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New Taurus PT840 problem

sohigh1
I recently bought a new PT840. Love most everything about this gun. And, let me say right off the top that if you are a Taurus hater, and if the answer to my question is going to be, "Well, the problem is that it's a Taurus..." take is somewhere else. Not interested. I want to know a solution, the real reason for this problem.

Several times since I bought it, while shooting the gun, the slide locks bck in the open position. A simple move of the slide lock lever down lets me resume shooting, but I would not want this to happen in the case of really needing the gun for protection.

I have run less than 200 rounds through it. Everything else works wonderfully.

Any answers?
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Comments

9 comments

Date Votes
  • slamin
    this may sound to simple but,make sure your thumb or any part of the way you grip the gun is not locking it,by accident.
    it happens alot on all brands.
    or your mag could be sticky and not pushing the round all the way up.causing the gun to think its empty and lock back.
    OR put a few hundred more rounds thru it to break it all in.
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  • ruger41
    Is it possible you are accidently hitting the lever? That has been known to happen to people. Some bullet shapes can also cause the lever to lock while firing because they bump the lever. Also under recoil you could have ammo moving forward just enough in the magazine to engage the lever. Try a different brand of ammo first and watch where you are putting your fingers as you fire--you MAY have to file a little of the slide stop or put a dimple on the inside of the lever to avoid contact with bullet noses if it is making contact with the bullets. If that fails send it back to Taurus-it has a lifetime warranty.
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  • sohigh1
    I wondered about me being the cause. I was trying to be concious about where my thumb was. I guess I need to try it again to make sure I am not causing it. Hmm, sounds like a reason to tell the wife I need to go buy some more ammo...

    The tolerance on the slide lock is very tight. It does not take much movement to put the slide lock into the locked position. If there needs to be filing of a dimple, someone else will be doing that. I am NOT a gunsmith.

    Thanks for your replies.
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  • 62fuelie
    Taurus is usually very customer friendly and will try to work with you to find a solution. Many shooters of the 1911 who have an extended slide lock "ride" the latch with their thumb actually holding the latch down. The problem with this is it allows you to shoot the weapon dry with no lock-back on empty. Put another few hundred rounds thru the weapon to see if it wears in. Most shooters who are going to carry for serious social purposes put several hundred rounds down range before being comfortable carrying in the field.
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  • tsr1965
    Could be as simple as the suggestions above, or it could be as simple as a magazine. Don't count on the customer service too much, as they are swamped with warranty calls. They will eventually get your pistol looked at.
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  • fastcarsgofast
    If you didn't want to hear that the problem is that it is a Taurus then you shouldn't have bought it.[}:)]

    You could always try using their warranty service. Good luck.
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  • CS8161
    quote:Originally posted by fastcarsgofast
    If you didn't want to hear that the problem is that it is a Taurus then you shouldn't have bought it.[}:)]

    You could always try using their warranty service. Good luck.


    Dang...that was cold blooded![:0]
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  • sohigh1
    quote:Originally posted by fastcarsgofast
    If you didn't want to hear that the problem is that it is a Taurus then you shouldn't have bought it.[}:)]



    I have owned a Taurus PT111 9mm for most of a decade. Never had a jam, never had a single problem with that gun. Just a wonderful piece.
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  • fastcarsgofast
    quote:Originally posted by sohigh1
    quote:Originally posted by fastcarsgofast
    If you didn't want to hear that the problem is that it is a Taurus then you shouldn't have bought it.[}:)]



    I have owned a Taurus PT111 9mm for most of a decade. Never had a jam, never had a single problem with that gun. Just a wonderful piece.
    But their quality control has gone down hill. Like most companies that start out with good product at a fair price they learned that cutting corners would give them a larger profit margin and largely rely on the loyalty of old customers who remember them from the good old days. They got me once with one of their new products, never again.
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