Taurus pistols and revolvers: an honest buyer's guide

Taurus is one of the best-known names in affordable handguns, and since 2019 its U.S. company has been based in Georgia. Taurus USA moved its headquarters and manufacturing from the Miami area, where it had operated since 1982, to a new plant in the Commodore Industrial Park in Bainbridge, Decatur County, which held its grand opening in December 2019. This guide walks through the current pistol and revolver lineup with honest pros and cons, and suggests which models fit carry, home defense and range use. Specifications come from Taurus USA; check the listing for the exact configuration before you order. We are an independent store and are not affiliated with Taurus.

What Taurus does well, and what to watch

Taurus built its reputation on value: handguns with features such as optics cuts, extra magazines and good sights at prices below most competitors. The company has also invested heavily in quality control and redesigns over the past decade, and it backs its guns with a limited lifetime warranty. The honest caveat is that older Taurus models had a mixed reputation, and trigger feel and fit on budget models are not the same as on premium pistols costing twice as much. Buy the gun that fits your hand, shoot it enough to trust it, and use quality defensive ammunition that you have tested in that pistol.

Taurus pistols

G2C and G3C

The G2C and its successor, the G3C, are compact striker-fired 9mm pistols with 3.2-inch barrels and 12-round magazines. The G3C typically ships with three magazines and has a drift-adjustable rear sight; T.O.R.O. versions are cut for optics. Both have a restrike trigger that lets you pull again on a light primer strike.

Pros: full 9mm capacity in a carry-size frame, low price, extra magazines in the box.
Cons: a bit thicker and heavier than the newest micro-compacts; trigger is serviceable rather than refined.

G3

The G3 is the full-size version, with a 4-inch barrel and 17-round magazines in 9mm. It makes a practical home-defense and range pistol and can be carried by larger shooters.

Pros: soft-shooting, high capacity, good starter pistol.
Cons: too large for many people to carry concealed.

GX4

The GX4 is Taurus's micro-compact 9mm, with a barrel of about 3.06 inches and 11-round flush magazines plus extended magazines on many models. Larger Carry and XL variants lengthen the slide and grip, and some versions are offered in .380 ACP. It competes with the smallest high-capacity carry pistols on the market.

Pros: very concealable, good capacity for its size, clean trigger for the class.
Cons: short sight radius and small grip make it harder to shoot fast than a compact.

TX22

The TX22 is a full-size .22 LR pistol with a 4.1-inch barrel and 16-round magazines, with 10-round versions where required. It is light, accurate and cheap to feed.

Pros: ideal for new shooters and practice, threaded barrel on many models.
Cons: a rimfire is not the right choice for self-defense, and .22 LR reliability depends heavily on ammunition.

TH9

The TH9 is a hammer-fired 9mm with a double-action/single-action trigger, a 4.27-inch barrel and 17-round magazines. It has an ambidextrous safety and decocking features depending on the model.

Pros: DA/SA operation for shooters who prefer a longer first pull, full-size capacity and a grip that suits larger hands.
Cons: learning the transition from double to single action takes practice.

Taurus revolvers

856

The 856 is a small-frame six-shot revolver in .38 Special, rated for +P ammunition, most often with a 2-inch barrel. Six rounds in a snub-nose frame is one more than most competitors.

Pros: simple, reliable manual of arms, extra round, affordable.
Cons: heavy double-action pull and short barrel demand practice; slower to reload than a pistol.

605

The 605 is a five-shot small-frame revolver chambered in .357 Magnum that also fires .38 Special and .38 Special +P, with 2-inch and 3-inch barrels. Many owners carry .38 +P for control and keep magnums for the woods.

Pros: magnum power in a carry-size revolver, all-steel frame soaks up recoil.
Cons: full .357 loads are sharp in a 2-inch gun.

692

The 692 is a medium-frame seven-shot revolver that ships with two cylinders: one for .357 Magnum and .38 Special, and one for 9mm. Barrels include 3-inch and 6.5-inch versions.

Pros: three calibers in one gun, seven rounds, adjustable sights on many models, good trail and range revolver.
Cons: larger and heavier than a carry snub.

Judge and Public Defender

The Judge fires both .45 Colt cartridges and .410 shotshells. The standard Judge takes 2.5-inch shells, the Magnum version 3-inch shells, and the compact Public Defender is built for carry. Taurus marked the Judge's 20th year in 2026 with a limited anniversary edition and a redesigned New Judge. We cover it in its own Taurus Judge guide.

Raging Hunter

The Raging Hunter is Taurus's large-frame hunting revolver, with a ported barrel inside a shroud and an optics rail. It is offered in .357 Magnum with seven rounds, .44 Magnum with six, .454 Casull and .460 S&W Magnum with five, and .350 Legend, with barrels from about 5 to 10 inches depending on caliber.

Pros: legal and effective for Georgia deer and hogs with expanding bullets, porting tames recoil, easy to mount a scope or red dot.
Cons: heavy and large; not a carry gun.

Which Taurus for which job

Everyday carry: GX4 or G3C, or an 856 or 605 if you prefer a revolver.
Home defense: G3 or TH9 for capacity and a full-size grip; a 692 for a revolver owner.
Range and training: TX22 for cheap practice, plus the 9mm you carry.
Hunting and the woods: Raging Hunter for deer and hogs; a 605 or 692 for snakes and trail carry.

Buying a Taurus in Georgia

Even though Taurus handguns are built in Bainbridge, every one bought from a dealer goes through the federal background check, and dealers sell handguns only to buyers 21 and older. Georgia adds no permit or waiting period. Most adults can carry without a license, and the weapons carry license guide explains why many still get one. For the full picture, read the Georgia gun laws overview. Browse the catalog to see current Taurus listings; our gun shop page explains how your order reaches a local dealer.

General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.