I fell in love when I was 18. Back then, about 95 years ago, I was dating a guy who from time to time would get together with his brother. They’d gather up a couple shotguns, rifles and handguns and head out to a place in the country to target practice. Being the dutiful girlfriend, I tagged along at first. Till they let me shoot. Then I went because I wanted my turn as well. I was fortunate, they were all for it. Didn’t matter who the gun belonged to, if I wanted to try it, they handed it over. That’s how I came to shoot a Taurus for the first time. I loved how it felt in my hand, I loved how I could shoot it, and the results I got. Taurus, my first love……
That love has stayed true lo these many years. The first handgun I ever bought of my own was a Taurus .357 stainless. A teammate of mine spent a lot of time at a gunshop and when I was trying to make that big step forward of buying my first handgun he acted as a sounding board for me, a matchmaker of sorts. He must have been very good at it, I still have “Maggie”.
As time went by, others came to join her. My favorites were from what was jokingly called “The Vogel Line”. A line of blue (almost black, so dark was the bluing) with pearl grips and gold triggers. The pistols came with the loaded chamber indicator. Sweet guns, they shoot very nicely. Like many women, I’m not immune to pretty in handguns, horses and dogs.
I began to hear rumors of Taurus standards going downhill a few years ago. But I didn’t believe it, not TAURUS!
Then I got a Taurus TCP, in pink no less. I guess I just felt I really should have a least one pink gun. Especially since the one I found was a sort of pink flamingo pink. Pink flamingo pink and hot pink are the best. I know some women think pink guns for girls are silly. I look at it like this, if a pink gun will encourage a woman to take up shooting and consider carrying for self-defense. Awesome. I already did. I am secure enough in myself that if I want a pink gun, I’ll get it. If I don’t I won’t. I have nothing to prove. But the Taurus TCP was my first bad experience. It came with the lifetime warranty, luckily for me. It’s been to the factory for repair three times for the magazine release. Which is again wonky, but I won’t send it back again. I understand the Taurus warranty now is only for a year.
That lead to me looking for a new carry gun. I got a Taurus Spectrum. It’s a .380 that fits my hand wonderfully. It’s easy to hide, shoots very nice and this one came with a laser already mounted on it. It was brand new in the box. Love……ah.
Until a couple weeks ago. I was at the barn doing chores and a possum came up out of the floor. I didn’t have my shotgun with me, but I did have the Spectrum. I shot the possum and finished chores. My horse is such a hoot. I shot once and he stopped eating, I ran around to the other side to get another shot because it’s a possum, like liberal snowflakes they act like they are dying when they aren’t. I shot again and my horse must have thought, “eh, it’s Mom she’s got this taken care of”, and he went back to eating.
Later that night I cleaned the Spectrum. It has a recoil spring that has been possessed by the spirits of the Demoncratic party. It is dang near impossible to get back in. The end of the spring isn’t tightly coiled like every other recoil spring I’ve ever seen, it’s loose like the rest of the spring. Which means when you try to put the recoil rod back in, the end of the spring crawls out the hole for the recoil rod. To my everlasting embarrassment, I will admit after 30 minutes of trying to put this gun back together my thumb slipped and the recoil spring recoiled itself and launched itself into the hinterlands of my parlour and has not been seen again. And I mean after some serious looking. As in cushions out of the couch, in the potted plants and flashlight looking. Ok, I’ll call Taurus and buy another one.
So the next day coffee at hand, I call Taurus. I finally get a live human on the phone and explain the dilemma. She comments that there is definitely a trick to getting that recoil spring in she’s heard. Yes, they’ll send me another one. When they are back in stock. WHAT?? When will that be? They don’t know, but they do get shipments every month. Will it be in the next month’s shipment? They don’t know. Basically they have no clue when recoil springs will be available.
I took the slide, barrel and recoil rod to the hardware store and bought three possible springs to try, since launching a spring in the store didn’t appeal to me. The best choice spring managed to fire two rounds before it wouldn’t fully load cartridge number 3 in the chamber. So, no success on replacement from the hardware store yet. I may try again though next time I can get up that way to shop.
But here’s my thoughts. I’m blessed, I have other guns I can carry. But what about the poor single woman, maybe a single Mom with kids that only has one carry gun and it’s a Taurus Spectrum. Now she is left defenseless because a gun marketed for concealed carry is an expensive paperweight. Great contours, but still, a paperweight for an indefinite amount of time. This is something I actually think is irresponsible. You know the gun is a P.I.T.A. to put back together. You say there’s a “trick” to reassembling it? How’s about you do what you used to do? Make great guns that don’t require a “trick” to reassemble? Second, parts? You are selling a concealed carry gun for which required parts are not available? It’s not like I wanted green grips, it won’t shoot without the dang spring.
When the nice lady told me “no clue” on the spring, the second thing that went through my mind was “Oh, so this is what it’s like when the government starts to control the gun parts that can come into the country. You may have the gun, but it can be rendered useless in about a two second spring launch”.
And that was when I came to the decision it was time to break up. Yes, it’s hard after so many years, but perhaps in time I will find another brand I love as much as I used to love Taurus. But it will take a heck of a gun to win my heart this time around. Just don’t say Glock, while I loved Gunny, I shoot like crap with those. Nor would I be inclined to lock it up under my bed. But that’s just me.
Agreed on the decline in quality. But Rossi guns are a step down. Guess who owns Rossi? Those poor customers…
I have a little experience with my wife and female friends shooting my full-sized Glock 21 in .45 ACP. When I shoot it, it drops all the empties in a nice little pile over my right shoulder. When they shoot it, they go all over, including off the forehead, down the shirt, and off to the left. The Model 21 is simply a gun made for large man-hands. While I wasn’t concerned they could shoot it safely; if you don’t or can’t maintain a solid grip, the momentum of that massive slide dictates the guns movement. I would recommend a different model for purchase and carry, they only shot it because (A) it was there at the range and (B) they wanted to. I demonstrated it first to make sure they understood how it reacted. They all did well with it. I DESPISE those videos where the dude gives his petite girlfriend a 12 gauge or S&W .50 caliber handgun, and then videos the hilarity of her shooting it. So sad to make that stupidity a female’s first shooting experience.
I despise those idiots too. Along the same lines is giving a kid a 30.06 to shoot for the first time.
I agree with the handing a woman or girl a gun and hoping to get her hurt or embarrassed. Not funny, not cute, not humane.
Sheila, nice to see you again. I have a Taurus Millennium G2, that I have had for a couple of years now, and it has never given me a bit of trouble. But that is how it goes, right? A gun either works or it doesn’t, there seems to be no in between.
The thing is, I just bought a new carry gun. Not because I dislike the Taurus, but because I just wanted to.
I had shot my daughter’s Ruger SR 22, and it impressed me, with it’s accuracy, and how it fit my hand. When I saw a now discontinued Ruger SR 9C on sale for 259$, with free shipping, I bought it. I have to say, I have not shot it yet, but it is a nice gun, built like most Rugers, like a tank, but actually, light weight. My wife, who hates guns, actually held it and said it felt nice. That is saying something.
I have heard something about the TCP not being a good gun, I think from my ex brother in law. My son told me that he had to send his back twice. And I have heard that customer service is hit or miss from several gun manufactures, Taurus being one of them.
The thing is, over the past 10 years or so, that I have been carrying a gun, I have owned a few of them. Maybe 8-10. And of all of them, I have only had a misfire from one center fire handgun, my Taurus G2, which hit the cartridge, but it didn’t go off. I took it out, looked at it, and tried it again, an no fire again. So I blamed it on the primer. And I have had one bad round out of my Ruger Mark IV, 22/45.
I don’t like Glocks, either, and I know that many millions of people carry them everyday. But I just could never get over not having a manual safety on a striker fired gun. I have shot them, and they shoot fine, I just don’t like them.
I hope that they get things sorted out at Taurus, and you get your spring. One thing you might check, is Wolfe springs. I don’t know how much it would cost, or if they even would have one, but it is worth a shot.
Thanks all! I plan to call Wolff tomorrow. I’m hoping. The Spectrum fits nice, shoots nice, is an expensive paperweight.
Glock, I don’t know what my problem is! But it is SO pronounced I was at a Open House for a gunshop one time and you could try different models of guns out back. I tried a Glock. The guy running the range that day was the man who had taught my Concealed carry class, so he knew me. He watched me shoot the Glock. After one clip he took it back, looked at me, shook his head and said “no”. Stick to your Taurus, you’ll live longer, they won’t. He wasn’t being snotty, and it was funny. It’s just something about the shape.
A few years ago I had the chance to shoot a Smith & Wesson 500. That was a trip, the guy that owned it stood behind me while I shot. He never said anything but he figured if I went backwards at least I wouldn’t have to hit the ground. While it wouldn’t be my first choice in a handgun, I did hit the target, I did hold my stance and it was amazing.
I’ve been very blessed, the people I’ve shot with so far in my many years have been kind, and not the sort of jerks that do those youtube videos.
A girl that was in my Hebrew class for awhile had someone try to break in, she decided she wanted a gun. I encouraged her. She was going to get one. Then a friend had a friend who was an Army Ranger (this is NOTHING against Army Rangers) who would teach her how to shoot. Sigh…..the next time she came to class she had decided no. Apparently he taught her Army style and yelled at her when she took too long to acquire her sight picture, or to pull the trigger, or flinched, or…..then he’d yell at her she would be dead. I asked her to let me find her and instructor, but she wasn’t interested. That’s no way to teach a beginner. That saddened me for a lot of reasons. Her safety being at the top.
Sheila,
I was just talking with my wife today about my high school Algebra teacher. She was a 4.0 student all through college, but she was a terrible high school math teacher. She just didn’t understand how some of us could not understand some of the concepts of advanced Algebra.
I think that it could be a lot like that with some former highly trained military personnel. They have shot so much that it is almost like blinking to them, it is automatic. And they cannot understand just how a non shooter could have trouble learning how to shoot. Combine that with an A type of personality, which many of those in the most elite special forces possess, and you get someone who can do it, but cannot teach it.
I actually think that is part of the problem that some of our police forces have seen, when they hire former military personnel,who have perhaps deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan a couple of times. Then when they get out of the military, and get a job on a police force, it is hard for them mentally, to switch from the rules of engagement that they had in the middle east, and change their mindset to the rules of engagement at home on the streets of their city.
While I am being critical, I also do understand. I appreciate all of our military personnel, who volunteer to serve, they are not drafted. That still doesn’t change the fact that at times, I think that some, of course not all, of those police who have served in combat can have trouble separating from the battle field and the streets of America. And while the job of a police officer may be difficult, not everyone is suited for the job. And perhaps most military personnel are able to make the transition from soldier to cop, but those who are unable to do so, are those who we hear about on television, shooting an unarmed person, over a misunderstanding, or while the person is not a threat.
As far as recoil, I had a P 64, it is a copy of a Walther PPK, only in 9mm Makarov. Being a straight blowback, it kicks like a rented mule. I had a 1911 for a year or so, and the P 64 kicked significantly harder. I ended up selling it, due to financial reasons. Now, since I have so much 9mm ammo, that is the caliber that I decided to stick with. And while .45 acp might be a bit harder hitting, with more momentum, I think that I am armed just fine, with good ammo, and practicing with it so that I feel capable with it.
One thing that I do wish I had when I was growing up is a dad who was into the shooting sports. My dad hunted white tail deer here in Michigan, but that was it. He had couple shotguns a rifles,but never was into handguns. And as a result, I had to start from scratch, as an adult. And learn it on my own, by reading tons of gun magazines, and later on, from the internet. Thankfully, there are so very many good writers out there, that I was able to learn just from their articles, until I was able to some training,and practice with my own guns. The more I learn, it seems like the more I get a desire to simplify. I will stick with my striker fired guns for now, but I will keep my eyes open for either a revolver, that I like, or a true double action, hammer fired pistol. My son has the one I like. A CZ 2075 Rami, it not only is accurate, but it is of course, very well built, and a very nice gun.
The first pistol I purchased as a young man was a Taurus S&W clone revolver, 38C, wish I still had it, then I went to a 9mm Taurus Beretta cone, both very good guns. But a gunsmith recently told me the new Taurus’s are the guns people are having the most problems with in the “name” brands now a days, so I wouldn’t go that direction now.
I’m a Glock fan and there are many models so I would not judge them all by just shooting one or a few of their models. I find the G19 and G26 (with extended mag) fit my grip the best, my son wife lovers her G42 and he his G43 (I found the G43 small for my grip).
My better half loves her 380 Sig and I have to admit I’ve never met a Sig I didn’t like.
IMHO find a range that rents pistols and have at it but understand with any brand that sell many different models, each model should be judge for itself.
IMHO find a range that rents pistols and have at it but understand with any brand that sell many different models, each model should be judge for itself.
Oh now there is a good idea! There is one about an hour away that used to do that! I may see if they still do!
Thanks!
Check out Recoil Gunworks and AIM Surplus for police trade-ins. I have been lucky finding good guns, often carried, rarely shot on both. Metal SIGS and Smiths, hammer fired and reliable at a great cost. I know you don’t care for Glocks, but I found a Glock 23 owned by a Captain of a Sheriff’s Department in Virginia. It was immaculate, had the department badge lasered on the slide, I had the privilege of talking with the Captain (I was a deputy Sheriff in Maryland) and paid $300 for a gun that would cost me $500+ new. Police trade-in revolvers, Smith and Ruger, go very fast…
* I have a degree in Professional Gunsmithing. (Just threw that in so you don’t think I’m F.O.S.) it is my experience that hardware store springs may work for some applications, recoil spring is one where they’re guaranteed to fail. I second the motion on Wolff.
* In your search for that EDC piece, don’t ignore Steyr’s S series. I have had my S9 since ’04 and I like it.