Everyday Carry
By Robb Manning
Review: Taurus PT111 Millennium G2
When most people think of brazil, they think of beautiful swimsuit models and gorgeous, sun kissed beaches. Us gun geeks think of Taurus. In 2013 Taurus has designated several of their handguns for part of their “Carry On” series of concealed carry firearms. For that new lineup Taurus has re-worked their sub-compact PT111 Millennium Pro, into what is now the Millennium G2.
That re-working has turned into the best looking gun that Taurus makes, as well as the best shooting Taurus semi-auto that I have shot. There is a world of difference between the Millennium Pro and the G2, and all for the better. The Millennium G2 comes in two models, the PT111 in 9mm, and the PT140 in .40 S&W. This review is for the PT111. It’s a striker-fired Single Action/Double Action polymer-framed semi-automatic.
It weighs 22 ounces, has a 3.2 inch barrel with an overall length of 6.24 inches and a height of 5.0 inches, with a magazine inserted.
The Millennium G2 comes with two 12-round magazines, which is enough to get you out of pretty much any self-defense situation. It’s very shootable, and at this size it handles the 9mm well. The trigger pull is 9 lbs on DA, and 5 lbs on SA. It’s a really good trigger that is better than a lot of its peers that are twice the price. Mine had no grit at all, and was very clean in the take-up with a near-crisp break.
It has several features that I really like in a pistol. First, is the repeat strike capabilities. If you pull the trigger and for whatever reason the gun doesn’t go boom -- usually a primer issue -- you can pull the trigger again. I also like this feature when doing dry-firing training with a laser Trainer. Second, there is no magazine disconnect, so you can shoot the firearm with no magazine in the well. In more practical terms -- you can shoot it if the magazine is in, but not seated all the way. Third, it has adjustable sights, even though they’re still low profile.
 |
 |
Taurus incorporates five safeties into the Millennium G2. It has a trigger safety which prevents the trigger bar from moving to the rear unless a finger is on the trigger and it is pulled to the rear. It has a manual thumb safety. It has a loaded chamber indicator on the top of the slide that protrudes when a round is chambered. It also has an internal firing pin block, which ensures the firing pin cannot contact the primer unless the trigger is all the way to the rear. Finally, it has the Taurus Security System (TSS), which is a lock built into the side which you engage with the included TSS key.
Externally, there’s a lot of details that I really like. First off, is the grip texture. It’s very aggressive, like rough-grit sandpaper, yet it’s not uncomfortable after sending a lot of rounds downrange. I really feel like this gun is going to stay in my hand and not slip out. I place the texture of this grip solidly in my top three handgun grips, along with the Glock Gen4 and the FN 5.7.
Second, is the rounded back end of the gun. Instead of the back being squared off, with the beavertail protruding, the PT111 is round. If you’re looking at it from the top down, it looks like the stern of a ship. This really helps in preventing it from printing against your shirt when you’re carrying.
Third, I really like the thumb memory pad along the frame. It serves as an excellent reference point to ensure both hands are in the same place every time. On other handguns my thumb will normally reference on the slide release or takedown lever. But I like that the PT111 has a reference point that’s built in.
When I first got this handgun in for testing, I pulled it out of its box to get a feel for it. I really liked the feel of it -- it felt great, and it felt of really good quality. So the next thing, I took it to the range, where it performed perfectly. So, as I sat down to write this article, I pulled up their webpage to look at the MSRP, and forgetting that it is a Taurus -- primarily known for producing affordable guns -- and was pleasantly surprised to see an MSRP of $349. In forgetting it was a Taurus, I was expecting a price tag of around $450-500. It looks and feels like it should be in that price range.
Something else about the Taurus, they offer an unlimited lifetime repair policy. It doesn’t matter if it’s the original owner or the fifteenth owner, the policy is for the gun, not the owner. If you have a Taurus that needs to be fixed, they’ll fix it.
With all the praise I have for the Millennium G2, I did fine one minor issue with the one I was provided for testing. When I thumb the safety on, it sometimes hangs up at the point where the frame meets the slide. It doesn’t happen when you take the safety off, so it’s a non-issue if you have to use it for self-defense. So it’s really more of an annoyance than a safety-concern.
In sum, I think that the PT111 Millennium G2 is an excellent pistol, especially at the MSRP of $349. This gun has single-handily made me into a Taurus fan. If you haven’t shot a Taurus before, or if it’s been awhile, I would recommend giving this one a try -- I think Taurus has made an excellent carry gun, and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. It’s a gun that anyone will be happy with, no matter what level of gun ownership you’re at. It is definitely not a gun you would only be happy with if you were “looking for a gun at under $350.” I own carry guns of all makes and models, from low-end to high-end, and I can say without hesitation that the Millennium G2 has earned a place by my side.