Taurus TCP range report

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Aahzz

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I am just back from the range after taking the Taurus TCP for a spin. I am very favorably impressed. I did 100 rounds today, which is all my hand can handle on a mini .380. This is a softer shooting gun than my Kel-Tec, but not by much, and my trigger finger feels it by the end of the session - both guns, I get the bottom of my trigger finger battered by the trigger guard during recoil.

The little Taurus groups wonderfully - I didn't measure, but it definitely shoots better than minute-of-bad-guy, which is all I ask from a pocket pistol. It fed my hollowpoints flawlessly - that was the first 31 rounds, because that's what I had available and I haven't found any more available locally. I needed to save a few for carry Then it was UMC 95 gr round nose. I had 1 FTF on round 92. At that point the gun was super filthy, so I don't fault it as much as the condition and the fact that my hand was tired. Earlier in the session I did do some one-handed shooting, both right and left hand, and had no failures with either.

Extraction was flawless, and done with gusto - the casings were landing well behind me and to my right. The early failures I had read about with this gun were FTE, so it seems they have the extractor tuned better now. I had read over at the Taurus forums that the guns with serial numbers ending in "A" had been since the problems were worked out. Mine ends in A, so I can believe that.

I want another hundred round of break-in, but I'm definitely pleased and feel that this is a good little shooter.
 
I'm glad you enjoy yours! I have handled my fathers extensively, and prefer it to my LCP
 
My friend and I stopped in Cabela's last week. We were looking to buy a pair of LCPs. Fortunately, they had some of the Taurus 738 TCPs there. After handling the LCP, KelTec and TCP, there was no questions which was the more favorable pistol. Comparatively, the TCP trigger is really, really nice. The slide locks back on the last round. Stainless slide. Lifetime guarantee. Looked like a miniature Sig inside - NOT a KelTec design rip-off.

We left Cabela's with two TCPs and an assortment of ammo. My TCP serial # also ends in an A. We each put 200+ rounds of 2 different FMJs, Winchester PDX1, Speer Gold Dots, handloaded FMJs and JHPs through each pistol.

The only ammo hangup was with some Hornady XTP handloads which failed to load. After cleaning the barrel ramp, they worked fine in rapid fire. All other rounds worked with no glitches. I'm a lefty, and several of the cases bounced off my head. Most cases were ejected well back over me.

I had cleaned mine before shooting because it was quite oily when I bought it. I used a very light film of Brian Enos' grease on the slide. It picked up a tremendous amount of powder residue and caused the slide to not lock back. A quick wipe with a few q-tips and all was well. I'll use oil from now on.

I added an Uncle George's wallet holster to my TCP, and it now resides in my hip pocket.
 
I am going to be getting the TCP as soon as my shop gets one of the gray ones in [with silver slide]. I'm liking what I'm hearing about these little guns.
 
I paid $279 for my TCP in stainless at my LGS. I think they had the LCP for $269 as well, and the Kel-Tec was running under $250, I forget by how much. Since the TCP is stainless, and has 2 mags and a carry pouch, I think the $10 over the RUger is justified :).
 
Look around for a TCP. My local shop has them for about $250 - $275. They are selling the LCP and Kel Tec for $295 - $310.
 
The reason I asked about the Cabela's price was that I just bought a TCP there for $ 329. They were selling the LCP for $ 399. So I was interested to find out if all the Cabela's have the same pricing across the chain.

I have been looking for a stainless TCP for the past several months north of Seattle and on the Eastside. Few, if any, gun stores have any in stock and I have never actually seen a TCP. If I had, I would have bought it. So when I found one at Cabela's, I grabbed it.

Washington is interesting in that we have none of the big box sporting/gun stores like Gander, Academy or Bass Pro. There is one Cabela's 65 miles south of Seattle. Combine this with a relatively small number of gun stores period, and I believe that we tend to pay more for guns in Washington than in other areas of the country. There is just not enough competition to keep the stores especially price-competitive.

The Washington state Department of Revenue just sent out a reminder to firearms dealers that they have to collect state sales tax on both the purchase price and transfer fees for any out-of-state purchases. Dealers should have been doing this for years, but most of them just collected tax on the transfer fees, which is now typically around $ 40-50 for a handgun in this area. In my county, the state/county/city sales tax adds up to almost 10%. Paying sales tax and a transfer fee makes buying an out-of-state purchase pretty much as expensive as buying in-state. Because I was having such problems finding a TCP at a local store, and I was told that the small stores were way down the priority list to get any from the distributors, I was giving serious thought to ordering one from Bud's or off of GunBroker.
 
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MillCreek - Sorry to be so late answering. The Wheeling, WV Cabela's charged $329 for the stainless TCP. I'm not sure about the LCP, but the TCP was less expensive.

I was going to go home and order one from Bud's, but you know how it is when you have what you want in your hands... ;-)
 
I've owned P32s, P3AT, and TCP and have shot the LCP.

Hands down the TCP shots better. Trigger as well as egronomics is superior. I do wish the grip was lengthened to where it is today with the magazine and that stupid bottom on the magazine dropped off. It's quite easy to pinch part of your hand loading a magzine into the gun.

Oh, and I'd LOVE if Keltec, Ruger, and Taurus would make a .22 lr version so you could practice alot. The .22 would pay for itself in ammo expense and allow you to become a good shot with those little guns.

Deaf
 
Local Cabelas had the LCP for $309 a couple weeks ago. Not sure what the TCP price is - I wasn't looking at them at the time - but after handling one at my LGS I like the feel of the TCP better. My finger fits between the trigger and guard on the TCP - while I can't get it in there cleanly on an LCP or the Kahr...
 
Glad yours works well. I love mine, just wish it were all black instead of having the two-tone, but oh well it just sits in my pocket to be unseen

tco738target.jpg

Mine has seen about 300 or so rounds through it without any problems

*edit* my only complaint is that I shoot it low, as can be seen in the photo. I've tested to make sure I'm not flinching, which I'm not, yet the POI is always low. Not sure why
 
I shoot mine a little low, and to the right. I've verified in my case that it's me, jerking the trigger at the end...and am working on it :)

Mine groups very similar to yours, which makes me happy.
 
$399 for a LCP is a gunshow price.
Shame on you , Cabelas.
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I was in Olympia again and went back to the Cabela's for another item. I asked at the counter this time, and the $ 399 price for the LCP is a Cabela's 'package deal' that includes an extra magazine and a DeSantis Nemesis holster. Interestingly enough, they were only selling the 'package deal' LCPs; they said they were out of stock on the regular LCPs. The regular LCP sells for $ 349 at this Cabela's.
 
That is my take on the TCP, too. I have a LCP but it may go bye bye at the next gunshow. I don't know if it is my individual gun, but I have shot two Tauruses that have better triggers.
Click to expand...

It's not just you. Taurus' new designs are great, with nice triggers.
 
Thanks for starting this thread Aahzz. Great reviews. I am shopping a pocket .380 and being a Brazilian product, the Taurus is far less expensive here than US models. I had this prejudice against Taurus but going through this thread it is hard to justify keeping that attitude.

Any other TCP owners, please chime in.
 
My TCP has been 99%. The only ammo it won't cycle is Speers' Lawman FMJ for some reason. It even shot Russian Tula ammo 100% on 50 rounds:eek:. It has been eating all JHPs that I feed it so I settled on Federal's Hydra-Shok LE Tactical JHP. Works like a charm.

...Oh, and I have been killing paper at the range pretty effectively. Not a single sheet has been able to get up and shoot back.
 
Roswell_Kid said:
Thanks for starting this thread Aahzz. Great reviews. I am shopping a pocket .380 and being a Brazilian product, the Taurus is far less expensive here than US models. I had this prejudice against Taurus but going through this thread it is hard to justify keeping that attitude.

Any other TCP owners, please chime in.
Click to expand...
I'm under the impression the TCP is made at the Taurus factory in the US which makes it an American product and it really isn't "far less expensive here than US models" but right In the same range as other comparable pistols.
 
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But still a Brazilian company. Not arguing point of product origin, but where the corporate HQ resides. Seems to make a big difference to the powers that be here who dictate import tax rates, and therefore to our end-user prices.

No, there is no logic to it. :)
 
Roswell_Kid said:
But still a Brazilian company. Not arguing point of product origin, but where the corporate HQ resides. Seems to make a big difference to the powers that be here who dictate import tax rates, and therefore to our end-user prices.

No, there is no logic to it. :)
Click to expand...
Ok but it's not an import, it's made in Ameirca by Americans and therefore has no lower cost labor price advantage as you stated in your original post.

I have a TCP and it was priced between the LCP and P-3AT and it shoots better than either of them.
 
The $399 LCP price is for the etched decorated one (You don't have to buy the decorated slide)
The $329 is the standard LCP. I have seen these from 279 - 329.

Just thought I'd correct the little misinformation. :D
 
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