Taurus 709 Slim 9mm
Newest pocket blaster—smaller size, larger bore!
What has now become known as Taurus International actually started from humble beginnings as a small tool manufacturer in Porto Alegre, Brazil over 60 years ago. Forjas Taurus (Taurus Forge) has become a diversified, international company and one of the largest small arms manufacturers in the world. Their first firearm (1941) was a revolver, but in 1974 Beretta won a contract to produce small arms for the army of Brazil. Part of the deal was that Beretta had to build a factory in country and use local labor. When the contract ran out in 1980, Beretta sold the plant “lock, stock and barrel,” to Taurus and everything that once belonged to Beretta, including drawings, tooling, machinery, and a very experienced work force belonged Taurus. The company moved into the pistol business, and immediately sought to improve on the Beretta design, resulting in the popular Taurus PT-92 and PT-99 9mm pistols.
Since these early and humble beginnings, Taurus has not looked back, trying to develop innovative products that will satisfy the growing number of armed citizens, cops and military officers that are demanding their products. The latest addition to their growing product line is the new Model 709 Slim, a super-compact 9mm pistol that will easily slide into a pocket or waistband. The increasing clamor for smaller and smaller handguns with larger and larger calibers is a fascinating trend and can’t help but wonder how small the manufacturers can go and how large the caliber will get. The 709 Slim is a nice combination of power and size, and have no doubt that Taurus will have a hard time keeping up with the orders for this new “pocket blaster.”
Gun Details
Slim is the name of this slick new entry into the Taurus line for a reason. Available in both blue and two-tone stainless this small pistol can easily fit into places that are not normally concealment locations. Due to the slim lines, there are no revealing bumps, which makes concealed carry easier than ever before regardless of your needs. The Model 709 is available only in 9mm, features a striker-fired single-action trigger with the shortest reset that I have ever felt on a factory built pistol. With a 7 + 1 shot capacity (9 + 1 with extended magazine), this slick little “slim-line nine” will handle just about any situation that a lone individual might face.
Sleek and lightweight in design, the pistol weighs just 19 ounces, measures a mere 6.24 inches in length and is less than an inch thick. The triggerguard is big enough to engage the trigger even when wearing gloves. A lever in the face of the trigger prevents reward travel unless it is squarely engaged so inadvertent compression of the trigger is reduced, a nice touch when carrying the gun in deep concealment. Also included on the 709 is a visual loaded chamber indicator as well as the Taurus Security System that allows users to securely lock the gun using an inconspicuous keylock.
The low-profile three-dot sights are a nice compromise between having enough of a sight picture to see quickly and keeping them small enough that they don’t snag while being worn concealed or hang up on the draw. While the three-dot configuration does not work for my tired old eyes, they do work for most people. In my case, I painted the front sight with a layer of white appliance touch up paint and once it cured, covered that layer with some bright finger nail polish. By doing this, I had a high visibility sight that can be seen in a wide range of light conditions that will stand up to gun cleaning solvents. The contrast worked well with the rear white dots and took a minimum amount of effort to do.
The polymer frame offers a trim grip with molded texturing for a solid hold. The grip has a nice curve to the backstrap that adds gripping surface without bulk to the compact lines. Some will say that the grip is actually too small for getting a solid two-handed hold is a challenge, but keep in mind what Taurus was trying to accomplish here. This is not a service grade or even an off-duty gun, this is a deep concealment weapon that will go anywhere, hide anywhere but still offer enough power to end an attack quickly. When loaded with a street-proven 9mm load, the Taurus 709 Slim should easily do this if the shooter does their part. To help add to the grip surface, the polymer frame has index pads on each side of the frame below the slide. By inserting the support hand thumb into one of these indents, the support grip will be consistent while also offering an additional contact point.
Another nice feature of the Slim is the simple takedown procedure. One cannot help but compare it to the Glock in that the slide is pulled to the rear, the dual pull down latch is manipulated and the slide comes off the end of the frame. The Slim also has a slide lock lever and a simple frame mounted, push up safety that locks the gun’s action.
Range Time
I headed off to the range with the new Slim and what I had left of my dwindling supply of 9mm ammo. I don’t like to bench rest guns intended for fighting, especially a gun like this whose sole purpose is close quarter personal defense. I have been a serious student of individual combat my entire adult life and this study, along with my personal experiences, has led me to a number of conclusions about the subject.
One of these is that more people miss their target because they cannot control the trigger versus improper use of the sights. Forget point shooting versus sighted fire, if you can’t control the trigger, you can’t control the gun—period. Thus, I test the accuracy of this type of gun off-hand at reasonable combat distances. In the case of the Slim I chose 50 feet, though in reality that is actually a bit far. But what the heck, if it will hold a 50-foot group, closer should be a snap.
Hornady ammo is known for its accuracy and the first four rounds went into an inch red dot at the center of the Birchwood Casey Dirty Bird target. On the fifth shot, I could not help but marvel at my wonderfulness and you guessed it, I pulled the shot low left.
All the loads used would be a good choice for the Taurus Slim, though the felt recoil will be a challenge. The grip of the Slim is quite small in an effort to keep the gun as compact as possible. This being the case, there is not much to hold on to. Rapid fire groups required a great deal of concentration, so if you are going to carry the Slim, you might want to consider a load that is not as hot. Remember, the most battle proven loads will be of no use if you cannot hit what you are shooting at and rapid follow-up shots might be needed to end the fight quickly. Choose your load wisely for this little gun.
The remainder of my range time consisted of classic drills like the Bill Drill, El Presidente’, the Double Nickel and running through the Crucible instructor standards. When I ran out of ammo, I had fired 337 rounds through the Slim without a single malfunction. Several folks who were at the range tried out the Slim and all commented that the grip was indeed small, but it was also a very nice gun to shoot.
Once again, this gun has the shortest reset of any factory gun I have event tested. This easy-to-work trigger action resulted in some fine split times as long at I concentrated on hanging on. Did I encounter any problems? Sure, but they were not the fault of the gun.
Forget trying to do a competition style speed load with the Slim. The short grip, slim magazines and flush magazine button made such a reload all but impossible. With practice you will get better, but if a larger button and grip were incorporated into the design, then it would no longer be Slim, would it? Other than this, I found the Taurus Slim to be a very pleasing gun. Would I buy it? Heck yes! As a matter of fact, I might just add this Taurus Slim to my personal collection. Get your own from Taurus by visiting their website taurususa.com or calling them at 305-624-1115.
January 30th, 2012 at 7:03 pm
I know this is a stupid question but has anyone watched what sons of guns did to that Glock. It was amazing. I never cared for glocks as I thought they have always been so top heavy.
December 26th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Did not have time to read all the reviews… Got mine for Christmas, loaded with Winchester 115g and it jammed on 2nd shot. After several this way, I changed the Winchester out with Remmington 124g and never had a problem with it after that.
When Compared the size of the Winchester 115g is bigger than the Remmington 124g and causing the jam.
December 23rd, 2011 at 10:35 am
I purchased the 709 slim and took it to the range. I put 200 rounds of standard Federal ball ammo through it with no problems. Accuracy was good at 25 yards(outside range) and I shot 10 rounds of Hornady Critcal defense to check cycle. No problems. I did have to move to site fairly far to get me from left to center. Very easy to shoot and carry all day! Love this gun and it replaced a Kel Tec PF9 which was also a good weapon after initial breakin.
December 13th, 2011 at 3:08 pm
I just bought a PT709SS cleaned the grease and whent to the range. I shot three hundred rounds or blazer aluminum fmj’s one hundred federal hollow points and seventy five lead round nose reloads i had four jams with the lead everything else went down the tube with no issues. like everyone else the trigger was strangs at first but i like it now. I also shot an LC9 the same day and thats when i noticed how much I like the pull on the taurus.
November 21st, 2011 at 9:52 pm
Purchased a 709 about 8 months ago. Took it to the range and found that at 7 yards I was missing the target completely. Brought the target in closer and found that I was shooting low and to the left. Tried adjusting the sites and since my point of aim was always the same, I was always low and to the left. I requested some assistance from the owner of the place and he fired a couple of rounds and placed them very tight. It was me and not the 709. I could not get used to the trigger action on this gun. I would fire my Glocks and the groupings were great. After several times at the range and about 1000 rounds of ammo (no mechanical problems) I gave the 709 to my son and purchased a Glock 26. Doesn’t do you any good to have a gun that you can’t hit anything with. It’s not as small as the 709 but my groupings are good. I loved the external thumb safety on the Taurus and wish that all my Glocks had this feature. Every time I see an external safety, I think about the football player that shot himself in the leg a few seasons back as he was pulling his loaded gun out of his pocket to show it to someone. If Taurus were to change the trigger action, I would definitely give it another try.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:09 pm
I bought this gun about one year ago. I want to like it and use it for concealed carry. But I’ve had some problems. First, I had issues with the slide not locking open after the last round. This has become less frequent with new magazines, but it sill hasn’t gone away completely. I also think the gun shoots low and to the left. Adjusting the rear sight has improved this, but I still don’t feel the gun is very accurate. Finally, I absolutely hate the trigger. Mine has way too much slack. I don’t feel any resistance and my hand is fully squeezed and then trying to go that last 1/8″ causes me to jerk the gun. Does anyone know if the trigger can be adjusted in any way? I really don’t like the excessive slack.
July 28th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
I have had this gun for quite a while now and I love it! The only problem I have had is with Winchester White Box, which seems to be a problem most others have had too. Had problems with that ammo in my 24/7 OSS too. Changed up my ammo and it works like a champ now. Can put 200-300 rounds through it at the range with no problems nor a need to clean it while at the range. Of course I clean it afterwards though. Grouping isnt as tight as I would like with it but with more practice on it im sure it would be better.
July 12th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
I’ve put nearly 3,000 rounds through my 709 with only 2 FTE’s (after a couple of boxes of breakin). That’s right up there with the reliability of my full-size Beretta and Glock. So when the 740 came out, I watched the reviews for about a year. Most of what I heard was good, so I pulled the trigger and bought a 740 too (709 is now with my wife). Again after a couple of boxes of breakin, it has been completely relaible also. Even in 40, this little gun is quite managable with accurate rapid fire being easily obtainable with a little practice. I second the pink extensions from fprevos on ebay. I bought 8 of these total for all my mags. They look like factory installaitons.
July 11th, 2011 at 1:27 am
I’ve had mine for about 3 months now and have had no issues once I got it REALLY clean (took about 3 good cleanings). Just wanted to let you guys know about a guy that is making the mag extensions. He’s selling them on ebay for about $20 and they do only add 1 round but hey, one round more is one round more and being able to get your pinky on the grip is AWESOME! his ebay username is fprevos, and if you search on ebay for 709 magazine extension you can check them out. as far as I know nobody else has taken the initiative (including Taurus) to do it, and all of us should support him and his efforts by buying a couple. I got 2 just last week and they seem to function well. I know it doesn’t make the mags 9+1, but 8+1 with the extra grip is well worth it imho.
May 16th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Best value and trigger in the sub-compact 9mm category if you ask me. I had two failures to eject the first day, but (like most problems) it was user error. I didn’t have a proper grip since I was so new to shooting and I oiled it up too much after cleaning all the factory grease out so I fouled it up myself. 500+ rounds later I’ve never had another failure, I shoot 3” head-shot groups at 25 yards and rapid fire shots at fighting distances (within 7 yards) are all in the 9 ring. I shoot 115 gr Speer Lawman for practice and 147 gr Gold Dot JHP for carry and my friend couldn’t even tell when I was shooting which one since the 709 eats up the felt recoil so much. I love this thing.
February 13th, 2011 at 5:20 pm
I got the Taurus slim 9mm one week ago yesterday. I have shot it 2 times and out of 50 rounds I had about 15 jams it was like a double feed but it never ejected the caseing. I really like the gun but would like to know why it keeps jamming? I think its the mag but not sure. Any ideas???
December 21st, 2010 at 12:20 pm
I picked up a 709 in sept. 10 the only ammo I had trouble with was WWB, EVERYTHING ELSE SHOOTS PERFECT, the main thing with the 709 or any other auto pistol is you need to clean them, the only problem I have with the gun is I wish it was a bit lighter, I am used to carring a LCP and this outweights the LCP when both fully loaded by about 9-10 oz’s, I think the most comfortable holster for this 709 is a Fobus if you carry OSTWB, THIS IS A REAL ACCURATE PISTOL WITH A DECENT TRIGGER, compaired to most others costing a lot more, I am shooting and carring Win.+p124 with no problems also have tried critical defence and they also are great, other than the WWB I have tried about 6 other brands of FMJ and HP and have had no feeding problems, I traded a used Ruger LCR for it even up and was not sorry to be rid of the long stiff DAO triger on the Ruger.Kel-tec is another decent carry gun for the money but they need to do something about the trigger, it is advertized as 5 lbs. in real life it closer to 10-12, you get a sore finger just shooting 50-100 rounds
November 28th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
I musta got lucky with mine. I picked up one in stainless about 6 months ago. I’ve put over 1000 rounds of everything you can imagine thru it including several hundred rounds of my lead reloads and only had 1 failure to eject. I can safely say that my 12 year old son limp wristed that one. It does shoot low and left if you don.t use proper trigger squeeze. I painted the front sight with “bright Sight” orange and re-painted the front dot with “Bright Sight” low light white. The sight picture looks like a million bucks now. This gun is great for concealment purposes and in my opinion highly reliable. There are a lot of tiny 9mm pistols on the market in various price ranges but the 709 is the only one in this size range with an external safety. Combine that with the glock type trigger safety and this is the safest concealed carry 9mm on the market. If you are going to carry an 9mm and you want it to be small this is the best choice.
November 21st, 2010 at 5:22 pm
had several failed ejections where it would try to feed another round against the non ejected round also this jammed the mag which made it very hard to clear. Not good
October 28th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
October 11th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
I have had my 709 for about 4 months now and have put about 600 rounds through it (in the first week). I had a Kahr 9 holster modified to fit it with a tension screw and added a Don Hume spare mag. carrier. I have found that the Speer Gold dot short barrel 124 grain is the best ammo for my gun. It has had one trip back to Taurus after the first day out on the range (the day I bought it) for a trigger problem very hard pull and a low point of impact at max elevation. Taurus cleared both problems up and sent me a test target of 7 rounds single hole @ 15yds. The more I shoot it the more I like it. I gentley went over every exposed edge on the gun with a dremel and rubberized abrasive (except the slide serations)and you would be suprised at the difference in the feel and comfort. I can grip and shoot well with the old style wood snubby saw handle grips so I like the grip on this gun it is easy to conceal. I use a tuckable holster and most can’t see it unless you are a pro. With a tight grip recoil is very mild. If one pinches the frame at the depressions forward of the trigger guard with the thumb and indexfinger of the weak hand and supports the strong hand you can keep the bull’s eye in the sight picture during rapid fire. I think it is good enough to shoot fun IPSC scores with.
September 26th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Bought my 709 slim about a year ago for carry, First 50 rounds went well after getting use to the trigger slack. mixure of 9 mm rounds. Yesterday went out to qualify had two failed ejections where it would try to feed another round against the non ejected round also this jammed the mag which made it very hard to clear. Not good. Am looking for any people with the same problems and will call Tarus Monday. Is a shame as I love the little gun but has to be reliable. also just installed crimson trace laser sight.
August 7th, 2010 at 10:32 am
I bought my PT709 Slim about a year ago. It is my favorite carry gun. I’ve shot everything through it without a problem. I’ve been carrying it with MagTech Guardian Gold ammunition. I’ve also recently purchased some MagTech 115 gr +P+ ammo and some Winchester 124 gr Military ammo for it.
I’ve got no complaints except, I am having a heck of a time finding SPARE MAGAZINES for it. I have not seen any of the 9 round extended magazines that some have talked about. I could use some help here.
August 7th, 2010 at 8:32 am
got my 709 stainless two weeks ago. it is really ideal for a conceal carry pistol.
August 5th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
I’ve had the Slim for about a year, shot about 500 rounds with no problems. Standing at 7 yards, 7-shot groups are extremely impressive with Winchester 115 g FMJ and with Hornady Critical Defense. This is my primary CCW because it is “with me,” not just in a vehicle or at home. It carries well in a Don Hume H715M No.36 4-inch inside the pants holster. (I read about the white-colored greasy-material coating the insides parts of a new Slim, and cleaned that out very well before ever firing a round. I’m guessing that’s why I’ve had no problems and other people have.)
August 1st, 2010 at 11:37 am
My PT709 has been a great shooting little gun. It’s small, light, and slim enough to fit into your front pocket. This thing has great accuracy despite being so short. I’m consistent with at up to 50 yards and I watched my brother hit 3 out of 7 rounds on a 3 foot square target at 200 yards on a bet. Yes, at 200 yards you could have an enemy ducking for cover with this pistol. I take this one with me everywhere and I think that’s the best thing about the PT709. It’s just not a burden to the owner. One of my clips gives me a little trouble feeding once in a while after over a year of mistreatment and I did let the sharp little slide nearly take off my right thumb, requiring over $6000 in surgery to repair the tendon it took. Best gun I own right now, but I went to my gun dealer and saw a shiny new PT740 this week. I may have to own that one too.
July 29th, 2010 at 1:45 am
Just saw Charlie’s (7/12) inquiry about +P loads in the 709. I talked with Taurus Customer Service abut that the day after I bought mine. The rep specifically said that I should NOT use +P in the 709. I know “everyone” says all of Taurus’ guns are +P rated, but I decided to follow his recommendations anyway. Plenty of good choices out there in standard pressure rounds.
July 21st, 2010 at 9:23 am
I ordered my 709 slim today. I’ve seen the pistol in the recent Gunshow and read a lot of review regarding the pistol. It seems that it is a good conceal carry pistol.I just want to know whether the extended magazine (9 round) will be available soon here in the Philippines.
July 12th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Picked my Blue Slim up Saturday. Shot 200 rounds on Sunday with only one failed eject. Accurate beyond my expectations and remakably easy to shoot. No trouble hanging on with accuracy at rapid fire targets. Easy to clean and tear down. I am overwhelmingly pleased with such a cost effective weapon!
July 12th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Will the 709 Taurus take a +p 9mm round. Did not indicate loads in manual.
July 1st, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Does anyone know who or where to buy an extended (9 + 1) magazine for the 709 Slim that Taurus stopped making or any generic manufacturers who make and/or sell one that is designed or works properly with the Slim without any modifications needed?
July 1st, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Just bought the Blued version of the Slim and took it straight to the gun range and fired 100 Rds of winchester 9mm bulk pack ammo through without any failures. I found that I was shooting a bit low and to the left but I got used to the trigger and was shooting very good groups at center mass of a silouete target at 7 and 15 yards. I am using a Blackhawk inside the pants holster size 3 3/4 to 4 1/2 in barrel. This gun is a joy to shoot and carry. I went home to clean this gun and it was very dirty but broke down and was very simple to clean. Would recommend this gun as a carry gun to anyone. Great gun at a GREAT PRICE !!!
June 3rd, 2010 at 7:10 pm
Bought the Taurus Slim about 2 weeks ago. I agree with the comments that you should clean it well before shooting. Put 200 rounds through it with only one FTF at about 150 rounds. It was getting pretty dirty at that point but I cleared the jam and shot the last 50 rounds with no problems. I had to tweek the sites but the accuracy was very good at 7 and 15 yards. Target aquisition was very good shooting double targets side by side. Fit anf function are great for CCW with a much slimmer profile than most of the other handguns of similar size on the market. For the money, I think it is a winner.
May 26th, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Have had the 709 slim for about 6 months now - I’m at 600 rounds through it with 2 FTFs. That’s only because after 350 rounds total, cleaning every 50 rounds I decided to see how long it would take to jam and haven’t cleaned it since. The FTFs happened between the 550th and 600th round.
It has always shot well (2.5 inches 7 shot group at 15 yards) with all brands of ammo but shoots about 6 inches low at 15 yds. I can keep all 7 rounds on a standard silhouette at 100 yards too, so in my book this gun has all the accuracy anyone would ever need for concealed carry.
I shoot left handed but I find this to be an advantage with this pistol since I can manipulate the mag catch with my left hand index finger very easily. The safety is something I can do without because of the Glock like trigger safety but one has to still train with it because you never know, it could be activated and slow response time when the need arises that the pistol be used.
All in all I’m very pleased with my 1st Taurus. Hope that there will be some aftermarket sights including a laser and the 9 shot mags become available in the near future.
May 24th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Got this a week ago at a gun show, shot it for the first time yesterday. Glad I read other comments on it first tho! As others have noted this gun is FILTHY from the factory. The slides especially, i was really surprised at the amount of crud i took out of them with some cleaning brushes. I can see how people who didn’t clean the gun first could run into some issues.
Put 100 rounds of Winchester white box through it, no problems what so ever. Fantastic little gun, I’m very happy with this purchase! Needed to adjust the rear sight, it was shooting very low. I think they just attach the sights at the factory without doing any adjustments. Note: it wasn’t even half as dirty after 100 rounds as it was NIB.
Looking forward to the release of some extended mags for it, and maybe night sights or a laser grip. I really enjoy shooting it, and would definitely recommend it.
May 7th, 2010 at 10:18 pm
I just bought mine and it fired 7 rounds. Now it jams every other round.
April 19th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
got the stainless version shot about 150-200 rds, had about 30 ftf fte with monarch , winchester ammo. Sent back to taurus put 14 rds through no problems, about to get more ammo. I will let u know how it goes. So far so good.
April 14th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Bought a NIB 709 Slim in Feb. Took it to the range and it misfired almost every other round using ammo from three different manufactures and the Winchesters I bought at the range jammed a few times. I called Taurus after I tried their website to see how to get it fixed. They asked me to FedEx it back to them on my dime. I told them I just bought it and it was clearly a defect. They gave me their FedEx number and I shipped it back to them on their dime. Four weeks later I got it back. It misfired the third round (a bad round, I believe)and I have not had a problem since with feeding or misfires (I have put over 200 more rounds through it since). They replaced the ejector and the sear. I also shoot a Kel-tech PF-9. Love them both. The Slim is a little smoother to handle but they are both accurate and I can put all eight shots in a 4 inch circle at 10 yrds in a few seconds.
April 8th, 2010 at 10:14 am
I’ve had my 709 slim since December ‘09, I’ve had a lot of failures to eject and FTF’s using old suplus 9mm ammo no problems with good ammo. I’ve shot around 300 roudns, very accurate, HOWEVER I just sent my gun back to Tarus for a CRACKED POLYMER frame. There are 2 half inch cracks one one each side of the frame above and forward of the trigger. Hard to see, but check out your gun, not sure how long they were there before i noticed. It is caused by a non-radiused corner on the insed where the feed throat mounts. Plastics don’t like sharp corners.
April 5th, 2010 at 9:29 am
Hello everyone. If you’re interested in the 709 or other Taurus Slim models be sure to check out this more recent article from Pocket Pistols 2010: http://www.tactical-life.com/online/exclusives/taurus-slim-guns-compacts/
March 24th, 2010 at 4:35 pm
jammed on second shot. owned 3 days, jammed over 20 times. shot 70-80 times
March 11th, 2010 at 12:01 am
Got mine! It’s a really comfortable to hold pistol. Had one feed jam shooting 150 rounds, but it think I pressed the mag release as I fired. Kinda pointy corners jab my sides a bit as I carry IWB. I wish they’d make it a little smoother like my LCP’s corners, but like I’ve heard, carrying a gun is not comfortable, but it is comforting knowing I have it. Trying some Winchester +P tomorrow. Like everyone else, still wishing for that 9 round mag.
February 17th, 2010 at 10:00 am
One of the most insightful comments I’ve read in a review (quoted from above) is “One of these is that more people miss their target because they cannot control the trigger versus improper use of the sights…if you can’t control the trigger, you can’t control the gun—period.” While the same can be said about felt recoil, I find this observation about trigger control to be really true but rarely mentioned. I’ve had a Kahr PM9 for years which is probably the most concealable 9mm for concealed carry. BUT, the DAO trigger action just doesn’t work for me - I grew up using a Glock and that type of trigger works really well for me, especially for rapid fire.
Having said that, I recently went on a hunt for a concealable 9mm with a Glock-like trigger (I say it that way to avoid the SAO/SA etc. discussion of Glock triggers). I considered the G26, but the extra width outweighed the ability to swap mags with my G19. I finally settled on a Walther PPS 9mm which is not quite as concealable as the PM9, but I love the trigger action and the way the gun fires. Felt recoil is totally manageable.
However, I didn’t know about the Taurus 709 at the time and now think it may be an even better choice considering the DA/SA trigger. The manual safety is kind of a neutral feature for me.
Any thoughts/comments?
February 13th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
Oh yeah,the manual is not the best.I had to read somwhere on the net how to really disasswmble this gun.After pulling slide back one eighth on an inch and pulling the take down buttons down you let the slide go forward then release take down buttons.The slide should come off according to the manual-no go.You have to press trigger and hold it back while pulling slide forward.Taurus needs to rewrite that info into the manual-hope this info helps you as much as it helped me.
February 13th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
I just bought a blued Taurus Slim. $483-ouch.Its much bigger than my Ruger LCP and almost as big as my Taurus Millenium PT 140.It makes me realize just how good /small my 10 shot .40 Millenium is(a 2001 gun).Only four ounces more and it holds three more rounds of a bigger caliber.The slim does conceal somewhat better.I am hoping the accuracy is much better than my Millenium-its a 10 yard or so gun.I know it will kick less and the ammo is cheaper than my .40 and even more so than for my Ruger LCP .380(.380 ammo prices/availibility sucks!) It feels smooth and I like the fact the sights are adjustable and it came with an extra magazine-I plan on shooting it tomorrow.If its a lot more accurate than my Millenium and more concealable than my CZ 75 I just may really like this gun for defense.
February 12th, 2010 at 12:09 am
I recently bought the 709 for CCW and it is great! I’ve been to the gun range and I could not be happier, great gun especially for a first time gun owner as I am. I have also looked into getting more magazines and they are no where to be found, i called the manufacturers branch in Miami and they told me that they were on back order i’m hoping they get in quick.
February 5th, 2010 at 5:57 am
I found the comments made here interesting and well thought out. Nice to see folks exchange thoughts and ideas and try to help/educate one another without the mean-spirited verbage of other sites! I found the test Slim that I had to be a fine pistol and like most Taurus handguns, reasonably priced! The size and short trigger action of the gun make it a nice companion to larger guns like the Glock, XD, M & P and other short stroke trigger actions. Yes, like all mecahnical things, there will be a few that do not work as they should, but I’m sure Taurus will make them right. Whenever we look at a gun like the Slim, I think it wise to look at it as a tool and how will this tool help us in our daily security plan. Things like whether or not it has adjustable sights and a manual safety (which are done mostly for importation points) are not really important as simplicity in any defensive tool is paramount. The Slim is NOT a sporting implement! Does it work, does it fit my hand, will it shoot my chosen load, can I bring it into action fast, can I control the recoil in rapid fire, etc. are the goals when protecting yourself. A compact gun that is easy to carry, shoots a cartridge of “authority”, is combat accurate and WORKS is what we are all looking for. All who chimed in here seem to understand that. Great information exchange! That is why Harris built this site and I’m glad to see it being used as such.
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:10 pm
I’ve been considering purchasing this gun for several months. from what I can see, and having handled it; it is closest thing to a tiny version of my XDM 9mm springfield, which is flawless. I like the loaded chamber indicator is same, and second try w/ light strike primers is good. Trigger is exceptionally smooth for little gun. I’m specifically buying it as small of thew back off hand gun as back-up to primary carry. Hornady personal defense or Speer gold dots should be perfect in it.
January 24th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
Where can I buy the extended magazines?
January 19th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
I bought the PT709B about a month ago, and love this gun for CCW. I was a bit hesitant due to the Glock style trigger, but the manual thumb safety sold me in the end. I have a left handed IWB highside holster that I wear in the small of my back (makes it perfect, as the gun stays off my back). I’ve put about 300 rounds through it and not one FTF or FTE. The blue on the barel isn’t the greatest, but then again it’s a $400 gun. I can reblue it myself. I really like the adjustable sights (not usually included on a gun this small), their easy to see and low profile. I keep looking for the extended clips, but with no luck yet. I would like a pinkey rest as I have fairly large hands. But my wife loves this gun just the way it is with the short clip. I would never trade off my S&W M&P 40C for it, but I’m happy with the purchase of this gun.
January 7th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
About extended mags,I called Taurus customer service they said they’re working on them but no release date yet. To me 7rd mag of 9mm+P is still better than 5rds of .38+P, it’s really better when you have to reload quickly. Those .38+P brass are really stuck in there, just hitting the ejector rod on a 2in will not cleanly extract them.
January 7th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
I traded my S&W J-Frame642 38+p Airweight at the gunshow this weekend for the 709 Slim and I’ve never looked back. First thing i did was put it to test(150 rds or so) with several brands of ammo(my brother has a couple of 9mms and a sh*tload of ammo), happy to report not a single malfunctin, jam, misfeed, etc. We set up a benchrest at 100 ft+ and hit every round on target. I find it easier to conceal and more comfortable than the J-Frame atleast carried iwb. If you are like me and have to spend wisely then Taurus is the way to go. I also have a PT1911 with over a 1000 rds fired and never a malfunction of any kind. I could not be happier about my PT709 SLIM, i love this gun !!!
January 4th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
If you are looking for the SLIM, google Able Ammo in TX, he has several styles in stock at a reasonable price. Ships to any FFL.
Texashoot
December 29th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Anyone know why I can’t seem to find a slim. Is Taurus in the process in makin these guns. When did the slim first hit the shelves. What holster goes with it. Say a crossbreed? Um. Ctc laser seen any. Few questions I have. Sounds like a great gun.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Thinking of getting the SLIM, but I read 10 threads on blogs and find 2-3 about FTF ,FTE, loose extractors. Bad mags and etc. I really want this as a ccw but am starting to get mixed feelings. Can anyone help me out with either saving my money or purchasing this SLIM. I love the size and caliber exactly what I am looking for. Saftey and all….. but I need it to be reliable. HELP?
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:18 am
Mine is not so lucky, out of 150 rounds, have had over 30 stovepipe/jams. Tried 4 different brands ammo, did find one clip had small dent causing plunger to bind. Two cleanings and inspection to no avail, did have some metal chips inside that came out. Do not feel its a wrist problem, not sure. The empty cartridge stands straight up, but loose, next live round is jamned half way in by the next mag round, AND most time the mag will not eject! Having to dig out live rounds is dumb. will accept any and all advise before it goes back to Taurus. I like Taurus , have 4 others with no problems, but this one worries me, sure not for CC at this point. Thanks to anyone that responds. carl
November 15th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
how does this pistol compare in size to the Khar cw9?
November 14th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
I purchased my 709 Slim three months ago. I’ve enjoyed shooting it.
I need more magazines, especially the extended ones (I have only the two standard ones that came with it). They’re nowhere to be found. I’ve even called the factory each month and they tell me they’re not available ‘yet.’ I’ve also surfed the web, can’t find them at the normal outlets.
I’d also like to find alternative grips for the gun, but nobody has any that I know of on the market.
I hope Taurus catches up and makes more magazines available soon, it’s a pain at the range having only two.
November 4th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Did some tradeing with my gun guy about a month ago after some bad experiances with a couple of cheap/junk 9mms, we did a deal on a 709, first thing we did was take it to the range that day, and put 6 box’s of ammo thru it, alum, steel, brass, all FMJ even a couple of mags of the high rent hornady +p not one hiccup all day, only problem was my wife shot it, and she repossesed it LOL, so the next weekend we went back to the gun shop and I traded a glock 26 I had for another 709, went back to the range 4 box’s went thru it not a hiccup, I have several small concealed carry guns but this new taurus definatly went to the head of the pack, the only problem I had with ether gun was sore fingers from loading the small 7rd mags
October 17th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
I purchased the Slim (stainless slide)about a week and a half ago,and have fired about 125 rounds through it. The gun functioned well with no problems. I did notice that I must NOT try and use only the tip of my index (trigger) finger when pulling the trigger becuase when doing so the trigger does not function as smoomthly as it can. When simply picking up the gun and taking a natural grip, letting my trigger finger fall where it might, I had much better accuracy and the trigger was completly smooth.
October 1st, 2009 at 10:02 am
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