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  4. Budget Tactical: Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 9mm

Tennessee-based SDS Imports is bringing in an affordable 9mm double stack with a ton of features, the Tisas PX-9 Gen 3.

SDS specializes in importing quality pistols, shotguns, and accessories. In the past few years, they have partnered with Tisas (pronounced “Tis-ash”) in Turkey to supply well-made M1911-style handguns to the U.S. market that have built a following through a combination of good reviews and affordable pricing. Newer and more modern is the PX-9 series of polymer-framed striker-fired pistols, with the third generation guns being the most feature-rich. 

This brings us to the Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical currently under evaluation. 
 

Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
The Turkish-made 9mm has a 5.1-inch extended threaded barrel, which gives it an 8.4-inch overall length. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
Or about as long as a standard-sized Government Issue or a full-length comp gun such as the Glock 34.
Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
Weight, unloaded, is right at 30 ounces, and it has a black Tenifer finish. 


Should the Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical be too long, SDS also has the shorter PX-9 Gen 3 Duty – both with and without the threaded barrel – which is more Glock 19 sized. They also offer them in both an OD green and FDE Cerakote finish as well. 

Going Inside


The Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 series has an easy takedown for maintenance. Just lock the slide back on an unloaded pistol with an empty chamber, rotate the frame-mounted takedown lever, unlock it, and remove the slide to the front of the frame. 
 

Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
Nothing surprising inside. Of interest is the hammer-forged barrel and dual recoil spring. Note that with threaded barrel models such as the Tactical, you must remove the thread protector to be able to take the barrel out of the slide for cleaning. The threads are standard 1x28 TPI pitch. 
Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
Surface controls are on the left of the frame, including an American-style push-button mag release, a rotating takedown lever, and a slide-stop lever. The mag release is reversible. The flat-faced trigger has an integrated safety lever that is a distinctive red color.


Speaking of trigger, we found it to run 4.5 pounds on average with a short reset. It feels smooth, especially for a factory striker-fired pistol. It has a pre-cocked striker. 

Thus: 
 

 

Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
Sights include a fixed, blacked-out rear with a green fiber-optic front and are in a Glock 19/40 pattern should you want to change them out. They are suppressor-height and tall enough to allow a lower-third co-witness with most MRDs installed.
Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
It comes with a factory micro red-dot cut in a Trijicon RMR/SRO pattern, which is nice for the price. There are a ton of less expensive MRDs out there with that footprint, such as the Ade Stingray, Holosun 407/507, Swampfox Kingslayer/Liberty/Justice, et. al. There are no plates, it is a rock-solid direct mount, which is just the way we like it.
Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
When it comes to ergonomics, the pistol has front and rear slide serrations and a generously knurled thread protector. 
Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
Texture is 360 on the grip, and the pistol ships complete with three changeable backstraps and six interchangeable side panels, which gives the gun a lot of modularity in the same grip frame. This allows something like 27 grip configurations.
Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
Magazines are P226 pattern, which are some of the most reliable metal-body 9mm double stacks on the market in terms of cost and availability. The PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical ships with both an Italian-made Mec-Gar 18-round and 20-round magazine along with a removable magwell adapter. 
Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
Tisas ships these guns in a watertight, lockable plastic case complete with manual, cleaning brush, patch rod, lock, backstraps, grip panels, two mags, mag loader, magwell adapter, and a IWB trigger-well-style holster.
 
Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
Speaking of holsters, it uses Springfield XDM pattern holsters, which are commonly available. The knife, for those curious, is a Cold Steel Gunsite Counter Point. 

 

How Does It Shoot? 


The gun tends towards accuracy and reliability in initial testing. So far, we have about 250 rounds through it in a mix of steel and brass-cased factory ammo. 
 

Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
Besides some Barnaul, we have been stoking the PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical with CCI Blazer Brass and Federal American Eagle 115-grain FMJ with 100-percent reliability thus far except for a couple of slide lock issues – failure to lock open on an empty magazine – possibly due to stiff new springs. TL;DR: No jams. 
Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
Accuracy, offhand from the 15-yard mark during rapid-fire shooting, is acceptable. I don't hate it. 


Stay tuned for more as we continue to run more rounds through this Turkish Tactical 9mm and toss some optics and cans on it. 
 

Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports
MSRP on the Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical from SDS Imports is $579.95.
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