Exploring the New Taurus PT24/7

Considering the plethora of Browning-design clones, the forecast that this gun will be widely copied is not a modest one. Nor is the claim without merit. Taurus researched and engineered the 24/7 nearly five years before settling on a combination of features and enhancements never previously offered in their defensive handguns. Eliminated is a bushing. Instead, the barrel is flared slightly at the muzzle for improved reliability and accuracy.

The ejector has been tuned and the ejection port lowered as it would be in a match-prepared M1911. Spent brass is kicked out more sideways than upward and always clears the slide. Ared tab sticks out prominently when alive round is in the chamber. A one-piece guide rod and computer-designed spring assembly make for easy basic take-down and reassembly, while helping to keep the slide moving smoothly. The trigger pull is silky for a double-action-only pistol, with minimal takeup and a clean break.

Ergonomically, the attention to detail with the 24/7 is outstanding. There are memory pads, or indentations, in the frame so fingers are positioned automatically for a repeatable grip, and the oversize molded-rubber Eliminated or altered are components that would tend to detract from reliability and accuracy. grip itself is married permanently to the polymer frame. This is a Taurus exclusive, by the way.

Front and rear sights are user interchangeable, with no gunsmithing required. (Boo!) Unlike the Taurus PT111 (see the January 2001 issue), the PT24/7 can be completely taken down and serviced by a practicing gunsmith. (Hooray!) Field Stripping You’re wearing eye protection, the magazine is out, and the chamber is empty. The 24/7 is the newest in the Millennium Pro line. Some models of these pistols may have a disassembly pin instead of a disassembly latch.

In such cases, basic takedown instructions differ only slightly. Pull the slide to the rear, locking it open by moving the slide-stop lever (#4.12) upward. Rotate the disassembly latch (#4.3) toward the muzzle until it stops. (On models with the disassembly pin, use the Taurus security-system key to start the disassembly pin out from the right side of the frame.) Depress the slide stop. Ease the slide forward a little. Nudging the latch (or pin) out further at this time sets it up for easy removal.

Retract the slide again and engage the slide stop. Pull the trigger hard. Control the slide, depress the slide stop, release the trigger, and move the slide forward off the frame. If the slide sticks, pull hard on the trigger as you pull on the slide. Another cause for sticking occurs when the barrel is tilted upward and remains positioned to the rear. If that happens, push the muzzle against the palm of one hand while pushing the slide forward simultaneously with the other hand. Invert

the slide. Compress the recoil-spring assembly, and lift it free followed by the barrel. If desired at this time, both front and rear sights (#1.3 and #1.4) can be removed with a properly fitting screwdriver. A jeweler’s type would be about right, but it may not be husky enough to turn the screws. In that case, you’ll have to grind down a thicker blade with a sturdier shaft. Detailed Disassembly of the Slide Without applying excessive pressure, secure the slide upside down between protective vise jaws.

Use a 3/32-inch punch to drive the extractor pin (#1.7) out through the top of the slide. Watch your step; when the pin is gone, the extractor (#1.5), extractor spring (#1.6), firing-pin block (#1.16), and spring (#1.17) will be freed up. But attached to the extractor are the loaded chamber indicator (#1.8), its spring (#1.9), and a really small detent ball—all of which can depart the bench area when the slide is removed from the vise. Insert a small screwdriver under the slide cap (#1.15). Raise it up toward you.

The 3/32-inch punch is used Like all pins in the PT24/7, they are tight. again to reach in through the firing-pin retainer (#1.14) to compress the guide (#1.10). Withdraw the punch sufficiently to allow you to lift the retainer upward, and place a finger over the rear of the slide as you clear the retainer from the firing-pin tunnel opening in the slide. Control the assembly (#1.13); it will be pushed out to the rear by its spring and could easily find a dark corner to hide in if you don’t.

What remains in the slide is the guts of the security system, and that is left alone. Detailed Disassembly of the Frame Before you begin, the manual safety (#4.23) must be "on." This will prevent loss of the safety-spring ball (#4.25). That loss having been avoided, drift out both grip pins (#5.2), and separate the frame from the integral molded grip. Like most pins and screws in the 24/7, these are tight installations. Start them with a short punch and support the frame between two blocks of wood.

If you lack a parallel punch, meaning unta pered, to drive the pins all the way out, cut off apiece of drill rod the same diameter as your starter punch but long enough to get the job done. Now snap the safety down and remove it from the frame. Lift the ball from the top of the spring (#4.24) and fish out the spring. Carefully lift free the slide-catch spring (#4.13) and the slide catch (#4.12). The trigger pin (#4.17) has ahead on its left end. Use the 3/32-inch punch to push it out from the opposite end.

Slightly pull the trigger (#4.14), press down on the trigger bar (#4.10), and then wiggle it fore and aft until the bar and trigger separate. Set the trigger assembly aside. Push out the frame bushings (#4.2) with an appropriate diameter punch. Remove the central support (#4.26). There are four small pins remaining to be dealt with. Two of them (#4.5 and #4.6) are trigger-bar ramp pins. One of those (#4.6) is a roll pin. The other two (#4.8 and #4.9) are ejector pins, and one of those (#4.9) is a roll pin.

All four of these small pins are fit very, very tightly in the frame. They are difficult to remove and my recommendation is to have extras on hand in case of damage. You’ll need a 1/16-inch-diameter starter punch, a longer 1/16-inch-diameter punch, and a 1/16-inch-diameter roll punch. Get the pins moving inward with the starter punch and, depending on the type of pin, finish up with the longer punches. As I have often suggested in past articles, do

Assembly Taurus Model PT24/7 Semi-Automatic Pistol 1.2 Rear/Front Sight Screw 1.3 Front Sight Assembly (Specificationssubjectto 1.4 Rear Sight Assembly changewithoutnotice) 1.5 Extractor 1.6 Extractor Spring 1.7 Extractor Pin 1.8 Loaded Chamber Indicator 1.9 Loaded Chamber Ind.

Spring 1.10 Firing Pin Guide 1.11 Firing Pin Return Spring 1.12 Firing Pin 1.13 Firing Pin Spring Assembly 1.14 Firing Pin Retainer 1.15 Slide Cap 1.16 Firing Pin Lock 1.17 Firing Pin Lock Spring 1.18 Key Lock 1.19 Key Lock Spring 1.20 Key Lock Ball 1.21 Key Lock Pin 1 Slide 1.1 Slide 2 Barrel 3 Captive Recoil Spring Assembly 4 Frame Assembly 4.1 Frame 4.2 Frame Bushing 4.3 Disassembly Latch 4.4 Trigger Bar Ramp 4.5 Trigger Bar Ramp/Ejector Pin 4.6 Trigger Bar Ramp/ Ejector Pin-Elastic 4.7 Ejector 4.8 Ejector Pin 4.9 Ejector Pin-Elastic 4.10 Trigger Bar Assembly 4.11 Trigger Bar Pin 4.12 Slide Catch 4.13 Slide Catch Spring 4.14 Trigger 4.15 Trigger Safety 4.16 Trigger Spring 4.17 Trigger Pin 4.18 Trigger Support 5.1 Grip 4.19 Trigger Lock Pin 5.2 Grip Pin 4.20 Trigger Support Spring 5.3 Magazine Release 4.21 Slide Retainer 5.4 Magazine Release Spring 4.22 Slide Retainer Spring 6 Magazine Assembly 4.23 Manual Safety (optional) 6.1 Magazine Body 4.24 Manual Safety Spring (opt.) 6.2 Follower 4.25 Man.

Safety Spg. Ball (opt.) 6.3 Magazine Spring 4.26 Central Support 6.4 Magazine Spring Plate 5 Grip Assembly 6.5 Magazine Bottom not totally remove the roll pins; allow them to partially remain in the frame but clear of the part to which they relate. In this manner, you will still be able to take out the ejector (#4.7), slide retainer (#4.21), its spring (#4.22), the trigger-bar ramp (#4.4), and you’ll create fewer problems for yourself when reinstalling the roll pins.

Detailed Disassembly of the Trigger Assembly If it isn’t necessary to replace a damaged part, don’t disassemble the trigger assembly. Reassembly is very complicated. I’ll get into the associated headaches of that process later on. The trigger-lock pin (#4.19) has ahead on one end. You’ll need a

" The Taurus security-system pin is located at "B" and should not be removed from the slide. fresh one to put the assembly back together. After you start the pin out from the end opposite the head, you’re going to chop off the head with a cutting wheel chucked into a Dremel tool. That done, and with the remainder of the pin removed, the trigger (#4.14) and its support (#4.18) can be parted. There’s another tiny spring (#4.20) located between the support and trigger.

Remember that spring; it will have to be held in position by a dab of grease placed in the spring’s trigger-support hole during reassembly. Also remember that the trigger safety (#4.15) wears a hook that sits atop the trigger bar. Reassembly will require the use of protected vise jaws and parallel smooth-jaw pliers (from Brownells). You have to put pressure on the spring, align the trigger bar and the support, and keep everything aligned with a punch when reinstalling the assembly pins from the opposite side