I picked up a new Taurus PT-101 tonight

[Dr. Strangelove]

I was in Academy Sports to buy some bulk .22LR for a range trip tomorrow, when I noticed a sale on the Taurus PT-101 (.40 cal) for $299.99. Having a bit of spare cash burning a hole in my pocket, I impulsively picked one up.

After getting it home, field stripping and cleaning, it seems to be a well built pistol. The only flaws I could see were that the grip screws had the slightest bit of evidence of being "munged up", and the barrel linkage had obvious machining marks. Overall, the fit and finish of the pistol was better than I had expected. All parts of the slide, frame and barrel are finished to the same flat black and show no wear after repeated assembly and disassembly.

The pistol came with two sixteen round magazines, nylon bore brush, sight adjustment tool, and instruction manual, all packed in a cardboard box. It's equipped with the "Taurus Safety Lock" which prevents the slide being pulled back when engaged. Two "keys" are shipped with the pistol, which engage a piece on the backstrap to prevent unauthorized use of the pistol. This mechanism works as advertised.

Range report tomorrow!

[Qwiks draw]

Please give us a range report tomorrow.Like the National Inquirer, inquiring minds want to know.

[andrsnsm]

You will be impressed with the PT101 P

I picked one up last month (same Academy deal) and I can tell you it is comfortable to fire, very reliable, and pretty accurate. I replaced the cheap plastic grips with some Hogue rubber grips and it fits like a glove. This is the best $299 firearm (new firearm) I have found. My buddy, who dislikes Taurus, bought one and liked it so much he bought one too. Then he went back and bought another one and has offered to buy mine.

Have fun

[rambilt]

I had the same deal from Academy. I haven't fired mine yet but will do soonest. Just waiting for a good weather. Also looking into replacing the grips. Looks like a Houge is a good replacement. Good luck to you.

[DiscoRacing]

Congrats... I have two.. a 908 and 945. No problems with either one..and I shoot alot.

[Taurus_9mm]

Congratulations on a great pistol, the PT100 is a fine pistol that should serve you well. The PT92 is my favorite 9mm to take out when I get an opportunity for some trigger time.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Fit and finish: The exterior fit and finish is without reproach, save a minor grip fit issue. The lettering on my particular pistol doesn't exhibit the bright white inside the engraving seen in the advertising, perhaps it's my cleaning method, but no matter since I prefer subdued lettering. The factory supplied grips are hard rubber, checkered to ease handling. The right side grip warps back from the frame approximately 1/16th inch at the top, but does not interfere with the frame mounted safety or operation of the pistol. This absolutely does not bother me, as I will replace the grips anyway, and I'm sure that the factory assumes most users will do the same.

Sights: Three dot variety, a the dots are a little smallish for a full size pistol in my opinion, but not so much that they interfere with sighting. This model, the PT 101 P, has adjustable sights, and an adjustment tool is included with purchase. The front sight blade is an integral part of the slide, something I'm not so much in love with because installing illuminated sights means a trip to the gunsmith.

Magazines: Two 16 round magazines are included with purchase here in GA. The springs were very stiff, to the point that I was denting cartridges trying to load more than 12 in each. I purchased a mag-loader tool ($6.99) which made loading much easier. One of the supplied magazines seemed to have some canting issues when loading cartridges, more on this in the range report.

Grips: Standard hard plastic factory issue. Aside from the warping issue on the right side grip mentioned above, these are perfectly serviceable factory grips with adequate checkering to prevent slippage. I'll probably replace them with Houge™ or similar aftermarket grips, simply my preference. The front side of the magazine well is scalloped to fit the users hands, which I really like.

General mechanical operation: The slide pulls back smoothly with medium effort, the serrations provide a sure grip and the slide lock/release lever is easy to function even with smallish hands. The safety functions crisply and locks in and out with a positive click which is both audible and tactile. I like the frame mounted safety as opposed to the slide mounted safety on other pistols due to the fact that it is easier to operate from a shooting hold for those with smaller hands. The pistol also has a decocking function which requires the user to push the safety down, then pull the trigger. It works, but I do not like the fact that you have to pull the trigger to decock the pistol. Just my personal opinion, but I don't care for that type of decocker.

Accessory rail: Well, it's there, directly in front of the trigger guard. I can't decide if I like it or not, in my opinion it detracts from the clean lines of the pistol, but isn't a deal-breaker for me. I'm not a fan of lasers or lights, but for those who are, it's there. Maybe I'll get one of those pistol bayonets to mount there...

I'm really pleased with my purchase thus far, and even more so since this pistol only cost $299.99.

[Dr. Strangelove]

As promised, I made it to the range today with my new Taurus PT 101 P. This isn't going to be a technical report, simply a simple accounting of my experiences with the pistol. I don't care about the Taurus vs. the world fight, so these are simply my opinions.

I fired 133 rounds out of the Taurus today, 100 Monarch 180gr ($16.99/50 Academy Sports private brand, made in Serbia) and 33 Winchester white box 180gr ($18.99/50 from Academy Sports).

I picked up a magazine loader ($6.99) on the way to the range because the new springs were way to tight to load 16 rounds by hand.

Loading one magazine to full capacity with the Monarchs, I decided to shoot the 6" round steel targets at 15 yards for my first shot. I aimed for the leftmost target... A Miss! Another Miss!

I aimed for the last target on the right... a hit!... the steel to the left of it fell! I aimed at the spot where the fallen steel had been, and dropped the next one over!

The pistol was shooting about a foot left and five inches low at 15 yards, easily corrected by adjusting the sights with the included tool (screwdriver).

After sight adjustment, the pistol shoots as accurately as any I've ever shot. I had one jam, and one failure to hold the slide open on empty, both with the same magazine, the same one I noted having canting issues. I will say that I got lazy and didn't take apart the mags, they are heavy with grease inside, and that may be the cause of the issue. The one jam was a stove-pipe with the Monarch ammunition, so it may have been that ammunition.

The Monarchs were considerably weaker than the Winchester ammunition, (based on recoil) but both functioned the pistol with no malfunctions other than those mentioned above, which I believe were magazine related. I forgot to chronograph the Monarch, but the Winchester averaged 950 fps. I'll pick up some more Monarch to chronograph in the future.

Trigger Pull: Heavy, but crisp once the slack is taken up in single action. I didn't think to fire pistol in double action mode. No complaints.

Sights: Three dot type, easily adjustable. The rear sight notch seems a bit to shallow for the front dot, and all three dots are a wee bit smaller than I would like to see. I'm not sure that I like the fact that the front sight is an integral part of the frame. Not the best sights, but certainly adequate.

Accuracy: Again, this not being a technical review, I'm just going to say the PT 101 P has better than average accuracy, compared to other pistols that I have had the pleasure of shooting. It shoots to the best of my ability. No complaints.

Reliability: Excellent, with a slight ding for the magazine issues. I do believe that OEM magazines should function flawlessly, but two small hiccups in the first firing session are acceptable to me, particularly in high capacity magazines. No complaints.

Function: One small ding - the extractor is supposed to stick out a bit with the top painted red when a cartridge is present in the chamber. My extractor doesn't stick out enough to see the red, but it's a non-issue for me, as I don't rely on mechanical indicators to tell me if a firearm is loaded. Additionally, I do have a small bit of brass residue just above the extractor, as if some of the casings were hitting the slide at that point as they are being ejected.

Recoil: Low, due to the weight of the pistol and the fact I was using target/practice ammunition. The pistol remains on target and follow-up shots are quick.

Balance: Excellent, from full to empty magazine. The full size frame and five inch barrel help this. I never had that muzzle heavy or grip heavy feeling that you get in some pistols.

Take down/cleaning: Easy - push a button and flip a lever. Major points for ease of field stripping/cleaning.

Fun Factor: High. With 16 + 1 round capacity, the PT 101 P is the Energizer Bunny™ of pistols! It just keeps firing and firing....

With 133 rounds downrange, I can say without hesitation that I would recommend the PT 101 P to anyone looking for a full-size pistol. I look forward to getting a set of dies and loading for this pistol.

My overall impression at this point is that I am very happy with the purchase.

[rambilt]

Dr. Strangelove, thanks for the report. Now I can't wait to take mine out shooting. I guess off to the range I go this weekend (weather permitting of course)...hehehehe...

[The Duke]

I am enjoying the comments on the PT 101. They have been helpful considering I just bought my PT101P last week and not took it to the range yet... Does anyone know where I can find some spare mags that hold just the 10 rounds. I am having a hard time finding any for the "P" model 101... Does the Hogue rubber grips work for the 101P considering the changes made since the "B" model came out?... thanks for any info!

[Dr. Strangelove]

Just picked up a set of Hogues off Evilbay this pm for $19.99 with free shipping. The site claims compatibility with 100/101 series pistols. I'll post comments when I get the product....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...%3DI%26otn%3D1

[The Duke]

Dr. Strangelove, I just received my new Hogue grips in the mail today and absolutely love them! I am sure you will not be disappointed. And yes, they are compatible with the 101 P. They are a smidge thicker than what I expected, but they improve the grip and the look.

[Volfy]

I have the Hogue grip panels on my PT-101P too. Great tactile feel improvement over the stock hard plastic. They are also just a bit thinner - enough to make it easier for my small hands.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Federal Holsterworks, "Agent Kangaroo", $14.99, Academy Sports.

This is a black nylon holster with a spare magazine pouch. It fits very tightly, but is supposed to "Mold itself to your gun".

Just to be clear - I have no intention of carrying this pistol concealed, or at all, really, other than possibly while hunting. It's an inexpensive holster that will keep the pistol protected in the range bag or vehicle and provide a way to hold the pistol when not shooting steel targets, where there is no bench on my range.

Pic later.

[Kreyzhorse]

That's a good review Dr. Strangelove. Congrats on the new gun.

[DrBundy]

Same pistol here, Academy special. +1 on the Hogue grips. Mine fit with a bit of "massaging" on the left side. Seems the decocker wanted to snag the top of the panel every other time. A few swipes with an X-acto knife cleared that up just fine. From a firing standpoint, once you have this thing sighted in, you're golden.

One BIG negative I have found...the 101 P will not take standard PT100/101 mags of any capacity. It will only take the 16rd "special" mags that come with this particular model. Because the "P" was produced especially for Academy, aftermarket mags are non-existent as far as I can tell. If someone has a line on reasonably priced 101P mags, let me know. I'd like to pick up 3 or 4 more. Since this is a range gun only, having only the 2 that came with the gun is a bit of a downer. Not enough to make me trash the gun, though. For $300 out the door, it's a great buy, and I have no regrets.

Cheers!

~A

[Dr. Strangelove]

After nearly two months of owning this pistol, and roughly 400 rounds downrange, I'm still very pleased. A few thoughts:

Hogue grips (bar code 4310899010) - these are made for the standard Taurus pistols, the PT-101P Academy Sports version has a thicker grip (for the increased magazine capacity) which necessitates a bit of modification with an Exact-o knife to allow the decocker to function. Still, a huge improvement over the factory grips.

I disassembled and cleaned the magazines, and have had no more problems with canting, failure to lock the slide open, or jams. The problem magazine appeared to have had the spring installed incorrectly. (!) Both magazines now function properly and are easily loaded to full capacity without the use of the magazine loading tool.

The sights, once adjusted, haven't drifted. Again, I'm not a huge fan of the sight design, but they are adequate. The steel targets at the range tremble in fear at my approach.

Exterior finish wear is as expected, nothing out of the ordinary. The interior parts of the pistol show no signs of excess wear.

I just picked up a Lee 4 die set, so I'll start loading for this pistol this week. More reports to follow.

After 400 rounds, I couldn't be more pleased, especially since I was a bit skeptical of this pistol in the beginning. It's more than what I thought, especially for the price.

[winkytink]

"...The pistol also has a decocking function which requires the user to push the safety down, then pull the trigger. It works, but I do not like the fact that you have to pull the trigger to decock the pistol. Just my personal opinion, but I don't care for that type of decocker..."

Dr Strangelove, are you still having this issue? I picked up a 101P at my local Academy just this afternoon, and it does NOT require me to pull the trigger to decock the gun.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Ah...

Hmmm...

After refitting the grips, mine does decock without pulling the trigger.

Seems a case of RTFM!

Thanks for the catch!

[rambilt]

I love it very much!! 100 rounds down the range Zero malfunction. I wish I can say the same for my Mosquito. This PT 101 shoots pretty good. My first time with 40 S&W and I'll say the recoil is mild. Love my PT 101!!

[R0ENIN]

This gun is the first one I purchased myself, it is a pretty sweet gun for the price. I also purchased mine at Academy, I Love this gun!

[rambilt]

Well, after about a hundred rounds the magazine just fell right out after I pulled the trigger. The locking mechanism fell apart and fall to the ground with the magazine with about 12 rounds still in it. Just when I was bragging about how good the gun was then ooppssss!!!! Darn it...

Anyway, I'm taking it back to Academy so they can ship it back to Taurus for me... Hopefully I don't have to wait that long like a lot of people that I've heard.