[flgunner]

Around the 50 round mark I started having a feed problem. The 2nd through 4th rounds in the magazine (both mags that came with the pistol) did not chamber. From there on (rounds 5-10) fed properly. Sometimes jammed rounds would chamber when the slide was racked, sometimes not.

Pulled the mags and found these rounds were hitting the front lip of the mag and snagging on the bullet case, and in some cases the nose of the bullet (230 FMJ) hit the inside of the mag. Close inspection showed the rounds were not rotating up to the approx 30 degree angle of the follower. Couldn't tell the actual cause (spring, follower or too tight lips on the top front of the mag).

As I loaded, made sure each round was fully seated to the back of the mag. Tried tapping the loaded mag to seat the bullets, but problem persisted.

Anyone else had this problem? Suggestions?

 

[Smokewagon]

I haven't had any problems, but I usually break down and clean my mags after about 200 rounds. I spray a coat of STP silicone in each mag and let dry. It leaves no residue that I can find and I believe it keeps them running smoothly. :zzz:

 

[flgunner]

I talked to a Taurus tech who asked me to send him one mag to check.

I'll let you know the outcome.

I asked him about cleaning and he said it shouldn't be needed. I read about cleaning mags, but I have never taken one apart and cleaned it after 23 years in the Army and thousands of rounds downrange since - never been a problem with my 1911's, Kel-Tecs or PT745 - or AR. And expecially when I discovered how difficult removing the bottom plate is after finally getting the rubber base off

 

[ezrockin]

I own 2 of the PT145. I am having the same issue with feeding of rounds. The first 100-200 rounds through the gun when new were flawless. Then it started FTF'n usually on the 1st to 5th round from a full magazine. Occasionally the slide would return to battery with no round in the chamber. After the 5th one it works fine.I have cleaned and lubed the magazines with little success.

I am going to call Taurus and watch this thread for a solution. Other than this issue I really like the weapon. It makes a great CCW. If there isn't a solution to this problem I may sell them!

 

[laotzu]

I'm having the exact same problem. I sent the gun in to taurus because it was jamming so much, and they replaced the entire upper slide. I has made no difference whatsoever. I'm going to try to dissasemble the mag and treat it with a teflon-based dry lube, because it seems to "grind" when I push the follower up and down. It'll be a week or so before I can field test it. I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[laotzu]

Success! OK, here's what I did:

First, disassemble the mag(s) (there's an excellent post on how to do this if you're not sure - just search for "PT145 magazine" in the forums.

I cleaned each one with soap and water to get them good and clean, then used my girlfriend's blowdrier to dry them off. (insert your own significant others' eye rolls here)

I field stripped and cleaned the gun like normal.

Inside the mag, I sprayed in Remington's dry lube with teflon. I let it dry, wiped it out, sprayed again, wiped it out to get the inside impregnated with the good stuff. (BTW, I got the dry lube at Dicks sporting store. I'm not sure if wallyworld carries it). I also treated the plastic follwer and the metal rails on the slide.

I put regular oil on the polymer bottom of the gun for the general cleaning job.

I put everything back together, and it was noticably more slick, especially in the action of the follower in the mag.

I loaded and unloaded the mag several times to get everything moving.

This morning I took it to the range (nice and quiet on a frigid monday morning). Temp was 30F, no wind, using Remmington 230gr 45acp FMJ (because it was on sale at the store that I got the lube).

I went through about 200 rounds, with only one FTF early on! This is down from at least one jam per mag before.

I've been so frustrated with this gun, that this morning was the first time I've really been able to appreciate how accurate it is! from 25 yards, I was producing groups that I can only match with my 8.5" S&W .357 revolver. It was a joy to shoot.

I still need to put several hundred rounds through before I would trust it, but I do plan on making the dry lube part of it's regular maintenance routine, until Taurus or an aftermarket company upgrades the engineering on the mags.

I'd love to hear other's fixes/experiences.

 

[PT145man]

I really love my PT-145 but have had some feeding issues EVERY time that I have gone shooting. I've cleaned it,tried 5 different kinds of ammo etc.
I've read that others have fired theirs thousands of times with NO problems. Now I read that there are many who are having the same problems that I am. If I can't get these feeding problems solved I will have to sell mine. Will Taurus exchange my magazines?

 

[PT145man]

By the way,beware of the handy feature of the double action second chance to fire a round. I clicked mine 3 or 4 times only to open the slide to discover an empty chamber. I can picture a 'bad guy' shoving this pistol up my butt sometimes......

 

[Robby]

By the way,beware of the handy feature of the double action second chance to fire a round. I clicked mine 3 or 4 times only to open the slide to discover an empty chamber. I can picture a 'bad guy' shoving this pistol up my butt sometimes......

One thought! when in doubt rack the slide, and move on. 2nd strike does not mean 3 to 6 for me.

 

[PT145man]

I agree--I wouldn't try mine more than twice in a danger situation. I would rack it.
I clicked it several times shooting at a target.

 

[ezrockin]

I have tried the all the cleaning and lubing suggestions I can find here and other websites. I have disassembled the magazines and "stretched" the springs with no success. I have never had a problem like this with any firearm and it's respective magazine. I contacted Taurus customer service about the feed issue. The rep told me the cause is the mag springs are being compressed for too much for too long at a time. He told me and I quote " The ".45 is a heavy round and really deforms the springs when left loaded for a long time." Taurus is sending me 2 new magazines in exchange for the "worn out" ones.

I own a variety of semi-auto firearms that have never exhibited FTF issues due to "weak" magazine springs. I own a Ruger P-90 that has been loaded almost continuously since 1992 when I purchased it NIB, never a hiccup or FTF due to "weakened" magazine springs from being loaded too long. I also own a Witness .45ACP that has been in almost the same condition since 1994 and NIB. I don't "rest" magazines or rotate them. I own several other pistols that are newer than the 2 I mentioned and none have ever been as hard to operate properly as the PT145's I have recently purchased. They were both purchased NIB in October 2007. And they tell me the magazine springs are worn out after 3 months. It seems to me they are using an inferior material for manufacturing magazine springs.

 

[Robby]

Well, if they are replacing mags on several dif. 145's, with similar problems. It sounds to me like they had some get out in the market place with new guns that might have had some form of defect. Whether it was springs, followers, bases, who knows. If you call in and give the serial # of your gun, they probably know that one went out with defective mags. Or maybe the CSR story is true and they should not be compressed a lot. Well I think that was an attempt at CS BS!!

I hope everyone gets their new mags, and with proper care they operate as required. I even had one bad one on my PT111, but it was cracked, and the front opened wider.

 

[PT145man]

You wrote:
The rep told me the cause is the mag springs are being compressed for too much for too long at a time. He told me and I quote " The ".45 is a heavy round and really deforms the springs when left loaded for a long time." Taurus is sending me 2 new magazines in exchange for the "worn out" ones.

This is ridiculous! A .22 cartridge is very light,but when you cram as many of them into a .22 magazine as will fit, the spring will be as compressed and as "deformed" (as that Rep said) as your .45 acp spring. For that matter,a load of plastic snappers would "deform your magazine spring as much too.

Ask him if you should carry it empty and just load when you feel that you may be in danger......

 

[Doug]

The rep told me the cause is the mag springs are being compressed for too much for too long at a time. He told me and I quote " The ".45 is a heavy round and really deforms the springs when left loaded for a long time."

I have to disagree with this. The way a spring wears out is due to metal fatigue. Being consantly loaded and unloaded causes the metal to "get tired" If you were emptying a magazine on a daily basis I can see it wearing out in several years.

If you follow the line of reasoning of the Taurus rep; Every new automobile would have to have it's springs replaced on a quarterly basis. Cars are very heavy... If you load a spring really heavy for more than a day or two, it will fail to produce the pressure it was designed for.

May I pose a question? How many 2007 cars have you seen "bottomed-out" in parking lots? For that matter; how many 1977's have you seen in this condition?

 

[ezrockin]

I received replacement mags from Taurus. The springs did seem a little stronger in the replacements compared to the originals. Went to the shooting range to try them out. Had a few failures to feed and return to battery. We'll see how this works in the long run. Still considering selling these PT145's. :-\

 

[tm448]

Both of My PT145 mags are loaded at all times and have been since I purcahsed it in March of 05. Except for when I go to the range with it and empty them..... that's about once a month during good shooting weather. Never a ftf or any other problems with this gun or the mags. That's why it is my carry gun, I trust it. Maybe I just got lucky with mine.

 

[Doug]

I received replacement mags from Taurus. The springs did seem a little stronger in the replacements compared to the originals. Went to the shooting range to try them out. Had a few failures to feed and return to battery. We'll see how this works in the long run. Still considering selling these PT145's. :-\

Have you tried a different ammunition? Is the feed ramp burred or rough? I trust mine and my families lives to the PT145 on a daily basis.

I hope you find a solution to your problem. The Taurus is a fine machine.

 

[laotzu]

Hey All, Just an update. I think I was a bit optimistic when I posted the magazine cleaning and lubing post. It worked for a while, but the gun never did operate anywhere near acceptable levels. I honestly tried everything: sending it back to the factory (they replaced the entire slide), mixing up and trying scads of ammo, buying new mags, cleaning mags, sprinkling pixie dust, etc.

I finally traded it in, along with an old intratec .22, and picked up a PT1911. Now THAT'S a gun! I love love love it. Hundreds of rounds, some bulk from Midway, some federal premium, eats 'em all, feels great in the hand, and looks mean. (a bear to put back together, though).

All in all, the PT145 turned out to be worthless. Wouldn't shoot reliably no matter what, and not safe at all as a carry gun. not to worry diehard Taurus fans, my carry is a taurus .38 titanium snubbie.

Oh, and btw, I was honest in the trade in as to why I was unloading the gun. Cost me some cash, but integrity is intact.

 

[ezrockin]

We (my wife and I) purchased 2 of these paperweights. We received 4 new magazines from Taurus and still have the same problem. Same problem no matter what brand or type of ammo. Nuthin' would cycle reliably the first 5 rounds from the magazine. Very accurate pistol I will say, conceals good but, I'm not trusting it with my life or loved one's life. There was one FTF that did something that I've never seen. The pistol would not return to battery and I couldn't bump or cycle it. Looked into the pistol and a round had tipped nose down vertical half in the magazine and half in the breech.

A friend of mine purchased a 24/7 .45ACP that developed a crack in the frame just below the feed ramp. His pistol exhibited the same problem as my PT145's. Taurus sent him a new pistol and it still has feed issues. The new one won't return to battery completely, sometimes without stripping a round from the mag into the breech. All this in the first 4-5 rounds from a full magazine.

I'm going to contact Taurus to see if they can fix them. If they can't or don't the pistols are going bye-bye and probably won't purchase another Taurus product.

 

[flgunner]

After trying the two replacement mags from Taurus and still having the same problem that started this thread, I noticed what appears to be slight fractures on the barrel throat. Gun has gone back to Taurus. This was very disappointing, since I have been very happy with my two year old 745. I suspect this gun may go on the market when it comes back.