[CPFB]

Hey all!

New member to the Forums as well as a new owner of a brand new PT111 G2 and my first handgun! I went to the range this Friday and has planned to run 200rds through it as suggested by a lot of friends that own many guns. I had pre-loaded the mags weeks ago and had emptied and re-load them over the weeks to try and stretch the spring. At the range, I could not get the round to chamber as it kept getting hung up on the ramp. (I was using Freedom Munitions 115gn RN New rounds). I went to the range manager as I had purchased a 5-year service warranty from them (free cleanings, free inspection and basic repair and Warranty coordination with Tarus $50) and asked the Gunsmith to look at it. He reviewed it and had two suggestions, stop limp wristing it and run at least 200 rds through it. "The extractor spring is VERY stiff" he said.

I proceeded to have the Range Mgr. run 6 rds through it but he had issues loading as well. Had to try at least 4 time to chamber a round. He could only get it to chamber by locking the slide and then releasing it to slam in the round. I managed to shoot 100 rds over 2 hours by feeding in 2 at a time. At the end, the 2nd round jammed every time.

I have stripped and cleaned the gun and the outside of the mags. All looks OK. the ramp is polished to a mirror finish but the extractor will NOT budge under any pressure. I can't slide a round up against the firing pin as the extractor will not give. I can't chamber a round at all. The nose of the round is up in the chamber but the tail of the round is stuck at the bottom at the entry of the extractor every time. Even if I try to slam it in by locking and releasing the slide it still jams.

Is this just a newbs issue that has never shot a handgun before or am I having a legitimate problem?

Thanks for any help y'all can provide!

 

[scoutfish]

Couldn't tell you without looking at it personally, but it's not you.

It's one thing whe you are firing it, but different when it won't load a round into the chamber initially. Maybe check the extractor to make sure its not bent.

 

[CPFB]

When I had it apart and cleaning it, I was looking down the face of the firing pin plate where the extractor sits. Being a new owner, I'm not sure what a bent extractor looks like compared to a straight one!

 

[chicagotrauma]

Wow. That sounds awful.
Did you use any other ammo? Or was it only one kind?
When you have the slide off and the barrel out, are you able to slide a cartridge rim under the extractor like this..
001a-1.jpg Photo by ewgewgewg | Photobucket

 

[chicagotrauma]

Pictures of a round up against the breech face may help us help you

 

[CPFB]

Chic,

I tried two types of ammo, the Freedom Munition and Hornady Critical Defense. Neither would load without issue. And no, when i had it apart, I could not slide a round under the extractor. There is not enough room between the extractor and plate for it to fit. I assumed this is what the gunsmith meant by a VERY tight extractor spring. I assumed the extractor kept the round tight to the face of the firing pin wall but has to be loose enough to let the round up into position!

 

[CPFB]

The weapon is in the safe in the bedroom where the Wife is sleeping! I was not thinking when I started the thread tonight!!! Will post photos tomorrow!!!

 

[chicagotrauma]

Sounds like a tight extractor.
Welcome to the world of tinkering with firearms.
Easiest is to send it back to taurus for them to fix for free, or if youre mechanically apt you can mess with it.
http://www.taurusarmed.net/forums/smithing/130493-pt111-g2-extractor-striker-block-removal.html

Messing with it may void your warrenty, if they find out that is...

 

[Bruntson]

If the range master was having issues with your PT-111, then I would be giving Taurus customer service a call about the problem. Something is not right and Taurus will fix your pistol for free. Tell CS you purchased it recently and they will pay the shipping both ways. Their repair facility is in Miami and their standard reply is it will take 4-6 weeks to repair the gun.

 

[PTDOUDE]

I agree that it's the extractor. Taurus does things like this from time to time. For instance on my 809, the firing pin keeper/cap on the rear of the slide is jammed in cockeyed & I can't get it out.

I'll bet that something similar is going on with your extractor. If you were to remove it with a drift punch I'd bet you'd find it binding inside with metal burrs & such or possibly even metal chips from the machining process.

 

[dullone]

You paid $50.00 for a warranty/service contract, demand some return on your investment. Don't let them give you weasel answers, tell them to fix the problems.

 

[chicagotrauma]

Good point. The dealer should fix it

 

[CPFB]

Thanks all!

Yep, I gave it a good cleaning and it seems to be loading OK now. I know that cycling live rounds isn't too smart in the house, but I wanted to see if a good cleaning would make a difference. I have run both the Hornady Critical Defense and Freedom Munitions 115gn RN though it and all seems to be working well. It may have just needed a good cleaning to get some of the factory crud out of it.

I plan to go back to the range this week and run another 100+ rounds though it. I have to play with the sights as I was low and to the left on all of the rounds that I managed to shoot. If I have any issues with it loading I plan to give it to the gunsmith to check it out and if they cant fix it, I will have them get it back to Taurus for repair.

I plan to disassemble the mags and clan out the inside just to be 100% sure there are no issues. I guess I have learned that it completely worth a full cleaning out of the box before firing!!!

Thanks again all!! I hope to be reporting that it works with no issues!

One more question...I have seen online guys running "practice" rounds through the gun. They have red and yellow bullets and are used just to test the gun. What are these called and where can you buy them?

Thanks!

 

[chicagotrauma]

Do you mean snap caps?
Amazon has them
They are dummy bullets.

 

[dadillac]

Thanks all!

Yep, I gave it a good cleaning and it seems to be loading OK now. I know that cycling live rounds isn't too smart in the house, but I wanted to see if a good cleaning would make a difference. I have run both the Hornady Critical Defense and Freedom Munitions 115gn RN though it and all seems to be working well. It may have just needed a good cleaning to get some of the factory crud out of it.

I plan to go back to the range this week and run another 100+ rounds though it. I have to play with the sights as I was low and to the left on all of the rounds that I managed to shoot. If I have any issues with it loading I plan to give it to the gunsmith to check it out and if they cant fix it, I will have them get it back to Taurus for repair.

I plan to disassemble the mags and clan out the inside just to be 100% sure there are no issues. I guess I have learned that it completely worth a full cleaning out of the box before firing!!!

Thanks again all!! I hope to be reporting that it works with no issues!

One more question...I have seen online guys running "practice" rounds through the gun. They have red and yellow bullets and are used just to test the gun. What are these called and where can you buy them?

Thanks!

Always clean a new gun before firing it. ALWAYS!!

As far as the practice rounds, I would assume you mean snap caps. They are usually plastic rounds with a forgiving material of some kind where the primer would be, to protect your firing pin.

 

[Czechbikr]

Since you are new to semi-autos I would like to point out a cardinal rule. Never insert a round into the chamber through the ejection port. All ammo being sent into the chamber should be stripped off the top of the magazine by the slide slamming into battery. This insures that the rim of the cartridge slips up and under the extractor hook instead of being forced over the rim from a straight on rearward position.

I'm not saying that this is the cause of your issues, but putting out a caution for anyone new to semi-auto pistols.

Good luck with the break-in of your new gun, I hope that it smooths out for you. You've got a few months after you purchase a new Taurus gun to work it out and still get free shipping on the return for repair. Since I see that you bought an extended warranty, they should be covering that for you even after the initial Taurus warranty period.

 

[PTDOUDE]

Always clean a new gun before firing it. ALWAYS!!....

Especially a Taurus.....

 

[CPFB]

Hey all!

Thanks for all of the info! YEP SNAP CAPS! I see them on Amazon and may pick up a pack.

I went to the range tonight a let go 225 rounds. Mostly Freedom Munition 115gn RN but I let a few of the Hornady Critical Defense go as well to be sure they work.

So, long story short, it does shoot better but I still have an issue. I can put 6 rounds in the mag, load and squeeze them off with no issues. As soon as I hit 7 or 8, it may or may not load correctly and if it does, after I fire it, the next round jams every time. I think it may be a combo of the springs in the mags and the very tight springs in the extractor.

I managed to polish off the 225 rnds in about an hour. It fires really well and I have no issues with limp wristing it.

I was relatively accurate as I had good groupings but they were all low and to the left. I tried to adjust the rear sights for elevation and windage but no matter what I did....low and left. I had one of the trainers at the range telling me I may be holding it incorrectly or pulling the trigger in a way effecting my aim.

I cleaned it, loaded it and locked it up in the personal safe by the bed with only 6 in the mag and one in the chamber. At least I know I can defend my home and family if I need to!!!

I was thinking of giving it to the gunsmith to look at it again. What's all of your thoughts on this? Keep running ammo through it, have the range gunsmith look at it or just kick it back to Taurus for repair?

Thanks!

 

[jgl]

I would load up the magazines and let them sit for a few days. Sounds like strong magazine springs. I would even lock the slide back.

 

[Czechbikr]

I would have fired it from a bench rest/sandbag before moving the sights and had someone else shoot it also to eliminate the "me" factor. I have been known to limp wrist my PT 145 and TCP when I get tired or an not paying attention to my grip. The lighter framed poly pistols are more prone to it...I couldn't make it happen if I tried with my PT 1911.

I would give it a few more boxes of ammo, fill those magazines full to relax the springs, although if stiff springs were the problem I would think that it would be the early rounds out of the magazine rather than the last ones which would FTF.