PT1911 Safety / Reliability Issue?

[msquaredserver]

So I just bought a used Taurus PT1911. While I will be posting this on TaurusArmed.net and M1911.org, I figured the crack experts at PAFOA should be able to help as well.

On occasion, when I remove the safety, the hammer falls to the half-cocked position. While at first it seemed I was performing some sort of unrecognized action that was meant to help ease the transition from cocked to decocked by using the intercept notch (half-cocked), the increasing randomness, combined with the fact that I am doing nothing besides really removing the safety, worry me about the reliability of this gun. I carry with the safety engaged (let's not get into a "should I be carrying with the safety" discussion, because I won't carry without it on), so if I am forced to use it, and sweep the safety while simultaneously taking the gun out of ready state, that could cause a problem.

Am I doing something to cause this? Or is this a technical problem? I'm new to the world of 1911's, so you will have to excuse my limited knowledge, if your answer involves any 1911-specific technical terms I can't find in the manual, odds are I will reply with a politer form of "wtfmate."

[toml]

That should not happen. The hammer should not move at all when you disengage the thumb safety.

[Exbiker]

Wow that`s scary. You should be able to flip the thumb safety on and off all day long and the hammer shouldn`t move.

[gold cup abuser]

when you take off the thumb safety the hammer SHOULD not fall.

either the safety has not been fitted correctly, the hammer is not fitted correctly or the hammer is going to fail.

another issue is there is another safety on the weapon locking the weapon, that safety that is part of the hammer, it may be failing and causing the hammer to fall.

depending on you skill with the 1911 platform you can change the parts yourself or have a gunsmith change the parts. I would change out the hammer, sear, disconnector and the ambi safety with either wilson or ed brown parts.

if you want to let taurus fix it then call them for a repair authorization and ship the pistol to them.

but as it stands right now stop using the firearm until this problem is corrected.

[msquaredserver]

Of course, immediately after I post, this issue seems to go away. I spent the better part of last night watching movies and flipping the safety, no hammer droppage. Funky. I still will be calling Taurus to see what can be done to resolve the issue..

Will Taurus honor the warranty even though I am not the original buyer of the gun?

[Xringshooter]

As all above said, don't use/carry the gun until this is fixed. You can also take it to a gunsmith to have him look at it before contacting Taurus, there may be something simple that needs fixed/adjusted. If not the smith will tell you what is wrong and this is what you would tell Taurus in you contact with them.

[Lycanthrope]

It didn't go away. The issue is still there. Taurus should honor the warrantee in most cases.

Lycannotsafethrope

[toml]

From Taurus' web site:

"The Taurus Unlimited Lifetime Repair Policy™ is just that. The lifetime of the gun...not the buyer....Simply put, our unprecedented repair policy stands firmly behind every firearm imported or manufactured by Taurus International. The full terms are we will repair your Taurus firearm FREE OF CHARGE for the lifetime of the firearm"

[Shawn.L]

That is a malfunctioning pistol. Not one bit safe. DO NOT load it it again. If it is loaded now, go unload it. Send it back.

FWIW I only fired one PT1911 once, the thumb safety broke in my hand. I have heard NUMEROUS other people report that part fail.

[msquaredserver]

It didn't go away. The issue is still there. Taurus should honor the warrantee in most cases.

Lycannotsafethrope

Probably should have said the symptoms went away. Called Taurus just now, and they were closed.

I'll take it to Gander tomorrow when Jen is in, she seems to know her guns pretty damn well. I don't really know many (any, actually) gunsmiths in the area. In terms of safety though, it seems the intercept notch is catching the hammer as it is intended to, so I am pretty certain it won't accidentally discharge. But I will take your advice and leave it unloaded until someone more knowledgeable than myself takes a look at it.