Taurus continues to charge headfirst into additional firearms markets, and they are doing it in some interesting ways. I have been impressed with several of their recent additions, and I find the growing variety of their offerings pretty interesting. Taurus has long been known as a pistol maker, but over the last few years they’ve expanded into everything from hunting rifles, suppressors and even their own cartridge, the .38 TPC.
So perhaps I shouldn’t have been too surprised when Taurus introduced the RPC 9mm, a roller-delayed pistol-caliber carbine. Technically, the RPC is sold as a pistol, but the intent behind these compact PCCs is pretty obvious. They offer much of the handling and performance of a carbine while staying within the legal definition of a pistol.
The RPC incorporates a good variety of features, and with the classic Taurus price tag, it can be an appealing option for anyone interested in inexpensive 9mm PCC shooting. There are very few new guns that don’t interest me, so I was excited to get my hands on the Taurus RPC and see what it could do.
I had already seen the RPC in the usual firearms media before one showed up for me to test. My first thought was simply, “How about that, a Taurus PCC?” That was before I picked it up, and well before I discovered that Taurus had chosen a roller-delayed operating system.
I generally prefer to form my own opinions about new firearms before reading too much about what everyone else thinks. That way, I can spend some time with the gun and see what stands out to me.
The roller system isn’t the only interesting feature on the RPC. Taurus also gave it an AR-15-style pistol grip, which is convenient if you want to change it out. A full-length Picatinny rail runs along the top of the receiver, while a small M-LOK-compatible handguard surrounds the portion of barrel extending beyond the trunnion. The barrel can also be removed using a locking cam system.
The controls are ambidextrous, including the last-round bolt catch and safety. The charging handle can also be moved from one side to the other, which is a nice touch for left-handed shooters.
One feature that may be somewhat controversial is the RPC’s proprietary 32-round polymer magazine. Many PCCs are designed around existing pistol magazines, which certainly has its advantages. On the other hand, there are benefits to designing a magazine specifically for the firearm. Taurus chose the latter route here.
A folding Strike Industries pistol brace comes installed on the rear. I found the brace to be quite suitable for the compact RPC and a natural fit for the gun.
I was anxious to see how this little “handgun” would work, so it didn’t take long to get it to the range after it arrived.
Taurus packages the RPC in a cardboard box with the usual literature, an action lock, and an extra magazine. When I pulled the gun from the box, I was immediately surprised by its size and weight. It was considerably lighter than I expected, and smaller as well.
Many traditional blowback-operated PCCs are surprisingly heavy because they require a large, heavy bolt to delay the opening of the action. The roller-delayed system of the RPC doesn’t require that same mass, and the difference is noticeable as soon as you pick it up.
My initial thoughts were pretty positive. The rubberized grip felt excellent in the hand and provided plenty of purchase. The magazines inserted smoothly and locked up tightly, and the controls all felt perfectly serviceable.
The one thing I didn’t like initially was the charging handle. It was quite stiff, and without shouldering the brace, pulling it to the rear was borderline uncomfortable.
The short barrel is threaded 1/2×28 and comes with a small thread protector. I particularly liked the inclusion of an O-ring in the protector, which helps keep it securely in place when tightened. Naturally, I was eager to remove it and get some accessories mounted on the RPC.
For an optic, I installed a Vector Optics Paragon 1x prism on the top rail. It provides a nice, clear sight picture and offers both red and green illumination when needed.
Up front, I installed the new Anechoic Fibonacci 9mm suppressor. The Fibonacci is an extremely light and simple suppressor, and at just three ounces, it was barely noticeable on the already lightweight Taurus.
Shooting the RPC was at the top of my list, but before I even made it to the range, I found something I could improve.
I disassembled the RPC out of curiosity to get a better look at the roller-delayed operating system. While doing so, I discovered that part of the reason the charging handle was so difficult to operate was simply a lack of lubrication.
The charging block that pushes the bolt carrier rearward is a short piece that can torque slightly in its raceway when the charging handle is pulled. A small amount of light gun grease made a significant difference. After lubrication, the charging handle was noticeably smoother and much more pleasant to operate.
Once at the range, I put a few rounds through the gun to see how everything felt. There were no immediate issues, so I zeroed the Paragon prism and then started working through the 32-round magazines.
The RPC locks open after the last round and releases the bolt neatly with the bolt catch, much like an AR-15. The ambidextrous controls also proved to be more than just a feature on the specification sheet.
During my testing, I experienced only one malfunction. It was a stovepipe-type stoppage that was easily cleared by removing the magazine and running the charging handle. Other than that, the RPC has been completely reliable in its consumption of ammunition.
I don’t know whether the malfunction was ammunition-related or simply a fluke, so I’m not going to draw any conclusions from a single stoppage. But it is worth mentioning.
The roller-delayed operating system is probably my favorite feature of the RPC. I’m accustomed to shooting blowback PCCs such as the CZ Scorpion, and while those guns can certainly be reliable and fun, the heavy bolts required by traditional blowback operation can make them feel heavier and a little more violent when shooting.
The roller-delayed system doesn’t require the same massive bolt, which helps keep the RPC lightweight. It also reduces the amount of mass moving back and forth inside the receiver. The result is a gun that feels considerably more refined than I expected from an inexpensive PCC.
Accuracy isn’t normally the biggest consideration with a PCC. These guns are generally intended for relatively close-range shooting. Still, I was quite happy with the accuracy of the RPC.
At 100 yards, you’re certainly stretching the practical utility of a compact 9mm pistol-caliber firearm. Even so, I was surprised by how useful the RPC remained at that distance. Hitting soda-can-sized targets at 100 yards is certainly doable, and, more importantly, it’s a lot of fun.
Aside from the initial charging-handle issue, the rest of the controls worked very well. The bolt catch was easy to operate and functioned flawlessly. I particularly liked the ability to reach the right-side bolt catch with my trigger finger. That allows you to lock the action open before the magazine is completely empty.
The ambidextrous safety levers also worked well, providing the familiar thumb-off/index-finger-on arrangement regardless of which side of the gun you’re using.
The rubberized grip made the small RPC easy to control, and the handguard provides just enough room to get a comfortable grip on the front of the gun. There is barely enough space to add a vertical grip if that’s the direction you wanted to go, but I didn’t find one necessary.
The RPC is light enough that I didn’t feel like I needed additional grip surface or anything else hanging off the front.
I mentioned earlier that the Taurus RPC was surprisingly easy to hit targets with, and I think that has a lot to do with how well the gun fits the shooter. It points naturally, the short barrel keeps the overall package compact, and the trigger feels quite good.
The RPC is a small gun, but it doesn’t feel like Taurus simply chopped a larger firearm down to make it smaller. The various components work together well, and the end result is a PCC that is easy to handle and enjoyable to shoot.
The RPC is more expensive than I initially expected, but it is still less expensive than many other 9mm PCCs on the market. Two of the closest competitors I would point to are the Stribog SP9A3 and Springfield Armory Kuna. Both cost hundreds more than the RPC, although they also have established track records in the market.
That doesn’t necessarily make the RPC a better or worse gun. It simply puts it in an interesting position within the PCC market.
I think the RPC is a good place to start for someone getting into pistol-caliber carbines. The price makes it more accessible, while the feature set gives you considerably more than just a basic blowback PCC.
Even without comparing it directly to other guns, the RPC offers a pretty good collection of features for the money. The roller-delayed action, ambidextrous controls, folding brace, interchangeable charging handle, and 32-round magazine give it plenty to work with.
If you’re in the market for a pistol-caliber carbine, there are certainly plenty of options available today. The Taurus RPC brings some more advanced features to the table without going completely overboard on price.
I’ve found the RPC to be a very fun little firearm. Its light weight, compact size, simple controls, and soft-shooting roller-delayed action make it an approachable gun for new shooters while still giving experienced shooters plenty to enjoy.
As always, I’d recommend getting your hands on one and trying it before you buy if you have the opportunity. But based on my time with the Taurus RPC, I think Taurus has added another interesting firearm to its growing lineup, and the RPC is a pretty compelling little PCC.
Specifications: Taurus RPC Carbine
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
- Action: Roller-delayed blowback
- Capacity: 32 rounds standard proprietary magazines (10 and 20-rounders available)
- Barrel Length: 4.5-inch threaded barrel
- Thread Pitch: 1/2×28
- Quick-Change Barrel: Allows the barrel to be removed/replaced without extensive disassembly
- Grip: AR-15-compatible, soft rubber overmolded grip
- Handguard: M-LOK-compatible
- Configurations: Available with or without the folding brace
- Sights: No fixed sights; designed for optics or backup sights mounted to the Picatinny rail
- Weight: Approximately 72.3 oz. without brace and 78.7 oz. with brace
- Overall Length: Approximately 12.2 inches without brace; approximately 21 inches with the brace
- MSRP: $939 w/o brace, $1,098 with brace