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I was minding my own business one day when I got a call from my Taurus media contact in June 2020. He told me that Taurus was coming out with something new, a new 9mm. It would ship with three 10- or 12-round magazines and was based on the full-size 4-inch 9mm G3 pistol that Taurus came out with a while back. Knowing that Taurus can be quite innovative when it comes to firearm design, I couldn't wait to see the gun, put it through its paces, and write the definitive Taurus G3c review.
Taurus Gun G3c
When I finally opened the box, my first impression was, I think we have a winner, ladies and gentlemen. Here's why I thought of it, before even shooting it:
Buy Taurus G3c Pistol
Remember, these are just my quick observations on the gun right out of the box. So let's see if they've changed since the shoot. Either way, it looks really good right out of the box. Now let's take a look at the gun.
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The inside of the frame is very clean (aside from the oil, of course) – no post-production residue here.
Note the engraving on the slide and the new front serrations. The slide is finished using the Tenifer (Melonite) process, which is a ferritic nitrocarburizing method. This makes the metal harder and more resistant to rust. Glock, S&W and others use or have used this process.
Taurus G3c 9mm Luger 3.2in Tennifer Matte Black Pistol
I saw no extraneous signs of workmanship. Taurus has really cleaned up his routine, quite literally. Parts that needed to be polished. The only anomaly that I see is the part of the slide above the barrel - two separate channels are milled here. I'd have to look at other G3cs to see if this is the norm. (As far as I know this is a pre-production weapon and future weapons may look different).
In any case, it worked perfectly. Note the polish job on the center feed rail - this is how it left the factory. This was impressive, especially considering the number of guns I own that haven't been finished like this. The time and effort I've spent over the years just sliding the feed rail... at least I didn't have to here. (For another take on a center feed rail, read my review of the Springfield XD(M).45 - interesting what they did).
The sights are steel and can be replaced. The dovetail is a standard size cut so you can easily get aftermarket sights in no time. The rear is also windage adjustable. The serrations helped break up the flash when I fired.
As mentioned above, texturing appears to be more aggressive than that of the G2c. I put my G2c socket on with a soldering iron - this socket looks exactly like this socket. Very aggressive, holding the gun tightly when firing. But it wasn't uncomfortable - I really like it.
Taurus G3 And G3c Toro, The New Pistols
The G3c trigger uses the flatter face of its bigger brother and redesigned safety blade. This is the only thing I didn't like about the pistol: either the safety blade or the trigger had a sharp enough edge that it hurt the trigger finger after several shots. If it were my gun, I'd find a way to relieve that limb without compromising its functionality.
Above, I made a comment about how the trigger had "little catch or drag". Well, firing it showed that it had some recoil, but that is partly due to the single action of the firing pin. I weighed it at only 5 1/2 lbs. There was a touch of a shiver before the striker fired, but the break was very sharp. It's a good trigger, much better than previous Taurus efforts.
Note to the right two magazines, plus one with the pistol—you get three 12-round magazines with this pistol, unlike some Glocks. This is a welcome touch! Speaking of those wizards, here they are, all in a row...
When Taurus started putting yellow followers in their magazines, I noticed and commented. I like the color yellow - you can tell when the magazine is empty or about to run out. The witness holes are located on the 6th and 12th round levels. The magazine is stamped "Caliber 9mm - MADE IN BRAZIL" on the other side, so we know they are not Mec-Gar magazines, but that's okay. I have never had an issue with any Taurus magazine feeding or otherwise behaving. Look at the baseplate: Something new Taurus does with these guys is add a little scallop, plastic plate. This corresponds to a similar recess in the handle... see a screenshot:
Tfb Review: The Optics Ready Taurus G3c Torothe Firearm Blog
This is just to be sure in case the mango doesn't fall free - you have an easier job of removing a stuck mass quickly with relief cuts of "plates" than without them. This is by no means a new feature - other manufacturers have been doing this for years - but it seems like Taurus is trying to pack as many applicable features as possible into this new product. I think they could get even more out of the shot and magazine, make the "dish" a little deeper, but that's just me. The photo also shows the more aggressive grip texture.
There is nothing new and very new to talk about in this Taurus G3c review. Read our full Taurus G2c review for more information.
I tested the pistol with a few different brands of 9mm ammunition and loadings—here are the three most interesting:
If you are not familiar with this ammunition, read my NovX review. This stuff just screams out of a short 9mm barrel.
The Taurus G3c
These targets were fired at 15 yards, around my backyard. It was very sunny, and the serrations on the rear sight were useful: no flare. Groups tend to be to the right of target, because that's how my eyes work. I used a grip at the 6 o'clock position, perhaps a center grip would have lifted the groups a bit. In any case, the sights were pretty well set up for both these loads and my eyes, at least as far as elevation was concerned.
I set my target at 15 yards, with three empty targets attached. I returned to my bench and loaded the pistol with the Winchester load. Resuming the trigger play of an action broke the shot. The recoil was a little brisk, but nothing to write home about: the gun was extremely controllable. I appreciate the texture of the grip and the ergonomic design for the control aspect.
The sights were easy to spot and allowed for quick target acquisition. The blanks were thrown well out, to the right and about 10-15 feet back. I repeated drilled with the NovX load, my hand load, and a few other miscellaneous 9mm loads I had lying around. After shooting the targets, I whipped out my Caldwell ballistic chronograph and measured speeds—the results are above. In the end, the gun fired well and had no quirks or issues. It worked perfectly and the views were spectacular. This gun has to digest everything fed to it, including hand-held lead bullets.
If you're wondering about this brand new model and what place it will occupy in the Taurus range, I bet it will replace the G2c. The "modern" evolution of the Taurus 9mm concealed carry began with the PT111 which then progressed to the PT111 G2 and then the G2c. The G2c was (is) a big seller and got you a lot of guns for about three hundred bucks. Following the introduction of the four-inch-barreled G3 with improved trigger, sights, and ergonomics, the release date of its compact version was widely speculated.
Taurus G3c Review: Optics Ready Toro For Self Defense
Now that we have the G3c, will the G2 series (G2c, single-stack G2s) continue? I don't know, but if past history is any indication, the G2 will eventually die out in favor of the G3 series. After all, what's wrong? Three 12-round (or 10-round, for these states) magazines with 15- or 17-round capacity, interchangeable steel sights using a standard dovetail/bolt mount, great grip construction, new trigger – that's a lot of gun for under $300.
So where does that leave those of us with a G2c? Well, this shooter is looking to sell his to buy a G3c. I like the improvements and "downloadability" of this new platform. Sounds like a fresh start for Taurus to me—the gun just looks more—grown up—like it belongs in the big leagues. I hope the reliability factor is there, as this pistol could put Taurus in a position it has not been in before. Getting a serious look from the previous attack on Taurus
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