At a real-world retail price of $260, the compact, self-defense/concealed carry-oriented 9mm Taurus GX2 is a lot of gun. This 13-shot, 3.3-inch barrel, polymer frame, striker-fired, locked breech, single-action, semi-auto is made in Brazil on a highly efficient modernized production line that reportedly utilizes robotics to lower manufacturing costs.
The Taurus GX2
Part of me is somewhat concerned this could be a precursor to an AI-led robot rebellion against humanity. However, in the present, it allows Taurus to offer a very nice gun at a shockingly low price. One that will appeal to would-be gun owners on a tight budget, as well as serious gun enthusiasts who own multiple firearms.
Even the most elitist gun snobs will find it hard not to like this pistol. Those new to gun ownership, whether for self-defense or recreation, will find a lot to like.
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The GX2 in Hand
My general impression of the GX2 was that it was reliable, accurate, and had good ergonomics. Likewise, it has a full complement of safeties (trigger blade, firing pin block, and old-school thumb-operated manual safeties). Not to mention, it was less clunky than polymer-framed guns typically are.
Its refinements include slide serrations fore and aft that are deep and sharp. They are hard to clog with dirt and resist slipping from sweaty hands better.
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The frame is aggressively stippled on the grip as well as above the trigger guard. This provides a tactile contact point when extending the trigger finger for safer gun handling. The magazine release button is shielded from the rear by a slight ramp/thumb rest. As a result, there is a reduced likelihood of accidentally dropping the magazine. The release button can be reversed for left-hand operation.
At barely over 1.1 inches thick, the grip has the slightest swell in the center and belling at the bottom. Similarly, the front strap has a single finger rest, and the backstrap has a pronounced hump at the bottom, commonly associated with Walther’s polymer-framed guns.
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A three-slot integral Picatinny rail on the frame’s dust shield allows for versatility in mounting tactical lights or targeting lasers. The triggerguard has a small supporting hand finger rest at the bottom for those who like that hold. It comes with two 13-round steel-bodied/polymer floorplate magazines that drop freely when the release button is pressed. 15-round extended magazines are also available.
The trigger is wide (about 0.38 inches) and flat-faced. This is a feature that I found to reduce the perceived weight of the trigger pull.
Keeping Things Simple and Budget Friendly
What you don’t get at this price point is an optics-ready slide, fully ambidextrous controls, customizable grip panels and back straps, or tritium night sights. New gun owners who have never had those features probably won’t miss them.
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Unlike other reviewers, my test gun didn’t have an especially nice trigger. It was serviceable for sure. The 9.5 to 10-pound pull weight would be considered an added safety measure against accidental discharge by some shooters. However, I felt it held the pistol back a little in terms of fine accuracy in offhand shooting.
Others report triggers as light as five pounds, which, in my opinion, would make this a great trigger. It’s not a long pull. In fact, the first stage take-up measured only 0.32 inches to the wall. Correspondingly, the second stage travel was 0.20 inches to a crisp break with virtually no overtravel.
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The sights are also basic rectangular front post and rear notch. On the front sight is a white dot for faster acquisition, and the rear face of the rear sight is grooved to reduce glare. The rear is dovetailed on the slide, allowing for windage adjustments. Being Glock pattern, they are easily customized but perfectly serviceable for shooting in decent light just as they are.
The slide lock release and manual safety lever are small and don’t provide the shooting hand thumb with much purchase. The slide lock release takes a lot of force to depress over an empty magazine. However, it didn’t seem as difficult over a loaded one at the range.
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More important is the manual safety lever. Though somewhat challenging to engage because it is so thin, it is much easier to disengage with a downward swipe of the thumb on the draw.
Shooting the GX2
On the range, I tested the GX2 for accuracy at 25 yards from a rest off the bench. This helped to mitigate the heavy triggerpull.
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My most accurate load was Black Hill Ammunition 9mm +P 100 grain Honey Badger. It is a solid copper bullet self-defense load using a Phillips screwdriver-like tip to cause massive hydrostatic shock in tissue without over penetration. Average velocity was 1,149 feet-per-second (FPS) with five shot groups averaging 1.89 inches.
Federal’s 124-grain Syntech Training Match, which has a truncated cone, flat-nosed bullet fully encased in a synthetic jacket for cleaner air on the indoor shooting range, was a solid performer. It averaged 1,086 FPS and groups measuring 2.96 inches.
Hornady Critical Defense 115-grain FTX JHP averaged 1,045 FPS, and groups of 3.07 inches. It features a patented elastomer-plugged crimp jacket design that resists clogging when fired through heavy clothing for very reliable expansion in tissue.
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Three bullets of three weights all ran perfectly through the GX2. Accuracy was very good for any centerfire production handgun and especially one with a barrel and sight radius this short. Regardless of whether you are a first-time buyer or an experienced handgunner, the GX2 has a lot of merit at a price that can’t be beat.
Taurus GX2 9mm Pistol Specs
| Caliber | 9mm (rated for +P ammunition) |
| Capacity | 13+1 rounds (15-round extended magazines optional) |
| Action | semi-automatic, locked breech, striker-fired |
| Trigger | 9.5-10 pound pull, single action, two-stage, flat-faced, blade safety |
| Material | polymer frame, alloy steel slide |
| Finish | black (color frame options available) |
| Barrel Length | 3.38 inches, 6 groove, 1-10 RH twist, stainless steel |
| Overall Length | 6.19 inches |
| Height | 4.93 inches |
| Width | 1.18 inches at the widest across magazine base and safety lever |
| Weight | 21.5 ounces empty |
| Safety | manual thumb safety, passive drop safety, trigger blade safety |
| Sights | drift adjustable, horizontally grooved, rear & fixed front with white dot, steel |
| Accessories | hard storage case, lock, extra magazine |
| MSRP | $309.39 (Actual retail appears to be about $50 less) |
Performance
| Black Hills Ammunition 9mm+P | |
| Bullet Weight & Type | 100 Honey Badger |
| Velocity | 1,149 |
| Best Group | 1.53 |
| Federal Syntech Training Match | |
| Bullet Weight & Type | 124 TSJ truncated cone |
| Velocity | 1,086 |
| Best Group | 1.58 |
| Hornady Critical Defense | |
| Bullet Weight & Type | 115 FTX JHP |
| Velocity | 1,045 |
| Best Group | 2.70 |
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