I like to test things. I test our products every chance I get. I also evaluate similar or competitive products to see how we stack up and how we can improve. In light of that, I ran some tests on our Taurus PT111 G2 recoil assembly versus both the factory and a competitor’s, Galloway Precison’s, aftermarket assembly.
All three operated the pistol without any malfunctions for 200 rounds. There was also very little degradation in the spring force on any of the units. Neither the Lakeline nor the factory assemblies showed any noticeable degradation other than residue from firing. The Galloway unit was stuck, and had to be tugged out of the slide. The reason shows in the photos below and is due to the washer deforming and allowing the spring to come partway past the washer. The end of the spring was also wearing the corners of the shoulder in the slide.
Here are some photos of the Lakeline and the Galloway after 200 rounds fired through each, before cleaning:
The Galloway unit was a replacement sent for our first unit after they recalled them for the springs coming out of the slides. Galloway said the problem was due to a tolerance problem on the Taurus PT111 G2 in their recall notice. The fix included a washer at the end of the large spring. The end cap was also highly polished on the reworked unit compared to the original. It could be due to needing heat to remove the end screws for reworking the parts and polishing off the marks from a torch.
After 200 rounds, the washer had deformed, causing the recoil assembly to ride unevenly in the slide. It required some force to remove from the slide. It was also wearing the edges of the slide shoulder and rounding the corner where the washer was pushing through the slide and the spring end was moving against it. The muzzle end screw was no longer centered as the spring had pushed it off to one side. Shiny areas where it was rubbing the slide were evident.
