[Franchise]

Just picked up a Taurus 709 slim 9mm from Academy today. I did a little research and held one a couple of times and decided that this might be the answer to my CCW problem. It is very small and light and fits entirey in my back pocket. My research led me to choose this gun over a Kel Tec and the only real competition was a Bersa Pro UC 9mm which I think are good looking. Academy didn't have one but they did have the Taurus for $349. Came with two 7 rd mags and case. It has ajustable rear sight for wind and elev. You can use the saftey lock key that comes with it for sight adjustment. I took a Box of Winchester Nato FMJ 147 grain and Monarch 147 FMJ as well. This was my second DOA handgun. The first was a S&W Sigma 9mm which I quickly traded. The trigger was similar and it took me a while to get used to it. Overall, I'm pleased 'cause this little gun is far more accurate than I would've predicted. Into my second box of fifty, I could put all 7 rounds in a 4 inch group from 7 yards. Not incredible at all but very good for a little gun with me shooting. There were some FTF's and some stovepipes but I think a lot of it was due to the Win. NATO rounds which I think are just a touch longer than their normal white box. Also, being a tiny gun, it has some recoil. Not unlike a PA63 9x18, if you're familiar with those. I think I was guilty of limp wristing a few from the first box. The cheapy monarchs fed with nary a hickup. As I said, I think this will turn out to be a very good purchase. It is very concealable and far mor accurate than I would've believed. I think Taurus is a pretty good manufacturer. The gun I gave up to get this one was a Bersa .380 Thunder. Loved the gun, not one malfunction, but I'm not crazy about the .380 caliber in general and the cost of ammo made the switch a no brainer. I think with some practice, and a few hundred rounds run through it, the Taurus 709 slim will be an excellent CCW gun. It will never shoot like my CZ-75, but then again, nothing does.

[Gojubrian]

Worthless............worthless thread without pics I tell ya!!!!

congrats on the pistol, hope you enjoy. Yes, not many 9mm's can compete with the cz 75b.

[canebrake]

[Franchise]

My wife hasn't taught me yet to use the digital camera. Hold off on congrats as my gun is now back at Taurus in Miami. If they fix it then great, if they don't stop the FTE's I'll have to get rid of it. Sad cause its very concealable and very accurate.

[spittinfire]

How much did you shoot it before it went back?

[Franchise]

200 rounds. Federal, two types of Winchester and some S&B. Had about 20 failures.

[Lindenwood]

By FTE what exactly was happening? Leaving the case in the chamber, stovepipes? I hate to ask, and I don't mean anything by it, but did you clean the gun before using it?

[Franchise]

No offense taken. I realize it's hard to guage the verocity of a complaint about gun quality if you don't first know the level of understanding of the complainant. I always clean my guns properly. Especially a new gun. Packing grease can cause problems but not if it is completely removed. I cleaned and degreased the whole deal including the mags and still malfunctions. I strippped and cleaned after 3 rounds through a box of 50. What it , this failure of the extractor causes stove pipes and FTF's, maybe another 2 or 3 out of 25 rounds. But, it all goes back to the extractor not grabbing the case or not getting enough of it to eject properly. I know someone will jump to accuse me of "limp-wristing". It's usually someone who has just learned this term that makes that accusation. No, I'm not limp-wristing and a decent semi auto shouldn't be that sensative. I've searched the intranet and this is a very common problem with the 709. What I've yet to see is if they will actually fix this common problem or say they fired it and had no problems.

[Franchise]

My reply got messed up and posted anyway. Long story short, the extractor isn't grabbing the spent case and tossing it. It's getting left in the chamber. As I said, 15 to twenty rounds in the second 100 rounds I fired. Gun very clean. Mags clean. Various good to fair ammo. No limp -wristing. No jerking. just failures to eject and stovepipes because of it.

[sigp250]

Originally Posted by Gojubrian

Worthless............worthless thread without pics I tell ya!!!!

congrats on the pistol, hope you enjoy. Yes, not many 9mm's can compete with the cz 75b.

I totally agree with your CZ pick but I outsell the Taurus 709 3 to one.

cost is generally a major consideration.