Taurus has had one of the best comeback stories I’ve ever seen in the firearms industry. Once notorious for cheap and unreliable firearms, Taurus has completely flipped that idea on its head. The G2C, G3, and G3C served as the example that Taurus meant business. They were good firearms that were reliable and budget-friendly.
Now we have the next big thing from Taurus: the GX4. A “micro-compact” 9mm pistol designed for maximum concealment and comfort. Taurus has had some really good outings with their carry pistols. Does the GX4 do them justice or take credit away? Read on to find out!
I’m of the opinion that the GX4 is a good-looking gun, especially finished in coyote brown. Moreover, it resolves some issues that the G3C had in terms of looking cheap. The GX4 offers forward and rear slide serrations while the lower receiver is your usual polymer. What I like in particular about the lower receiver is the aggressive stippling. It’s extremely easy to get a good purchase on the grip, something especially important during a potentially life-threatening situation. The only thing that I really had a problem with was the slide stop. It was super tight and crazy hard to use.
I bought this gun with the purpose of testing it out for concealed carry. You can tell by just looking at it, but the GX4 is excellent in this aspect. It’s small enough to fit in a pocket and unobtrusive enough to carry inside the waistband. I was extremely satisfied with the comfort and ease of use while carrying. I carried the GX4 everywhere without any issues or printing. One thing I should mention though is those aggressive grips can start to start irritating the skin, so wear an undershirt if you’re carrying IWB!
The GX4 also ran like a machine without any issues at all. This has been one of my biggest problems with Taurus firearms over the years, but these issues seem to have been largely resolved, even with their 22 pistol. I didn’t run into any malfunctions at all while shooting this little gun.
Recoil isn’t much of a problem either. 9mm usually isn’t so bad anyway, but it can be a little annoying with these subcompact pistols. The GX4 doesn’t shoot exceptionally soft, but it’s not really a problem or unpleasant. The only thing worth mentioning is that the grip is a little short. My pinky hangs off the end which leads to a loss of stability, but I’m going to fix this by buying magazine extensions for that extra finger space. Plus a little more than 11 rounds would be an excellent addition.
Accuracy is pretty decent too. I didn’t go too hard in the paint while testing this, just within 25 yards, and then a few mags out past that. The GX4’s performance was satisfactory. I was seeing 2-inch groups at seven yards widening out a little as I increased the distance.
I left my range day with the GX4 finding myself extremely happy with the overall package. I just can’t really argue with the results, concealability, and price of a gun that’s this good. It’s not perfect and has some flaws that are kind of a pain, but those are really just minor gripes. The GX4 is a solid firearm and further cements Taurus’ new reputation as a company that makes really great, affordable weapons.
At only $410 for a gun like this, it feels like stealing just a little bit. It’s not going to replace a P365 or my 43X, but it’s a great purchase for anyone looking into concealed carry for the first time.
Richard Douglas writes on firearms, defense, and security issues. He is the founder and editor of Scopes Field, and a columnist at The National Interest, 1945, Daily Caller, and other publications.
