In the world of optics-ready handguns, we have far more choices today than ever before. But those choices are not always in the affordable category. Price tags vary from suspiciously low to eye-popping high, and the buyer must determine the best deal.
Here’s a hint: when you find that Saturday night special for a price that seems too good to be true, it probably is. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great deals for optic-ready handguns.
Taurus is one of the best examples of a company that offers an affordable product with great quality. I have been using some Taurus handguns for years now, and I’ve always been impressed with their quality for the price. One gun I use for home defense (I use multiple guns for home defense) is the G3 TORO.
I like to place guns in strategic places so I can always get to them quickly. And when you start placing guns in “hiding” places around your home, you don’t always want to use $1,000 guns. A quality, budget-friendly gun is perfect for this task.
To make the price even more impressive, the G3 T.O.R.O. is optics-ready. Safariland makes a great paddle holster (which I will talk about later) that is perfect to keep the G3 in.
Taurus G3 TORO 9mm handgun
The G3 is Taurus’s flagship compact and full-size handgun, and it is a popular choice for concealed carry. From the G3C to the G3 Tactical, they offer more than 32 options in the G3 handgun lineup. One of these options is the G3 T.O.R.O. (Taurus Optics Ready Option).
The overall size of the G3 is comparable to a Glock 19, but I would say the G3 feels just a little beefier than a Glock. Features on the G3 T.O.R.O include a fixed front sight, a drift-adjustable rear sight, and a 17-round magazine. A manual thumb safety rests just behind the slide release lever for those who prefer one. Taurus uses their own design of plate adaptors, which we will discuss more below.
In an interesting twist, the G3 trigger has what Taurus calls a “re-strike capability.” It functions the same as traditional striker-fired pistols but features a “re-strike” capability if you have a light primer strike. You can pull the trigger again and keep going. While it has re-strike capability, it doesn’t have the long, heavy trigger pull of a double action trigger.
A Picatinny rail allows a weapon-mounted light, and the trigger has a built-in trigger safety.
Taurus Optics Plate Adaptors
I find it annoying when I buy a new handgun and can’t mount an optic without buying a separate plate. I’ve purchased several guns in the past that were “optics-ready” only to learn I needed an $80-$120 adaptor plate to mount an optic.
So, I was excited to see that Taurus developed an interchangeable mounting plate system. Like Glock, they include multiple plates with the G3.
Taurus provides four mounting plates that work with the most popular footprints on the market today.
One interesting feature of Taurus’s optic plates is that they don’t mount separately from the optic. Typically, you mount the plate to the slide with two screws, and the optic is held on with two more.
Taurus uses a square notch on each end of the plate that fits onto the slide, keeping it from moving. Two screws go through the optic, plate adaptor, and into the slide.
The plates are numbered for which footprint they will work with. Here is a quick guide to the four plates that come with the G3 T.O.R.O:
- Plate 1: Doctor/Noblex (Vortex Venom, Buris Fastfire, Sightmark Mini)
- Plate 2: RMR (Trijicon RMR, Holosun 407c, Swampfox Liberty II)
- Plate 3: C-More RTS/STS (C-More STS2)
- Plate 4: RMSc, Delta Point (Bushnell RXS-250, Romeo Zero, Viridian RFX II)
I decided to mount a Holosun 407c X2 red dot on my G3 T.O.R.O., so I needed plate adaptor number 2. It only took a few seconds to remove the cover and install the plate and optic.
The only thing I would have liked to see differently is a taller set of sights. Since the T..O.R.O is made for a red dot, a set of co-witness iron sights would have been a nice addition. But for the price, I’m not going to complain.
Shooting and field stripping the G3 TORO
On the range, the G3 cycled ammo like a champ. I fired 200 rounds of Sellier & Bellot 115-gr ammo provided by AmmoToGo.com. I also fired some Hornady HP ammunition to see how it handled hollow-point ammo. There were no malfunctions with either type of ammo during the range session.
The trigger has a lot of slack to take up before it releases. Once you take up the slack however, the trigger pull is not bad at all. I recorded a 5.5-pound trigger pull on my Wheelen trigger gauge. Even with the long pull to take up the slack, it’s not a bad trigger once you get used to it. It has a short reset making it easy to fire quickly.
I will note that I stripped the G3 and oiled it before heading to the range. It came in the box with a lot of grease packed in it, so I wiped it down and applied some synthetic oil.
Overall, the feel of the gun while shooting is great. There is just enough texturing on the sides to keep a good grip on the gun. I also like the thumb indentions they put on the side of the frame for your support hand. This helps keep your thumb securely on the slide of the frame while shooting.
The G3 uses a short double recoil spring to help manage recoil, which is about what I would expect from a gun this size. Smaller framed guns tend to kick a little more, but the G3 T.O.R.O is not a small-framed gun.
Fieldstripping the G3 is about like field stripping a Glock: pull down on the two small takedown levers and pull the slide forward. You will need to pull the trigger as you pull the slide forward so be sure the gun is unloaded and safe.
Perfect holster for the G3 T.O.R.O
I don’t always keep my home defense guns in a holster. But for the ones that are closer to the doors, I think it’s a good idea. You never know when you may want to grab a gun and head out the door with it. The Gravity holster from Safariland is an open-top paddle design with a passive trigger guard detent that has adjustable tension. Mine came with a paddle attachment, so it’s quick to put on. Regardless of what I’m wearing, I can stick the paddle over the top of my pants and I’m ready to go.
For those who want a belt attachment or even a quick release set up, you can use any of Safariland’s that work with the standard three-hole pattern. The holster is thermoformed with SafariLaminate and is Nylon Cordura wrapped. It’s not a concealed carry holster, but it does ride close to your side, which is something I like. In the fall or winter, this could easily be a daily carry setup.
Another great thing about the Gravity holster is that it retails for about $65, which is a great price for the quality of the holster. When ordering, you can select from multiple finishes like grey, multi-cam, woodland, green, etc. I chose black multi-cam for mine.
It doesn’t get more affordable than this
I said in the beginning that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. At $350, the G3 is getting close to sounding like it’s too good to be true. But in this case, it is true and it’s a great deal. You can even find it cheaper than this during sales events or with other discounts. Holsters are easy to find, and 9mm is affordable as well. I won’t call it cheap, but compared to other calibers, it’s not bad either.
Besides the gun itself, Taurus also provides a flush-fitting 15-round mag and an extended 17-round magazine with the gun.
Taurus produces multiple sizes of the G3 so you can get the size you are comfortable with. For home defense, concealed carry, or just a great gun for the range, you won’t be disappointed with the Taurus G3 T.O.R.O.
