“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” Mr. .40 Smith & Wesson
Okay, so the quote is actually (and incorrectly) attributed to Mark Twain, author of Huck Finn and many other novels. But it could as easily apply to the .40 Smith and Wesson as a self-defense caliber since reports of the caliber’s death were breathlessly hyped a couple years ago when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced it was switching its duty sidearms from the .40 S&W to 9mm.
However, thousands of people still own and appreciate their .40 S&W pistols; hundreds of police departments still have .40’s as their duty sidearms and/or approve them for undercover use. Death notices aside, the .40 S&W isn’t going away anytime soon.
Sorry, 9MM fanatics–the .40 S&W cartridge and pistols are both here to stay.
And contrary to the FBI change-over and associated 9MM rah-rah, the .40 S&W is at least the equal of the 9MM as a self-defense round. Simply scan various ballistic charts and it’s clear that .40 S&W self-defense rounds usually offer slightly better velocities and significantly more energy versus 9MM loads.
(For example, examine the Federal Premium Ammunition website www.federalpremium.com and compare Personal Defense Hydra-Shok offerings. The Hydra-Shok .40 S&W round with a 155-grain bullet leaves the barrel at 1,140 feet-per-second (fps), and at 25 yards is at 1076 fps. The 9MM Hydra-Shok with a 147-grain bullet exits the barrel at 1,000 fps and is traveling at 976 fps at 25 yards. Energy? The .40 S&W hits with 447 foot-pounds (ft/lbs) of energy out of the muzzle and 401 ft/lbs at 25 yards. The 9MM Hydra-Shok delivers 326 ft/lbs at the muzzle and 311 ft/lbs at 25 yards—essentially 25-percent less power from the 9MM.
Not all manufacturers have bought into the reports of the .40 S&W’s demise, either, including Taurus. Near the end of 2018, Taurus introduced the G2c semi-automatic pistol in both 9MM and .40 S&W and spent some extra marketing time informing the shooting world about their .40 S&W model as a good choice for concealed carry.
The new Taurus G2c is available in .40 S&W and is an accurate pistol that’s also comfortable for concealed carry.
The new G2C pistol is built on a polymer frame. It has a compact profile, and 10-round magazine capacity (12 rounds in the 9MM model) and was designed to be comfortable for small- or large-handed shooters.
I used the G2C in .40 S&W recently, and it is an accurate and reliable (in what was admitted limited shooting). Comfortable to carry, the G2c also has a trigger which took some time to get used to, but which didn’t affect accuracy.
I took the Taurus G2c to my local outdoor range and tried out four brands of .40 S&W ammunition: American Eagle Syntech Range firing a 165-grain TSJ bullet; Remington Golden Saber Black Belt (self-defense) with a 180-grain JHP bullet; Remington UMC (range) with a 165-grain FMJ projectile; and Sig Sauers’ V-Crown (self-defense) launching a 180-grain JHP bullet.
Range conditions were sunny and 18 degrees Fahrenheit, with little to no wind. To get the best grip on the G2c, I didn’t wear gloves, although I did warm my hands several times in my vehicle over the course of my evaluation.
As the Taurus G2C is clearly meant as a concealed carry/self-defense pistol, I decided on two relatively close-range distances for accuracy testing: shooting offhand at five yards, and from rest and sitting at 10 yards.
The accuracy of the G2C was pretty impressive. At the five-yard mark, every ammunition was able to do five- and four-shot groups of 1.5-inches or less. Top groups included a five-shot group of the Syntech at .88-inches, and two five-shot groups on the Sig V-Crown self-defense right at 1.0-inches.
Standing and firing offhand, McCombie’s best five-shot group was this .88-incher, using Federal’s Syntech .40 S&W ammunition.
Firing from ten yards and a rest, average groups expanded, but only slightly, and I was still able to place five-shot groups of Syntech at 1.17- and 1.24-inches; Remington UMC at 1.45-inches; and the Remington Golden Saber Black Belt self-defense at 1.65-inches.
At ten yards and shooting from a rest, accuracy was quite good including this 1.45-inch, five-shot group with Remington UMC range ammunition.
The thing about the Taurus G2c which will cause problems for some shooters is the pistol’s double-action trigger and its very long pull.
According to Taurus press materials, the G2c has a “striker-fire, double-action trigger system that includes restrike capability.” To me, that description is redundant. A double-action semi-automatic pistol of any sort has “restrike capability” by simply pulling the trigger again.
A double-action trigger with a very long pull didn’t affect McCombie’s accuracy–but that pull might throw some shooters.
But, okay, the “restrike” capability is a plus, as it can get you back into the fight quickly should you have a light strike or a primer that’s a bit wonky and needs a second strike to ignite.
Even in the single-action mode, with that first round racked into the chamber and striker partially set, the trigger pull of the G2c is long. I measured one-half-inch of travel before the trigger even begins to engage the striker. In double-action, there’s less than half that pull before the trigger engages.
For some shooters, that length of pull is going to be too much for accurate shooting. These shooters are used to a trigger which engages quickly and fires a round almost immediately.
Yet, given the accuracy I was able to record with the Taurus G2c, there’s no inherent reason the trigger has to cause pulled shots. You could also argue that the longer pull also adds another level of safety. Under stress, a person might have their finger on the trigger before they know if there is truly a threat coming at them or not. The G2c’s trigger would provide the split-second ability to let off before you take a bad shot.
The G2c’s rear sight is adjustable and has a white dot on either side of the notch. The notch itself is nice and wide—it lines up quickly with the front post, which also sports a white dot.
A generous and easy-to-find rear notch lines up quickly with the front post, putting you on a target fast.
The manual safety on the left side of the slide is easy to reach with the thumb of your shooting hand (for righties) and snaps into and out of SAFE with a click, I could hear and feel. The trigger also has a bladed safety.
Easily worked with the right-hand thumb, the G2c’s manual safety snaps into and out of SAFE with a click you can hear and feel.
The G2C also features a load indicator atop the slide and just behind the chamber that pops up when a round is chambered. At a glance, you can tell if the pistol is loaded. In the dark, you can also check by sliding your finger over the indicator.
The G2C also features a load indicator atop the slide which sticks up just slightly when a round is chambered
The magazine release can be switched to either side, and the release pops out the magazine forcefully enough for one-handed mag changes.
The grip features aggressive stippling sections along the sides, the front strap, and the back strap, and that texture gave me a very firm grip throughout all my shooting. There’s even a short section of Picatinny rail built into the frame under the barrel for accessory attachment.
Aggressive stippling on the grips, front strap and backstrap provide a very solid hold on the G2c.
Disassembly for cleaning is easy. Drop out the magazine. Pull back the slide and let the slide release hold the slide in place. Then, use one hand to move the slide back just slightly as you use two fingers from the other hand to hold down the disassembly latch. Release the slide. Release the disassembly latch. Now, pull and release the trigger, and the slide will come forward and off the frame.
With a little practice, the G2c pops apart in seconds for cleaning.
In approximately 200 rounds, I had one failure to feed with the G2c. This occurred at around Round 50 with the tenth round of the Syntech brand of ammunition. The nose of the Syntech bullet held up on the feed ramp and the slide came forward and jammed the pistol. I cleared the pistol, then used a paper towel to clean off the feed ramp. After this, I had no other problems with the next 150 rounds I fired.
I also concealed carried the G2c for a couple of days and found it to be very comfortable under a shirt or coat, even with all-day carry.
Taurus lists the suggested retail price of the G2c at $316 for the model I used. (The G2c is also offered with a stainless-steel slide for an additional $20.) However, multiple websites list both models for right around $250, shipping included. That strikes me as a lot of pistol, loaded with a good many features, for well under $300. And into the bargain, a shooter gets a more powerful round than the 9MM, though with two fewer rounds.
Me? I’ll take the harder hitting round over additional capacity, though that’s a personal choice every concealed carrier has to make.
With street prices of $250, plus numerous features, the Taurus G2c looks like a great buy.
SPECS:
Taurus G2c .40 S&W (as tested)
Item # 1-G2C4031-10
Frame Size: Compact
Mag Capacity: 10
Height: 5.10″
Width: 1.20″
Weight: 22 oz. (unloaded)
Barrel Length: 3.20″
Overall Length: 6.30″
Front Sight: Fixed
Rear Sight: Adjustable
Safeties: Striker Block; Manual Safety; Trigger Safety
MSRP: $316.89
Visit Taurus for more information by clicking HERE.
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I loved your review, and I gave a question;
I just purchased a G2C, and the mags it came with don’t seem to accept more than 9 Rds, and I can’t get the pistol to accept one in the chamber and a mag. Is this a known issue with Taurus mags, or is it a “get stronger thumbs!” Situation?
I’d really like to know how a woman feels using and carrying this weapon.
Anybody out there with information. It’s discerning to me that when someone does a review that they Do NOT include women.
Please advise with any thoughts.
Thank you
No disrespect..but a generic review as such isn’t made in regard to ANY type of difference, nor with a specific person in mind. Sex, age, race, height, etc. are all irrelevant in this case. Its simply a review of the gun itself. If it wasn’t for an author name on the heading we wouldn’t even know about the writer! This is simply about the GUN. If you google women shooters however, you will find many if that’s what you are looking for…but most people just want to read about the PRODUCT.
First semi auto pistol I bought was a 40 cal Beretta Cougar. It was the popular cartridge at that time. Why? It hits harder on average than the 9 or 45. Still does. Really don’t know why so many discount the 40 as nothing special. Kinda odd. A bunch of weak handed individuals who can’t handle the recoil I guess. I use loads rated at 1200 FPS and 500 ft lbs of energy for carry. Not really seeing that available in 9 or 45. Not saying it’s not out there but again, basic 40 ammo almost always out performs the others.
First of all I’m no expert with a pistol but have several makes and calibers . Smallest is my Taurus .40 cal. but prefer my 10mm’s over all of them , all AEE’s and carry every day on the farm (cat’s and wolves) . I needed a concealed carry and why I thought I’d try this . Had one fail to feed in the first mag and since it’s been flawless . I use only my handloads or Underwood and use a 155grain bullet . Don’t enjoy shooting it or any of them for that matter but can’t deny that it was a great buy . For the price nothing I’ve seen comes close . Have 1911’s and never have liked em’ but have to admit they are bombproof and had a couple in Nam . 9mm ? Not a chance !
I have had the 9mm verse. I too experienced Perfect out of the box. (Now I have a real oldie .357 Taurus and love it too.) If I had a money tree? I may go for the .40 s&w. But I am satisfied with the 9’er. So far zero disputes with Taurus. ^5
Bought the G2c and took it out the box and shot it two times at around ten yards and put both shots in the same hole.
The gun handles real good feels good in your hands.
Good Review. I may have liked it as I like 40, nothing wrong with 9, but Corbon 40 is The Top Dog! I have owned many pistols, and a bunch of Taurus pistols. The Gen2 is The Bomb. The trigger is more like a long fairly light and semi short SA pull with a DA double strike if needed. Now I own a bunch of pistols without a Safety, my Kahr 40 and 9 are get firearms. My Taurus G2 40 is a good, and it matches my new style S&W M&Pc. All are very compact. Me, I roll around with my Grand Buddies (Girls whom I will teach to shoot) so I like a Safety or even a trigger plug. Those that do not like Safeties make me a little nervous, and they will not be allowed into our Great USA Military as they like Safeties. Here is the rub, you can use the Safety to Holster your firearm, and if you must, you can take the safety off once you have it safely in your holster. Now Do Not Do This with a True SA like a 1911. No mater what be safe and enjoy your shooting.
Mediocre .40 S&W loads exceed mediocre 9 mm loads and maximum .40 S&W loads exceed maximum 9 mm loads. As the chief firearms instructor for the LAPD for the last 13 years of my 35 year career I can tell you that training the average recruit in the shortest amount of time for the least amount of money favors the 9 mm over the .40 S&W. The reason the FBI went back to the 9 mm was cost and lower recoil which makes the 9 a little easier to shoot well. After serving as an Infantry Light Weapons Sgt. in the Air Cav in Vietnam and 14 years on LAPD SWAT I am not among those who insist that more powerful calibers are not more powerful.
So you’re saying the Current FBI agents are so pathetic they can’t handle .40 cal recoil??? That’s very concerning, since .40 cal doesn’t have very much recoil at all.
Thank you to the author for not being an anti-40 lemming, as it seems 9/10 gun writers are nowadays. And if shooters look to companies like CorBon, Underwood, Buffalo Bore, and even Hornady critical defense, you can get in the 500-600 ft-lb ballpark. The big companies often get lazy when loading 40, which is why most puddle view 40 as an inbetween round, when, if loaded properly, 40 offers the best of both capacity and performance. Underwood’s 135gr load moves a Nosler jhp at 1400 fps, that’s 357 mag territory.
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My Taurus 709 Slim has the same restrike feature. Some of the S&B FMJ 115 grain 9mm ammo–around 400 FP energy–seems to have hard primers. Maybe about 1 out of 50 doesn’t fire.
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The restrike only fires the “bad” round about 1 out of 5 times–even after a couple of tries. Taking the round out of the chamber first and putting it back usually fires it on the first retry. Not enough primer compound in the round?
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Seems like racking the slide and loading the next round is the right action. The next rounds always fire.
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John Bibb
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I learned to shoot when I was 21 and I owned at least one of each handgun caliber available for sale then(44 years ago), and took them all to the range on a weekly basis. Now that I’m 66 I still hit the range at least once a month, still using all calibers. I’m sick of reading “too much kick” in range reports. If you can’t handle it just get a smaller caliber and quit complaining about kick. Or hit the gym and build up your forearms. What are you looking for, a .44 mag with the kick of a .22? Grow some muscles or quit complaining, man or woman.
Real nice gun but I prefer a 4 or 5 inch barrel
How does it compare to previous iteration of this gun?
I have two of these in 9mm and fired over 350 rounds through each before thinking about carrying them. During the 350 rounds each I had ZERO failures. They were both spot on at 20 yards right out of the box. And speaking of boxes, some reviewers slighted the gun because it comes in a cardboard box. My boxes are in recycling. I carry these guns. Comfortable to shoot, accurate, great price point. What more could you ask for. And as far as the trigger, you’ll get over it with regular practice.
I have a H&K P2000SK and is a great pistol. I also have a Tarsus PT140 and it also works well. It is worth the extra kick for having a gun that will knock down what you are shooting. Don’t want them to get up and shoot you.
My G2 has that looking trigger pull,but the reset is super fast. Great gun.
Yes you can pick the Ammo to make a point, but there is better 9mm than you say.
Underwood Ammo 9mm:
Xtreme defender-BALLISTICS INFORMATION
Muzzle Velocity: 1400 fps
Muzzle Energy: 392 ft lbs
Penetration: 15 in.
9mm+p
BALLISTICS INFORMATION
Muzzle Velocity: 1475 fps
Muzzle Energy: 435 ft lbs
Penetration: 16 inches
9mm+p+
BALLISTICS INFORMATION
Muzzle Velocity: 1550 fps
Muzzle Energy: 480 ft lbs
Penetration: 16 inches!!
The same can be said about the 40. Underwood, double tap, and buffalo bore all make .40 ammo that surpasses all 9 and .45 ACP rounds no matter how +P++ they try to load them. I handload 9,40,45,10… and I can load a 135 gr Nosler 40 to over 1400 fps out of a 3” barrel(PPS). And over 1500 out of my USP. And this load is under max pressure. Fact check me at Hodgdon reloading. I’ve killed deer and pigs with this load with great results. It would seem most ammunition manufacturers like to keep the 9 and 40 relatively close in terms of energy when they load them. I’m not sure if this is clever marketing or just poor effort. Many of the top end 40 ammo manufacturers make the 40 out perform the most common 10mm loads like federal. If you’re looking for the most powerful semiauto pistol cartridge that can still fit in your pocket and holds at least 7 rounds look no further that the .40 s&w.
I was about to say, underwoods .40 cal loads offer Damn near 600 ft lbs of energy and 18 inches of penetration. The 9mm isnt the end all be all and the .40 s&w proves that. 9mm isnt superior to .40 in ANY way other than 1 or 2 more round capacity. That’s it. Just any FYI those loadings you referenced were all ++p+loadings. You REALLY have to play dangerous with 9mm to get those energies. Where as .40 was designed to be a hot round, 9mm was not. If energy and power is your thing, go with a .40
Length of pull is different than trigger travel.
40 S&W is still a great compromise if you want powerful, highly concealable, and more rounds on tap than a wheel gun. The few ultra-compact .45’s on the market have magazines as small as 5 rounds (why bother if that’s all you want–get a small-frame .357mag and have knockdown power from hell plus revolver reliability). But .40 S&W is a good alternative that ain’t going away. I suspect the FBI and many police dept’s have gone to 9mm for reasons more about political correctness than anything else. 40’s do kick noticeably more, so some how shall we say “smaller-handed” academy applicants may have trouble qualifying with them.
I have the g2c in 9mm and love the gun and the long trigger pull is a big safety plus. But that .40 is tempting me to change.
Many departments and agencies are getting recruits that have never touched a gun. Unlike our fathers who were handed .45’s and told to “point them that way,”
It’s ok, I’ll stick with my Glock 19 Gen 4.