Taurus TCP ..... another .380 pocket pistol

[Big Dog]

Everyone is getting in to it!

Taurus TCP - The TCP, or Taurus Compact Pistol, is the latest .380 ACP pocket gun to hit the market. Kel Tec had this market cornered until Ruger launched the LCP last year. Now everyone is looking to get in on it.

The TCP is a very small, very thin, very light polymer pocket gun. The sights are almost non-existant, but I guess this was meant as a last ditch “get off me” kind of gun. The TCP does have a slide lock.

[Melensdad]

Interesting how the little 380acp has really taken off in the pistol community. I think there are so many more people out there carrying guns that want easy portability and would rather go with a tiny gun than no gun at all.

I've often considered a little gun. The Ruger LCP really caught my attention but from what I can see there have been 2 recalls on that gun? The Kel Tec is more attractive to me simply because its been in production longer than the Ruger and is proven. Now we see Taurus jump into the fray. I'd love to see some reviews and some reliability reports after torture testing and real world use.

I suspect that others will jump in with pocket 380acp pistols like these.

Sig took a different approach, did anyone else see they came out with a small 1911 style 380 pocket gun?

[RoadKing]

I have a Walther PP 380 and it has to be the most comrortable gun I have ever owned.

Type: Double Action
Calibers: 9x18 Police and 9x17 Browning Short (9mm Kurz/.380ACP)
Weight unloaded: 780 g
Length: 176 mm
Barrel length: 92 mm
Capacity: 7 rounds

The Walther PP Super pistol came into existence circa 1972, as a proposed service handgun for West German police. At that period, German police looked for a new standard handgun and ammunition, to replace obsolete and underpowered pistols then in service. During the early 1970s there was much debate about a new service cartridge, and two major contenders were the already famous 9x19mm Luger/Parabellum, and the relatively new 9x18 Police cartridge. The 9x18 Police cartridge has been based on pre-WW2 9x18mm Ultra ammunition, developed in Germany by the Geco and Walther on request from Luftwaffe (German Air Forces). The 9x18 cartridge offered about a maximum power which could be used in relatively compact and lightweight blowback pistols. This, in turn, allowed these pistols to be simpler and less expensive than locked-breech 9x19mm pistols. Recognizing these advantages of 9x18 ammunition, the Walther company developed a police pistol, roughly based on the famous Walther PP pistol, and called it PP Super. However, by mid-1970s German law enforcement authorities selected the more powerful 9x19mm ammunition as a standard, and by the end of 1970s the 9x18 Police ammo went out of favor; Only about 2 000 of 9x18 PP Super pistols were purchased by Bavarian Police during 1970s. Some of PP Super pistols were also made in 9x17 short caliber, but the future of the police handguns was in 9mm Luger, and the Walther company dropped the PP Super from manufacture circa 1979, focusing on 9x19mm pistols like P5 and P38 / P1 / P4.

The Walther PP Super is an all-steel, blowback operated, double action pistol. Unlike its predecessor, the Walther PP, the PP Super featured an external slide stop lever, and a manual decocker on the left side of the slide, which, when pushed down, locked the firing pin and released the hammer, and then automatically returned to the 'fire' position. There was no manual safety, but the PP Super has a firing pin safety, and was intended to be carried with the loaded chamber and hammer down, ready to be fired in double action mode. The magazine catch is located on the side of the grip, next to triggerguard.


Credit for copy goes to from Modern Firearms

[Melensdad]

Here is an image of the new Sig p238.

This was introduced at the SHOT show this week. I've seen various photos, but obviously it is too early for reviews.

While I am a fan of the 1911 style guns, I don't think this is the same category of pocket pistol as the new little Taurus and the related other guns. This gun has a single action trigger and a manual thumb safety. I don't consider any 'single action' handgun to be a candidate for pocket carry.

Will come in three models; Nitron, Two Tone, and All Stainless. Retail will be $459 - $559, depending on the model. It looks like a small/modern version of the older Colt Mustang 380.

[OhioTC18]

Originally Posted by B_Skurka

It looks like a small/modern version of the older Colt Mustang 380.

There are some similarities.

[The Tourist]

In .380 ACP, I own a CZ 83.

[Spiffy1]

How's the trigger on the Taurus?

I tried a Kel Tec last spring; I liked imagining how versatile it could carry, but think it would take some good practice to get over the long heavy DOA trigger. IIRC I was shooting several inchs high even with the laser (not sure how well it was calibrated), and a pretty nasty spread too. But then for it's purpose, that probably isn't an issue.

[Big Dog]

Originally Posted by Spiffy1

How's the trigger on the Taurus?

I tried a Kel Tec last spring; I liked imagining how versatile it could carry, but think it would take some good practice to get over the long heavy DOA trigger. IIRC I was shooting several inchs high even with the laser (not sure how well it was calibrated), and a pretty nasty spread too. But then for it's purpose, that probably isn't an issue.

Taurus triggers are the same and so is the LCP!