Do you ever go on a date and it just “clicks?” No awkward pauses or uncomfortable dialogues. No cataclysmic philosophical or idealogical differences … No diametrically opposed views on public displays of affection … So, swipe right and let’s explore the Taurus GX2 together.

Gunsite and the GX2

I had the opportunity to meet and greet the Taurus GX2 last August at Gunsite – a few months ahead of its debut. If you know where Gunsite is, a moment of silence is in order for this late August adventure. The beautiful state of Arizona is delightfully warm that time of year – especially to this Northern Michigan girl.

A little recon at my local sporting goods stores before I headed West yielded a basic idea of what I might be experiencing while at Gunsite in this new Taurus platform – a polymer compact EDC gun in 9 MM. That cued somewhat of an internal wince – and I’ll elaborate.

As a teenager, I spent a lot of time with handguns. A 1911 in .45 was my bowling pin dropping counterpart for a few years. Comfy grips, oversized magwells, long sight planes and assorted modifications were the focus of the non-carry friendly guns I took to the line. Also, I spent very little time doing holster work with this gun.

Fast forward to today: I enjoy hand-gunning, but spend a lot more time behind a rifle or shotgun these days. Also, the handguns I shoot are much more target focused and not carry centric. Here I was heading to Gunsite to spend time with a gun style that ranked well out of my current comfort zone in a place that had been averaging 100 degrees every day for the last 100 days.

Day one at Gunsite was nothing short of life-changing. The classroom intro rolled out the Taurus GX2 in 9 MM with a clear and straight forward message – “Affordable doesn’t mean cheap.” The foundation of the GX2 was to make the 2nd Amendment right a reality and not just a pipe dream from a purchasing power standpoint. With an MSRP of $309.99, the “available-for-most” axiom holds true.

I’m a firm believer in “you get what you pay for.” From furniture to firearms, I’ve found this to be true a good portion of the time. With that in mind, I felt skeptical. And that’s where that thought train ended. Come to the line with me!

On the line at Gunsite, we engaged in “from-the-holster,” dry-fire drills for a good chunk of the morning. The draw process involved five steps that melded into a fluid motion to the target. Theoretically. My lack of practical experience with the format and practice brought a hyper focus on mechanics with the sensory intake of the gun a secondary priority. I needed to change that.

In lieu of going to lunch, I asked a rangemaster (Lew), if I could stay behind and continue drills with an instructor prior to the afternoon session to gain confidence and muscle memory. Sidenote here: The instructors at Gunsite are absolutely incredible. They want you to have the experience you desire and achieve the maximum level of proficiency of which you are capable. Lew responded to my request with an instant “Of course.”

Grip. Clear. Rotate. Hands together. Press toward the target.

Lather, rinse, repeat …

After the 20th or 30th repetition, I noticed something. The GX2 became an extension of my hand. My hands, slick with sweat from the 96-degree heat, effortlessly settled on the textured grip and drew from my Taurus IWB holster.

Once I hit about 50 or 60 reps, the movement became more subconscious and I began to absorb the features of the gun itself. Here is what I came away with from this experience:

The GX2 and Me

Having small hands, getting a solid purchase on a grip isn’t necessarily a guarantee. Some guns are a bit of a stretch to get comfortable with shooting because I can’t handle them properly. The GX2 is contoured, grooved and radiused in all the right places, providing a well-engaged and balanced grip.

The striker-fire, action trigger is comfortably located to allow for a smooth squeeze without stretching or over-reaching. The backstrap of the grip is convex when held to fill and support the strong hand. The bottom of the trigger guard has a slight swoop that doesn’t interfere with a traditional two-handed grip.

Continuing, the GX2 has pronounced slide serrations front and rear. While these are handy, the force needed to manually run the slide is surprisingly minimal. This is a great feature for people with compromised grip strength, arthritis symptoms or other hand issues.

Let’s talk controls. The GX2 comes with a manual safety located on the left side of the gun. It is not ambidextrous. The slide release and mag release are functionally located on the same side as the safety and reachable without material hand shift on the grip.

See it and Shoot it

“Pointability” is important with a carry gun, especially at close distances. The combination of features and ergonomics of the GX2 led to a very intuitive sight acquisition. There was no searching or surfing to find that front sight once a proper grip was achieved. You might say, it was love at first sight.

The GX2 utilizes industry sight dovetails allowing for a variety of aftermarket options. It comes standard with a fixed white dot front sight and a drift adjustable rear sight. Additionally, the GX2 comes with a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail that is compatible with most compact pistol accessories.

The GX2 comes with two 13 round mags and is available in black/black or black/stainless. With an unloaded weight of 19.04 ounces, the GX2 is a comfy sidekick for wherever life takes you.

After several hundred rounds, a couple gallons of Gatorade and lots of gunpowder induced grins, here’s my thought on the new GX2 from Taurus.

I’m in love. I found my new EDC. From the ergonomics to the reliability and the consistent results downrange, the GX2 delivers. From long walks on the beach to cozy dinners at home, I know what I’ll have beside me – because sometimes it just clicks!

Check out the Taurus GX2. MSRP: $309.99

About the Author

Andrea Bogard’s love for the range began at 12 with competitive handgun and expanded to encompass sporting clays a few years later. She became an NSCA instructor at 18 years old and spent the next 18 years getting married and raising two sons, ages 17 and 9 currently.

Andrea started hunting six years ago and learned to shoot a rifle and a bow. She is now 41, a full-time writer, homeschool mom and business owner and has hunted three countries, three continents and 19 states. Her sons and lab (Mr. Moose) are the focus of her world.