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Newbie to CCW - Opinions on Taurus GX4

litework

litework

In addition to handling the guns you are considering, I'd also offer that you check to make sure there are holster options that you can live with. One great thing about getting the 365, Glock, Shield and etc., is that every company that makes a holster will probably have more than one option for those popular carry guns. I've been bitten a few times when I buy the new hotness and get 0 results during a holster search. I'm looking at you CZ P10C with optics cut!
 
D

dojpros

Late to the party: in the micro 9 arena- you have Glock, S&W and Sig and then you have everybody else.

I am an admitted Glock guy and would lean that way on common manual of arms etc. A ton of former Glock guys (they carried a Glock because it was issued/mandated) have pivoted to the Sig 365 series because they can get 10+ rounds in a compact and controllable package.

Bottom Line, IMHO, Taurus is second tier on its best day and I would not bet my life on one relative to a Glock 43 or 48/Sig365 or SW Shield. After that, reliability and/or availability of quality sights/holsters/mag pouches/extra reliable magazines often comes into play and would bolster the choice as well.

YMMV
 
nikonNUT

nikonNUT

The "Peter Hathaway Capstick" of small game
So I have a GX4. I like it a lot!
Pros....
Small.
Light.
Fairly slender so it doesn't print much at all.
Great texturing.
Like the tactile pad that you can use to place your trigger finger on when not firing.
Decent enough cocking serrations.
I can get my mitt around it with the stock 11 round mag but the +2 pinky extension is a worthwhile investment.
Very good trigger but I will return to this below. The wide trigger shoe helps with perceived pull weight.
Easy to conceal! I carry apendix in a Sticky holster and it disappears! Especailly with a black shirt.
Mine is VERY reliable.

Cons...
Need the suppiled tool or a flat blade to field strip (Not a huge deal).
Small as in this makes for a bitey little <female dog>. Very snappy as to be expected. I run +P 124gr and recoil management is crucial. I ran 300 round thru mine as fast as I could at the range one day to test. It never missed a beat but did chew up the web of my hand pretty good. Full disclosure... Not what's meant for but I wanted it to fail on the range if it was going to fail.
Short sight radius/weight/size might make it not so beginner freindly? @OkieStubble Thoughts?
Trigger... Kind of meh in the begining but around 500 rounds it got really good. Gritiness was gone and the pre-travel was less pronounced feeling. 1911 good? Hell no! Stock Sig good? Close to even.

General opinion? I trust it! I have several bespoke pistols and a off the shelf Sig that was worked by Wilson Combat and GrayGuns. Would I turn my nose up the Taurus? Absolutley not if the circumstances dictate. Do I want to feel pretty? I'm grabbing my Nighthawk Councelor. Am I rolling heavy? That's the Nighthawk Bob Marvel commander double stack (52 rounds with 2 spare mags) or the WC P320 X-carry (also 52 rounds with 2 spare mags). Am I going to the convience store (or where ever) and/or don't want to fiddle with belt loops? 100%! I can slip it in the front of my pants, a cargo pocket in my pants, or any inner or outter pocket in a jacket an nobody sees nothin'! Am I carrying at work (because reasons I won't expound on) and am concerned I might bounce it off the concrete? 100%! BTW.. If this is happening you have retention issues and need up your game but it can happen. All in all, the GX4 is a hammer and not a scalpel but I do trust it to get the job done effectively. Try one if you can and see how you feel about it. Micros aren't for everyone but I like mine!

P.S. The GX4 parts are made in Brazil and assembled in Bainbridge, GA to answer a previous post.
 
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OkieStubble

OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
nikonNUT said:
So I have a GX4. I like it a lot!
Pros....
Small.
Light.
Fairly slender so it doesn't print much at all.
Great texturing.
Like the tactile pad that you can use to place your trigger finger on when not firing.
Decent enough cocking serrations.
I can get my mitt around it with the stock 11 round mag but the +2 pinky extension is a worthwhile investment.
Very good trigger but I will return to this below. The wide trigger shoe helps with perceived pull weight.
Easy to conceal! I carry apendix in a Sticky holster and it disappears! Especailly with a black shirt.
Mine is VERY reliable.

Cons...
Need the suppiled tool or a flat blade to field strip (Not a huge deal).
Small as in this makes for a bitey little <female dog>. Very snappy as to be expected. I run +P 124gr and recoil management is crucial. I ran 300 round thru mine as fast as I could at the range one day to test. It never missed a beat but did chew up the web of my hand pretty good. Full disclosure... Not what's meant for but I wanted it to fail on the range if it was going to fail.
Short sight radius/weight/size might make it not so beginner freindly? @OkieStubble Thoughts?
Trigger... Kind of meh in the begining but around 500 rounds it got really good. Gritiness was gone and the pre-travel was less pronounced feeling. 1911 good? Hell no! Stock Sig good? Close to even.
Click to expand...

I think moderation is the key for most things in and about life. It's like, cussing, lying and drinking... we all do it a little bit, but who wants to hang around someone that's doing any or all three of those all the time? Moderation... :)

In the same vein of thought, I always used to tell the rookies from the academy that fell under me on FTO. We are not looking for aggressive officers who are going to run over people. We are not looking for passive officers who are going to let people run over them. We are looking, for assertive officers. :) Moderation... :)

There is always a great middle place for most everything under the sun. Ask Goldilocks and the three bears? They had trouble with the cold and the hot porridge? It wasn't until they got some pooridge that was in a good middle warm place, did they think that everything was juuuuust right! ;)

I think this logic is good for those beginning with semi-auto pistols in general. The modern, unexperienced, first time, semi-auto pistol owner? Wants it all? They want a range gun. They want a home defense pistol. They want an excellent conceal carry gun that is also very comfortable. And they want all of this from just one gun; and they want that gun to be accurate and reliable and easy to shoot, and easy on recoil and they want it ALL, at an affordable working man's price. :)

A beginner? They don't know enough yet, to understand or be interested in the fact; that the only two things that will survive the apocalypse, are cockroaches and the extreme durability and ruggedness of a Glock. They won't desire... Yet, 3 or 4 guns, one for each individual purpose like most of us enthusiasts. :) We have to give them time, to become enthusiasts also, but they have to get their first pistol first, before they can even realize how much they love having a gun in the first place in order to decide they want to buy another one? :)

It isn't impossible to find an all-around, all-purpose pistol, so that a beginner, can utilize that one pistol for many things. But us experienced enthusiasts, who have the knowledge, experience and wisdom, to give them helpful advice? We must forget our likes and dislikes, of our brand biases and personal preferences, in thinking, because we really love them, regardless of their cost, then by-golly, so will the newbie! :) A newbie wants exactly what they need. What is that? A pistol that isn't too heavy or too light. It isn't too big or too small. It isn't way too expensive, or way too cheap. It doesn't have to be the best pistol made, but it can't be junk either. They need to be able to bet their life on it. Those who would remark they wouldn't? because they can afford something better, or just like being judgemental pistol snobs and have no experience with them anyway because they wouldn't own one? then please, by all means, keep your stories of something you think you saw happened with someone else at the range and their taurus that you can't prove here and just don't say anything, because you don't know of what you speak. :)

So, we have to really read their posts when they ask us for advice and also ask them questions back, in order to clarify what they want, need and can afford and steer them in the best directions, not for what we think they need and can afford and want, but what we think "they think" they need and can afford. :)

Let me give an example. Most everyone who knows me here, has heard me talk about my older brother and how much of a cheap bastage he is, in everything. And I mean, everything. He is 4 years older than me and is 66 years old. So not only is he pain stakingly cheap, but he's very onery & stubborn. He likes guns, but he's old fashioned; and he prefers revolvers and hunting rifles for the most part. However, he's not too old, or too old fashioned to realize the times we live in. So he wanted help building his first AR quite a few years ago. He made it clear he wanted a quality AR without spending much money. in order to accomplish this. After many debates and slamming my head against walls, we put together a pretty decent rifle, with some parts that were bargain basement priced, but at least I know, the most important parts of his AR, were higher quality and higher priced parts from very well known manufacturers.

In the summer of 21' he phones me up and wants me to go pistol shopping with him for his very first semi-auto carry pistol. Trust me, if I would have left it up to him? he would be packing a High Point in 9mm. If he would have left it up to me? He would be carrying at least a Walther PDP, or HK VP9sk or something along those lines, that he just ain't gonna dole out the money for. So we met in the middle of the most money I could get him to spend, in order to get something, anything of decent reliable, accurate, dependability of quality.

The Taurus G3C. First off, it is the only manufacturer who put an actual, written Unlimited Warranty in every box with every pistol they make. I know, most manufacturers have customer service that you can call and get them to fix your pistol IF THEY screwed it up. But Taurus says, break your pistol on purpose, and if they can't fix it? They will replace it and give you another one. Only company I know that ever did anything like that, was Craftsman... :)

So, he walked out of the LGS with his G3C, which included, not one, not two, but three, 12 round magazines. Glock used too, but aren't even they down to just 2 magazines per pistol now? Anyhoo, I bought him a gift of some 9mm dummy rounds and a pretty decent IWB kydex holster and extra mag carrier to put in his pants with a belt. Took him home and spent a couple of hours with him, showing him how to charge his pistol, hold his pistol, aim his pistol, fire his pistol, reload his pistol, chamber check his pistol and just about every kind of administrative detail you can think of with those dummy rounds, Even malfunction drills including tap, rack, bang and stripping and releasing a mag, working the slide on a double feed and reloading a fresh mag to get back in action. Also holstering and re-holstering his pistol.

Then I told him to do this everyday for a week and I would be back to take him to the range the next week after he became totally familiar with it. That's what's good about teaching older people. They ain't never in a rush to get some place, until they know they can get there safely. :) Plus, I told him I would bring him back some free 9mm ammo to shoot. I knew that, would keep him right where I want him, cuz he ain't gonna go buy any if he knows he's getting something for free. :)

Anyway, to shorten this story, (I ain't sleepin' and got nuthin' better to do :) ) He has been packing that G3C for a bit over a year now. Since then, I bought him a Taurus 5 round OEM extended magazine for his bedside nightstand, which ups his capacity to 17 rounds. I got him some Ameriglo night sights, along with a small Streamlight TLR-2 to quick attach to his pistol at night for his nightstand. He has to take it off when he carries, because he doesn't have a holster for a light attachement, but it comes off and on easy enough. his G3C is big enough for the range and handles well, has enough capacity for home defense and is quite light, thin and small enough to easily carry all day comfortably. And other then me buying him upgrades for it which helps make it even more user friendly, he got it for only a bit over $300?

He has probably, somewhere between the vicinity of 500-700 rounds of FMJ and maybe a 100 or so 124 gr Gold Dots thru it he carries EDC. Now that old man thinks he's a bonafide pistolero... I can't take him sometimes, ugh! :)
 
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nikonNUT

nikonNUT

The "Peter Hathaway Capstick" of small game
"to understand or be interested in the fact; that the only two things that will survive the apocalypse, are cockroaches and the extreme durability and ruggedness of a Glock."

John Moses Browning has entered the chat
 
M

mikhou

I went to our LGC today and held a Sig P365, Springfield Hellcat, Kimber Micro 9 Two One, Glock 43, Glock 43x, M&P Shield, and M&P Shield EZ. They didn't have any Taurus's in stock; although, they do sell them. As to comfort in my hand, the Glock 43x seemed the most comfortable to hold. That may be due in part to the slightly longer grip. Of course, holding them is one thing and shooting them is another. My CCW class is next week, and the instructor says that he has plenty of pistols that I can shoot. (It's a guy who works for himself and is willing to do a one-on-one class for me.). I have another friend who has both the Glock 43 (don't know if it's the X or not) and the Sig P365. I'd still like to get my hands on a Taurus GX4 or a Taurus G2C or G3C. This is getting interesting, fun, and potentially costly. :)
 
oc_in_fw

oc_in_fw

Fridays are Fishtastic!
mikhou said:
I went to our LGC today and held an Sig P365, Springfield Hellcat, Kimber Micro 9 Two One, Glock 43, Glock 43x, M&P Shield, and M&P Shield EZ. They didn't have any Taurus's in stock; although, they do sell them. As to comfort in my hand, the Glock 43x seemed the most comfortable to hold. That may be due in part to the slightly longer grip. Of course, holding them is one thing and shooting them is another. My CCW class is next week, and the instructor says that he has plenty of pistols that I can shoot. (It's a guy who works for himself and is willing to do a one-on-one class for me.). I have another friend who has both the Glock 43 (don't know if it's the X or not) and the Sig P365. I'd still like to get my hands on a Taurus GX4 or a Taurus G2C or G3C. This is getting interesting, fun, and potentially costly. :)
Click to expand...
When I bought my 43X I closed my eyes, aimed, then opened my eyes. The sights were spot on. I stopped looking then and pulled the trigger, so to speak.
 
OkieStubble

OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
mikhou said:
I went to our LGC today and held a Sig P365, Springfield Hellcat, Kimber Micro 9 Two One, Glock 43, Glock 43x, M&P Shield, and M&P Shield EZ. They didn't have any Taurus's in stock; although, they do sell them. As to comfort in my hand, the Glock 43x seemed the most comfortable to hold. That may be due in part to the slightly longer grip. Of course, holding them is one thing and shooting them is another. My CCW class is next week, and the instructor says that he has plenty of pistols that I can shoot. (It's a guy who works for himself and is willing to do a one-on-one class for me.). I have another friend who has both the Glock 43 (don't know if it's the X or not) and the Sig P365. I'd still like to get my hands on a Taurus GX4 or a Taurus G2C or G3C. This is getting interesting, fun, and potentially costly. :)
Click to expand...

Sounds like all your research and handling the different pistols is paying off. :) If you get a chance to handle the newer models of the Sig P365, see if you can get your hands on the Sig P365X. @Kentos is possibly getting one and it's an excellent choice for a first time carry pistol. If you are looking to spend the bit more cash on a Sig or Glock 43X, Myself and Owen @oc_in_fw can verify, it's ease of carry. No one has to be convinced of it's lightweight, ease of carry ultra reliabilty and accuracy.

It's a Glock, It earned it. :)

If you are looking to spend a bit less, The Taurus line of pistols will take care of your needs just as well as the other pistols above. Don't pretend it's a Glock and try to take it to hell and back, but it will handle most anything else. I have handled and shot the Taurus G2, G2C and G3C quite a bit. The G2 was their first full sized of that model. The G3, is the improved ergo's and trigger, so I wouldn't consider a Taurus with a '2' in it's model name. The G3C, just like the G2C, is the 'compact version' while the GX4 is more of a sub compact. Many including Taurus, want to call it a micro pistol, but imo, the slide is still just a smidgen too fat to be a micro, so I will call it a sub compact.

While this is your Bar-B-Que and you should get what you want, as a first time pistol owner and carrier, Imo, you will get more use out of the compact version G3C, then the sub compact version of the GX4. More round capacity and just a bit larger for better home defense, but still plenty small and thin enough for conceal carry under different types of clothing and attire. And it's cheaper. If you just really like the looks of the GX4, then consider spending a bit more and get the GX4 XL T.O.R.O. Riton 11. It holds 13 rounds and is MOS ready for a RDS optic.

Taurus GX4XL T.O.R.O. Riton 11 - 13 Rds

www.taurususa.com www.taurususa.com

But if your gonna go up in price to get that, why not get a Glock 43X or Sig P365X that are still, head and shoulders above Taurus in quality and in reputation? Hell, you could split the difference and get a S&W M&P 2.0 and be very well armed for the money. @jar_ can verify this. :)
 
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jar_

jar_

Too Fugly For Free.
Remember it is your hand, your eye, your money, your comfort, your security.

When talking self defense you need to build a whole system and the handgun is just one of the pieces parts.

You need at least two good sturdy gun belts. The best gun and holster on a light weight belt will simply not work.

Second fondle, fondle, fondle; shoot, shoot, shoot.

Don't try to decide on "The One"; try to find three or four that feel right, point naturally, that are easy for YOU to field strip and maintain, that you can afford and that you shoot with consistent and repeatable, self defense range, minute of bad guy accuracy.

Then explore holsters for the ones selected. Look for at least one available In The Waistband and one On The Waistband holster designed for the specific make and model.

Make a list of handguns where you can build a complete system, gun, belt, ammo and holster and only then start trying to decide on the "First One".

And have fun doing it.

Also, I've been favorably impressed by the recent Taurus handguns I've tested.
 
OkieStubble

OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
jar_ said:
Remember it is your hand, your eye, your money, your comfort, your security.

When talking self defense you need to build a whole system and the handgun is just one of the pieces parts.

You need at least two good sturdy gun belts. The best gun and holster on a light weight belt will simply not work.

Second fondle, fondle, fondle; shoot, shoot, shoot.

Don't try to decide on "The One"; try to find three or four that feel right, point naturally, that are easy for YOU to field strip and maintain, that you can afford and that you shoot with consistent and repeatable, self defense range, minute of bad guy accuracy.

Then explore holsters for the ones selected. Look for at least one available In The Waistband and one On The Waistband holster designed for the specific make and model.

Make a list of handguns where you can build a complete system, gun, belt, ammo and holster and only then start trying to decide on the "First One".

And have fun doing it.

Also, I've been favorably impressed by the recent Taurus handguns I've tested.
Click to expand...

You're making this system thing, seem easy. :) He will eventually, have a drawer full of holsters, to go along with his one and only pistol, just like most of the rest of us?

Please correct my confusion? How does one, fit their pistol to a holster and then carry it around and draw from it, in order to know and realize, that it 'is the one'? Before they actually purchase, own or have either? Surely they would have no idea, until it's actually been carried around on their hip? Selecting and choosing your one pistol, not too difficult, but holster? Without actually being able to try either out before purchase? Quite the challenge...

I just picked up a Tulster kydex IWB for my G43X not too long back. I sent at least a dozen back with a receipt to the LGS or RMA at online stores for returns before settling on the Tulster? And I still have a drawer full for many different pistols I never use. :)
 
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jar_

jar_

Too Fugly For Free.
OkieStubble said:
You're making this system thing, seem easy. :) He will eventually, have a drawer full of holsters, to go along with his one and only pistol, just like most of the rest of us?

Please correct my confusion? How does one, fit their pistol to a holster and then carry it around and draw from it, in order to know and realize, that it 'is the one'? Before they actually purchase, own or have either? Surely they would have no idea, until it's actually been carried around on their hip? Selecting and choosing your one pistol, not too difficult, but holster? Without actually being able to try either out before purchase? Quite the challenge...

I just picked up a Tulster kydex IWB for my G43X not too long back. I sent at least a dozen back with a receipt to the LGS or RMA at online stores for returns before settling on the Tulster? And I still have a drawer full for many different pistols I never use. :)
Click to expand...
Just like we learn anything. You make your best decision based on the information available. Remember it's two parts, first is the holster designed to fit the particular handgun, and then does the holster fit the user. But only once the former is determined does the latter become significant. The most comfortable holster in the world that doesn't safely support the handgun is a liability.
 
OkieStubble

OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
jar_ said:
Just like we learn anything. You make your best decision based on the information available. Remember it's two parts, first is the holster designed to fit the particular handgun, and then does the holster fit the user. But only once the former is determined does the latter become significant. The most comfortable holster in the world that doesn't safely support the handgun is a liability.
Click to expand...

How many holsters have you gotten that fit the gun and also fit you, but when ya got it home and tried carrying it a bit, found it something about it just was working? I can't be the only one this happens to? :)
 
D

dojpros

The box of shame. I have one.

When were were coming up (I am 57, 58 in March 23) -if your were trying to be a serious pistolero, a box of shame was nearly inevitable.

Today with the internet and forums such as these, it no longer has to be a very big box.

There are “school solutions” for leather and non leather belts, holsters and mag pouches, kydex and not. These solutions are easily discoverable now unlike the 80s/90s when you had to talk to somebody in the know who had been somewhere and/or had done something.

The relative ease of acquiring quality gear is fairly straightforward, particularly when you buying for one of the big three (Glock/Sig/S&W).
 
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