Range Day Rained Out!

Not complaining...when it's fire season up here we'll take all the "wet" we can get!

Anyhow, some of the commenters were sounding a little shaky, so I did take some pictures of the Taurus PT-1911. Let me step you through the gun, which is all I can do until I can get to the range.

First, check out the front and rear serrations...looks good; feels good. The slide/frame and barrel fit are DNO* (*Dead Nuts On) and feels very much like the fit on my custom 1911s. Trigger clocks in at a spec over 4 pounds, with only the tiniest bit of creep. I've done some draws and haven't had the slightest problem hitting the grip safety every time...a big big issue for little Miss Girly Hands here. The grip safety is one of the Ed Brown "Speed Bump" styles...perfect, IMO.

The ambi thumb safeties are also perfect, which, in my definition, means that they crisply snap off and on. This is a BIG TIME pet peeve of mine! I mean, along with the trigger it's the most important control on the gun! If it sticks or binds, you can get an unfortunate case of DEAD!

To sum up the operating controls, I WOULD NOT send this gun to a gunsmith! That's a big compliment...I send virtually every 1911 I handle and plan to keep to a gunsmith because I know EXACTLY how I want the operating controls to feel — in short, I want them all to feel just like the Wilson Master Grade I competed with. Period.

Handling-wise, I like the 30 lines-per-inch checkering on the mainspring housing and the frontstrap, maybe because I'm old. When I was seriously competing, I preferred 20 lpi with the diamonds cut sharp as razors. My hands occasionally bled — 1911 Stigmata! — but the gun never shifted in my grip. The checkering under the trigger guard is a nice touch. Grips feel good, but I'd change them out for something stickier...AlumaGrips or some of the gator-type grips.

Two 8-round mags, both marked "Made in Brazil" are included. They look like the ACT/Novak mags supplied with the S&Ws and SIGARM GSRs. These feed fine in hand-cycling ball, and I've had great luck with the ACTs — so much so that I now prefer them over the Wilsons that I've used for years. Magazine well is beveled, but like all 1911s it crys out for a blended in Smith & Alexander or Heinie well.

Sights are Heinie-marked and exactly the same as I have on my Dick Heinie Springfield Armory. The straight-8 sight picture is excellent, especially with the wider opening in the rear sight

Yes, the hammer has one of those ridiculous locking mechanisms on it, but:

1) Live with it; they ain't gonna go away.
2) It's not obtrusive.
3) Everybody I know has stacks of 1911 hammers lying around. Go buy a Cylinder & Slide hammer if it makes you happy.

The Taurus has a full length guide rod...I suppose there's nothing to be done for it. No , you really don't need it, but all your friends probably have one, so there.

Anyway, that's all I can tell you without shooting it!