by R.K. Campbell | Contributing Editor
The Taurus PT 111 Millennium G2 is a remarkably clean design, well suited to concealed carry. Note intelligent use of polymer technology in the Taurus frame. The design makes for excellent adhesion. The Taurus slide features a scalloped portion that lightens the slide.
When I think of Taurus I often think of .38 revolvers or the .22s I have used so often in training. The PT 92, clone gun of the Beretta 92, also comes to mind. But Taurus has designed and executed a number of handguns during the past decade that are innovative designs well suited to concealed carry. Among the most interesting of the new offerings from Taurus International is the Millennium G2. The new design and performance of this handgun has led me to believe that this is the best looking and best performing handgun that Taurus makes. In its niche of lightweight compact carry handguns the Millennium Pro is an outstanding handgun. There isn’t anything quite like it and it is well worth your time and effort to compare this handgun to any other in its class.
When it comes to evaluating handguns the value to me isn’t in looks or resale value but how they shoot and handle. The history of the company means something and the ergonomics are important as well, but the firing and accuracy of the handgun matters. I do not casually inspect a handgun, fire a box of ammunition and deem it good enough to ride with. If the handgun is going to be a front line defensive handgun it had best perform.
Some handguns the size of the Millennium Pro are only casually accurate. As an anti-mugger pistol they are OK, but for longer shots across the long hallway or across the parking lot, practical accuracy is lacking. I look to performance in the worst case scenario and do not wish to give up either the reliability or accuracy of the service size pistol.
Practical speed, accuracy and recoil control are diminished in a carry gun and compromised to an extent but the pistol should be as accurate as possible.
The new Taurus pistol meets my expectations.
The light rail of the Millennium isn’t often found on a compact pistol. The light is an NC Star, an inexpensive but effective combat light.
The Millennium Pro G2 (Generation 2) is a polymer-frame, strikerfired, locked-breech pistol. The pistol is just over six inches long and weighs but 22 ounces. It is light enough for comfortable day long carry but heavy enough to moderate the recoil of the 9mm Luger cartridge. The Millennium is supplied with two 12-round magazines.
On that subject, I recommend that the magazines be fully loaded and the slide racked and the pistol loaded.
Loading down one round is a good means of ensuring feed reliability and also lessening wear on the magazine spring. It is asking a lot for a spring to go from full compression to almost no compression and continue to feed, but the Taurus magazines have done so for some 600 rounds.
The new slide design is very attractive, with a dished out section near the muzzle that looks quite rakish. The grips feature several roughened spots that give the shooter excellent purchase when handling and firing. If your hands are cold or sweaty, you will appreciate the adhesion. The trigger action is lighter than expected, at about five pounds, and crisp. There is a second strike feature. If the cartridge doesn’t go bang with the first firing pin strike, the trigger may be pressed again. The trigger is set by racking the slide and after that by the slide’s reciprocating action during recoil. If there is a dead fall and the slide doesn’t reset the striker, the subsequent trigger press is much heavier at about nine pounds. The only true second strike I like is a revolver.
Press the trigger again and a fresh round is brought up. But in the case of the self-loader you are striking the same primer again. In my experience most of the time dud rounds stay that way. On the other hand, striker fired handguns do sometimes give light strikes, particularly if not maintained.
This handgun never failed to crack off factory rounds or handloads. The second strike harms nothing but practice clearing a dud round as well and master immediate action drills.
The author’s Sideguard inside the waistband holster is among the best designed
and executed holsters the author has used in some time.
The sights of the Taurus pistol are particularly good examples of low profile sights that give a good sight picture. I feel that a compact handgun needs good sights as much as any other handgun—perhaps more so. The short sight radius of a compact handgun makes for greater chance of misalignment when firing. A set of bumps on the slide just do not make the grade. The Taurus Millennium Pro G2 has good sights. They are adjustable to an extent, although I did not adjust the sights. The point of aim and point of impact agreed with the majority of loads so the piece was left as issued. The pistol features a positive firing pin block or drop safety and the Taurus Security System that allows the pistol to be locked securely with a TSS key. From the muzzle to the tang the pistol is free of sharp edges. The grip is smooth and the muzzle and slide are as smooth as possible. This makes for greater comfort in carrying the pistol and less danger of the pistol printing its outline on the covering garments.
An important feature that I like very much is the manual thumb safety.
I realize that double action only pistols without a safety are popular but also feel that the lack of a safety tends to abrogate many of the advantages of the self-loading pistol. The safety falls under the thumb easily and results in no loss of speed on the draw. This is an advantage in safety and handling and perhaps even a life saving feature if the gun falls into the wrong hands.
The safety is positive with strong indent. A self loading pistol needs a safety. The slide lock and the magazine latch are well designed for rapid manipulation. No complaints there.
Another advantage: the Taurus Millennium G 2 lists for just $349.
That is inexpensive and a rule beater in today’s market. Yet the pistol outshoots many of its competitors.
I mentioned the 12-round magazines.
The pistol feels good in the hand despite the added girth of a high capacity magazine, but the polymer frame’s design results in very little greater size than the typical single column magazine 9mm pistol. Anyone that is able to handle the Smith and Wesson Shield or the Kahr K 9 should find the handle size of the Taurus comfortable as well. But, unlike these two pistols, the Taurus features a light rail. I am not big on carrying a gun with the mounted light on my person but I like a handgun with a light rail beside the bed. With the Taurus you have the choice. The Taurus is more like a compact service pistol than a hide out gun and it shoots like a service pistol.
The firing tests were pleasant.
The size and weight of the gun are ideal for the 9mm Luger cartridge. The pistol is comfortable to fire and use.
The polymer frame gives a bit in recoil and the dual wound recoil spring is designed to handle recoil and limit slide velocity. The pistol is more comfortable to fire than most compact pistols. Rapid follow-up shots are not a problem. The combination of a fairly light trigger compression, ergonomic grips and good sights makes for excellent practical accuracy. An accomplished shooter would be well able to defend themselves to at least 25 yards. You do not have to fire expensive premium defense loads for practice and the Taurus has fired a few hundred inexpensive ball loads. The Black Hills remanufactured line offers real value and good accuracy. A paper target doesn’t know if it has been hit with a FMJ or a JHP bullet! I also used a number of handloads put up with the Oregon Trail 122-grain lead flat point and enough WW 231 for 890 fps. Function was good and recoil light.
The 9mm is dependent upon expanding ammunition for wound potential. There is no shortage of modern JHP loads for the 9mm Luger.
Among the loads tested in the Taurus were the Black Hills 124-grain JHP and the Black Hills 115-grain EXP.
Neither is rated +P. The 124-grain JHP is a good choice for those favoring greater penetration. The 115-grain EXP (Extra Power) is loaded as hot as possible without venturing into +P territory. The EXP expands well and should prove a good choice for personal defense. A good service load with an excellent reputation is available to all shooters in the form of the Winchester 124-grain JHP +P. This load demonstrated a full powder burn and good accuracy. It is a bit snappier in recoil but recoil is no problem with the Millennium. Just the same—you get the performance you pay for.
An inside-the-waistband holster rides between the trousers and the body, allowing the pistol to be concealed with only a light covering garment. During the past few years I have used the Sideguard line of concealment holsters with excellent results. These holsters are custom quality from a respected maker, cut and stitched one at a time. The tanning and finish are excellent and, most important, the molding for each individual handgun is first class. I like these holsters a great deal. The Sideguard IWB allows the pistol to be carried at a good draw angle, ready for action, but with a good mix of access and retention. That is all we can ask.
The Taurus PT 111 Millennium G2 is a handgun that has earned my respect. I often deploy mine when weather and local mores demand discreet concealed carry. The pistol has proven reliable, suitable for concealed carry, more than accurate enough to solve most problems, and it handles and carries like a great concealed carry handgun should. It is worth your time to take a hard look at this pistol.
