PT 917 vs. PT 92 Compact

Historically, the PT92C was Tauruses first attempt in the mid 1980's to enter a more compact 9mm pistol into the CCW and Police Detective market.

The main difference between the PT92C and the PT917 is that the PT92C utilizes a shorter Grip Handle Frame area that will use a smaller/shorter magazine (original capacity of 13 rounds) and the PT917 has the same Grip Frame area as a regular PT92 and will normally use PT92 magazines with capacities of 20, 17, and 15 rounds.

The PT917 and regular PT92 pistols cannot use the regular PT92C 13 round magazine as it is too short to reach the feeding area and magazine latch.

The PT92C can also use PT92/PT917 magazines, but they will extend from the bottom of the magazine well.

In My Opinion, With the development of the PT917, I expect that the PT92C will be dropped from production at some time in the near future, unless actual sales figures justify it's manufacture.

In My Opinion, With the development of the PT917, I expect that the PT92C will be dropped from production at some time in the near future, unless actual sales figures justify it's manufacture.

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I'm pretty sure the Compact PT92 has been out of production for quite some time now...

Got the following from the taurususa web site - put 917 in the search function:
....
Barrel Length: 4"

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Taurus website is full of incorrect information...they also list PT24/7 as 4in when it actually has a 4.17" barrel. I'm pretty sure 917 has a 4.25"/109mmas listed on the brasilian website. Which is aswome because I wouldn't be able to buy one if it had 4" barrel

Gray_Wolf said:

I'm pretty sure the Compact PT92 has been out of production for quite some time now...

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That would tend to explain why I have not seen one in years!

The 92C was in competition with Beretta's similar model.

Neither companies model sold real well just because the market wasn't there at the time. Had nothing to do with reliability or dureability issues.

Seemed to be a almost knee jerk reaction by both makers. Shortly after both models got pulled the demand skyrocketed for these sized semi-autos and other companies rushed in and filled the niche.

Mas Ayoob and Chuck Karwan wrote soft covered books that had reviews about both makers pistols. The cosensus was that these were fine guns, why they were fine guns, and Both companies would be wise to continue building them.

That was another Taurus or Beretta gun I was going to purchase and like the Taurus 908, the supply dried up permanently.

There still a few floating around. Recently saw a PT92C on either gunbroker or Gunsamerica (forget which). PT92c's are by far more rare then PT908's and PT957's.

I've been absent for a while, and I'm resurrecting this long-dormant thread because--I JUST BOUGHT A PT92C!!!
It's long been a 'grail gun' because I simply liked its compactness and the PT92 features, even though I had never actually handled one. I've looked around periodically, but figured that since it had gone out of production so long ago, an example would be too hard to find, then be too expensive.
Well, today I happened to be browsing at a local shop, and there it was! It's in very good shape and even has the decocker feature. The price was in the $350 range, so I feel good about the deal. It has the Taurus wood stocks as well. Pics forthcoming.

I have one also which is the gun that brought me to the forum. I shoot it regularly and for me it shoots like a dream. I looked it up once but don't recall if it was a 1998 or a 99 model.

Biggest difference that I see between the 92C and the 917 is that you can actually buy magazines for the 917. I have a 917 (see picture at bottom of post) and they use regular 15 & 17 round PT92/99 magazines. The 92C does not. It uses a 12 round mag that is shorter than the standard PT92 mag.