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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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. :frown:

I really wanted to like that pistol :sad2:
Three strikes :thumbsdown:
I have gotten rid of perfectly good pistols, much less three strikes.

 

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

 

agree


Dear John, I agree I have 1k rounds through my 709 just had to replace the spring and Taurus sent me two! that broke after 500 rounds and probably my fault for bad reassembly.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Ewww Taurus.

 

Sounds like you too had a bad experience with Taurus.

I had a PT 99 from the 80's that I recently sold and regretted doing so I picked up one of their 1911's. The PT 99 only had one issue; it liked 124 grain or heavier. Would FTE regularly with anything lighter. The 1911 has been a dream to shoot so far. Easily the nicest handgun to shoot that I have ever shot or owned and that's saying something.

It appears their QC could use some work because they do have too many lemons going out the door going just by what I have read on the forums.

 

I had one with the SS slide and traded it: big mistake! It was flawless in every respect and, with the adjustable rear sight, I had it zeroed in to perfection. Why did I get ride of it--- good question!:frown:

 

Never ceases to amaze me why someone would even THINK of buying a Taurus. These guns are 99% crap yet even knowledgeable gun owners are lured in by their fraudulent advertising and cheap prices. Yes, I went through my 'Taurus phase' a couple decades ago and was burned every single time by them so I learned my lesson.
It's bad enough knowing regular consumers buy these but it makes me shudder to think some LEOs would trust these pieces of garbage to save their lives.

 

I love it when someone posts something about a Taurus having problems and people respond like this, yet when someone posts a problem about a Glock people rally behind the Glock as if it is impossible to have an issue with one. Face it people, you can have a problem with ANY gun. Taurus isn't the highest quality out there but they do make a decent gun for the money, and they back their product very well. I have a Model 85 I have had since the Eighties and have had zero issues. Granted it isn't an auto, but it is a great little gun and I carry it daily. You will always have more potential problems with an auto, it is the nature of the beast. Most feeding problems go away with an auto by finding the right ammo for the particular gun, and simply running enough ammo through the gun to break it in.

As far as the bluing goes, mine is still perfect after all those years. I carry it often on a bicycle but take care to protect it from sweat. I carry it in a fanny pack or a Remora. The Remora has the full sweat shield. With a Belly-band it will get wet.

And I am not discounting the issues the OP experienced. I am just saying that all Taurus guns don't have issues, and they can be dealt with, just like guns from any other manufacturer.

 

[%QUOTE=Pontificator;2779677]Never ceases to amaze me why someone would even THINK of buying a Taurus. These guns are 99% crap yet even knowledgeable gun owners are lured in by their fraudulent advertising and cheap prices. Yes, I went through my 'Taurus phase' a couple decades ago and was burned every single time by them so I learned my lesson.
It's bad enough knowing regular consumers buy these but it makes me shudder to think some LEOs would trust these pieces of garbage to save their lives.[/QUOTE]

I've owned multiple, never had any issues. I would gladly buy another and trust my life with it. I must be the other 1% you are speaking of

 

[%QUOTE=Pontificator;2779677]Never ceases to amaze me why someone would even THINK of buying a Taurus. These guns are 99% crap yet even knowledgeable gun owners are lured in by their fraudulent advertising and cheap prices. Yes, I went through my 'Taurus phase' a couple decades ago and was burned every single time by them so I learned my lesson.
It's bad enough knowing regular consumers buy these but it makes me shudder to think some LEOs would trust these pieces of garbage to save their lives.

I've owned multiple, never had any issues. I would gladly buy another and trust my life with it. I must be the other 1% you are speaking of[/QUOTE]

I would much rather trust my life to a Taurus than to a Kahr or an XD.

 

I also have had many Taurus autos and as of yet not had a bad one they all have there own characteristics but have yet to have a bad one right now I have the pt740 it is my edc I love it fires great not one jam maybe I'm one of the 1% don't know but my pt740 will stay

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2

 

500 rounds through my pt 709..... Hasn't missed a lick... Not bad on accuracy for a small gun.

 

My wife bought a 709 Slim nearly a month ago. The same day she put about 500 rounds of mixed PPU, Remington, Winchester, Aguila and Red River Ammo (which are reloads) with no issues.

I just got back from the range and put 100 rounds down it, 50 PPU and 50 Aguila. No issues.

She trusts the gun, and I trust the gun. The only complaint I have about it is it's too small for me, grip-wise. But that's not really the gun's fault.

 

My PT709 has been hideous. Over 2500 rounds without a single malf of any sort, very accurate, and easy to carry. That's just terrible. I don't know why I've hung on to it for 4 years.

 

My pt 709 Slim was purchased last week and I've run 200 rounds threw it (all 115 grain ball ammo). The gun has been great. It is very accurate and metal plates are easy to hit out to 30 yds. Mine is easy to carry and was a great buy for what I payed for it. I have 3 Taurus handguns, a 24/7 g2 compact, a TCP 738 and my 709 Slim with the 24/7 and Slim in 9mm. They have all been excellent with no problems and accurate. I am interested in looking at the pt 111 millenium g2 in 9mm. Looks like another well priced excellent carry handgun.

 

Funny I had mine for 2 months and finally got rid of it last Saturday out of every 100 rds it jammed 25 or more sometimes it would jam 3 or 4 rds in a row. When I called Taurus customer service they want to know what type of ammo I used after running thru a bunch of different brands ( brass, steel , aluminum, ) cases I was told that my warranty was being voided so I would have to pay to have it repaired. I fixed it alright got rid of it I will never buy another and any one that trusts there life to one need to rethink it.

 

Just can't for the life of me figure out why someone would trust their life to obvious pieces of junk.

 

I own the PT 709 and the PT 111 Millennium Pro. Paid $299 for each. I have never had a failure with either. I am sure there are some that are junk, but why criticise people who have put hundreds of rounds through theirs without any problems?

 

709 Slim issues explained

Hi all...I'm new to this site.
First off, what a person carries is very much a personal choice; I'm a short guy and I despise the double stack setup. That is a personal preference because of hand size and comfort level, so I love how a glock shoots, but hate how it feels. So feel IS a big factor in what, and how often, a person carries.
That being said, I must trust what I carry to be fuctional when/if I need it. Functionability is the supeme factor...which brings me to the PT 709 Slim:
There is a reason that there are limited selections in the SS compact 9mm: it's hard to make one work right. And most issues from this category are related to the cycle rate of the action.
Speaking specifically of the 709 Slim, the list is long of so-called problems; ranging from double feeds and ejection failure to slam-fires.
Now I like to ask why, not just shoot a few boxes of various ammo and call it junk. And the answer is rather simple, and it goes back to cycle rate. All modern ammo is designed to not only propel the bullet downrange, but cycle the action. Now with the short barrel and short travel distance the slide has to go, we must be aware of how fast our slide is moving. And while there has been an explosion in the sub-compact 9mm market, there has been no change in what ammo is being shot thru them. While most are aware that much of the powder is still being burnt after the bullet has left the short barrels on these gun, they are unaware that hot loads, or light (anything under 125gr) bullets effect the pace the slide cycles at. And when it cycles too quickly it will not eject properly, double feed etc; since the action is shorter this is amplified since it has less variable in the time it has to eject, load, reset and fire.
Nearly every complaint leveled at the 709 Slim can be fixed by this aspect of shooting: bullet selection. Choose a slower round, especially since no round can get going too fast from a 3.2" barrel. I've shot 5,000 rounds thru my 709 slim, it had problems with 115 gr and lighter, with an occasional issue with 125gr rounds of any manufacturer, but one day I bought some Federal 147gr jhp and I had no issues with them, so I thought, wow those work great. So after the first 400 rounds had a ton of issues, I decided to reload with 125gr and back off my normal powder load by two-tenths of a grain (may be slightly different based on your powder preference). What this did is slightly slow the slide cycle and I've put 4,000+ rounds thru it with no malfunctions.
Most rounds are designed to push a longer slide, and you can always slow the cycle down from what it is designed to run at (within reason), but you can't speed the cycle up faster than it is designed to run at.
So that IS the Tarus PT 709 Slim's design flaw, it is not intended to cycle at the rate most rounds run at.
Working at, and operating, shooting ranges I've known this to be the case with many manufacturers designs. As I said to start, it is difficult to make a compact SS 9mm operate perfectly (scale down a glock and it wouldn't work properly), and most of them DO have issues, but most of them can be fixed by shooting a slightly slower round, not sending them back to get "fixed". Every gun has it's limitations and KNOWiNG them is the responsibility of its owner.
There are better guns than the Tarus 709 Slim, however, if you don't take the time to learn a gun, and the AMMO it likes, you will never be completely confident in what it can do.
The 709 Slim is a good, but not great, small gun...but is there really a great SS compact 9mm?
Thanks for your time, I hope this helps some folks

 

is there really a great SS sub-compact 9mm?

Fix that for you. Otherwise, the answer is S&W M&P Shield and Walther PPS. Depending on how you define "great"; some don't like the Shield's two piece trigger or hard to remove sights, some don't like the PPS flatness or back strap "problems", for example.

 

I've had a 709 for several yrs. 500-600 rounds through it. Maybe an issue with 2 or 3 during break in.

I carry a pm9 or an xdm 3.8 compact .40, but the Taurus is my car gun and sub carry gun when out and the others are left home.
There is no doubt in my mind the gold dot 124 +p is coming out the barrel god forbid I need it to.

 

First time buyer. Big lesson learned!

Hey all. Let me share my experience with my PT709 slim. Where I stand right now I feel like I got ripped off big time. I bought mine new for $349. I have two friends that have the 709 and both said they liked them. I held the gun in the store and loved the size and the way it felt. The price seemed good for how the gun felt and looked. This was my first time buying a pistol and I was shopping for a carry gun. I am in deep regret with my purchase. The day I got it I took it to my parents and fired through 36 rounds. I had 5 rounds that would not extract. I packed the gun up for the day. Later I got on the internet and googled pt709 failure. I quickly learned what an FTE is and that was my problem. I went back and tried a different ammunition. Still had problems. I called taurus and told them that my brand new gun didn't make it 20 rounds without a failure. I confirmed I was handling the gun correctly and used different brands of ammunition. They sent me a shipping label. I sent it in. Two weeks later I checked on their website to see the status of my repair. It didn't even show they received the gun though I received a letter and email confirmation. I called to check on it and found the gun was "fixed" and was out for delivery to my house that day! No emails or calls to tell me they resolved the issue and the gun was being shipped back. I was slightly disappointed there, but was glad to get my gun back in a timely manner. I took the gun to the local range with a couple of friends. That trip was a complete embarrassment. Even my wife was laughing at the failures from the gun. The very first round fired since I got the gun back failed to extract. I got home from the range and immediately called taurus. I explained the issue and confirmed once again I have tried different types of ammo and handle the gun correctly and still have problems. I have to date fired around 200 rounds of ammo. Winchester was the worst, magtech and Remington had the least issues but still failed, federal also failed miserably. The Winchester ammo that had multiple FTF and FTE from my gun, fired flawlessly from my dads lc9. I am shipping the gun back for taurus' 2nd attempt to fix it. When I get it back I am planning on trading it in, cutting my losses and purchasing a more reputable gun.
In short, I would not recommend a taurus pt709 slim to my worst enemy. This gun has been an awful 1st time buying experience for me. By the time I trade it in It will cost me I'm sure a big loss of money. At this point I honestly don't care what money I lose, I just want a reliable gun that I can carry confidently. I have learned that you get what you pay for. On my next purchase I am going to be patient and take the time to save up for the right gun. This pt709 just set me back 349 dollars and I gained a paperweight.
Please people, save up for a better gun! Be patient! Learn from my mistake![HR][/HR]

 

If you are selling it let some of us know. Maybe one of us buys it and runs it, it might run fine for us and prove it might just be the shooter. I had a small 9mm Diamondback DB9 that I would shoot without any problems, yet when I give it other people to shoot they would have FTE's because they were not used to shooting a small 9mm. They would immediately give the gun back to me and I would finish shooting the magazine without any problems. Give it back to them with a new fully loaded magazine and they would again get FTE's, they again would give it back to me and again no problems. Like I said. Let us know if you are willing to sell it for a good price. God Bless :smile:

Hey all. Let me share my experience with my PT709 slim. Where I stand right now I feel like I got ripped off big time. I bought mine new for $349. I have two friends that have the 709 and both said they liked them. I held the gun in the store and loved the size and the way it felt. The price seemed good for how the gun felt and looked. This was my first time buying a pistol and I was shopping for a carry gun. I am in deep regret with my purchase. The day I got it I took it to my parents and fired through 36 rounds. I had 5 rounds that would not extract. I packed the gun up for the day. Later I got on the internet and googled pt709 failure. I quickly learned what an FTE is and that was my problem. I went back and tried a different ammunition. Still had problems. I called taurus and told them that my brand new gun didn't make it 20 rounds without a failure. I confirmed I was handling the gun correctly and used different brands of ammunition. They sent me a shipping label. I sent it in. Two weeks later I checked on their website to see the status of my repair. It didn't even show they received the gun though I received a letter and email confirmation. I called to check on it and found the gun was "fixed" and was out for delivery to my house that day! No emails or calls to tell me they resolved the issue and the gun was being shipped back. I was slightly disappointed there, but was glad to get my gun back in a timely manner. I took the gun to the local range with a couple of friends. That trip was a complete embarrassment. Even my wife was laughing at the failures from the gun. The very first round fired since I got the gun back failed to extract. I got home from the range and immediately called taurus. I explained the issue and confirmed once again I have tried different types of ammo and handle the gun correctly and still have problems. I have to date fired around 200 rounds of ammo. Winchester was the worst, magtech and Remington had the least issues but still failed, federal also failed miserably. The Winchester ammo that had multiple FTF and FTE from my gun, fired flawlessly from my dads lc9. I am shipping the gun back for taurus' 2nd attempt to fix it. When I get it back I am planning on trading it in, cutting my losses and purchasing a more reputable gun.
In short, I would not recommend a taurus pt709 slim to my worst enemy. This gun has been an awful 1st time buying experience for me. By the time I trade it in It will cost me I'm sure a big loss of money. At this point I honestly don't care what money I lose, I just want a reliable gun that I can carry confidently. I have learned that you get what you pay for. On my next purchase I am going to be patient and take the time to save up for the right gun. This pt709 just set me back 349 dollars and I gained a paperweight.
Please people, save up for a better gun! Be patient! Learn from my mistake![HR][/HR]

 

Send it to me.

 

Well stated RangeMaster9000. They're few and far between, but even some Glocks and Kimbers have issues. Common knowledge used to be that guns (and other complex machines) required some breaking in. Remember cars that used to have "breakin oil?" Higher dollar buys a little better QC. That's true. But some lower-cost guns will get the job done if you get to know them.

 

Sorry you have had such a bad experience. Did you get some of the others to try shooting it to make sure its not related to your technique?
All companies have lemons from time to time, and then some guns require a break in period. You've told everyone to stay away based on your one experience. If we all followed that logic then k=none of us would be driving a Ford or Chevy or Dodge ect.. think about it.
Anyway you should take these guys up on thier offer to buy your gun since you are so disappointed in it. Hope you find something you like.

Oh and your philosophy of "you get what you pay for" is pretty stupid also. You don't have to spend a crap load of money to get quality. I've read enough problems with Kimber and you'll pay a mint for one of those and it isn't anymore reliable than a RIA 1911. But you do get to pay for a well liked name.

 

I've read enough problems with Kimber and you'll pay a mint for one of those and it isn't anymore reliable than a RIA 1911.

Which is why many sell off their Kimbers and get RIAs.

 

I'm not a fan of Taurus semi auto's myself. I bought a Millennium .40 a while back because it looked cool. I wasn't familiar with Taurus products at the time but I learned the hard way that looks can be deceiving. The thing was pure junk, it jammed like crazy. I'm not sure if it was a bad extractor or a magazine issue. Some people claim that the newer ones seem to work better but you can buy a trusted name brand for about the same price.