I have long been familiar with the Taurus brand. Once upon a time its reputation wasn’t exactly positive. But in the decade since my first interaction I’ve come to really appreciate some of their firearms. That fresh outlook started a few years ago when they released the TX22. With a bunch of great features, I absolutely loved the little gun and nearly a decade later I have five of them. So when Taurus showed the new TX9 modular pistol this year at SHOT Show, it got my attention.
With their GX line of pistols already gaining popularity, Taurus appears to have distilled the best features of the TX22 here and blended them with their GX line. The TX9 is presented as a duty pistol, which I interpret as being meant for law enforcement and other professionals. But being modular, it can be configured for everyday carry, home defense…whatever you need a pistol to do.
There are several models of the TX9, and you can probably guess most of them. In addition to the full-size gun, there’s a compact model as well as a sub compact, all of which utilize Taurus’s T.O.R.O. optics mounting system. The T.O.R.O. system requires the use of optics mounting plates, but it works well and mounts virtually any red dot you own.
I’ve always liked the grip of the TX22, and was happy to see that the TX9 seems to copy the TX22’s comfortable features. But Taurus has taken it to the next level on the TX9 by adding interchangeable backstraps. That allows you to quickly swap out the backstrap to adjust the grip size for your comfort or hand size. A cross-pin locks the backstrap in place, and can be pushed through easily with any small punch.
As a duty pistol, the TX9 has additional adaptability. Slide release levers on both sides can be used ambidextrously and the mag release can be swapped from right to left hand. That’s good, but it gets even better. The TX9 has a removable modular sear pack, much like the SIG P320 or the Ruger RXM. You can pull the serialized fire control unit — Taurus calls it the Taurus Modular System — out of the polymer frame and swap it into a compact or subcompact frame.
All of that sounds good, but how does it shoot? Bells and whistles are great, but of no use if the overall product doesn’t meet your standards. So I headed to the range with a case of 115 grain ammunition to see how the TX9 flows.
The textured grip feels fantastic in the palm. I quickly swapped out the backstrap for a different one that fit my hand better. With all that in place, I fired a few magazines through the TX9. According the numbers, the TX9 isn’t much lighter than the average pistol. But it feels lighter for some reason, and it also felt a tad peppy as the rounds cracked off.
Because this one is configured as a duty pistol, I decided to kit it out like my other handguns. I installed a Nightstick TWM-30-GL weapon light, as well as a Gideon Optics Omega red dot. Adding those helped calm down the TX9, tempering its climb under recoil.
I kept loading magazines, which are 17-rounders made by Mec-Gar for Taurus. As usual, the Mec-Gar magazines worked really well. The kids and I spent several range trips pumping ammo through the TX9.
I’m but a humble civilian, but I can appreciate that those who carry guns for a living might prefer to put the TX9 through a few cases of ammo before slipping one into their holster. As with any new design, it takes a probationary period before people are ready to trust it for duty use. But so far, I have seen nothing to scare me off the TX9.
The TX9 shoots very nicely, and the grip angle gives me a perfect, natural point of aim. This results in very little adjustment needed to bring sights on target, even under time constraints. The trigger was a touch scratchy at first, but has since smoothed out, though it has a fairly soft reset. Particularly with the fine aim point of the Gideon Omega, the gun is more than accurate enough for duty purposes.
I suppose if I had a complaint about the TX9 it would be that removing the sear pack is very easy. Much faster than both my P320 and RXM (it requires no tools or even a punch to push pins out). That seems like a good thing, but I’m a touch suspicious, however, that there’s less engagement with the frame, which could result in lower round count before some kind of failure. We shall see.
Additionally — and this one is pretty minor — the cross pins in the sear pack aren’t captured except for inside the polymer frame. That means if you aren’t careful when swapping the sear pack you could lose a pin. Change frames accordingly.
With an MSRP barely over $500 and a street price around $400 this isn’t a particularly expensive pistol, especially if considered for a duty pistol. With a price point that low I think most people will be happy with what you’re getting from the Taurus TX9.
This is a fun and pleasant handgun to shoot, with good accuracy and some very handy modular features that will make it a great one-gun solution for a lot of people. I expect Taurus has a whole lineup of additional options in the pipeline, and I’m excited to see what different slides, frames and other accessories they bring to market.
Specifications: Taurus TX9 Modular 9mm Pistol
- Caliber: 9mm
- Capacity: 17+1 rounds
- Action: Striker-Fired
- Barrel Length: 4.5 inches
- Overall Length: 7.75 inches
- Height: 5.2 inches
- Width: 1.28 inches
- Weight: 25 ounces empty
- MSRP: $507.99