Before You Buy - Taurus G3 Tactical: Affordable and Capable
Firearms can be quite expensive. So expensive sometimes that many financial authorities often call them good investments as they tend to retain their value and oftentimes even gain in value over time. Take for example concealed carry guns - you can spend a whole lot of money on them to get exactly what you want and with all sorts of the latest features.
In modern times we’ve become accustomed to being able to modify our handguns in a variety of ways, whether that’s to achieve better shot-to-shot performance, better sighting solutions, or even increase the magazine capacity - adapting your firearm has never been easier and the same can be said for the subject of today’s Before You Buy: The Taurus G3 Tactical.
Specifications and Key Features Of Taurus G3 Tactical
The Taurus G3 Tactical is a full-size 17-round capacity 9mm handgun built primarily for shooters who are looking for a versatile “performance-driven” handgun setup. The introduction of the G3 Tactical just a few years ago marked the first time that Taurus decided to include a threaded barrel for suppressors and compensators.
The barrel itself also includes a sleek DLC coating which decreases friction prevents wear and helps with cycling. The pistol also includes an optics-ready slide and co-witness blacked-out iron sights to match.
The addition of a dust cover Picatinny rail means that this pistol can be configured in several ways and all you’ll need to complete the experience is a Taurus G3 Tactical Holster. While the similar but smaller Taurus G3C is more suitable for concealed carry duty, the Taurus G3 Tactical is better suited to OWB carry styles, particularly with duty or competition setups. If you’re looking for a Taurus G3 Holster, Falco holsters have several options including the C911 L 2021 Level II Duty Kydex Holster which attaches to a 50 mm gun belt and makes for a perfect range or competition belt.
The striker-fired 9mm handgun also features the same familiar restrike capability that other pistols in the series have, although I don’t find that feature particularly useful, it’s still a neat type of trigger and quite a good one to practice dry fire with since you don’t need to re-cock the striker every time.
- Action: Semi-Automatic
- Caliber: 9mm
- Barrel Length: 4.5"
- Overall Length: 7.76"
- Width: 1.2"
- Rate of Twist: 1:10
- Frame Size: Full Size
- Capacity: 17+1
- Magazines Included: 2
- Weight: 24.83 oz
- Finish: Patriot Brown
- MSRP: $583.99
Range Performance
Those who are familiar with the Taurus G series of pistols or even the Millennium series will be familiar with the G3 Tactical. The G3 tactical features a decent trigger pull of about 5 lbs and has minimal reset but a whole lot of takeup before a short trigger break. This makes the G3 Tactical a bit difficult to get used to if you’re coming from a single-action or a stiffer striker-fired gun like a Glock.
As mentioned earlier, the Taurus G3 and the G3 Tactical feature restrike capability without the need to rack the slide. While this could potentially set off a round that previously failed to fire, I think the modern practice of “tap, rack, bang” (the typical jargon for the response to a failure to fire in a firearm with a removable magazine) is so engrained in our heads that pulling the trigger again after hearing a click instead of a bang might only be helpful for revolver shooters.
The combination of a shorter slide with the full-size grip makes the G3 Tactical feel like you’re shooting a compact pistol but you’re getting pretty decent performance because of the 4.5” long barrel. The tiny bit of extra length in the barrel might look like a drawback, but with the addition of a compensator or suppressor you’re either going to see a marked improvement in your shot-to-shot consistency, or you’re going to have a lot of fun with a suppressor - either way I see it as a bonus rather than a detriment. Taurus even includes a spare recoil spring for adapting to different setups and ammunition types.
There are a wide variety of Taurus G3 Tactical holsters out there and most of them feature optics compatibility which is something that the G3 Tactical is ready for. The inclusion of 4 different optics plates in addition to the cover plate means that the G3 Tactical can mount virtually any modern red dot currently on the market. The addition of a red dot makes the G3 Tacitcal a perfect candidate for competitive shooting disciplines like USPSA, IPSC, and Steel Challenge, as well as more dynamic and demanding shooting sports like two-gun competitions.
Pros:
- Affordable: The Taurus G3 Tactical is one of the least expensive handguns when compared to other handguns with similar features and specifications.
- Adaptable: The Taurus G3 Tactical can mount optics, lights, and compensators making it adaptable to virtually any situation.
- Capacity: The Taurus G3 Tactical has a standard capacity of 17+1 rounds but can be quickly upgraded to 20+1 with Taurus mags made by MecGar
- Holster Compatibility: Taurus G3 Holsters are abundant and come in a wide variety of styles, materials, and prices - Falco Holsters has many options ranging from Nylon to Kydex and even Leather.
Cons:
- Questionable Longevity: Being a budget option, the Taurus G3 Tactical and other pistols within the G3 family tend to be slightly less durable compared to their contemporaries. However, Taurus has made significant improvements to wear resistance with the G3 Tactical which might offset some of these durability drawbacks.
- Long/Weird Trigger: The Taurus G3 Tactical’s restrike trigger is kind of weird and hard to get used to if you haven’t shot with it a bunch. It’s hard to transfer this type of trigger pull to any other handgun type since it’s different than all of them.
Conclusion
The Taurus G3 Tacitcal is a solid option for the budding competition shooter or the casual shooter who likes to run and gun a bit with a tactical handgun. The Taurus G3 Tactical certainly looks the part with its two-tone Patriot Brown Cerakote finish and matching frame, and the addition of a red dot and light sells the G3 Tactical as a durable and reliable pistol that’s capable of keeping up with the demands that fast-paced shooting has.
While it wouldn’t be my first choice if I had a bigger budget, if push came to shove and I wanted to get into competition shooting on a limited budget, the Taurus G3 Tactical is one of two options I might consider, the other being the Stoger STR-9S Combat. So if you’re looking for a budget-conscious pistol as a first step into the competition world, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Taurus G3 Tactical.
Luke Cuenco
3.6.2024
