The Taurus G3 series represents the company’s recommitment to making quality firearms. Taurus’ flagship line of striker-fired EDC pistols is versatile, reliable, affordable, and surprisingly feature-rich. The MagLife’s authors have reviewed every G3 model but one: the G3X. Today, we’ll complete the set.
The G3X is the hybrid G3, matching the compact G3C’s 3.2-inch barrel and slide with the original G3’s full-size grip. The combo offers greater control while still providing comfort and concealability. Taurus recently sent us a G3X for testing, and we’ve been running it for a couple of months now. Let’s hit the specs first; then, we’ll get into how the gun performed.
Taurus G3X Specifications
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
- Capacity: 15+1/17+1
- Trigger Pull: 6 lbs.
- Barrel length: 3.2 Inches
- Overall Length: 6.3 Inches
- Width: 1.2 Inches
- Height: 5.2 inches
- Weight: 22.6 Ounces (Unloaded)
- Alloy Steel Slide with Tenifer Matte Black Finish
- Stainless Steel Barrel with Matte Stainless Finish
- Striker Block Drop Safety
- Available 10-Round Version
G3X Features
The G3X’s full-size grip is its central feature, paired with the shorter barrel and slide. It provides plenty of purchase and has the standard G3 grip characteristics. The texturing is fairly aggressive on the front, back, and sides. It sticks well in the hand, aided by a slight palm swell. The backstrap is not interchangeable, but I don’t think that will be an issue unless your hands are just huge. The full-size grip is also compatible with extended 17-round G3 mags, as well as the included 15-rounders.
Taurus touts the grip’s molded “Memory Pads” for the support hand index finger and firing hand’s thumb. I like them as well because they make the G3 grip more comfortable. I first encountered them on my G3 Tactical. They’re a nice touch.
The G3 guns feature one of the better slides that I’ve run. Seems a bit strange to say that about a Taurus, but there you go. The company has put some thought and effort into these guns. Yet another sign of their new direction. Front and rear serrations are expected nowadays, and the slide itself is pretty easy to rack. But I really like the beveled corners. They make for a low-drag pistol, whether you’re holstering or drawing. The G3X is currently the only G3 without an optic-ready slide. I expect Taurus to remedy that soon.
The controls are positive, and I can reach them easily. But they are not ambidextrous. The G3X is very affordable, but a reversible mag release, at least, would be worth a little extra money. The Picatinny rail only has one slot, but I attached a subcompact weapon light to it with no problem.
The G3X has restrike capability, which I love, mainly because it provides more realistic dry-fire training opportunities. Disassembly is very Glock-like.
The G3X on the Range
We ran 350 rounds through the G3X in our testing. 100 rounds were 115-grain Blazer FMJ, while 225 rounds were split roughly evenly between 124-grain Federal American Eagle FMJ and 124-grain Sellier & Bellot FMJ. The last 25 were 124-grain +P IMI Black Dot jacketed hollow points. We experienced 100 percent reliability, using the included Taurus-made 15-round magazines and two extended 17-rounders.
The trigger is fine, breaking at around 6 lbs., but the pull is longer than I prefer. The G3’s price makes it attractive to new gun owners, so the long take-up may account for the gun’s lack of a manual safety. The break is clean, which is better than a factory Glock, in my opinion. The reset is short, with a quick return to the break. The bladed trigger safety is wider than the Glock style, with an indexed face. It’s quite comfortable.
The action is great, aided by the nice slide. The G3 series is easy to rack, and we had no problems with it going into battery. We ran failure drills with randomly inserted dummy rounds, and the G3X responded well.
Recoil was about what you’d expect from a short-barreled 9mm pistol, but the full-size grip mitigated it somewhat. The G3X shot comfortably, and we had no problems with follow-up shots. The sights are simple but functional: a blacked-out, serrated rear notch and a front post with a white dot.
We have experienced some wear on the slide’s finish, which indicates that it may not be as durable as we’d like. It’s all on the left side, at high points where you’d expect holster wear, but you wouldn’t expect it this soon.
Carrying the G3X
I don’t have a dedicated G3X holster. I can’t realistically buy a holster for every gun I test, especially if I don’t get to keep it, as in this case. But my son and I carried the G3X in a quality bellyband holster. It helps that we each have our own. He carried the G3X at the appendix, while I carried it at my usual 4:30 position.
The G3X was comfortable. It holstered and drew easily and quickly. The gun was light and certainly thin enough. Unsurprisingly, the flush 15-round mags concealed better than the extended 17-rounders. We both liked it, and it would probably be better with its own holster.
Conclusion
My son and I both like the G3X. We wish it were ambidextrous, especially since he shoots left-handed, but that’s how it is right now. The G3 line is meant to be budget-friendly, so I guess that was a trade-off for the price point Taurus wanted. But that may not be an issue for you. Taurus has a pretty nice gun that reliably does its job at a price most people can afford. There’s a lot to be said for that, and I appreciate it.
We’ll see how the new Taurus guns hold up over time. Durability is usually where lower-priced guns eventually show why they’re priced like they are. But let’s be honest. Most people will never approach the round count required to break down even a decent gun. The G3X is much better than decent, though the finish wear is a little concerning. If you’re looking for a good, reliable carry gun that won’t kill your bank account, maybe check out the G3X. There’s a lot to like. And GunMag Warehouse can even hook you up with extra mags!
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