Taurus PT-22 Carry Options

[BlueEagle]

EDIT: Problem solved. Skip to the top of page two for the resolution.

First things first; lets NOT, (repeat: NOT,) get into the debate about which caliber is best for self defense. This is NOT what this is about.

In addition, lets NOT, (repeat: NOT,) get into the "Taurus sucks because my uncles cousin bought one that shot bubbles one time" type debates. Again, not the point.

My real question here is about the safety of carrying a rimfire pistol with a round in the chamber. Specifically, the PT-22 from Taurus. It is the same design as their PT-25 as far as I know, which is targeted towards self-defense-ish purposes, so I'm thinking that it should be ok, but I'm just looking for verification.

The background to this is that my girlfriend will be getting her concealed carry permit soon, and until we get around to purchasing her a nice little .38, (pink grips required, of course,) she will probably be carrying her PT-22. The reason we went with the PT-22 originally was because of the tip-up barrel; her hands have a hard time with racking the slide on ANYTHING. (Lets skip the "auto versus revolver" debate too.) She has weak hands/wrists, so anything with lots of recoil or stiff operation is difficult.

But with the PT-22, she can load and fire her own weapon, which is obviously good for her. So, until we can get a nice little revolver, what is the general consensus on carry conditions for the PT-22? My thought was to carry it with a round in the chamber, safety on; she can hit the thumb safety easily enough on the draw, it shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks for the help; I've been racking my brain on this one, not coming up with much.

 

[geronimojoe85]

I'm not too familiar with this model, but I don't belive that there's any issue as far as safety is concerned. But I understand your concern, you want to be damn sure it's 100% safe.

How will she be carrying it? In the waistband, in the pocket, in a purse? Any way it's carried make sure it's in a good holster.

 

[BlueEagle]

She works at a rubber plant in Louisville as a quality control chemist. Firearms are forbidden on company property, and I can actually understand it this time. An accidental discharge at the wrong time could trigger an explosion that would cover the entirety of Louisville with a cloud of toxic gas. (This is generally considered a worst-case-scenario, and also how most zombie epidemics in our area start.)

So, most of the time it will be living in her car, (they have a well-lit parking lot with a guard shack,) so that just in case of flat tire, needs gas, etc etc...she has to pass through a..."rugged" neighborhood to get to work, and I don't want her unarmed and not driving at the same time.

So, it will probably be in your typical belt/IWB holster in the center console most of the time, to be tucked into the waistband or behind the belt when/if she has to stop and get out of the car for whatever reason.

 

[indykid]

She really doesn't have a choice if that is the pistol she wants to carry. She must carry with one in the chamber since she isn't strong enough to be able to load one from the magazine.

I have the Beretta version of yours and have to admit that tiny slide and huge trigger with strong spring is really hard to pull back to load one from the mag. Also if you did, you are now in single action mode, with a very light trigger pull.

In short, she would be actually safer carrying with one in the chamber, hammer down and safety on. Just make sure she practices drawing and releasing the safety as one fluid motion.

 

[BlueEagle]

Yeah, the tip-up barrel is nice for the range, but a not really helpful in a self-defense situation. Although I also thought about just having her carry it with an empty chamber, and then if she has to stop the car for something strip one round out of the mag and stick it into the barrel.

I think she will be best served by carrying with one in the chamber, though; I was mostly just hoping that somebody would be able to give me the low down on if its drop-safe, and what sort of internal safeties it has, (besides that damned magazine safety.)

 

[Titanium_Frost]

Ok, check to see if its firing pin is innertial like most full sized pistols are anymore. If you can feel the firing pin with the firing pin depressed all the way then it is NOT safe with a round in the chamber, otherwise you should be good to go. The safety is only a trigger block and does not block the firing pin at all.

Have you taught her how to rack a slide? There are many ways and she may find one that would allow to rack a slide comfortably. My wife is 4' 11" and 100lbs and she can rack even my 3" barrel Kimber .45acp.

Good luck, and congrats to her for getting her LTCH and packin heat!

 

[philagothon]

I did a quick scan of the owner's manual (found here: http://www.taurususa.com/pdf/pt-22-25.pdf) and could not find anything saying it has a hammer or firing pin block safety, which could mean it is theoretically possible for it to fire if dropped. I don't know for sure. A quick call to their customer service might yield a more certain answer.

My understanding is that rimfires require more force to ignite the primer than centerfires (I could have this backwards so someone please fact check that). If so, it should be less likely to drop fire than if she had a 25 ACP.

ETA: I just did a quick read on calguns.net and apparently the PT22 is not on California's approved list because it did not pass their requirement of having a drop safety. Having a gun is better than not having a gun, just tell her not to drop it!

Whatever condition she decides to carry it in make sure she practices readying the weapon so that it is second nature for her. Personally, I would go with one in the chamber simply for having one more round available. Plus she knows that she is guaranteed one shot even if it jams on the very next one. You might want to have her practice emptying the mag as quickly as she can while maintaining accuracy. Every shot needs to count, especially with a 22!

 

[BlueEagle]

Yeah, this is just an interim measure, until we can get her into something more suitable, so hopefully it won't last long.

Titanium, I did teach her how to rack the slide, and she can manage it on my G17 and nearly so on my G26. But this little thing is another story entirely. The slide, in its entirety, is about 2 inches long, and has the diameter of one of those fat pencils you used to use in the 1st grade. *I* have a problem racking the slide on it, just because there is not enough surface area to grip. I can do it, but its not pretty, and I slip a lot. Like I said, thats why that tip-up barrel was nice for the range; easy for her to manage.

And as for it not having a drop safety, I would have to check into this more, but I still think it would be more-or-less "drop safe." The "hammer" is well shrouded, and I doubt the firing pin has enough mass on its own to trigger a round; I would only be leery of it landing directly on its back, on top of something that sticks up so that it will hit the center of the back of the slide and concentrate all of the force there. I wouldn't have an issue carrying it cocked and locked, and just wanted to make sure it would be ok for her for a month or two.

And then, hopefully on to something like this...

 

[Scotty]

My wife had a PT-25 and she could not rack the slide on it either, she dosn't have a problem racking the slide on any of my larger cal. autos. Those little Taurus's are tuff for alot of women. Planning on getting her a nice .380 or maybe a Ladysmith .38 for carry.

 

[BlueEagle]

She likes the idea of a revolver a lot better than anything else. Anything small enough for her to shoot and carry she'll have a hard time racking the slide on. Even my VERY worn-in G17 is almost too much for her to manage; she can do it, but barely.

 

[ljadayton]

Have you taught her how to rack a slide? There are many ways and she may find one that would allow to rack a slide comfortably. My wife is 4' 11" and 100lbs and she can rack even my 3" barrel Kimber .45acp.

I have this same gun (without the pink grips though ) and the slide is a true PITA to rack. Even tried the push frame-pull slide at same time move. No go. My (bigger and stronger then me) ex AND my even bigger brother can't rack it without some serious effort. I have never used it as a carry gun though. It's not a bad gun to shoot at the range since you can use the tip up barrel to chamber the first round

 

[BlueEagle]

Problem solved. Adopted a used Taurus Model 85 today. Complete with pink rubber grips. Before we bought it, she went out and shot 25 rounds through my uncles S&W M&P .357 snubby. She loved it; was able to operate everything on the gun without issue, and we saw a marked improvement in her accuracy from the first round to the last.

HiTek in Sellersburg had a GREAT deal on it, so good that I couldn't pass it up, and I probably would've bought it for me if I hadn't been getting one for her. Was marked at $256, I believe.

Came with the standard black rubber grip, too. Its a bit shorter, enough that your pinky won't fit on it, but it might be better for concealment, whenever she gets around to getting her residency changed and we get her permit.