The Taurus GX4 Carry TORO compact 9mm handgun is the perfect size for concealed carry, home defense, range fun, and more. Out of the box, it’s ready for an optic to be installed, with plenty of footprint options, which we will talk more about shortly.
Years ago, there were two options for handguns: cheap and not cheap. For the most part, reliability correlated with the price so if you wanted a handgun for self-defense, you paid more money. For a range gun, the cheaper ones would suffice. Modern production capabilities, however, have changed that. Now, an affordable price does not equal a “cheap” gun.
Today we are looking at the Taurus GX4 Carry, which is a semi-compact handgun. It’s reliable, affordable, and comes optic-ready.
What does T.O.R.O. mean?
TORO stands for “Taurus Optic Ready Option.” Just about every gun being made today comes with an optics-ready option and Taurus designed a great system for mounting popular red dots.
Some gun companies cut a footprint into the slide that fits a specific optic. Others use adaptor plates for footprint interchangeability. On the GX4 Carry however, Taurus designed a system that works with multiple footprints. So, when they say it’s optics-ready out of the box, they mean it.
Optics that will fit the GX4 without using an adaptor plate
- Shield RMSc
- Sightmark Mini Shot A-Spec M3
- Hex Wasp GE5077-MIC-RET
- Sig RemoeoZero
- Trijicon RMR cc Red Dot
If the optic footprint you need is not listed, Taurus makes adaptor plates for other popular footprints. I wanted to mount my Viridian RFX11 on the GX4, which uses the Shield RMSc footprint. It took me just a few seconds to remove the cover plate and mount it.
For a daily carry gun, this is a great combination because the RFX11 is a budget-friendly optic and there is no On/Off so it’s always ready to go. With the matte black finish on the gun and optic, they looked like they were made for each other.
The Taurus GX4 Carry is a slim handgun — larger than the Ruger Max 9 and smaller than a Glock 19. This is a perfect size for EDC because you can use a full two-handed grip on it, but it’s thin enough to conceal.
About the GX4 Carry
The barrel is 3.7 inches in length and the overall length of the gun is 6.5 inches. It weighs 21.5 ounces. With an overall width of 1.08 inches, the gun has a magazine capacity of 15 rounds, the same as a Glock 19.
I received two magazines with the GX4 Carry, and they are compatible with my standard GX4, which is a smaller, compact gun. The GX4 Carry mags stick out from the grip a little when used in the GX4, but this is normal. It’s like using a Glock 17 mag in a Glock 19 handgun. It’s made for a handgun with a longer grip, but still works in a compact model.
Slide Features
While I like the smaller GX4 for concealed carry, I appreciate the longer slide and optics-ready options of the compact GX4 Carry. Slide serrations on the front and back of the slide aid with slide manipulation. With an optic mounted, however, I push against the optic to rack the slide.
The gun also has a small patch of texturing on each side of the slide, for the thumb of your support hand to contact. Even though it’s a small touch, it stands out to me.
Grip
The grip has a medium texturing which I like because it’s effective, but not too aggressive. A small ridge on the front of the grip sits close to the top with just enough room for your middle finger to rest above it. This makes holding the gun feel natural. Two extra backstraps are included so the grip can be adjusted for different hand sizes.
Trigger
The trigger is not my favorite, but for a concealed-carry gun, it does the job. I like the straight trigger, but it has a 7+ pound trigger weight. There is a little take-up before the wall, but then you really must pull to get it to fire.
I’ve heard from others that this improves a little after it has been broken in some but only time will tell. A lighter trigger would be nice. But this gun was built for concealed carry, so some people prefer a heavier trigger.
The Glock-style “safe action” trigger adds a level of safety to the GX4 Carry. There is no manual safety and a low-profile slide release. The mag release is also on the smaller side, but I didn’t have any trouble working it with my thumb.
Field Stripping
When it comes to field stripping a handgun, I would normally say I don’t like anything that requires the use of a tool. A flathead screwdriver is needed to remove the slide from the GX4. In this case, however, I rather like how easy it is.
To remove the slide, first, double-check to ensure the magazine is removed and the chamber is empty. Then point the gun in a safe direction and pull the trigger. Now all you need to do is turn the takedown screw to the left and the slide is released. The saying, “It’s so easy a caveman could do it” belongs to Geico, but it also applies in this case.
A double recoil spring helps reduce the felt recoil and cleaning and reassembly are simple.
On the range with the GX4 Carry TORO
Because I have shot the standard GX4 many times, the GX4 Carry felt familiar. I fired approximately 500 rounds through it and feel confident saying, it’s a reliable gun. At 10 yards and less, I can fire it quickly and stay on target. When it starts getting out past that, the heavy trigger pull makes it a little harder.
But aside from the trigger pull, the GX4 Carry is comfortable to shoot. Safariland makes a 575 IWB GLS holster for it, which is perfect for concealed carry. It will fit the gun with an optic and runs about $75. Cheaper holsters are out there, but I’ve carried Safariland holsters on duty for years, and prefer them because of their quality.
Because the GX4 Carry is meant to be carried with an optic, taller sights would be nice to have. When I mounted the Viridian, the top of the front fixed sight and drift rear sights are flush with the optic. This isn’t uncommon but making them just a tad bit taller would be perfect.
For anyone wanting an affordable option that doesn’t sacrifice quality, the GX4 Carry is the perfect choice. Make it your daily carry, use it for home defense, or keeping in a vehicle. Taurus makes the process of mounting an optic easy and field stripping even easier.
