Taurus Pistol G3c - We may earn a commission when you purchase through links on our site. Learn more here.

I was treating myself one day in June 2020 when I got a call from my media contact in Taurus. He said the Taurus is coming out with something new, a new 9mm. It comes with three 10- or 12-round magazines and is based on the full-size four-inch-barreled G3 9mm pistol that Taurus came out with not too long ago. Knowing that Taurus can be quite innovative when it comes to firearm design, I was eager to see the gun, put it through its paces and write the ultimate Taurus G3c review.

Taurus Pistol G3c

Taurus Pistol G3c

When I finally got around to opening the box, my first impression was, I think we have a winner, ladies and gentlemen. Why I thought so before I shot it:

Taurus G3c Iwb Holster

Remember, these are just my quick observations of the gun out of the box. So let's see if this has changed after shooting. Anyway, it looks good from the beginning. Now let's look at the gun.

Subscribe to our newsletter and receive news on gun deals, educational content, reviews and law changes!

The inside of the frame is very clean (except for the oil of course) - no post-production residue here.

Note the slide engraving and new front bore. The slide is finished using the Tenfer (melonite) process, a ferritic nitrocarburizing method. This metal is hard and rust-resistant. Glock, S&W and others use or have used this process.

Taurus G3c 9mm Luger 12rd Optic Ready Pistol 1 G3cp931

I saw no signs of external machinery. Taurus has really cleaned up its grind, literally. Parts are polished as required. The only discrepancy I see is the part of the slide above the barrel - two separate channels are twisted here. I'll have to see other G3cs to see if this is normal. (As far as I know this is a pre-production pistol and later pistols will look different).

In any case, the thing worked perfectly. Note the polishing job on the central feed rail - it came that way from the factory. That was impressive, especially when you consider the number of guns I own that don't have that rail finished like that. The time and effort I put into getting the feed rail smooth over the years... at least I didn't have to do this. (For another version of a medium feed train, read my review of the Springfield XD(M) .45 - interesting what they did).

The sight is made of steel and can be replaced. The dovetail is a standard size cut, so aftermarket sights will be easy to come by soon. The back is also functionally adjustable. The serrations helped break up the glare when I fired the gun.

Taurus Pistol G3c

As I mentioned above, the texture seems more aggressive than the G2c. I stamped my G2c grip with a soldering iron - this grip feels a lot like that grip. Very aggressive, keeps gun firmly in hand when shooting. But it wasn't uncomfortable - I really liked it.

The Taurus G3c

The G3c trigger uses its big brother's flat face and redesigned safety blade. That's the only thing I don't like about the gun - either the safety blade or the slightly sharp edge on the trigger hurt my trigger finger after a few shots. If it were my gun, I would look for a way to loosen that edge without compromising functionality.

Above I made an observation about how the trigger "doesn't have much pick-up or creep" - yes, the firing did show some pick-up, but some of that is due to its single action striker. I only weighed 5 ½ pounds. There was a touch of creeping in before the striker struck, but the break was too sharp. It's a good trigger, much better than previous Tauruses.

Notice the two magazines on the right and the one on the gun – you get three 12 round mags with this gun, unlike some Glocks. It's a welcome touch! Speaking of those magazines, here they are all lined up…

When Taurus first started putting yellow followers in their magazines, I noticed and commented. I like the color yellow - you can tell when the stomach is emptying or flowing out. There are witness holes in round levels 6 and 12. The other side of the magazine is stamped âCaliber 9mm - MADE IN BRAZILâ, so we know they aren’t Mec-Gar magazines but that’s okay. I've never had a problem with any Taurus magazine feeding or otherwise working. Look at the bottom plate - one thing the new Taurus does with these magazines is add a scallop, a form of plastic. It corresponds to a similar indentation in the grip ... here is a picture of it:

Gun Review: Taurus G3c 9mm Pistol

This is a failsafe if the stomach doesn't come out - you'll have an easier job removing a stuck stomach in a hurry with easy incisions than you would without them. This isn't a new feature at all - other manufacturers have been doing this for years - but Taurus seems to be trying to cram every relevant feature into this new product. I think they could remove even more from the frame and belly, and deepen the "bowl" a bit, but that's just me. The image also shows the more aggressive grip structure.

There is nothing new to talk about in this Taurus G3c review. Read the full Taurus G2c review for more information.

I tried the gun with several different brands and weights of 9mm ammunition – here are the three most interesting:

Taurus Pistol G3c

If you are not familiar with this bullet, please read my review on NovX. This screams short 9mm barrel.

Taurus G3c Holster: Finding The Best Concealed Carry Holster For The G3c

These targets were shot at 15 yards, on my backyard range. It was very sunny and the drills in the rear sight came in handy - without any glare. The groups lean to the right of the target, because that's how my eyes work. I used a 6 o'clock hold - maybe a center hold would have raised the groups a bit. However, at least in terms of height, this weight and vision is well regulated for both my eyes.

I set my target at 15 yards and attached three blank targets. I went back to my bench and loaded the gun with Winchester weights. When the shot caught the trigger's slack, the shot went off. Recoil was a bit snappy but nothing to write home about – the gun was exceptionally controllable. I appreciate the grip structure and ergonomic design for the control aspect.

Sights were readily available and allowed quick target acquisition. Blanks were thrown clear, to the right and about 10-15 feet back. I repeated the exercise with the NovX load, my arm load, and some other 9mm weights I had hanging from my arm. After shooting the targets, I broke out my Caldwell Ballistic chronograph and measured velocities – the results are shown above. In the end, the gun shot well and had no quirks or issues. It worked perfectly and the views were stunning. This gun should melt anything it feeds, including handloads with lead bullets.

If you're wondering about this latest model and what place it will occupy in the Taurus lineup, I'd bet it replaces the G2c. The modern evolution of 9mm concealed carry from the Taurus began with the PT111, which evolved into the PT111 G2, and then the G2c. The G2c was a big seller and put a gun in your hand for around three hundred bucks. After the G3 introduced a four-inch barrel with its improved trigger, sights and ergonomics, there was widespread speculation about the release date of its compact version.

Taurus G3c Compact 9mm Pistol

Now that we have the G3c, will the G2 series (G2c, G2s single-stack) continue? I don't know, but if past history is any indication, the G2 will eventually disappear in favor of the G3 series. Really, what's not to like? 12-3-round (or 10-round, for these states) magazines with option to use 15- or 17-round, interchangeable steel sights using standard dovetail/screw post, good grip structure, new trigger - $300 It's a very cheap gun.

So where does owning a G2c leave us? Well, this shooter is trying to sell his to buy a G3c. I like the improvements and "shootability" of this new platform. To me, that seems like a bit of a fresh start for the Taurus - the gun seems more "grown up" than it should be in the big leagues. I hope the trust factor is there because this gun can put the Taurus in a place it hasn't been before. Takes a serious look from the previous Taurus

Taurus g3c with viridian laser holster, taurus g3c leather holster, gun holster for taurus g3c, taurus g3c shoulder holster, concealed carry holster for taurus g3c, taurus g3c iwb holster, owb holster for taurus g3c, taurus g3c concealed carry holster, holster for a taurus g3c, taurus g3c viridian laser holster, taurus g3c holster, taurus g3c concealed holster