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The
Taurus Millennium series of semi-automatic pistols has
been around a couple of years now, and the guns have
proven to be compact, reliable, and easy to shoot. They
have one of the better trigger systems available in a double
action pistol, being striker fired and self-resetting; that is,
the slide does not have to move rearward to reset the trigger,
as in many other designs. This is a good feature in the rare
event of a stubborn primer or dirt in the action of the pistol.
The Millennium triggers are also very user friendly, being
relatively smooth and light. In general, the Millennium pistols
from Taurus are one of the best designs available for concealed
carry. The Millennium series of pistols is available in most
popular defense pistol chambering from .32 ACP up to .45 ACP.
They all have polymer frames and, until now, either carbon steel
or stainless steel slides.
We
recently received for testing what is perhaps the best of all of
the Millennium variations, the model PT-111Ti. This is the
Millennium 9mm with a Titanium slide and tritium night sights.
The
advantages of using titanium instead of steel are not only the
weight savings of titanium, but the metallurgical properties as
well. As for the weight savings, titanium has only two-thirds
the weight of steel, resulting in an overall reduced gun weight,
plus a lighter mass of reciprocating movement as the slide
cycles. Titanium is also extremely strong and resilient, and
corrosion proof.
The
new PT-111Ti weighs only 16 ounces unloaded, with an overall
length of just over six inches. The slide itself measures one
inch at the thickest point, and is serrated at the rear to
assist retraction. The three and one-quarter inch barrel locks
into the ejection port at the rear, and solidly at the front of
the slide, without the need of a bushing. The
polymer frame wears molded-in checkering for a good grip, with
the frame accommodating two fingers and the magazine extension
providing a place for the little finger.
Speaking
of the magazine, it is of steel construction, and holds ten
rounds of 9mm ammo, giving the PT-111Ti a total capacity of
eleven rounds. The magazine release is on the left side of
the frame, just rear of the trigger guard, as it should be. The
slide release is located directly above where it naturally falls
under the thumb of a right-handed shooter, but can also be
released by the trigger finger of a lefty.
While
not a necessity on a double action pistol, the PT-111Ti also has
a thumb operated safety at the left rear of the slide, for those
who like this added feature. This could be a useful device for
those who might have their weapon snatched, such as a police
officer. It would buy a little extra time in such an event if
the gun were grabbed by someone unfamiliar with the design. The
thumb safety locks both the slide and the movement of the
trigger.
Also
incorporated into the right side of the slide is the Taurus
key-operated security system. The gun is supplied with two keys,
and can quickly be locked and unlocked. The system prevents the
firing or disassembly of the weapon. It is a feature that
some will want to use, but is unobtrusive for those who choose
to ignore this feature.
As
another safety feature, the trigger system makes it impossible
for the gun to fire unless the trigger is pulled. While this
Taurus is a thoroughly modern design, the safety of any weapon
lies with the user. There will always be idiots who negligently
shoot someone, and then want to blame the manufacturer of the
gun.
The
tritium night sights on the PT-111Ti are a nice feature. On a
defensive pistol of this type, I find them to be of particular
value. Most gunfights do not take place in broad daylight or
under stadium lights. If carrying a pistol for protection, one
is most likely to need it in less than ideal lighting
conditions, need it bad, and need it now! Tritium night sights
show up as three dots in the dark, and are very quick to get on
target. The tritium sights on this Taurus are low profile and
snag proof. They do not illuminate the user, and cannot be seen
except from behind the gun. In my opinion, every handgun carried
for self defense could benefit greatly from tritium
sights. They are well worth the extra expense.
One
of the first things that I noticed about the PT-111Ti was the
great feel of the grip angle and texture of the weapon.
Ergonomically, the design is very good, with all controls easily
reached and the checkering providing a good grip without being
excessively sharp. The trigger pull on this gun measured five
and three-quarter pounds, is butter-smooth, and double action
only. It has one of the best trigger pulls that I have ever felt
on a double action pistol.
After
all the unpacking, weighing, measuring, photographing, and
general fondling of the pistol, I gathered a variety of
ammunition and proceeded with the actual firing for function and
accuracy. Target firing was done at a range of 25 yards, where
most ammo produced decent combat accuracy from a gun of this
type. All ammo grouped under three inches, with some going
slightly under two and one-half inches. Velocities of the
combat ammo was very good from the short barrel, with the best
results being from Cor-Bon 115 grain jacketed hollow
point +P ammo, which averaged 1247 feet-per-second. There
were no failures to feed, fire, or eject any ammo tested in the
PT-111Ti. Functioning was flawless. All cases were ejected up
and to the right, well clear of both the weapon and shooter.
The
Taurus PT-111Ti will slip easily into a front jeans pocket, but
would ride almost unnoticeably in a good belt holster.
Loaded with eleven 9mm +P Cor-Bons, a person would be well armed
against most threats. The gun is lightweight, reliable,
easy to shoot well, reasonably powerful, and rust-proof;
everything a good concealable pistol should be.
My
little brother and Illustrious Webmaster, Boge, has
fallen in love with this gun and is sending Taurus a check.
There is no better endorsement than that.
Check
out the Millennium pistols and other Taurus firearms online at:
www.taurususa.com
Jeff Quinn
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Click pictures for a larger version.
Taurus' PT111Ti 9mm DA pistol is a fine choice for those
desiring a lightweight, easily concealable, and reliable
self-defense weapon.
Smaller and lighter than many .32s and .380s, the Taurus
PT111Ti carries eleven rounds of 9mm firepower.
The controls of the Taurus PT111Ti are placed just where
they should be for a right-handed shooter. Magazine release is
just aft of the trigger guard, with the slide stop above and
just forward of the manual safety. The manual safety falls
perfectly under the thumb and is positioned down to fire,
perfect for shooters (like us) who favor the controls of the
venerable 1911A1.
Author demonstrates the compact size of the PT111Ti.
This pistol is perfectly sized for almost any shooter. The
titanium slide offers welcome weight reduction, allowing a
total weight of only 16 ounces unloaded.
The slide incorporates Taurus' key-operated security
system, one of the most effective we have seen, and
unobtrusive for those who choose not to use it.
The Taurus PT111Ti's polymer frame features very
effective checkering. This, coupled with the excellent
ergonomics of the frame, allows for the only good kind of
"gun control"!
The little Taurus includes a very well-designed and
effective set of Tritium night sights. Author thinks any
defensive handgun should be equipped with such sights.
The heart of Taurus' PT111Ti is the dual recoil spring
system. This system allows the lightweight titanium slide to
handle full-power 9mm loads with ease.
The little Taurus strips to its component parts in
seconds. Machine work, fit and finish are excellent, as we
have come to expect from Taurus.
The reasonable purchase price of the Taurus Titanium 9mm
Millennium includes a lockable plastic case and two keys for
the Taurus locking system.
The folks at Taurus are making some of the most
innovative products on the market today, and the PT111Ti is no
exception. Stoked with quality loads such as the excellent Cor-Bon
115-grain JHP 9mm+P, the Taurus Titanium 9mm Millennium is a
pint-sized, potent package!
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