Beginner Gun Review: Taurus PT92

It makes me smile a bit when I think about how I’m writing a “first gun perspective” review on a firearm that was, in fact, the first gun I ever purchased. This pistol and I have been through a lot. I know many out there would spurn it but she is responsible for the gun nut that I am today.

Enough sappy crap, on to the gun…

Taurus USA (originally Forjas Taurus) has a bit of a funky history. They started out as a tool and die manufacturer in Brazil. For some reason, they started making revolvers, then they were purchased in a roundabout way by Smith & Wesson. Then someone bought them from S&W. During this time, a little company called Beretta was making guns for Brazil’s military. Once their contract was up, they sold their manufacturing plant, machines and a handful of schematics to Forjas Taurus. It was then that they started making the PT92. Although some would argue with me, I hesitate to call it a Beretta 92 clone. The PT92 is manufactured on Beretta machines inside a Beretta factory with Beretta plans. It’s kind of like how generic frosted flakes are often times made in the same factory on the same machines that makes Kellogg Frosted Flakes: they just charge less because the mainstream name isn’t plastered all over it. It’s the same thing here. This gun is exactly like a Beretta 92 except different. Yes, there are a few changes. It doesn’t accept standard Beretta magazines because of some caveat in the original deal and it has an ambidextrous frame safety instead of the slide mounted safety on a Beretta. It’s still 9mm (with a .40 model available). It’s still a Double/Single Action semi-automatic. Did I mention it’s also about $200 cheaper than the Beretta 92FS?

Now, I can’t mention the “T” word without bringing up a bit of controversy. Taurus has a bit of a reputation for spotty consistency. There is a not-insignificant number of stories of some Tauruses (Taurusi?) falling apart while the very next one off the line seems to last forever. Most times I would write off such stories as a “vocal minority” or “problem exists between ground and gun” but in this case, they’re a bit too widespread to ignore. This problem mostly revolves around their own proprietary weapons and not the PT92s, however. That probably stems from the fact that the 92s are built on Beretta machines. In the end, it boils down to: If they break, they break hard and fast (usually within 500 rounds) and their customer service is quick to replace (all Taurus guns have a lifetime replacement warranty). If they don’t break they seem to last forever and function without issues or complaints.

It all boils down to my personal rule: don’t stake your life on a gun until you’ve put at least 500 rounds through it.

So how does this particular gun stand up to the list?

Ease to breakdown

Slide the slide back a little bit, manipulate this funky freaking lock lever on the side which requires that you push a button down the pull a lever while holding the button. Then slide it forward, pull out the spring (being careful not to launch the guide rod across the room…which has NEVER happened to me ever) then remove the barrel and this little linkage thingy from the barrel. I’ll be honest, it’s not the most complicated breakdown in my collection but it’s not exactly a walk in the park either. Those of us with fists of ham will swear a lot with that stinking breakdown lever.

Still, it doesn’t require any tools and I can take it apart and put it together with my eyes closed (seriously, that’s one of my tests). All in all, 4 out of 5.

Maintenance

I just had to go with the action film looking gun. This thing is nickel plated with gold accents. That pretty much limits the cleaning solutions I can use. It also shows carbon and fingerprints like crazy. It takes me 20+ minutes worth of polishing to keep this thing looking pretty and I am OCD when it comes to my guns. Every one of them looks just like it did when I got it home from the store (minus that shipping gunk they smear all over them at the factory). Side note: it seems like Taurus loves to smear this thick, greasy, nasty shipping oil all over their guns and you will NEED to give it an OCD cleaning before taking it to the range for the first time otherwise it won’t work. Period.

Even if my gun was one of the less flashy models, there are a lot of nooks and crannies to scrub out. As a result, this gets a 3.5 out of 5.

Reliability

Having not spent any extended time with Tauruseseses other than mine, I can’t speak for them much. In this particular case, however, I have never had a single problem with this gun. After a couple thousand rounds, it has eaten every bullet I’ve put through it and everything is still tight on this gun.

If there are reliability problems with this particular model, I’m not seeing them. I would think that luck of the draw would have at least given me a bad bullet that would have done something. Definitely worthy of a 5 out of 5 in this case but your mileage may vary.

Safety

There is an ambidextrous safety on the frame that also functions as a de-cocking lever. There’s also a built in locking mechanism that completely disables the gun. This can be activated using a special key (read: weird allen wrench) to manipulate a thingy on the back of the handle. That’s it. The safety disables the trigger and keeps the slide from moving backwards. Classic and mostly effective. It also has a firing pin safety that’s engaged when you activate the safety. This is VERY important because, being a double/single pistol, when it’s cocked and ready the back of firing pin is exposed to the world and just waiting for that hammer…or anything else…to hit it.

You might want to brush up on your trigger discipline and such but you can’t argue with the classics: 4 out of 5 dunce hats.

Poor Technique

When I was starting out, I don’t think I had a shot that wasn’t limp wristed. This is a big gun with a big heavy slide that is certainly going to pick up some slack in your technique. The only thing that suffered from my poor technique starting out was my accuracy. Everything else on this gun functioned fine. That’s worth a good 5 out of 5 dunce hats.

Starter Kit

It came in a cardboard box with a magazine and an instruction manual. You can definitely see where they get some of their cost savings. Call me spoiled but I like to at least see 2 magazines sitting there smiling at me when I open the box. They do have a certificate for a free membership to the NRA, however, so that counts for something I guess.

You get what you pay for though and the sparse starter kit is worth 1 out of 5.

Accessories/Upgrades

Being essentially a Beretta, there are a few things you can do to it. The grips are interchangeable so you can customize that part. It also has a very nicely tooled accessory rail for lights and lasers and such. The “essentially” part has its drawbacks though: The front site is part of the frame but the rear site is replaceable. It can’t accept Beretta magazines so you have to go with Taurus made (read: expensive) or 3rd party manufactured (read: hard-ish to find).

I don’t think you’ll be tricking this gun out but, in all honesty, I’ve never felt a need to either. It pretty much just works the way I want it to right out of the box. 3.5 out of 5.

Final Word

If I knew then what I know now, I’m honestly not sure if I would have bought this gun for my first primary home defense/fun at the range gun. I would certainly still buy one today as it’s a fun freaking gun and always gathers a crowd when I have it out at the range. This is a tough one to come up with the final word on as I know first hand that it’s a pretty decent starter gun. At the same time, there are a lot better starter guns on the market. I think the safest classification is: even though it’s not the best there is, you certainly can’t go wrong with it either especially if your budget is limited. In the end, I think that is the ultimate decider: If you NEED or really, really WANT a gun but you don’t have much cash on hand, the cheap street price and inexpensive 9mm ammo of the PT92 is a no brainer. If you can afford better then why not go for better…as much as it pains me to say so. 4 out of 5.

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