Most consumers know of Taurus as an affordable firearm manufacturer of Brazilian origin. And for many, those low-price points are associated with poor quality. Honestly, until recently I might agree with that sentiment. However, the Board of Taurus has looked to reshape that stigma. In doing so they hired a new CEO and transitioned much of their corporate structure to the United States—Georgia specifically—where they focus on product design, quality control, and some manufacturing. While the majority of Taurus and their subsidiary's product line is made in Brazil, the quality of the production has increased dramatically. But that isn’t enough for Taurus. A goal of every manufacturer is to set market trends and reshape the market landscape through the introduction of new products and processes. Taurus began that over two years ago with the introduction of the GX4. The GX4 was Taurus’s take on a modern-styled handgun that is intended to compete against the Sig P365, Glock 43, Springfield Hellcat, and Smith & Wesson Shield. More importantly, the GX4 segues Taurus from its present models such as the G2 and G3 series into something fitting of current trends and styling.

Enter the GX4 Carry

While the GX4 has been relatively successful, it entered at a time when the world was still reeling from COVID-19 and a controversial election cycle. Unfortunately, the GX4 was somewhat lost in the margins of world events. However, the gun itself is good. Especially at a price point that hovers between $299.99 and $399.99 depending on options and sales. Smartly, Taurus is using the GX4 as a base for a new mainline of pistols designed for the modern shooter.

As the standard GX4 fits in the concealed-carry market, the Carry version fits squarely in the duty/defense, market, but could still be used as a carry option. It nestles squarely in the Glock 19 realm. That said, the Carry holds 15 rounds, has a barrel length of 3.7”, an overall width of 6.4”, a height of 5.15”, and is 1.07” wide. For those interested the gun weighs in at 21.51oz or 1.34lbs unloaded. The sights are Glock style and made of steel, with a serrated rear and a white-dot front. This should mean that aftermarket Glock sights can be used. The trigger is flat face—a personal favorite of mine—and uses a blade-style trigger safety. A Picatinny rail sits out front while the sides of the frame protrude outward formulating what Taurus calls the “signature indexing and recoil management pad (RMP)”—essentially a gas pedal for controlling recoil. Furthermore, the barrel is DLC coated, ships with two backstrap options, and has a visual loaded-chamber indicator.

An interesting feature of the pistol is that it has cuts in the grip that aid in the stripping of the magazine. This is important in the event of a failure to feed or extract and the magazine may require additional force to remove. Moreover, the GX4 Carry is relatively lefty friendly as the magazine release is reversible. For wear and tear, the operation parts of the gun are coated with Teflon, which is a nice addition. Finally, the gun can be had with the TORO (Taurus Optics Ready Option) cut slide. This puts it right in line with other options on the market, but as of this writing, I’m unsure of what optic footprints it accepts.

Final Thoughts

The GX4 Carry will be good, how good—that is to be determined. While Taurus, on paper, did an excellent job of scaling up the GX4, where the gun hits its stride is price. The base GX4 Carry comes with an MSRP of $469.99 while the TORO package elevates the price to $504.99. Those prices are astonishingly low for the quality of the GX4, and I’d assume will be found for even better prices as holiday sales come in. It is refreshing to see a manufacturer enter the market with something relevant but at a price that separates it from the competition. Think, a Glock 19 MOS can be found for around $629.99. Of course, it is unfair to directly compare the GX4 Carry to a pistol that has been around for over 40 years and has built a respected reputation, but in 2023, where new shooters are still coming in droves and inflation is at record highs, people need something that has quality and affordability.

The GX4 Carry will be hitting shelves soon, and for many will be an ideal option in a crowded market.