Taurus PT709 Slim Review

[Hoodoo]

Hello all, here is my review of the Taurus PT709 Slim with a blued steel slide. I bought mine brand new from Bass Pro; it came with a bulldog case and 2 magazines. I paid around $400.

I wouldn’t recommend this gun; it’s been awful for me. I don’t spend the time to type out a gun review unless it’s been exceptionally good or exceptionally awful and the Taurus PT709 is an exceptionally awful gun. I did not have any manufacturing bias until I bought this gun; I’ve heard a lot of bad about Taurus quality. However I also heard they were shaping up and making better guns. I gave Taurus a fair shot and it was a BIG mistake.
I carried this gun for about three months. I kept it very clean and a light coating of oil to protect the finish. After roughly two weeks of carrying it in a belly band, rust started to form on the slide from sweat, unacceptable in my opinion.

The grip isn’t too my liking, my pinky hangs off and grip texturing doesn’t come close to SIG, Glock and the S&W MP. The sights are too low profile and the loaded chamber indicator seems to get in the way. Disassembly and cleaning is OK, it’s not the best, but I’m sure there is something out there that is more difficult to clean. The slide release is also very sharp and needs to be deburred, it has taken skin off my thumb.

It’s a very concealable gun, 1” width, 3” barrel, short grip and 6” overall length. I could carry it comfortable anywhere, including my back pocket in some pants.

The trigger pull is very long and stacks too much. It also has a very long reset. Unsmooth trigger pull.

First day at the range I put the following through it: 300rds Federal 115gr FMJ, 50rds Remington 115gr FMJ, 14rds Remington 115gr JHP, 25rds Hornady Z-Max 115gr JHP.

It’s accurate enough for self-defense purposes; I would trust it between 0-10yds. It’s just not on the same level as the top American and European guns.

About 3/4ths of the time, with every type of ammunition, the gun would fail to feed the last round and lock the slide back. I had 1 FTE.
I would give this gun a solid F, poor quality, poor ergonomics, and poor reliability. I cannot trust this gun with my life. By the time you read this I’ve already taken it to the pawnshop to get half of what I paid for it, good riddance.

I’ve already bought my replacement for this gun. A Sig Sauer P250, if this review has been helpful then I will go ahead and review the P250.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[oneshot]

For that money I would have bought a Ruger Lc9
Sorry it didn't work out for you.
Taurus wheelguns, maybe.Taurus autoloaders..........not so much

[Stan6406]

Another member of the Taurus club. Malfunctions or breaks enough its only good as a club.

[Hoodoo]

For that money I would have bought a Ruger Lc9
Sorry it didn't work out for you.
Taurus wheelguns, maybe.Taurus autoloaders..........not so much

A buddy bought the Taurus Judge and had to send it back, he said he was pulling the trigger and nothing was happening. I was looking for a .44 Mag and came across the raging bull but I'd rather shell out a couple hundred more $$ and get a Smith or Ruger than gamble on a Taurus.

[First Sgt]

To the OP...it would seem that the majority of your complaints could have been unearthed IN the gun shop while you were shopping...

You said the grip wasn't to your liking, your pinky hung off and it wasn't up to the standards of other weapons...Didn't you notice that when you held and inspected the weapon in the shop?

The sights were tooo low? Did you not notice that when you held the ill fitting grip and your pinky hung off as you brought the weapon up to sight it in the shop?

The slide release was sharp and needed deburring? Again, did you not dry fire the weapon and drop a mag several times while in the shop..

You mentioned it began to rust on the slide after carrying about two weeks in a belly band, yet you also said you kept it clean with a lite coat of oil. Seems a bit unusual.

I could go on, but....Over all, I thank you for YOUR review. However it leaves too many unanswered questions in my mind to accept very much validity to your observations. Thanks for trying though. Good luck with your Sig P250..

Oh...for what it's worth...I carry a Glock 19 as my EDC, but I own a Taurus PT709Slim, which my wife carries...I've put it through it's paces. I've found it to be reliable and easy to shoot, as has my other half. Neither of us has had any probs on sights or sight picture. I've had no malfunctions whatsoever... I trust it to protect my wife's life, and I would carry it in a heartbeat. Just shows...there are many opinions out here, and many with varying results on weapons that others don't care for.

Keep the reviews coming...Merry Christmas and be safe!

[CDW4ME]

Taurus PT709 Slim with a blued steel slide.

I wouldn’t recommend this gun

The trigger pull is very long.

I had the same pistol and agree with the above ^
The trigger was terrible.
The grip is actually too slim, for me.
Mine also allowded fired cases to bulge.
Sent it back and eventually it was returned with a blank barrel that did not have a serial # to match the pistol like the original barrel did.

I really wanted to like that pistol
Three strikes
I have gotten rid of perfectly good pistols, much less three strikes.

[old guy 2]

I also had a 709 slim and a 740 slim and I never had a problem with either of em (well maybe that sharp slde release), and I especially like that trigger it has a long lite take up, then a nice single action pull,
I lke that trigger better than the Khars altho it ain't in the class of the 1911.
I also have Taurus pt 145 which is my favorite carry piece.

John

[ksholder]

I had a 709 slim for a couple of weeks. I bought it from a buddy to help him through some tough times. I put about 300 rounds through it and it ran fine. I was not fond of the trigger, but the thing that made me sell it was the way it fit (or didn't) my hand.

After shooting an extended range session - with about 250 rounds, the rough texture (and mold lines) on the underside if the beaver tail (such as it is) wore a hole in my hand. I have never had any other gun do this and it simply was not worth putting up with, so I sold it.

[Brad426]

I have a 709 and have put 1000ish rounds through it and trust THAT gun. Overall my experience with Taurus hasn't been stellar, though.

[Hoodoo]

To the OP...it would seem that the majority of your complaints could have been unearthed IN the gun shop while you were shopping...

You said the grip wasn't to your liking, your pinky hung off and it wasn't up to the standards of other weapons...Didn't you notice that when you held and inspected the weapon in the shop?

The sights were tooo low? Did you not notice that when you held the ill fitting grip and your pinky hung off as you brought the weapon up to sight it in the shop?

The slide release was sharp and needed deburring? Again, did you not dry fire the weapon and drop a mag several times while in the shop..

You mentioned it began to rust on the slide after carrying about two weeks in a belly band, yet you also said you kept it clean with a lite coat of oil. Seems a bit unusual.

I could go on, but....Over all, I thank you for YOUR review. However it leaves too many unanswered questions in my mind to accept very much validity to your observations. Thanks for trying though. Good luck with your Sig P250..

Oh...for what it's worth...I carry a Glock 19 as my EDC, but I own a Taurus PT709Slim, which my wife carries...I've put it through it's paces. I've found it to be reliable and easy to shoot, as has my other half. Neither of us has had any probs on sights or sight picture. I've had no malfunctions whatsoever... I trust it to protect my wife's life, and I would carry it in a heartbeat. Just shows...there are many opinions out here, and many with varying results on weapons that others don't care for.

Keep the reviews coming...Merry Christmas and be safe!

I agree that many of the problems I had with the 709 should have been identified at the gun shop, I was really trying the like the gun and I picked it mostly based on size and ability to be concealed. I should of picked a gun that suited me not the other way around, It was definitely a lesson learned.

My review probably came off as overly-harsh. Had it not been for the malfunctions at the range I would have kept it. If I couldn't get over the ergonomics, it fit my fiance's hand very well, she also shot it very well.