Taurus PT145: A Subcompact .45 ACP Carry Gun with Surprisingly Good Features - Test Report

American Handgunner, Jan-Feb, 2002 by Charles Cutshaw

Taurus has come into its own in recent years with innovative, original designs that challenge or surpass the best products of both American and European firearms companies.

The recent designation of Taurus' Titanium Millennium pistol as the Handgun of the Year and the company's election as Manufacturer of the Year by the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence has added even further to Taurus' growing reputation for quality and innovation. Now, Taurus seems to have hit yet another home run with the PT145 Millennium pistol.

The Taurus PT145 is similar to the company's 9mm PT111 and .40 S&W PT 140 models of compact pistols, but with a major difference--the PT145 is chambered for the potent .45 ACP cartridge.

Changing the PT platform from one suited for 9mm or .40 S&W was not simple. While the PT145 appears to be nearly identical to its smaller bored cousins, it is in fact a different pistol. Because the .45 ACP cartridge is of larger dimensions than the 9mm or .40 cartridges, Taurus engineers had to essentially design a new pistol. Taurus has accomplished a real feat by stuffing a 10-round .45-caliber double-stack magazine into a pistol that is essentially no larger than its 9mm and .40 S&W predecessors.

I was immediately impressed by the little .45's extremely compact size and by the overall excellent fit and finish. The slide is a smooth satin black, with most corners rounded. The ergonomics of the pistol are superb.

The polymer grip assembly has sharp checkering for a good grip, with contours on both sides that accommodate the thumb and trigger finger. The grip angle is the classic 11 degrees of the 1911, but contoured so that the pistol rides extremely low in the hand for positive control, to lessen felt recoil and reduce muzzle flip.

The grips of most double stack pistols--particularly those in .45 ACP caliber--are quite wide, too wide for many shooters, which is one reason that Glock introduced its single-stack G36. There is no reason for a "single stack" Taurus PT145, as the grip is a good 3/16' thinner than its double-stack Glock 30 competitor.

We especially liked the positioning of the PT 145's slide stop. This essential control is in exactly the right position. It also protrudes from the pistol's frame sufficiently that the thumb can easily Dress and release it, unlike slide stops on some pistols that fit so closely against the frame that they are difficult to depress.

The PT145 also is equipped with a cleverly designed loaded chamber indicator that protrudes from the upper half of the extractor when there is a cartridge in the chamber. The red colored indicator provides an instant visible and tactile indicator that there is a round chambered.

Sights are of the "combat type," with a large tapered blade front sight and tapered notch rear. Both sights are held in place by screws for easy replacement. Tritium sights are available as an option.

The phosphated steel slide rides on a unitary steel frame that is pinned into the grip assembly. This removable component not only provides full-length rails on which the slide reciprocates, but also contains the trigger mechanism, safety and sear.

The slide contains the striker mechanism, firing-pin safety, ejector, loaded chamber indicator, and Taurus' proprietary security system that locks the gun via a small key. An optional stainless steel slide will soon be available at a small additional charge.

The safety is engaged when in the "up" position and disengaged when "down." It blocks only the trigger, but a firing-pin block is not required, as will be explained below. I am not enamored of added manual safeties in a well-designed DAO pistol such as the PT 145, which is as safe as a DAO revolver without any such additional safety devices.

The trigger is a true DAO design that functions via a transfer bar with integral sear that rides in a channel between the frame and the grip assembly. As the trigger is squeezed, the sear retracts the striker and as it reaches the end of its travel, the sear is cammed down via a small ramp, thus releasing the striker to fire the pistol. This system is smooth, reliable and consistent, but it does "stack" somewhat as it reaches the end of its travel and the striker spring fully compresses. We found that this had little or no effect on accuracy, however.

The striker is physically blocked by a firing-pin safety that is cammed out of the way by the striker as it is retracted. As the striker moves forward, the cam retains the safety out of the striker's path long enough for the striker to hit the cartridge primer under its own momentum.

When the trigger is released, it is reset, whether the slide has cycled or not. This allows the trigger to be pulled again in case of a misfire, without retracting the slide, as you perform a "tap, rack, bang" drill. The relationship of the sear and striker acts as a disconnector. The design is simple and reliable. The DAO trigger pull is approximately 0.5" in length and the pull weight is some 9 lbs., but actually feels lighter.