Thinking about the next gun

[45B]

I have also noticed a lot of problems with Taurus as the quality control does not seem to be all that great sometimes.

I have however, never had any problems with my Beretta M9, Glock 22, Glock 17, or Springfield Xd in 9mm. I have ahad a few problems with my 1911 but have gotten it adjusted now and have no problems in 500 rounds.

The Glocks, XD and XDm and Beretta are all easy to work on and magazines are readily available from many different sources. All are available in 9mm and .40 in several different sizes.

From a strictly survival standpoint, I would choose any of these three guns and be well served with a reliable firearm.

Sorry you are having trouble, but hope you get it worked out.

P.S. Keep an eye open for Springfield Armory bonus deals from time to time. The last one we bought came with 2 extra mags and a holster and mag pouch. Then you could send the receipt in for 3 more free mags and another free mag pouch. Also if you are left handed, send an email in to Springfield Armory and they sent out a left handed holster for free. Great customer service.

[1Admin]

I have also noticed a lot of problems with Taurus as the quality control does not seem to be all that great sometimes.

I have however, never had any problems with my Beretta M9, Glock 22, Glock 17, or Springfield Xd in 9mm. I have ahad a few problems with my 1911 but have gotten it adjusted now and have no problems in 500 rounds.

The Glocks, XD and XDm and Beretta are all easy to work on and magazines are readily available from many different sources. All are available in 9mm and .40 in several different sizes.

From a strictly survival standpoint, I would choose any of these three guns and be well served with a reliable firearm.

Sorry you are having trouble, but hope you get it worked out.

P.S. Keep an eye open for Springfield Armory bonus deals from time to time. The last one we bought came with 2 extra mags and a holster and mag pouch. Then you could send the receipt in for 3 more free mags and another free mag pouch. Also if you are left handed, send an email in to Springfield Armory and they sent out a left handed holster for free. Great customer service.

Taurus quality is not what it used to be.....

Was a big Taurus fan here for years.
Have a PT99 that I got at 16 that has easily 30-35K rounds through it. It's had to be re-parkerized twice if that tells you something. Only problems with that one were the rear sight pin broke two different times in 23 years. And one time at a close range class we were doing some stupid crap where we had to fire it jammed up into something (like a contact shot done incorrectly) and it cracked the locking block. Taurus replaced quickly.

However I blew up a 92 about 6-8 years ago, long story but ammo had been submerged, forgotten about and later accidently put into rotation.... Taurus replaced with a new style 92 with light rail, etc. I THOUGHT I got off really good on the deal.

The new ones with the light rail are utter crap IMO- I've owned two. Still have one NIB sitting for the boy when he's ready. But realistically it will probably sit and sit, have a G26 sitting waiting for him also.

Evidently their has been a few parts and smithing issues with the Gen 4 Glocks. Sounds like some things that were intended to be improvements.... WEREN'T.

We own 4 G26's and I ran my original one 7K with no lube or cleaning at first- no problems. That model has probably 20K through it now and if you keep away from KCI mags- no problems. The other three have had similar results whether rolling around in the sand, thrown into watery mud to cool them down during point shooting work (shooting a lot of rounds at a go), etc.

You gotta KNOW something is bulletproof so I beat the crap out of my first one. Now I KNOW, I don't have to think I know, I don't have to "read reviews" and other misc. BS. You have to trust your gear completely. You either THINK you know, or you KNOW as that great Russian philosopher said right before he choked me out....

[Spock]

i picked this one up used at pawn and gun shop for $325+ tax awhile back. its gonna be thicker than a taurus but with the newer magazine they hold 13 rounds of 9mm.

[Spock]

Had a CZ 75 in 9mm BEST shootin' iron I ever owned.

i have had one since 2004. when i downsized my significant gun collection it was one of the hand guns i kept. shooting it is like cheating.

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

i have had one since 2004. when i downsized my significant gun collection it was one of the hand guns i kept. shooting it is like cheating.

I've heard that more than once from CZ 75 owners. Next time I get a chance I'll have to try one. I used to have a CZ 82 in 9mm (9x18) and loved it, but got rid of it to upgrade. In some way I wouldn't mind having it back in my safe...I still have over 500 rnds of ammo for it.

[Wendy]

I am not looking to get a new one but I have a kel-tec .380 and love it. I can take it anywhere, just in my pants pocket. With our cooler temps I can easily wear a vest to be sure that it is hidden but always accessible. I am not a big gun person but have been around them all of my life. I am comfortable with this one and although I do practice with my DH's larger weapons, I think I will always be most comfortable with this little one.

[donweld]

Whats wrong with a Taurus? They make great paperweights. I love my Glock, bowling pins at 100 yds. NP

[Klayton]

Whats wrong with a Taurus? They make great paperweights. I love my Glock, bowling pins at 100 yds. NP

LOL I have NEVER had a problem with my Taurus handguns. Two .40 S&W and one .45 ACP.

[Grand58742]

Whats wrong with a Taurus? They make great paperweights.

Such comments should be qualified with a review or first hand knowledge of same...

And frankly, not just the internet hype of "Taurus sucks because I read about a person who never even owned or fired one said they suck."

[protus]

Maybe a 40cal., so friggin frustrated with the Taurus PT907 (the 9mm slim). Bought it new and had every issue you could think of--crazy FTF, FTE, Stovepipe. So I sent it back to Taurus and they found that it had a cracked slide/manufacturer's defect- they did replace the slide. got it back and now I have issues with failure to feed- ammo just doesn't want to climb the ramp. I know what you're thinking and yes, my magazines are factory Taurus mags. I'm sending it back again. I can't have something this unreliable. Now I know why I gravitate back to my 38 or 357- but I do want a semi.what brand 40cal do you find reliable. Also thinking of a 223 for a long gun- right now the only thing I have that's long is a bow,lol

if your getting FTF's it could be from a few things, ammo choice, poor feed ramp angle ( nothing afile cant fix also see ammo choice) or if while firing you could be limp wristing it( semi auto pistols will FTF/FTE if you are)


sides that...i know folks who have owned/own taurus products that have had zero issues. They make decent firearms.So dont discredit it, untill you find out WHY its FTFing. Guns are like most things mechanical theres a reason for it...and sometimes its user error( see limp wristing).

sides that get a g19 or 17 and not worry about failures ;P

[Cindy]

Also thinking of a 223 for a long gun- right now the only thing I have that's long is a bow,lol

Hi Preppergirl . . . Since nobody seems to have yet replied to your long gun comment . . . In my humble opinion, money invested in pistols for home defense is money not especially well spent if the budget is tight, and if we are thinking of any PAW situation. The handgun is primarily of value for every day carry, in an every day world, where concealment and extreme portability are the most important considerations. In a PAW world, IMHO the advantages of long guns trump almost all handgun virtues. It is just friggin easier for most people to hit what they want to hit with a long gun.

There is a video on the internet of a real shootout between a state trooper and a motorist, from the police cruiser video camera. The motorist shoots with a .30 carbine. The cop has his duty pistol. The cop is supposedly a professional, well trained in pistol marksmanship in high stress encounters. The motorist is very likely not well-trained. The distance looks like it varies between only 50-feet and 20-feet. There was no element of surprise. Both fire a lot of bullets that miss flesh. The cop never connects a bullet with the bad guy. The cop dies. The motorist drives away without a scratch. The .30 carbine wins. Admittedly, this is just one sample, and it is risky to draw serious conclusions from small samples.

For the rifle, I think 223 has got to be near the top of your short list, depending upon the application in mind. For personal defense, a 16-inch barreled AR-15 with 20-round magazine is quite formidable, and a handy size. As I'm sure you already know, ammo is also as cheap as any for rifle, plus available everywhere. But I suggest that you also get a good manual on cleaning, assembly and repair. It isn't hard technical, but you should have the reference instructions. If the gun is an important part of your home defense plan, get a low-cost parts kit too, for the pins and springs that might break.

On the GunBroker web sight now, there is a vendor selling a complete Rock River lower assembly for $239.95, plus $20 shipping. (We just ordered one.) Midway USA right now also has a bare bones DPMS 16-inch upper assembly on sale for $360, plus $13 shipping. That makes the cost of the complete rifle only $633 delivered, plus your local FFL transfer fee for the lower ($30?). We've never seen a lower price for a new AR-15, at least not of any good name brand. Rock River and DPMS are in the top tier of non-custom manufacturers. Then you gotta add a Red Dot sight, or some other sight or optic, but that's the case with about all of them. The cost of the not-such-bare-bones DPMS upper receiver from Midway will add another $60 to the cost, because it isn't on sale. I like the 223 AR-15 myself because there is almost no felt recoil, and packin' a couple of extra 20-round mags is a confidence builder.

I wouldn't trade my 16-inch AR-15 for any two handguns, of any brand or caliber or action type, at least for need in a PAW.

Another less-expensive option is to buy a used Remington 788 bolt gun in .223. These are no longer made new, but have a well-earned reputation for being extremely accurate rifles (for some valid technical reasons), with no frills and low price. The .223 caliber is less common in this gun, and carries a premium used price, but keep a watch and you can find good examples at fair prices on GunBroker, sometimes including an economy scope for $600. (You can easy find the same gun in .222 Remington for $400.) The only thing a bolt rifle would give you that the AR15 does less well is more reliable long range accuracy. Out to 300 yards is possible with both guns in 223, but the bolt gun will do it more consistently for most people. What the bolt rifle lacks is firepower in a defense situation. In addition to the slow bolt cycle time to reload, the magazine only holds three rounds, plus the one you can keep in the chamber. But maybe a good choice for a second rifle. With hand reloaded ammo, tuned to a particular bolt gun, it is possible to get shot spread that is 1/3 the group size of what the AR15 will deliver with factory ammo. That isn't really a defense consideration, but will help in killing squirrels. Your local sporting goods store also has a lot of new bolt guns in .223 of various makes, and we see them on sale sometimes for what seem like rediculous low prices.

Another good defense option that should not be rejected too quickly is a shotgun. Go down to any local pawnshop, or gun show, and pick up any brand of cheap used 12 gauge, or 20 gauge, pump action shotgun. You can sometimes find them for $150, with the 12 gauge more prevalent. The brand name makes no difference at all. Bring it home, and saw the barrel off even with the end of the tubular magazine, (without telling the local sheriff) and smooth the end of the barrel with a file or emery paper. Then you have a handy 4 or 5 shot short range gun that will make any man think long and hard before hasslin' a girl. (This probably would have worked out a lot better for the dead cop.) Get the 12 gauge if you aren't timid about blast and recoil. For even more compact version, cut the buttock off just behind the pistol grip (not such a good idea unless very compact is highly important; but at least cut it off to nicely fit the length of your own arms with a recoil pad installed).

In a defense situation, never allow the bad guy to get within arms reach of the barrel of your long gun. Pistols do make it harder for the bad guy to grab your weapon by the barrel and take it away. In any defense situation, if the bad guy ever approaches close enough that he might be able to touch the barrel of your long gun . . . don't talk about it . . . don't hesitate . . . SHOOT HIM . . . and shoot him again.

[jimmydiablo]

I have a S&W 4006TSW. Its an old 1st gen model but this joker is very reliable. Never jammed. I have dropped it numerous times on concrete. Knocking on wood, but this joker is solid. Hardly no recoil. And if it ran out of bullets you could beat half of Mongolia with it.

I love the 3rd gen smiths,

[andyn1976]

GlocK. IMO best for the money and simple.