Initial Impressions
The first thing I thought when I opened the case of the Taurus TH9 was “this is a nice case” as it features laser cut foam to hold the gun plus two mags. Opening the box also revealed a large gun with larger-than-expected controls. The Ecomm photos from the site don’t really do the TH9 justice. The slide stop/release is large and easy to reach and actuate. The safety is almost comically large. I’ve never been a huge fan of manual safeties on pistols (though my first pistol had one), but this one is easy to find and control. The only control that isn’t oversized is the mag release. All the controls are ambidextrous as well.
Also immediately apparent was the slide’s unique look from the alloy steel build. It seems almost unfinished when you touch it, but it’s a budget gun, and staying away from fancy DLC coatings is part of what makes it affordable. If I owned this gun, I would make sure to give it extra love with regular cleanings, and perhaps invest in something like a Bone-Dri bag to keep moisture out.
Finally, when I picked up the gun, the first thing I noticed was the grip texture and finger grooves. I’ve always liked the way Taurus does grip texture. It’s not overly aggressive, but certainly aggressive enough to get a good weld to the hand. I either love the finger grooves on a gun or hate them, and unfortunately for the TH9, I’m not in love. I found myself gripping the area meant to go between the fingers about half the time.
But despite me not totally grooving with the finger grooves, I did find the gun fit my hand well and was comfortable to hold.
Specs
- Caliber: 9mm
- Capacity: 17+1
- Action: DA/SA
- Overall Length: 7.72 inches
- Barrel Length: 4.27 inches
- Height: 5.98 inches
- Width: 1.30 inches
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Unloaded Weight: 28.2 ounces
Range Time
Out on the range, my experience with the TH9 had both positives and negatives. A big plus is the capacity, and Taurus includes two magazines with the gun. The mags are Mec-Gar, which has a great reputation for manufacturing some of the best magazines in the industry. The more I shot with the gun, the less I noticed the finger grooves and began to appreciate how well this gun fit my hand. The beavertail was also deeply cut and did a good job of protecting my fat mitts. Getting comfortable did take a few magazines, though.
I’m not sure if the gun needs a bit of a break-in, or if it was me transitioning from shooting other guns, but for the first few magazines my accuracy was embarrassing. It wasn’t just me, though. I handed the gun to a buddy who I know is a much better shooter than I, and he was all over the map as well. Accuracy seemed to tighten up as I continued to shoot the TH9, but I thought it should be noted. This isn’t ever going to be a competition-ready gun out of the box, but it was more than capable of defensive hits inside of 25 feet.
The trigger also affects accuracy, and I don’t think anyone would call this a refined trigger. It’s more than capable of getting the job done, especially with some training. But you’re not going to phone a buddy to tell him you just the shot the TH9. The double action is long and a little clunky, and the single action has a lot of creep before hitting the wall. Check out the video below of the trigger pull.
My biggest gripe is probably that the mag release is small and at times can be hard to reach and actuate, especially under stress. Secondly, I had a couple times when mags failed to fall free and had to be stripped out. Not a huge deal, but under stress things like that can add up.
I’m somewhere between 500-600 rounds through the TH9 now with a variety of ammo including Federal Syntech (both match and training), Federal Hydra Shok, Federal Punch, Blazer Brass, Winchester Whitebox, Wolf Military Classic, and ZSR. Overall, it has functioned well, but I experienced two malfunctions. Both were failures to extract, one with a Wolf Military Classic and one with Winchester Whitebox, so ammo choice could certainly be the reason.
The sights are very basic, but Taurus was smart here again and went with Novak Drift Adjustable sights. There are plenty of aftermarket options if you want to swap them out. Finally, I felt like the rear slide serrations were too light, and I wish it had front serrations. If you're looking for more pew pew footage check out the full shooting montage below.
Breaking it Down
The TH9 breaks down like a standard Glock and many other guns with similar takedown systems. Once the gun is broken down, you can also see how the accuracy might be affected by the rails – or lack thereof. For the large size of the slide, it runs on minimal rails inside the gun. Again, this is a budget gun designed to be affordable, so Taurus needed to make some sacrifices.
The loss in some rail space likely plays into why the gun doesn’t have the softest recoil or stay really flat for follow-up shots. Regardless, the gun breaks down and reassembles easily, which should lend itself well to new shooters.
Pros & Cons
