Taurus TX9 Now Comes in Flat Dark Earth: Full-Size, Compact and Sub-Compact

Squat Squad, the flat-black pistol world just got a little more tan. Taurus is expanding its TX9 line with a new Flat Dark Earth (FDE) finish, and it isn’t limited to one size. According to Taurus, the FDE option covers the full-size, compact and sub-compact TX9, and all three FDE models are already listed on Taurus USA’s website with their own item numbers.

If you haven’t been following it, the TX9 is Taurus’ duty-rated striker-fired 9mm, the one built around a serialized modular chassis so you can move the same fire control unit between frame sizes. The FDE news is a color change, not a new gun, but it puts a lot of the TX9’s features in front of people who might have skipped it.

Quick note: this is a release announcement built from Taurus’ press release and its own product pages. We haven’t shot an FDE TX9 yet, so nothing below is a hands-on impression.

TL;DR

What’s new: a Flat Dark Earth finish option for the TX9 line.
Sizes: full-size (4.5″ barrel, 17+1), compact (4.0″ barrel, 15+1) and sub-compact (3.4″ barrel, 13+1).
Same TX9 underneath: striker-fired 9mm, Taurus Modular System chassis, optics-ready with the T.O.R.O. system, dovetailed sights, ambi slide release, reversible mag catch, four backstraps.
Taurus says: duty-rated, every TX9 assembled and tested in the USA, limited lifetime warranty.

What the TX9 actually is

Taurus calls the TX9 “Duty Ready,” and the feature list is aimed at people who want one platform they can set up their own way:

Taurus Modular System. A serialized modular chassis that lets you swap between the full-size, compact and sub-compact frame sizes. One gun, three sizes, depending on whether it’s riding on your hip, sitting in the nightstand or going to a match.
Optics-ready from the box. The TX9 uses Taurus’ T.O.R.O. (Taurus Optic Ready Option) system. If you want to see how T.O.R.O. works on a Taurus pistol, we went through it on the G3C TORO in the video below.
Dovetailed iron sights. Taurus uses industry-standard dovetails, so a lot of aftermarket sights should drop in. From the factory it’s a removable white-dot front and a drift-adjustable rear.
Lefty-friendly controls. Ambidextrous slide release and a reversible magazine catch.
Fit. Four interchangeable backstraps.
Safeties: firing pin block and trigger safety, no manual thumb safety.

FDE models and specs (from Taurus)

	TX9 Full FDE	TX9 Compact FDE	TX9 Sub Compact FDE
Item number	1-TX9F441-MF	1-TX9C441-MF	1-TX9SC431-MF
Caliber	9mm Luger	9mm Luger	9mm Luger
Capacity	17+1	15+1	13+1
Magazines included	2	2	2
Barrel length	4.5 in	4.0 in	3.4 in
Overall length	7.75 in	7.19 in	6.62 in
Height	5.2 in	4.8 in	4.5 in
Width	1.28 in	1.28 in	1.28 in
Weight (unloaded)	25 oz	23.7 oz	21.7 oz
Sights	Removable white-dot front, drift-adjustable rear (dovetail)

One small note: Taurus’ TX9 page also also lists 10-round versions of all three sizes, but those show up in black only right now. The FDE item numbers listed are the standard-capacity 17, 15 and 13-round guns.

Who it’s for

Anyone running tan gear. If your holster, light, plate carrier or rifle is already FDE, a matching pistol just looks right.
People who want one 9mm for several jobs. The modular chassis means the same gun can be a full-size home defense pistol or a smaller carry gun.
Red dot shooters. Optics-ready from the factory, so you’re not paying a gunsmith to cut a slide.
Left-handed shooters. Ambi slide release and a reversible mag catch.

If you’re newer to Taurus, our Taurus G3C TORO and Taurus GX4 write-ups are a good look at where the brand’s carry guns are at, and our Taurus TX22 review covers the rimfire that shares the TX name. Here’s the G3C TORO video, where we get into the optics-ready setup:

Our take

This is a color release, so let’s not pretend it’s a brand new gun. What it does is take a pistol with a genuinely useful feature set (modular chassis, optics-ready, dovetail sights, ambi controls, three sizes) and give it a finish that a lot of people have been asking for across the industry. Caleb Giddings at Taurus said it best in the release: in a world of flat-black pistols, FDE just looks awesome. I agree. Having all three sizes in FDE at once is the smart move, because nobody wants a tan full-size and a black carry gun if they’re building around one platform. What we can’t tell you yet is how the FDE finish holds up to holster wear and a lot of range days. Treat Taurus’ duty-rated claims as claims until you see one with real round count on it. Still, if the TX9 was already on your list, now it comes in a color that matches the rest of your kit.

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Keep squatting.

FDE or black on your carry gun? Tell us in the comments.