Avoid the Taurus GX4

[TTv2]

I picked mine up last week and was excited to try my first Taurus polymer 9mm since they have a $50 rebate available for them and now it makes sense why they're offering such a generous rebate: the trigger has resetting issues and apparently these are widespread throughout the model.

The issue is when any leftward force is applied to the trigger while it is depressed and the slide is cycling the trigger will not reset. This is an issue only when dry firing the trigger with the right hand, every time I dry fire left handed and reset the trigger it works fine.

This is a design flaw that I just found out about and it seems multiple trips back to the factory are required before its corrected.

This is really disappointing because I liked everything about the GX4, the texturing is great, the trigger pull is great, the weight and feel of it is great, but if it can't function it's no good. The two Taurus' that I've bought new the past few years have been absolutely fine, but the GX4 has problems and should be avoided until further notice.

 

[The Last Outlaw]

Apparently, Taurus “addressed” the issue. Their response is not a good one in my opinion. It is in the first post on this page.

https://www.taurusarmed.net/threads...sponse-to-gx4-trigger-issues-problems.438086/

 

[Yo Mama]

I really hate saying this but I do catch a fair amount of flack for being a Taurus hater. It's because of things like this. I just don't think the company has changed in any way and the customer always ends up suffering. I sold off every one of my Taurus guns years ago at a loss, all because the lack of customer service and warranty repair that actually fixes the gun and makes it safe

 

[Frulk]

Not relevant to the GX4 but to Taurus generally as it seems the brand cannot be discussed in any context without routinely mentioning quality.

Heard stories over the years about Taurus and issues with QC. Was at an indoor range in Vegas with a good friend and his roommate. I was shooting a Redhawk and roommate had a Taurus .44 Mag. We’re just banging away with factory ammo next to each other and I stopped and watched roommate shoot as my bud was taking a turn on the Redhawk. Boom…Boom! Saw something fly away from the Taurus. Was the front sight. Thought to myself…so, the stories are true.

It’s my one and only personal experience with a Taurus having never owned one and it’s only a sampling of one.

Would I own a Taurus? Sure, there are a couple of offerings I find appealing…. Especially the Tracker 992 22 Mag revolver. Just have never ran into a new or even used version under glass. For what’s being asked for them I’d bring one home post haste as the price is well within my risk/cost tolerance.

I’ll go sit in the corner now and let the big people carry on about the GX4 and Taurus quality.

 

[JB111]

I'm not really a Taurus hater or fanboy. I just see them for what they are: A budget company making a budget product which has major qc problems, like most budget companies. Their warranty is not worth the paper it's printed on and their politics are questionable at best. With that being said, a Taurus without issue can be found, I have a few that have never shown issue. I have a g2c that has been nothing but dependable, have several thousand rounds through it with no more than a couple light strikes that were usually fixed by pulling the trigger again. I also have a tx22 with thousands of rounds on it, with the only malfunctions being rimfire ammo related. But I also have a couple that sit in the junk drawer of my dresser because they either broke for whatever reason or had a major issue out of the box. It has always been hit or miss with Taurus, anyone saying different is just not being honest, or don't shoot their guns enough.

 

[The Last Outlaw]

The only Taurus I own is the TX22. Had it for a couple years now. Probably near 1000 rounds through it, never had a problem. I did replace the cheap plastic guide rod with a stainless steel one. I was eyeing a GX4XL, glad I saw this thread, I’ll pass on it for now.

 

[JB111]

The only Taurus I own is the TX22. Had it for a couple years now. Probably near 1000 rounds through it, never had a problem. I did replace the cheap plastic guide rod with a stainless steel one. I was eyeing a GX4XL, glad I saw this thread, I’ll pass on it for now.

The most aggravating thing about Taurus is that the op's gun is defective, but the one you buy may be perfect, while the one sitting next to it may have some other issue that has not even been reported yet. There is just no consistency or standardization with them, even their "known issues" are across the board thanks to no qc.

 

[Steve in NC]

Everything has its place and I normally don’t dive into these discussions. I simply don’t own Taurus brand weapons.
But I do have 3 real time experiences in dealing with them and their CS. I do some side gunsmith work. First instance was a cracked barrel on a 9mm barrel out of a Taurus pistol. The barrel cracked where the feed ramp meets the chamber on the right side. This person was not a reloader nor a serious range time guy. He was I have a gun and a box of shells in the nightstand person.
It took probably 8-10 months and multiple correspondence to get feed back from them. It never was resolved and the guy moved and I never heard from him again.
Second instance was during some gunsmithing classes I took pre-Covid. Another student had a PT111 with parts missing. One year later after multiple calls, emails, nasty messages on Facebook, etc…. The parts were finally shipped and replaced.
Third instance is my son works at a large volume gun store here in eastern NC. The #1 brand for return warranty work is Taurus. He has worked there for close to 6 yrs now. They have always held the top spot. And their response time to a gun store warranty request is measured in months also. SIG warranty work is returned within 2-3 weeks and it’s fixed the first time generally. Taurus… when they return it I think it still has a 50% chance of going back for the same issue.

not how I want to do business and not the reliability I want or demand of my firearms. Especially for personal protection. To each his own.

Steve

 

[TTv2]

I dont want this one pistol alone be an indicator of current Taurus quality because for all I know this has been in a warehouse for two years and is an older model. If it's not and Taurus is still using suspicious parts or not doing a trigger reset test when it's a known issue that's garbage.

Everything else about this pistol is fine, fit and finish and feel are all excellent, everything feels smooth and tight and right... except the trigger reset issue.

Stuff happens, but seeing how reports were from 2 yrs ago are still being encountered now doesn't sit well with me. While I still intend to buy the .22 snub Taurus makes, I'm having second thoughts on the .357/9mm revolver.

But, were this a $400 or $600 gun with the same issue I'd be more upset.

 

[ericuda]

This is all bs. I bought my gx4 Toro a month ago maybe and it has not missed in 400 rounds so far. It shoots low left but I think that's me. I tried left handed and it shoots low right a bit.

I tried every trigger combination. More trigger, less, etc to figure out and I determined it's me but never a malfunction.

Reviews like this are disappointing and should be discounted. I can pull a bad review off any pistol made off the interweb if you'd like me to.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I dont want this one pistol alone be an indicator of current Taurus quality because for all I know this has been in a warehouse for two years and is an older model. If it's not and Taurus is still using suspicious parts or not doing a trigger reset test when it's a known issue that's garbage.

Everything else about this pistol is fine, fit and finish and feel are all excellent, everything feels smooth and tight and right... except the trigger reset issue.

Stuff happens, but seeing how reports were from 2 yrs ago are still being encountered now doesn't sit well with me. While I still intend to buy the .22 snub Taurus makes, I'm having second thoughts on the .357/9mm revolver.

But, were this a $400 or $600 gun with the same issue I'd be more upset.

Sounds like something that may be resolved with a shim? Considering the price point of the gun, Id probably try to fix it myself rather than go through the headache of a warranty claim. YMMV of course.

 

[TTv2]

This is all bs. I bought my gx4 Toro a month ago maybe and it has not missed in 400 rounds so far. It shoots low left but I think that's me. I tried left handed and it shoots low right a bit.

I tried every trigger combination. More trigger, less, etc to figure out and I determined it's me but never a malfunction.

Reviews like this are disappointing and should be discounted. I can pull a bad review off any pistol made off the interweb if you'd like me to.

I'm not looking to add to the Taurus hate club, I dont think it's warranted at this point in time because what I have is, trigger issue aside, is what looks and feels like a well made firearm.

It's like saying that the Ford 300cu straight 6 is garbage because the tires are flat. Sure, they're all part of the same truck, but flat tires don't mean the rest of the truck is junk.

The disconcerting aspect is that I'm not the only person with this same exact problem.

If others are having zero issues with their GX4's then that means it's not a guaranteed issue, but for anything considering getting one the first thing they should check is the trigger reset problem before taking possession.

 

[TTv2]

Sounds like something that may be resolved with a shim? Considering the price point of the gun, Id probably try to fix it myself rather than go through the headache of a warranty claim. YMMV of course.

I thought about that, but before I try it I need to test some other pistols I have for side to side trigger wiggle.

Not something I've ever tested before, but there's enough movement on the Taurus trigger that it would have to be a sizeable shim, like half a millimeter at least.

I don't look forward to dealing with shipping, but I would like to test how Taurus CS and warranty stuff is in 2023 and if it's still the nightmare so many have said it is for so long.

 

[ericuda]

Hey I gotta 300 ford 6 with over 200k too and yeah I am debating tires cost more than pickup.

Either way your experience is honest and so is mine. I picked mine up for 320 plus paying gov. Only thing is I am not a good shot with it and sure don't expect it to shoot 1" groups.

I guess taurus discussions always turn bad with little thought onto why. Tx22 is by far the best value in 22lr right now and the gx4 is maybe on par with sigs, smith's and rugers right now. Ergonomics it wins hands down with no sharp edges at all. Trigger is also best of 3. Time will tell how they shake out

 

[TTv2]

Hey I gotta 300 ford 6 with over 200k too and yeah I am debating tires cost more than pickup.

Either way your experience is honest and so is mine. I picked mine up for 320 plus paying gov. Only thing is I am not a good shot with it and sure don't expect it to shoot 1" groups.

I guess taurus discussions always turn bad with little thought onto why. Tx22 is by far the best value in 22lr right now and the gx4 is maybe on par with sigs, smith's and rugers right now. Ergonomics it wins hands down with no sharp edges at all. Trigger is also best of 3. Time will tell how they shake out

Who cares what the market value is for the Ford, the value of it to you is priceless given how simple and reliable the engines are. I would never part with a good vehicle simply becaude it's old and needs new tires.

The reason I made the topic is I have been a Taurus defender for a while on the basis of good recent quality and customer service. Now that I've run into an issue I have to put my money where my mouth is and if Taurus doesn't make it right, I will say so, but if they do I will give them credit like I have been for a while now.

 

[trackskippy]

This is all bs. I bought my gx4 Toro a month ago maybe and it has not missed in 400 rounds so far. It shoots low left but I think that's me. I tried left handed and it shoots low right a bit.

I tried every trigger combination. More trigger, less, etc to figure out and I determined it's me but never a malfunction.

Reviews like this are disappointing and should be discounted. I can pull a bad review off any pistol made off the interweb if you'd like me to.

Yea, but you can pull "thousands" of negative Taurus reviews, and thats off the first page of the search.

Ive had a couple over the years, and mine, worked OK, more or less. Told a couple of people about the (new at the time) Millenium I had, and how it seemed OK, and they all got one based on what Id told them, and a couple on shooting mine. Every one of those guns they bought, had to go back because their frames cracked.

Mine was fine the whole time I had it. Boy did I hear it too.

I didnt keep it long after that though, and it was the last Taurus I had.

My one son's GF has a G3, and seems to like it. Ive shot it, and it was OK, but hasn't been shot much or should I say "enough" to really know.

With things like Glock, or SIG, if I were to get one and like it, I dont have a problem buying a couple of more as back ups, just based on my experience with the first, and would expect they would all work OK. With something like Taurus, I wouldn't have that level of trust.

 

[ericuda]

Gotcha TT. I have only sent one firearm for warranty ever and it is painful anyway you slice it. In my rural area I have to find somewhere even to ship it.

I actually think we are on the same page just different paragraph.

 

[dogtown tom]

UNPOSSIBLE!!!!

A Taurus that has a problem with the trigger reset?
Never. Been. Done. Before. Unless it was 2011.

The Taurus TCP would lock up if you let the trigger out to the first "click".....then pulled the trigger.
Well known problems documented often.

 

[borrowedtime69]

I feel vindicated for my distrust and hate for Taurus. I've owned 2, both revolvers, both junk. A tiger like Taurus can try to fool young & new shooters pretending to change their stripes, and they'll end up killing their come-back by being the same company they've been for 20+ years, craptacular.....

Yes, the hate is strong in this one......

 

[dweis]

The only one I bought was the G2C. It broke the first day at a range after maybe only 15 shots. The trigger went dead. I could not get them to send me a trigger spring. I had to send the gun in for warranty repair. It took ove 6 weeks to get it back. I sold it, and have never bought another Taurus, but not for the defect. Rather I thought the turn about time on a simple repair of a simple defect was extraordinarily long. I consider timely repair service as important as the gun quality. I like Ruger.

 

[ericuda]

Lol I give up. I bet you guys send a big mac back if only 1 pickle. Every company has issues. Python lose screws, sig dropped will fire, etc etc.

Why a free market society.

 

[Steve in NC]

Lol I give up. I bet you guys send a big mac back if only 1 pickle. Every company has issues. Python lose screws, sig dropped will fire, etc etc.

Why a free market society.

And this is my point…. All brands have issues. Nobody has argued against that.

but when the same company called…. Taurus keeps breaking major parts across many different models and designs and CS sucked many years ago and still sucks today. Why anyone would waste their money is beyond me. Yes, free market, quit buying junk and they will either improve quality or go out of business. If they don’t change and people keep buying their junk, they will keep selling their junk.
My Chevy 350 has 382k and is my daily driver and still going after 30 yrs. My EDC S&W has 20k rds through and still going.

to each his own,

Steve

 

[ericuda]

Steve you may be most biased person who has ever posted. I only ask for fair shake of all.

Name 10 issues with Taurus and 10 with Sig. You cannot go back in time for let's say 5 years. Name 10 parts that a Taurus broke that you purchased with money earned at a job not hearsay.

 

[Steve in NC]

Steve you may be most biased person who has ever posted. I only ask for fair shake of all.

Name 10 issues with Taurus and 10 with Sig. You cannot go back in time for let's say 5 years. Name 10 parts that a Taurus broke that you purchased with money earned at a job not hearsay.

I can’t because I refuse to work on them anymore. All other judgmental comments you think you know about me I’ll let slide.

hope you have a great day,
Steve

 

[entropy]

I picked mine up last week and was excited to try my first Taurus polymer 9mm since they have a $50 rebate available for them and now it makes sense why they're offering such a generous rebate: the trigger has resetting issues and apparently these are widespread throughout the model.

The issue is when any leftward force is applied to the trigger while it is depressed and the slide is cycling the trigger will not reset. This is an issue only when dry firing the trigger with the right hand, every time I dry fire left handed and reset the trigger it works fine.

This is a design flaw that I just found out about and it seems multiple trips back to the factory are required before its corrected.

This is really disappointing because I liked everything about the GX4, the texturing is great, the trigger pull is great, the weight and feel of it is great, but if it can't function it's no good. The two Taurus' that I've bought new the past few years have been absolutely fine, but the GX4 has problems and should be avoided until further notice.

I just tried to induce the problem you mentioned during dry fire. Granted, I had to cycle the slide manually, but the trigger did indeed reset every time. I tried it pushing the trigger as far right, and as far left, as physically possible, and either way it reset.
I have never had a problem with reset in live fire, though I will admit in firing I only put pressure on any trigger straight back, and only straight back, by using the middle of the pad, not the inside of the first joint as many do. Comes from having fired rifles with triggers measured in ounces, though I do so with handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Perhaps the issue is in your training.