Taurus G3 & G3c: Striking a Balance between Function and Affordability
The 2019 release of the G3 put Taurus within reach of a whole new group. The Taurus G3 is a semi-automatic striker fired pistol, available in full size or compact (denoted by the c in Taurus G3c). The frame is polymer, with the barrel and slide being steel. It comes with a 10, 15 or 17 round double stack magazine. Safety features include a striker block, manual safety, trigger safety, and loaded chamber indicator. The G3 strikes a premium balance between function and affordability.
This is the first full size model Taurus has released since its TH series. The G3 is in some respects a larger version of its predecessor, the Taurus G2.
The Taurus G3 is most compared to market competitor Glock 19 – easily the most popular handgun among both law enforcement and civilians. The similarities between the two guns are undeniable. Yet the Taurus G3 has an MSRP of $360 and the Glock 19 is in a totally different price point at $599. The G3 is best suited to home defense and occasional recreational visits to the range. The Glock 19 is fitted for every day, heavy professional use. It would appear that the trusted and hotly pursued features for today’s handgun market have been fitted to a more widely attainable price point in the G3.
Origins of the Taurus G3
The Taurus G3 traces back to origin company Forjas Taurus (in English, Taurus Forge), a Brazilian tool manufacturer that began producing pistols in 1941. Their firearms did not hit American distributors until 1968. For a stint in the seventies, the owners of Smith & Wesson owned a share in Taurus and both companies benefitted from the sharing of technology and innovation. Taurus later purchased Beretta’s Sao Paolo operation, influencing the creation of the PT92 and PT99 9mm handguns. Taurus opened an arm in Miami, Florida in 1982 to meet the interests of the American market and in recent years relocated to Georgia. Taurus became a trailblazer in the industry by offering the first-ever lifetime repair policy.
Taurus G3 Features and Ease of Use
Pros of the Taurus G3
- The feel: Aggressive texturing on the grip, an ergonomic slope and memory pads let the shooter’s hand hug the gun firmly.
- The reset: A quick reset that is both palpable and audible facilitates groupings and rapid fire naturally.
- The picatinny rail. A picatinny rail is a military standard interface rail system that allows the gun owner to add custom attachments such as tactical lights or iron scopes. Originally crafted for large military rifles, their popularity has extended their use even to air soft and paintball guns. Both the G3 and G3c incorporate a picatinny rail.
- Restrike ability: On the rare occasion that it is needed, the G3 does have restrike ability. This double-action pull would only be necessary in the event of a dud primer, a light primer strike, or a hard primer.
- Sight compatibility: The G3 and G2 have compatible sights. If you had fiber optic or night sights for a G2, you could swap them onto your G3.
- Affordability: The Taurus G3 is financially attainable. The most high-end, versatile firearm is useless to you if it is beyond the budget. The Taurus TH series, which boasted more features, was unattainable to a healthy portion of the market. The TH9, for instance, has an MSRP of $376. Perhaps this influenced the design and pricing of the G3.
Cons of the Taurus G3
- The plastic spacer on the mag: The plastic spacer on the 17-round mag for the G3 makes it unpredictable since you never know which position it will slide to when you have to reload the mag. It is possible to get the G3 with two 15-round mags instead of a 15-round mag and 17-round mag, eliminating the issue with the plastic spacer.
- Beware the slide bite! This is a long, slender gun compared to the Glock. The beavertail allows for a high grip – a welcome fit for some. Just be careful that the slide does not nip the fleshy part of your hand on the drawback. This is commonly referred to as slide bite or trigger bite.
- It’s basic: While functional, the G3 does not come with all the bells and whistles, and no innovative features as compared with previous models.
- Not lefty friendly: Lefties will find it is not totally ambidextrous. The safety and slide release are standard for right-handed shooters. However, the magazine release is switchable from the right to left side.
- Spotty mag compatibility: Longtime Taurus enthusiasts may be disappointed that the mags are not compatible with Taurus’s earlier TH9 series. It is, on the other hand, compatible with G2 mags.
- Trigger blade reach: The trigger blade reaches all the way back until it sits flush with the trigger face. This is a contested feature. Some enjoy having a palpable signal that the trigger is fully depressed. It is a comfortable motion for those with small or average hands. Those with big hands, however, report that they nearly close their hand in a fist to fully depress the trigger. This could be problematic for rapid fire.
- Plastic sights: It is interesting that the earlier TH series had metal sights, but the G3 comes with plastic sights. This was such an unpopular feature that Taurus upgraded the sights on the subsequent Taurus G3c to metal sights.
- Trigger safety: This is another feature preferred by some and contested by others. The trigger safety – as its name indicates – can prevent accidental discharge. But some professionals and concealed carriers contend that it is not safe if it slows down the draw in a rapidly evolving situation.
Quirks On The Range.
A few quirks have been noted on the range – the mag taking an unsolicited dive out of the gun unprompted, a noticeable point of impact shift with 124-grain Ventura ammo, and friction causing trouble loading all 15 bullets with steel casing ammo. On the other hand, other users report cycling through hundreds of rounds without these quirks.
Safety alert: If the trigger is depressed before flipping the trigger safety switch, the gun will likely still fire one round. The slide stays in place with the safety on, meaning only one round will come out. This has been demonstrated at the range. It also means the gun is not totally drop-safe.
Taurus G3 Variations
The G3 comes in a matte stainless finish or a Tenifer matte finish. The Tenifer matte finish offers tan, green, and grey color options. Tenifer is a surface treatment that hardens the coating on the gun, making it corrosion and abrasion resistant.
Taurus rolled out the G3c, a compact version of the G3, in June 2020. An immediately noticeable upgrade, the G3c has metal sights. Whereas the G2c only had serrations on the back of the slide, the G3c features serrations on both the front and back of the slide. The G3c comes with three magazines included. It comes with options for a 10-round mag or a 12-round mag.
Safety alert: As with the G3, if the trigger is depressed before flipping the trigger safety switch, the gun will likely still fire one round. The slide stays in place with the safety on, meaning only one round will come out. This also means the gun is not totally drop-safe.
Should I Buy A Taurus G3
The G3 and G3c put Taurus within reach for an important constituency of firearm owners. These models are not intended for professional heavy use. But they do fill an important role – being both functional and affordable for home defense purposes, recreational trips to the range, and concealed carry. Either model would be a welcome addition to a gun collection, as well as a starter gun for new owners.
Taurus G3 Specifications
- FRAME SIZE: Full Size
- CAPACITY: 15 rds.
- HEIGHT: 5.20"
- WIDTH: 1.20"
- WEIGHT: 24.83 oz.
- BARREL LENGTH: 4.00"
- OVERALL LENGTH: 7.28"
- FRONT SIGHT: Fixed
- REAR SIGHT: Drift Adjustable
- SAFETY: Striker Block, Manual Safety, Trigger Safety, Loaded Chamber Indicator
- MSRP: $360.70
Taurus G3c Specifications
- FRAME SIZE: Compact
- CAPACITY: 10 rds.
- HEIGHT: 5.10"
- WIDTH: 1.20"
- WEIGHT: 22.00 oz.
- BARREL LENGTH: 3.20"
- OVERALL LENGTH: 6.30"
- FRONT SIGHT: Fixed
- REAR SIGHT: Drift Adjustable
- SAFETY: Striker Block, Manual Safety, Trigger Safety, Loaded Chamber Indicator
- MSRP: $305.74