I bought a Taurus PT709 "Slim".....

[W L Johnson]

I got my 709 back from Taurus service last week now it shoots like a Glock. it's a great pistol. Again, the problem was quality control at the factory, not a design flaw. I love this little pistol. One of the most fun to shoot i've ever had.

Glad to see they took care of it. A lot of people don't stop to think that even if DOA ones were only .01% of the total produced they would still account for 99% of the postings.

 

[icecolb]

My Taurus 709

I purchased my 709 in July for many of the same reasons posted above- size, shape, 9mm, 8 rounds, feel, external safety, and price. In my opinion, while the PF-9 and PPS are close, there is no other gun right now on the market that is "the total package."

I have an XD-9 sub-compact that I LOVE. I could rant for a long time about how much I love it. I carry it concealed but I've been looking for something slimmer. In comes the 709.

I confess, I'm one of those this as one of those "I'll never waste my money on a Taurus" guys. I won't go into the problems my dad and friends have had with their Taurus handguns, but I think my bias is warranted.

But, when I put it in my hand and looked at the price tag, I figured I couldn't lose.

The extractor broke before I made it through the first magazine. Did I say I'd never buy a Taurus? After an acceptable 5 week turnaround, I got it back today. Taurus claims they "adjusted" the extractor replaced the firing pin.

I understand extractors, especially on sub-compact pistols, are small pieces of metal that are prone to breaking. But if I don't get further than the first magazine, I'm sending it back and then putting it up for sale. I figure it's just a matter of time before Springfield or another legit company comes out with their version.

Then again, if it was a fluke, I can see myself loving this gun. I'll try to post updates.

 

[m2steven]

i'm 2 for 2 on bad tauri. But my 709 now shoots great. And it's fun to shoot.
My Judge literally had loose screws. Parts fell out and off of it after 20 shotgun shells. I expect to get it back in good condition.

I've said this before, but the designs of the guns look good to me. The quality of the Judge is really nice. The "put together" at the factory sucked.

This will kill them if they don't fix it. They probably sell more guns than anyone in the world to regular consumers. If it weren't for their warranty repair service, they'd be screwed.

But, being a patient guy - i'll enjoy my taurus when I get it back. If I were
a real smart fella, I'd have the guns taken down by a professional and tightened up before I shoot them. I shouldn't have to , but for the price I payed, it may be worth it. I know guys who shoot Taurus 357's and other magnums and love them. It's bad management on the assembly lines of the factory. The service is pretty good (for me anyway).

 

[cnicks]

Had mine for 19 days + sent back

Loved the gun, trigger, accuracy, grip, everything. Three trips to the range, 6 different brands of ammo, failure to extract consistatly. It has been 6 weeks sent I sent it back and no data back from Taurus, even sent examlpes of all the shells. Their web status shows nothing, not even if the gun arrived, guess their too overwhelmed to even enter the data and don't care about customer satisfaction or concerns. I had the seller call and the gun is there. I also send a PT111 back with it for the firing pin staying forward so it would not load the next round. One shot gun, less than 300 rounds. Concealed carry a shrouded hammer revolver now.

 

[KaliS-Pugilist]

are the problems people are having with the blued, stainless, or titanium, slim 709? i've been eye balling these lil guns for about 2 weeks now and thinking to get one. was going to go with a subcompact-xd9 as a super small CC-gun, but i'm just about one over with the slim-709. im thinking to go with the titanium as i think many of the issues are with the blued version, i could be wrong and hopefully someone can answer that.

also, i see on the taurus website that the 709 can also come with an extended magazine. does anyone have that and if so could you post pics to show how much more the extend mag adds to the grip length?

 

[DHaught]

Works good so far.

I traded in a gun I had bought for my wife to keep by the bed because it didn't fit her hand and the trigger was too heavy. I got the 709 slim because I had heard many good things about it and though I know many people who say they'd never buy a Taurus, none of them have ever owned one.
The few people I know that do have them seem to like them so I figured I'd give it a try. I've always been skeptical about buying a Taurus as well but it had all the points I was looking for in a gun for her.

I bought it at the local gun store/ range and checked the barrel to make sure it was free of obstrucions and took it straight out back to shoot it without any cleaning or anything. I put a little over a hundred rounds of speer Lawman and Gold dot ammo through it without a single problem. I tested the safety, and both mags, and tried different things to check for malfunctions and it worked with no problems. I even shot some cheap reloads through it and no problems there either.

It was full of grease from the factory and gunked up from shooting so I figured that's as dirty as it'll ever get in it's life and it still worked so it should do the job. It had a few sharp edges on the inside that I knocked down with a file but other than that it looked to be pretty well made. Basically just a glock copy as far as the fire control group goes.

This thing by no means looks like a highly finished firearm but it does work and it was a good deal. I think it's every bit as nice as the Ruger LCP's some of my friends have bought, and easily as nice as many of the Kel Tec's I've seen people carry. Heck a friend of mine bought a brand new SA TRP 1911 that had metal chips and burrs hanging on in the gun and it wouldn't empty an entire magazine without several stovepipes or FTE's and had to go straight back to springfield so even the expensive guns can get out with problems sometimes.

]

 

[bestseller92]

Get thee to a Glockery!

 

[xaml]

New PT709

Ok, I may have to send my new PT709 back and get it worked on too!

I bought this for CC as well and wanted a real safety if i'm CC a gun. the manufacturer calls for 124 gr cart. I tried 115 and 147 and all will not eject properly. Purchased this for a CC course for my son. However, we both took the course with my old CZ-75 and it feed everything all the time!


I'm considering selling this gun but after reading this conversation on this thread. Maybe I'll wait a few weeks and see if the manufacuter can fix these little issues. I'm very iffy about this manufacturer too, but friend loves his taurus guns and I have heard others love them too. I just remember from the old days taurus P92 were not as good as Barrettas (sp?).

I'm going to give this gun a little more time but feel I'll sell in the end and can't trust it for sd.

Thanks for all the good feed back and I'll look a my gun and take pictures too. My PT709 is a std mat finish taurus gray if you will.

 

[xaml]

PT709 Field Strip

Also, I noticed that the take down control or whatever, you call it on this gun is poorly designed too. I requires you to hold the gun in one hand and grab the take down switch on both side of the gun and hold down evenly to disassemble the gun. It is spring feed in the middle of the switch with if you only move it on one side the other side goes up. Make take down hard and almost impossible for a newbie. Seems like it's hard for modern manufactures to impove on the orignial browning designs.

Please provide feedback you have this experience too or not..

 

[Pappy109]

If you want a Glock you have got to buy a Glock!

 

[03Shadowbob]

If you want a Glock you have got to buy a Glock!

Very true. You get what you pay for even though lately I have seen Taurus firearms in the same price range as Glocks and XDs. Most shops around here sell Taurus guns for $500+. How they get that, I have no idea but I wish I could mark up a crap product and make a mint.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

You can tell by the circumstance (of well, incomplete extraction) that it's an extractor issue, and not an ammo or break-in issue. I would send it back to Taurus and INSIST that they pay shipping both ways.

 

[Quoheleth]

Bit of a sidetrack...

Wish I could find a combo coffee shop and gun shop. I could drink coffee, cruise the internet, and clean my guns, all at the same time. Hmmmm maybe I should start one.

Mmmm...Hoppe's #9 flavored coffee, anyone?

Q

 

[jimpro]

Here is a Taurus Pt 709 with the extended magazine..... it gives you two more rounds and place for your little finger, a must have. I sold both my glocks, didn't like anything about them, they were ugly, cheap looking and feeling and no external safety, I much prefer my Taurus guns over Glocks.....

 

[swmp9jrm]

Here is a Taurus Pt 709 with the extended magazine.....

I don't think the 9 round magazines are available yet. Replacement 7 round magazines just became available last month. I like the look of the extended mag - definitely plan to pick some up when they're available.

 

[jimpro]

Very true. You get what you pay for even though lately I have seen Taurus firearms in the same price range as Glocks and XDs. Most shops around here sell Taurus guns for $500+. How they get that, I have no idea but I wish I could mark up a crap product and make a mint.

Why should a Glock cost more then a Taurus? Glock makes one gun! Albiet different calibers. Taurus has an R&D department that is putting out some very innovative products..... and they make Revolvers..BIG revolvers..Berretta style firearms as good or better then the original, they make, single action cowboy guns, rifles, tupperware guns, with safeties with and without external hammers and stainless slides. Excellant 1911s..... and many more that nobody else makes..... That R&D cost money and they still manage to come in and outprice everybody else..... people appreciate innovation, otherwise we'd be watching Black and White TVs..... Mr Glock sold some blinds and then made a gun.... then he ran out of ideas.....

 

[swmp9jrm]

Mr Glock sold some blinds and then made a gun.... then he ran out of ideas.....

Uh-oh! This is likely to get ugly. Where's the popcorn?

 

[sigman]

I'm too afraid to buy any Taurus products......

It's always a " Hit or Miss " with them !
I'ld rather spend more and get a Glock or a Sig..

Why hell,even the Bersa Ultra Compact Pistol sells for $347 and is reputed to be very relable ! People on here post all the time on how much they love them !

 

[W L Johnson]

So far

Taurus
24/7 9mm Stainless - no failures
24/7 Compact 9mm Stainless - no failures
PT-111 Mil Pro 9mm Stainless - no failures
PT-709 Slim Blued - no failure

Bersa
T-380 two tone - no failures
T-380 CC Nickel - no failures
Firestorm 22 - no failures that were not ammo.

YMMV

 

[average_shooter]

Taurus has an R&D department that is putting out some very innovative products..... and they make Revolvers..BIG revolvers..Berretta style firearms as good or better then the original, they make, single action cowboy guns, rifles, tupperware guns, with safeties with and without external hammers and stainless slides. Excellant 1911s..... and many more that nobody else makes..... That R&D cost money and they still manage to come in and outprice everybody else.....

Wait, how does having an R&D department mean squat when all their revolvers are S&W knockoffs, the Beretta knockoffs are very obviously Beretta knockoffs, the cowboy guns are knockoffs of Italian knockoffs, 1911's have been around for 100 years, and their tupperware line is basically Glock with a thumb safety. The only way that kind of "R&D" costs any money is to buy the paper to print out the blueprints on, because it's all already been done.

Glock makes one gun!

At least it was original.

And I'm not trying to take sides here, I just think it's funny when people brand-bash. Really, there haven't been any true innovations in firearms in quite some time.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Why should a Glock cost more then a Taurus? Glock makes one gun! Albiet different calibers.

To steal one from Jeremy Clarkson

He thinks the Porsche styling dpt employs the Laziest people on the planet and I counter that Glocks R&D staff is.

The Evolution of the Glock
Glock 17 introduced 1982
Fingergrooves early 1990's
rail late 1990's
.45 GAP 2003
and that's IT

Ive owned a few and Glock is an outstanding example of how a polymer autoloader should be made ...........30 years ago!

 

[jimpro]

So far

Taurus
24/7 9mm Stainless - no failures
24/7 Compact 9mm Stainless - no failures
PT-111 Mil Pro 9mm Stainless - no failures
PT-709 Slim Blued - no failure

Bersa
T-380 two tone - no failures
T-380 CC Nickel - no failures
Firestorm 22 - no failures that were not ammo.

YMMV

I'm with you WL.....
When I see the typical Taurus bashing stuff, or people who seem to apologize for liking them..I feel a need to step to their defense and share my experience.. I have tried handguns of all brands..... and I got rid of my Glocks because I prefer a gun with an manual safety.... Smith and Wessons are too expensive as are a lot of other brands, I love my Ruger revolvers, but I don't care for their semi-automatics, but I have bought several Taurus pistols, they are fine guns and they manage to do it at a better price then a lot of companies and they have a lifetime warrantee (which I've never needed).... none of my Taurus guns have done anything but perform as well as my S&Ws, my Rugers, my Berrettas and others... But I see people saying well I hear bad things about Taurus, I feel a need to share my experience..... I like Taurus as good as any of the other major brands..(actually better).. I pick on Glock because some people just shout Glock like a mantra or like they are pulling for their favorite football team, and you can get better guns with more options at better prices, that's all I'm saying.... my latest Taurus is Pt 709 stainless and I prefer it over the Kahrs or the Keltec I just plain love it. To me it is the first well made single stack 9mm pocket pistol, that's my 2 cents..

 

[jimpro]

Also, I noticed that the take down control or whatever, you call it on this gun is poorly designed too. I requires you to hold the gun in one hand and grab the take down switch on both side of the gun and hold down evenly to disassemble the gun. It is spring feed in the middle of the switch with if you only move it on one side the other side goes up. Make take down hard and almost impossible for a newbie. Seems like it's hard for modern manufactures to impove on the orignial browning designs.

Please provide feedback you have this experience too or not..

Yeah, I would have preferred they didn't borrow the glock takedown and certainly the silly glock trigger safety.... but with practice you'll get good at it.... but the trigger does have a very short reset and feels great......

 

[03Shadowbob]

Jimpro,
For what it is worth, I have owned 5 Taurus guns through the years and 3 out of 5 had problems. My track record is much different than yours.
I do not necessarily like Glock and definitely not the XD as I like steel and wood but to even remotely think that Taurus is in the same world as Glock or SA or S&W is a pipe dream. Deep down you know it, I know it and most every knows it.
As far as R&D, this kind of R&D?

Yeah, I would have preferred they didn't borrow the glock takedown and certainly the silly glock trigger safety

 

[jimpro]

are the problems people are having with the blued, stainless, or titanium, slim 709? i've been eye balling these lil guns for about 2 weeks now and thinking to get one. was going to go with a subcompact-xd9 as a super small CC-gun, but i'm just about one over with the slim-709. im thinking to go with the titanium as i think many of the issues are with the blued version, i could be wrong and hopefully someone can answer that.

also, i see on the taurus website that the 709 can also come with an extended magazine. does anyone have that and if so could you post pics to show how much more the extend mag adds to the grip length?