Taurus G3

A New 9mm That Looks Like a Winner
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Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to test and evaluate a number of Taurus handguns, including revolvers from .38 Special to .44 Magnum, and semi-autos ranging upwards from 9mm to .45 ACP.

They have worked, often superbly and never poorly. From a compact pocket pistol to the company’s rendition of a Model 1911, all of these experiences were eye-opening and tended to reinforce the notion that one can still find an affordable handgun that works.

So, when Taurus recently announced the G3 self-loader in 9mm my curiosity was more than piqued. And a Taurus announcement reported, not surprisingly, the pistol has garnered “tremendous response from dealers, consumers and the firearms media.”

But what makes this new handgun such an attention-getter?

For starters, it’s a handsome devil, sporting a matte-black polymer frame featuring texturing around the grip surface and matching matte stainless slide. With cocking serrations fore and aft on the slide, the G3 sports an external extractor and an ample ejection port with loaded chamber indicator. The frame has a molded Picatinny-type accessory rail ahead of the triggerguard and, inside, is fitted with a steel full-length recoil spring guide rod.

Following the popularity of the duty-size G2c, the G3 is the first full-size pistol in the G series and is available with either two 15-round magazines or a 15- and 17-rounder. It’s a single action with restrike capability, and it boasts a 6-lb. trigger, according to Taurus.

It’s a striker-fired sidearm, with a fixed white dot front sight and drift-adjustable white dot rear sight. The design features both a manual safety and trigger safety, plus a striker block. The overall length is 7.3″, and it’s 1.25″ at the widest point. It is 5.2″ high and it has a 4″ barrel. This pistol weighs 25 oz., empty, remaining a comfortable carry piece when loaded.

What’s more, the Taurus G3 has uniform beveling along the front of the slide and frame, and along the back to prevent snagging on cover garments when drawing from concealment.

Thanks to advances in ammunition over the past 20 years, the 9mm cartridge is no longer a moderate gunfighting caliber. Modern bullet design and new propellants deliver the goods, and the G3 platform seems like just the place to try these new loads for home defense, street carry and even for defense in the backcountry.

Equally impressive is the MSRP of $345.23 or $360.70, depending upon the specific model. It’s a price point sure to fit nearly every budget and I anticipate a fair number of these new handguns will find their way into the homes and holsters of a legion of armed citizens in pretty short order.

Taurus notes this pistol is already shipping to retailers, so it’s probably already on display in a gun shop near you.

For more info: www.taurususa.com
Phone: (800) 327-3776

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