GUN TESTS GRADE: A (BEST BUY)
$310
The Taurus G3 9mm has been around a number of years. The pistol has been popular and enjoys a good reputation. This is a striker-fired polymer-frame pistol. The pistols feature a matte finish that is SOP for modern handguns. It’s not particularly attractive and long wearing, but the finish is adequate. The full-size pistol accepts both 15- and 17-round magazines. It is a competitor to the Glock 19X in sales for personal defense. For many of us, the G3 9mm is a reasonable alternative to more expensive pistols. The G3C is a short-slide and short-grip pistol. The Taurus G3X is a hybrid version of the standard Taurus G3 and G3C. The slide is the short slide of a G3C while the frame is the full-size Taurus G3. The pistol is influenced by the success of the Glock 19X we would speculate.
| Action Type | Single action |
| Overall Length | 6.3 in. |
| Overall Height | 5.2 in. |
| Maximum Width | 1.2 in. |
| Weight Unloaded | 22.5 oz. |
| Weight Loaded | 29.0 oz. |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Slide Retraction Effort | 14.0 lbs. |
| Receiver Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Matte black |
| Front Strap Height | 2.25 in. |
| Rear Strap Height | 3.75 in. |
| Barrel Length | 3.2 in. |
| Grip Panels | Textured polymer |
| Grip Thickness (Maximum) | 1.2 in. |
| Grip circumference (Maximum) | 5.7 in. |
| Magazines | (2) 15 round |
| Front Sight | Post |
| Rear Sight | Fixed |
| Sight Radius | 5.1 in. |
| Trigger Pull Weight | 6.0 lbs. |
| Trigger Span | 2.65 in. |
| Safety | Firing pin block, trigger lever |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
| Telephone | (800) 327-3776 |
| Website | TaurusUSA.com |
The G3 is sometimes referred to as a Glock-like pistol. Take down is identical to the Glock, and the Taurus uses a polymer frame and striker-fired action. The G3 is a single-action design, unlike the double-action-only Glock. The pistol uses the proven barrel hood locking into the slide and angled camming surfaces lockup. The trigger action has a second-strike feature. Second-strike-type handguns are a rarity in anything save double-action first-shot pistols. If the 6.1-pound single-action strike of the G3 failed to ignite the primer, a second pull results in a heavier trigger press that will strike the primer again. During the past two years, we have encountered more failures to fire and dud primers that at any time in the past. We have also been scraping to find ammunition and used new brands from countries that have not exported ammunition to the U.S. before. The second-strike feature now has more merit than in the past.
The sights of the G3X are adequate, if not outstanding. They did not limit us at all, and we found this pistol to be the most accurate in every setting and with every ammo. The G3X is fast on target, easy to use well, and recovers from recoil quickly. The pistol never failed to feed, chamber, fire, or eject during this test. The 15-round magazines are easy to load and locked in place well. The pistol also accepts 17-round Taurus magazines.
Our Team Said: The raters liked the pistol initially, and they liked it even more the more they fired it. During the accuracy test, the pistol exhibited the tightest groups of the test, including one at 1.9 inches at 15 yards with the Black Hills EXP. Based on the price and performance, we found the Taurus G3X to be the Best Buy of the test. We would buy this pistol if we were on a tight budget, or as a backup, truck gun, or house gun. One rater liked the G3X better than the Glock based on the trigger action.
9MM Luger Range Data
We fired groups at 15 yards from a bench rest using an MTM Case-Gard K-Zone Pistol Rest. We used a Competition Electronics Pro Chrony to measure velocity. The chronograph was 10 feet from the muzzles.| Black Hills 115-grain EXP | FMK 9C1 G2 | SCCY DVG-1 | Taurus G3X |
| Average Velocity | 1180 fps | 1139 fps | 1160 fps |
| Muzzle Energy | 356 ft.-lbs. | 331 ft.-lbs. | 344 ft.-lbs. |
| Smallest Group | 2.4 in. | 4.0 in. | 1.9 in. |
| Average Group | 2.8 in. | 4.5 in. | 2.3 in. |
| Winchester USA 115-grain FMJ | FMK 9C1 G2 | SCCY DVG-1 | Taurus G3X |
| Average Velocity | 1158 fps | 1144 fps | 1150 fps |
| Muzzle Energy | 342 ft.-lbs. | 334 ft.-lbs. | 338 ft.-lbs. |
| Smallest Group | 2.3 in. | 4.0 in. | 2.4 in. |
| Average Group | 2.9 in. | 5.2 in. | 2.7 in. |
| ZSR 124-grain FMJ | FMK 9C1 G2 | SCCY DVG-1 | Taurus G3X |
| Average Velocity | 1167 fps | 1137 fps | 1155 fps |
| Muzzle Energy | 375 ft.-lbs. | 356 ft.-lbs. | 367 ft.-lbs. |
| Smallest Group | 2.8 in. | 3.9 in. | 2.0 in. |
| Average Group | 3.4 in. | 5.0 in. | 2.5 in. |
G3’s are nice guns, but do have the issue of their barrels having a very short throat/leade and will not chamber some factory ammunition. This test, as with most gunscribes, have not tested enough ammunition, otherwise they would discover the issue.
I have a G3 and a G3C. I have various 9mm ammo (115 grain fmj) and have not had any problems.
I have 2 Taurus G series compacts (PT -111 Millennium G2 and PT-140 Millennium G2c) in both 9mm and .40 S&W, and have been delighted with their value, pleasantly surprised with their ergonomics, and convinced that the Taurus compacts are the most underrated, best buy handguns currently available. My .40, which is my carry gun, is reliable, smooth-functioning, and exceptionally controllable for rapid follow-on shots. The grip texture was initially a bit sharp, but was easily toned down and then became absolutely exemplary in use for controllability and consistency in-hand; a built-in Talon grip. It’s the last handgun I’d give up, save for my dad’s WWII 1911, of all the handguns I own.