Tag Archives: tx22 carry

A Carry 22?

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Taurus introduced its newest, most carry-friendly, rimfire pistol earlier this year, and it aims to be both feature-rich and easy on the wallet.

The new TX22 Compact looks to be the hat trick in Taurus’s .22 LR handgun lineup, coming on the heels of the well-received standard and Competition-sized models. Unlike the other formats of the TX22, the new Compact runs a 13+1 round magazine and not the more commonly-used 16+1.

Developed as a handier version of its older brothers, it features a 3.6-inch alloy steel barrel that gives it an overall length of just 6.7 inches. In terms of dimensions, this puts it about the same size as a Glock 43 or Walther PPK but, at just 16.5 ounces, it comes in lighter than either.

This thing is pretty handy…and comes in at 16 ounces as shown.

Note that I compared it not to range plinkers but to carry guns. That’s because of the vibe that the TX22 Compact gives off. Unlike the rest of the TX22 series, which uses a three-dot sight system with a fixed front and two-way adjustable rear, the new TX22 Compact has a blacked-out serrated rear sight with a white dot front. Of note, this is the same sight used on the Taurus G3 series, which goes to say it is a standard Glock pattern. While no slouch on the range, the TX22 Compact was meant to be carried if needed.

While it may not be my particular cup of tea, there has been a move in recent years to produce dedicated self-defense .22LR ammo loads from Federal (Punch Personal Defense) and Winchester (Silvertip Rimfire) that give such guns more of a fighting chance. Plus, when it comes to both recoil and manipulation, those with low hand strength may find such a set-up ideal.

Moreover, and I love this, the TX22 is both suppressor and optics-ready, which is something tough to find in its size with a 13+1 round capacity for $350ish.

As shown, the dot-and-can-equipped TX22 Compact weighs just 20.8 ounces, loaded with 14 rounds of Federal Premium’s Punch Personal Defense rimfire ammo.

More in my column at Guns.com.

A Pound of Prevention

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On Monday, Taurus made the announcement they had a new, smaller version of the well-liked TX22 rimfire semi-auto pistol ready for the market.

The 16-ounce palm-sized TX22 Compact follows in the footsteps of the standard and competition models of the pistol with a flush-fitting 13+1 round magazine (10 rounds in restricted states) as well as an optic-ready cut that is compatible with the slimline Holosun K footprint. The sights are the same standard Glock pattern as used on the Taurus G3 and GX4 series.

At roughly the size of a Ruger LCP and with a 13+1 capacity of 22LR and zero recoil, the TX22 Compact could make a good “boat” or camp plinker and, paired with a good load such as Federal’s Punch rimfire, some will undoubtedly use it for personal protection.

I got a sneak peek of the TX22 Compact late last year while visiting Taurus’s new facility in Bainbridge, Georgia, and was impressed with it.

A well-tested prototype gun is seen here. Taurus did a ton of R&D here in the States on the gun and, in my hands, was a reliable plinker and flat shooter. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Looking forward to getting one of these in for testing, for sure.