Channel fans and family — I thought I was done with pistols for a stretch and headed into some 6mm ARC builds… then the email landed: new pistol, want to get your hands on one? Micro-carry was heating up (Sig P365, Springfield Hellcat, then Ruger Max-9 and Smith Shield Plus), and what was still missing was a truly affordable competitor. With more states rolling constitutional carry around that launch window, timing mattered. Here’s my range first impressions of the Taurus GX4 — features, how it shoots, and whether it’s right for you. This is a launch-era hands-on / first look, not a multi-thousand-round durability report.
Gear I actually use: SlavGuns Amazon. Precision rails & accessories (code SlavGuns on Anarchy-manufactured only): Anarchy Outdoors. Support the channel: join on YouTube.
Where the GX4 sits
On tape this was Taurus’s third new pistol for that year after the G3C TORO and G3 TORO. The GX4 is a micro-compact 9mm holding 11 rounds in a package that used to be rare at this size. Big point from the video: it’s an entirely new pistol assembled in the United States — not a Brazilian import — and aimed straight at Hellcat / P365 territory. Taurus’s pitch wasn’t just “cheaper Hellcat/P365”; it was full-size features in a micro package.
Frame, grip, controls
Stainless steel frame in a polymer grip module — looks a bit like a mini TX22, and I liked that. About 1 in wide, in line with Springfield / Sig / Ruger peers. Texture all around feels solid; stippling on top of the frame where your finger should rest (they’ve called those Taurus memory pads) as a keep-off-the-trigger reminder.
The standout “full-size feature” callout: interchangeable backstraps. Stock is a standard strap most owners should like; the second option has a higher swell if you want to get as high on the gun as possible (more Glock-ish grip angle). Flush-fit mag release is easy; slide release sits in a channel — usable without being a holster snag. Small grip cuts at the magwell help strip a stuck mag. Front of the trigger guard is not textured (fine for me). Like the Max-9, no frame rail for lights/lasers — I expected trigger-guard-mounted options to show up later, same story as Max-9.
Slide, sights, barrel, weight
Steel slide with front and rear cocking serrations. White-dot front and serrated drift-adjustable steel rear — not tritium/fiber from the factory, but you can swap. Finish on tape: gas nitride for holster durability (I called that out as a weakness on older G2C/G3C). Barrel: 3.06 in, DLC coated. Recoil system uses a steel guide rod (not polymer) — same preference I had on the Max-9 for a micro 9. Specs from the video: about 18.5 oz unloaded, overall length just over 6 in, height 4.4 in, width just over 1 in.
Price framing (as filmed)
MSRP on tape was framed around the high $300s / just under $400, with street pricing expected around $350. Specs and street prices move — verify current dealer listings before you buy.
How it shoots
Trigger: same blade family as the G3C, but on this sample it felt cleaner — Glock Gen4-ish / in that lane — roughly around 5 lb on my estimate. Tiny take-up, wall, fairly clean break with little creep, short reset back to the wall. On camera I called it the best trigger I’d felt on a Taurus yet. No re-strike capability (noted as a departure from older G2C/G3C behavior).
Mags on tape: flush 11-round standard, 11-round with optional pinky extension, optional 13-round mags, plus 10-round options for mag-restricted states. Recoil felt close to the Max-9; gun stayed flat. Reliability on that range day was good after a full clean — one hiccup was my reload being seated long (my fault, not the gun). At five yards it was perfectly capable for A-zone / headshot work. If you don’t need a red dot on day one, this package chewed very well on tape.
Bottom line
I said it would become a Taurus bestseller for obvious reasons: looks/feels premium for the money, modular grip, 11/13 capacity options, and a trigger that actually impressed. Low-risk buy for a lot of owners at that street price. It’ll take share from Springfield/Smith/Sig and from Taurus’s own slightly bigger/heavier G2C/G3C while offering similar capacity with more features.
Honest caveat from the sample: Taurus is still Taurus on QC. Design and reliability on my gun were solid, but I called it a “98% complete” gun — front sight a bit off and the rear not drifted true from the FFL; simple dealer fix, but it should’ve been caught. If you’re shopping, have the shop verify sights before you leave.
Keep squatting.
Would you take the GX4 over a Hellcat, P365, Max-9 — or stick with a G3C/G2C?
Some links are affiliates. Purchases may support the channel at no extra cost to you. Always follow federal, state, and local law. Firearms, ammo, and suppressors ship to eligible buyers only.
Comment here