Estimated reading time: 12 minutes
I took the full size Taurus TX9 and ran it dry for just over 1,000 rounds to see if this optics ready duty 9mm is hype or actually built to work. It did the job, and then some.
First Look: TX9 Lineup And The Duty Intent
Taurus has built its modern reputation on value guns that are easy to justify and sometimes hard to love. That is why the TX9 is such an odd moment. It is positioned as a duty grade, optics ready, striker fired 9mm that ships in full size, compact, and subcompact variants, and it is not just good for the money. It is simply working.
That sentence matters, because I went into this one with the same skepticism a lot of you have. I never expected to be talking about a Taurus duty pistol in a serious way. The TX22 is the exception I have recommended without hesitation, and the TX9 borrows that same this fits a human hand feel. Taurus took that ergonomic DNA and stretched it into a service sized 9mm with the features people actually want in a modern working pistol.
This review focuses on the full size TX9, because that is the one I ran hard. I also shot the compact and subcompact enough to get a feel for them, and both behaved, but the full size gun is where I put the round count and the scrutiny.
Table of contents
- First Look: TX9 Lineup And The Duty Intent
- Video: Watch The TX9 Work
- Design Goals: Contract-Ready Features, No Fluff
- Ergonomics: TX22 Feel In A Service 9mm
- Trigger: Predictable Duty Pull That Surprises
- Optics Ready, But The Plates Cost Extra
- Controls And Setup: Ambi Friendly With One Quirk
- Reliability: 1,000 Round Dry Run, Two Stoppages
- Recoil And Control: Tracks Flat, Stays On Target
- Sights: Steel, Glock Footprint, Huge Aftermarket
- Accuracy: Better Than Good Enough
- Use Case: Duty, Defense, And High Round Training
- Final Verdict: Price Stings Rivals, Performance Seals It
- Specifications: Taurus TX9 Full Size 9mm
- Pros And Cons: Honest Take After 1,000 Rounds
- Related Reads from GunsAmerica Digest
Video: Watch The TX9 Work
Design Goals: Contract-Ready Features, No Fluff
The TX9 line looks like it was designed backwards from a contract requirement. The features are not random. The platform checks boxes that matter for law enforcement, defensive use, and high round count training.
On the full size TX9 you get a 4.5 inch barrel, 17 round magazines (two included), a full length dust cover with a true 1913 accessory rail, and an optics ready slide. The compact is a 4 inch gun with 15 round magazines, and the subcompact runs a 3.4 inch barrel with 13 round magazines.
Taurus also went modular. The TX9 uses a serialized fire control unit, meaning the gun is the chassis, not the grip module. If Taurus follows through with alternate grip modules and slide options, that is a real advantage for agencies and civilians who want one manual of arms across multiple sizes.
Ergonomics: TX22 Feel In A Service 9mm
The TX9 grip feels very similar to the TX22, and that is a compliment. The shape and contouring make the gun point naturally, and it is easy to keep the dot where you want it under recoil. The texture is aggressive enough to hold, but not so sharp that it shreds your hands during long strings. I ran over 1,000 rounds through the full size gun and did not end the day with hot spots or tender skin.
Taurus includes multiple backstraps. The sizes are clearly marked, and it is the kind of practical, user driven detail you want in a pistol that is supposed to fit a wide range of shooters. I left the gun in its out of the box configuration and it fit me well enough that I never felt the need to chase a different backstrap.
Trigger: Predictable Duty Pull That Surprises
The TX9 uses a flat faced polymer trigger with a bladed safety. The pull is smooth with a defined wall and a clean break. It is not a match trigger, and it does not need to be. What matters is that it is consistent and predictable.
I put a trigger gauge on it and got readings around the mid five pound range, roughly 5 pounds 8 ounces to 5 pounds 10.5 ounces. That is where a duty pistol trigger should live. It gives you control without being so light that it becomes a liability in stressful, real world handling.
If you are used to striker fired triggers from the big names, you are not going to pick this up and feel like you got robbed. The TX9 trigger is genuinely usable.
Optics Ready, But The Plates Cost Extra
I mounted a Trijicon RMR Type 2 green dot (RM06). The optic system itself held zero and stayed solid through the entire round count. The dot never walked, the mounting never loosened, and the slide cut did what it was supposed to do.
Here is the catch, and it is one of my two real complaints: the TX9 does not ship with optic plates. Taurus sells the plate kit separately. I do not like that choice on a pistol being marketed as duty ready. Either include the plates or at least include one common plate in the box. Making the buyer chase a kit after the fact is an unforced error.
The good news is that once you have the plates, the system works. The optic sits at a reasonable height, and while it does not co witness with the stock irons, it also does not look like a skyscraper on the slide.
Controls And Setup: Ambi Friendly With One Quirk
The TX9 includes ambidextrous slide releases, and that is a real plus if you are setting this up for duty use across mixed handed shooters. The mag release also appears reversible. The pistol feels like it was designed to be adaptable instead of forcing everyone to train around right handed assumptions.
My second complaint is the magazine release shape and protrusion. It sticks out just a hair too far for the way I grip a pistol when I am pushing speed. When I clamp down with my support hand and start running hard, I can occasionally bump it enough to partially release the magazine. That is not something I want to manage on a duty pistol.
Some of you will disagree because you do not grip a pistol like I do. Fair enough. But I can only report what happened in my hands. If Taurus shrinks that button slightly or changes the contour, the issue likely disappears.
Reliability: 1,000 Round Dry Run, Two Stoppages
I deliberately ran the TX9 full size bone dry. No oil. Not a drop. That is not how I treat my personal guns, and it is not how I recommend running any firearm long term. Lubrication matters, and running dry increases wear.
I did it anyway because I wanted to see what the pistol would do under unfair conditions.
Across just over 1,000 rounds, I had two malfunctions.
The first malfunction was on the plate rack and behaved like an anemic round that did not have enough energy to cycle. The slide barely moved. It did not look like a pistol problem. It looked like bad range ammo. The target still fell, and the recoil impulse felt wrong. That is ammo, not the gun.
The second malfunction was a basic stovepipe near the end of the test. It cleared instantly. Could it have been another weak round? Possibly. Could it have been the gun finally telling me it wanted lubrication? Also possible. Either way, two stoppages in that round count, with cheap practice ammo across multiple bullet weights, and with the pistol run dry, is a strong showing for any duty sized striker gun.
I also ran six different magazines through the gun with no magazine related issues. And for what it is worth, the magazines are made by Mec-Gar, which explains why they behave like quality mags.
Recoil And Control: Tracks Flat, Stays On Target
The TX9 full size shoots flatter than you would expect given the price point. The pistol tracks nicely, and it is easy to stay on a plate rack when you start pushing your cadence. It also ran fine with a weapon light mounted. Adding a light did not introduce any new malfunctions.
If you are buying this as a duty pistol, you will likely mount a light and an optic. The TX9 handles that setup without turning into a pig of a gun, and the full size frame gives you enough grip to run it fast without fighting it.
Sights: Steel, Glock Footprint, Huge Aftermarket
The TX9 ships with steel sights, which is a real upgrade over the plastic placeholders you still see on a lot of striker fired pistols. They are also Glock footprint sights, which matters more than most people realize. If you plan to run irons, upgrade to night sights, or set the gun up for a specific load and point of impact, you have a massive aftermarket to choose from. You are not locked into proprietary dovetails or limited factory options, and you can find replacements in every configuration, height, and price tier.
Accuracy: Better Than Good Enough
I shot groups at 12 yards with a variety of practice ammo. The TX9 turned in tight groups, including some that clustered into a single ragged hole. A couple groups opened up due to the dot and my eyes, not because the pistol refused to shoot.
The gun also proved itself at distance. I ran plates on a rack out to 50 yards, and the TX9 did its part. Past that distance, any misses were on me, the conditions, or the dot, not because the pistol lacked mechanical accuracy.
Use Case: Duty, Defense, And High Round Training
This is not a hunting pistol. It is a duty pistol and a defensive pistol.
The TX9 makes sense for:
- A law enforcement officer who wants a budget friendly pistol that still supports a modern light and optic setup.
- A home defense gun that can live with a full size light and a durable optic.
- A training gun that can take high round counts without turning into a finicky project.
The reliability test here is not a claim that you should run it dry. It is a stress test meant to reveal design margins. The TX9 showed more margin than I expected.
Final Verdict: Price Stings Rivals, Performance Seals It
The TX9’s street price is going to make people do a double take. When you add up a duty grade feature set, a modular chassis concept, a real rail, a decent trigger, and optics capability, you start asking uncomfortable questions about what you are paying for on more expensive striker pistols.
It is not perfect. Taurus should include optic plates in the box, and they should refine the mag release so it is harder to bump under aggressive support hand pressure.
But the hard truth is this: the TX9 ran. It ran hot. It ran dry. It ran through cheap ammo. And after 1,000 plus rounds, the problems I can point to are small, fixable, and mostly about user interface, not function.
If Taurus keeps quality control where it needs to be, the TX9 is going to end up on a lot of belts for a lot of practical reasons.
Specifications: Taurus TX9 Full Size 9mm
| Model | Taurus TX9 Full Size |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Action | Striker fired, polymer frame |
| Barrel Length | 4.5 inches |
| Capacity | 17 rounds |
| Optics Ready | Yes, plates sold separately |
| Accessory Rail | 1913 rail |
| Sights | Steel sights, Glock pattern compatible |
| Platform | Modular, serialized fire control unit |
| Included | Two magazines, multiple backstraps, hard case |
| MSRP | $499 |
Pros And Cons: Honest Take After 1,000 Rounds
- Pros: Flat shooting for the price, reliable across dirty and dry conditions, modular FCU, steel sights with Glock footprint, Mec-Gar mags, real 1913 rail.
- Cons: Optic plates not included, magazine release can be bumped with an aggressive support hand.
Related Reads from GunsAmerica Digest
MSRP is $499 but you should expect street price to come in under $400. Visit Taurus for more information regarding the TX9.
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As the Editor-in-Chief of GunsAmerica, Hunt365, Decoding Darkness, and Suppressor Academy, True Pearce brings a rare blend of legal expertise, competitive shooting credentials, and deep hunting knowledge to the forefront of the firearms world. A former professional sponsored 3-Gun and Multigun competitor with multiple championships and titles, True’s shooting career began in long-range and tactical sniper matches—and he still burns powder in precision competitions, now branching into Hunter NRL.
A certified firearms instructor who has trained over 10,000 students face-to-face, True has also served on both sides of the courtroom as an attorney and currently as an elected Prosecuting Attorney. He has prosecuted and defended high-profile self-defense and firearms cases, giving him a unique, real-world perspective on the Second Amendment.
Outside the courtroom and off the range, True is a true western outdoorsman. A lifelong hunter and rancher, he rides and hunts off his own string of horses and pack animals, chasing elk, mule deer, wolves, coyotes, and anything else in season. He’s a longtime reloader, producing both precision rifle ammo and, back in the day, handloading over 40,000 rounds of 9mm and 5.56 annually for competition.
He’s also a thermal and night vision expert, known for his obsession with high-end optics, and is rarely found without a camera or a guitar nearby. Whether he’s glassing a distant ridge, reviewing cutting-edge gear, or deep in legal research, True brings passion, precision, and grit to everything he does.
Experience:
– Professional Shooter – Sponsored 3-Gun & Multigun competitor with multiple titles and a foundation in long-range and sniper/tactical matches.– Firearms Instructor – Certified instructor with over 10,000 students trained face-to-face.– Elected Prosecuting Attorney – Attorney with real-world experience defending and prosecuting self-defense and gun-related cases.– Hunter & Rancher – Horseback hunter with a working ranch, passionate about elk, deer, predator, and backcountry hunting.– Reloading & Ballistics Expert – Precision reloader and former high-volume competition handloader.– Optics Authority – Known for his deep knowledge and unrelenting standards in optics, thermal, and night vision gear.– Outdoor Creative – Avid photographer, guitar player, and outdoorsman with a sharp eye for gear and storytelling.– 2A Advocate – Committed to protecting the Second Amendment and educating Americans about their rights and responsibilities.