
Member
BTW, here's a size comparison with my G27 with +1 Pearce grip extension.
Glock 27:
WIDTH - 1.18"
LENGTH - 6.29"
HEIGHT - 4.8" (with +1 Pearce mag extension - 4.17" with 9rd factory flush magazine)
Taurus PT145:
WIDTH - 1.25"
LENGTH - 6.125"
HEIGHT - 5.125"
Glock 27:
WIDTH - 1.18"
LENGTH - 6.29"
HEIGHT - 4.8" (with +1 Pearce mag extension - 4.17" with 9rd factory flush magazine)
Taurus PT145:
WIDTH - 1.25"
LENGTH - 6.125"
HEIGHT - 5.125"
BoneDigger
Member
I owned one for a while, but I eventually made the move to a 9mm, which I generally tend to shoot better.
As for the Taurus, it was a good gun. Never had any issues from it. I shot maybe 500 rounds through it before I sold it and never had a hick-up of any kind. I did sell it for a big loss, but that was my fault and not the fault of the gun...
After I had it for a while I decided that I HATED the straight-8 sites so I bought some night sights for it aftermarket. Not being a gunsmith, I ended up screwing things up, including the finish on the slide (I KNOW, an idiot right?). So, I then decided to strip the slide to bare metal and try to polish it. It came out "okay" but nothing pretty like I had hoped. So, when I sold it it had a slide that needed some "prettying up" and night sights. Still functioned flawlessly though...
Todd
As for the Taurus, it was a good gun. Never had any issues from it. I shot maybe 500 rounds through it before I sold it and never had a hick-up of any kind. I did sell it for a big loss, but that was my fault and not the fault of the gun...
After I had it for a while I decided that I HATED the straight-8 sites so I bought some night sights for it aftermarket. Not being a gunsmith, I ended up screwing things up, including the finish on the slide (I KNOW, an idiot right?). So, I then decided to strip the slide to bare metal and try to polish it. It came out "okay" but nothing pretty like I had hoped. So, when I sold it it had a slide that needed some "prettying up" and night sights. Still functioned flawlessly though...
Todd
bannockburn
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A friend of mine has had a PT145 Mil-Pro for a number of years now and still uses it as his primary EDC gun. I have used it on a number of occasions and found it to be a surprisingly soft shooter as well as being more than adequate in terms of its accuracy. My only complaint about it was with the Heinie Straight 8 sights. For some reason they never seem to line up properly when I'm initially acquiring my sight picture; probably because I'm more accustomed to a three dot sight set up. At any rate I found them to be a bit of a distraction and would change them out if I had a PT145.
LiveLife
Member
For me, 1911s and Sig 226/220 have always pointed "naturally". Although I have adapted to the Glock grip angle and shot them well the past 20 years, when I got my M&P40/45 and Sig 1911, I was happy to have "natural" pointing pistols again.
I can point the Sig 1911 and M&Ps at any light switch or door knob around the house and the sights are always right on. I have done "point shooting" drills at the range (even with my eyes closed) and naturally pointing POA/POI pistols have advantages, especially for close range rapid-fire point shooting drills.
The PT145 has grip angle similar to Sig 226/220 and also point naturally for me. I can point to anything in the room/house and the sights are always right on the target. As a close range carry/defensive pistol, I consider this to be quite valuable.
I had thought about changing the sights but the more I shoot it, I find myself having more fun doing close range point-shooting drills. Next time you are at the range, close your eyes and point at center-of-mass on the target and check the sights. If the sights are right on, do some closed eye point shooting and check for POA/POI. I am at the point where I can place 6 paper plates on the target at 7 yards and call the shots with closed eye point shootings ... may come in handy for fast/low light shooting situations where use of sights may not be practical.
I can point the Sig 1911 and M&Ps at any light switch or door knob around the house and the sights are always right on. I have done "point shooting" drills at the range (even with my eyes closed) and naturally pointing POA/POI pistols have advantages, especially for close range rapid-fire point shooting drills.
The PT145 has grip angle similar to Sig 226/220 and also point naturally for me. I can point to anything in the room/house and the sights are always right on the target. As a close range carry/defensive pistol, I consider this to be quite valuable.
I had thought about changing the sights but the more I shoot it, I find myself having more fun doing close range point-shooting drills. Next time you are at the range, close your eyes and point at center-of-mass on the target and check the sights. If the sights are right on, do some closed eye point shooting and check for POA/POI. I am at the point where I can place 6 paper plates on the target at 7 yards and call the shots with closed eye point shootings ... may come in handy for fast/low light shooting situations where use of sights may not be practical.
Ive shared this story several times. My buddy and I own consecutively numbered copies. Mine has been great. frankly, I consider it to be a marvel of engineering to get 11 rounds of 45 in that compact weappn.
My buddy, OTOH, would carry a tooth pick for defense before he'd carry his -it has been so unreliable. Granted, ive tried to get him to send his back to taurus and he never has.
Seems the issue with taurus has been quality control.
My buddy, OTOH, would carry a tooth pick for defense before he'd carry his -it has been so unreliable. Granted, ive tried to get him to send his back to taurus and he never has.
Seems the issue with taurus has been quality control.
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Jim NE
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Well, I went ahead and "drank the Taurus kool aid" as they like to say on this site -I ordered my new PT145 last night from Buds. Should get it by this weekend, but may not be able to shoot it for awhile. Still, I'm excited to get it!
I wasn't expecting 100% positive reviews - keep in mind, two current threads on this forum are titled "New Glock 19 Gen3 is Jamming" and "Kahr CS not very good" - but I think the positives outweigh the negatives. My PT22 Taurus took a while to break in and this gun may require that, as well.
Anyway, thanks again for your help, and I'll let you know how it performs when I get it to the range.
I wasn't expecting 100% positive reviews - keep in mind, two current threads on this forum are titled "New Glock 19 Gen3 is Jamming" and "Kahr CS not very good" - but I think the positives outweigh the negatives. My PT22 Taurus took a while to break in and this gun may require that, as well.
Anyway, thanks again for your help, and I'll let you know how it performs when I get it to the range.
LiveLife
Member
Jim, some people have trouble taking out the PT145 take-down lever (yellow arrow in picture). Here's a little trick to taking it out the "easy" way:
1. Lock the slide back
2. Rotate the take down lever/lug pin down (clock-wise)
3. Pull back on the slide to release the slide lock and slightly move the slide forward - the take down lever/lug pin will pop out from spring tension
4. Lock the slide back and the lever/pin will pull out without any struggle.
Also, when you reassemble the PT145, make sure you tilt/tip the pistol forward so the barrel drops down fully. If you insert the lever/pin with the barrel back in the slide, you'll be saying some choice 4-letter words to get the slide unstuck from the barrel (been there and done that only once).
While you are waiting to shoot your PT145, you can check out the following threads pertaining to PT145 initial firing and break-in:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=633749
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=634317
1. Lock the slide back
2. Rotate the take down lever/lug pin down (clock-wise)
3. Pull back on the slide to release the slide lock and slightly move the slide forward - the take down lever/lug pin will pop out from spring tension
4. Lock the slide back and the lever/pin will pull out without any struggle.
Also, when you reassemble the PT145, make sure you tilt/tip the pistol forward so the barrel drops down fully. If you insert the lever/pin with the barrel back in the slide, you'll be saying some choice 4-letter words to get the slide unstuck from the barrel (been there and done that only once).
While you are waiting to shoot your PT145, you can check out the following threads pertaining to PT145 initial firing and break-in:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=633749
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=634317
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Mine is accurate and I like the two dot sights. Compact and easy to carry....did I mention accurate?
I've had/have magazine issues with it nosediving rounds into the front of the magazine. Never even getting the chance to get to the feed ramp. I really need to send it back but have been too lazy. Keep toyingwith trading it but haven't...procrastination is my speciality.
I really want a sig p220 SOA...but my gen3 pt was a few bucks cheaper.
I've had/have magazine issues with it nosediving rounds into the front of the magazine. Never even getting the chance to get to the feed ramp. I really need to send it back but have been too lazy. Keep toyingwith trading it but haven't...procrastination is my speciality.
I really want a sig p220 SOA...but my gen3 pt was a few bucks cheaper.
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Jim NE
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I wonder if Wolff makes +5% or +10% springs for the PT145 magazine?
I had similar issues when I first tried to use the 5900 series S&W 9mm mag in my KelTec P-11. Using that mag in the P-11 is a common and workable aftermarket upgrade to increase capacity, but the stock springs usually aren't up to the task. Just a thought.
LiveLife
Member
That's most likely due to the magazine lips/follower. Many posted the same issue with their PT145 magazines and had theirs replaced free by Taurus. With replacement magazines, no more feeding/chambering issues.ritepath said:
Call Taurus customer service and they'll send out a postage paid shipping label to your address.
(305) 624-1115
16175 NW 49 Avenue, Miami, FL 33014
MachIVshooter
Member
I had one and liked it. Felt good, shot decent, carried easy and was acceptably accurate. I only had a couple hundred rounds through it, but I don't recall it malfunctioning. I got rid of it when an offer for an 80 gallon, 8 HP compressor in a straight-across trade came up. I had considered replaceing it, but then I got my hands on a S&W CS45 and never looked back.
It is about the smallest double-column .45 out there, and I believe a good value. I'm no taurus fan, but they did good with that one.
It is about the smallest double-column .45 out there, and I believe a good value. I'm no taurus fan, but they did good with that one.
Yes sir! I have one and like it to!
It's recoil isn't to bad with 230 Gr ammo in it. Shoots pretty well. It is concealable. The holster I have for it now works well which is made by Tagua ( I think? ) and holds it in place just fine. I did have some issues with it at the start that was supposedly magazine related. After the break in, It stopped with the slide-locks and works fine now.
It's recoil isn't to bad with 230 Gr ammo in it. Shoots pretty well. It is concealable. The holster I have for it now works well which is made by Tagua ( I think? ) and holds it in place just fine. I did have some issues with it at the start that was supposedly magazine related. After the break in, It stopped with the slide-locks and works fine now.
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