Arizona -I stopped by the Taurus booth at SHOT Show to see what might be new. Taurus, in the past, has been a leader in innovative products. I have had good luck with several Taurus revolvers and semi-auto pistols.
Taurus TX22 Pistol
Live Inventory Price Checker
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C&H Precision Holosun 509T Optics Mounting Plate for Taurus TX22 Pistols | GunMag Warehouse | $ 71.45 |
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Viridian E-Series Red Laser Sight for Taurus TX22 Compact Pistols | GunMag Warehouse | $ 132.00 $ 92.99 |
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Taurus TX22 Competition .22 LR 5.4" Bbl Flat Dark Earth Pistol w/(3) 16rd Mags & Soft Case 1-TX22C15UF-CK | EuroOptic.com | $ 449.00 |
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TAURUS TX22 22LR 4.1" 16rd Pistol w/ Threaded Barrel - Black | KYGUNCO | $ 273.99 |
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Taurus TX22 22 Long Rifle 4.1in Black Pistol - 16+1 Rounds | Sportsman's Warehouse | $ 299.99 |
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The Taurus TX22 is a new, mid-sized .22 Long Rifle, semi-automatic pistol. It only weighs 17.3 ounces and has a 16-round magazine. The Taurus TX22 pistol will invariably be compared to the new Kel-Tec CP33. They both have raised the bar for magazine capacity in a .22 pistol.
They are considerably different guns, filling different niches. The capacity of the Taurus is 16 rounds, a significant improvement over the commonly available 12-round magazines for some models of Smith & Wesson and Walther. Sixteen rounds is only half of the capacity of the Kel-Tec CP33. Both guns are new to the market.
The Taurus is a much smaller gun. No one would claim the Kel-Tec is pocket-sized. The Kel-Tec CP33 is a standard-sized but lightweight pistol at 24 ounces. It is 10.6 inches long
The Taurus TX22 has pocket potential. It is slightly more than seven inches long and 5.44 inches high. It has a 4.1-inch barrel. The barrel is threaded. The threads are inside the envelope of the slide. An adapter for standard 1/2×28 threads is included with the pistol.
I talked to Jason Pitman, the designer of the Taurus TX22. He explained some of the features.
The barrel of the TX22 is not fixed. It is not designed to move during firing or when the action is cycled. It can easily be removed after disassembly for cleaning or replacement.
The take-down is very similar to that of the Glock. Check to make certain the pistol is not loaded. Then, the trigger is pulled, the disassembly tabs are depressed, and the slide is pulled forward and off the frame.
The TX22 comes with adjustable sights and the Taurus Pittman Trigger system. The trigger is about 5 lbs of weight or a little less. The trigger has very definite staging. A trigger safety is included but not visible.
I tried the trigger. It was easily usable. It takes a little practice to use the staging well. With some practice, you take up three lbs of pull quickly, coming to the staging. Then it acts much like a two-pound trigger. I like the concept.
The slide of the TX22 is a combination of high-strength aluminum and hardened steel. The steel is used for the bolt face. I expect it to outlast most shooters.
The magazine has been designed to prevent rim-lock. It packs 16 cartridges into a relatively short magazine. Jason said a magazine loading tool is being considered. It would make loading simpler and prevent some user error in loading. I cannot speak for Taurus. It seems likely the magazine loading tool will be included in the box, just as the threaded barrel adapter is.
The Taurus comes with two magazines. I hope that becomes an industry standard.
More Taurus TX22 Pistol details:
- SKU: 1-TX22141
- MPN: 1-TX22141
- Barrel Length4.1
- Brand Taurus USA
- Caliber Gauge.22 LR
- Best ForConceal Carry
- Frame SizeCompact
- Magazine Capacity16
- Manual thumb safety
- Trigger ActionStriker Fired
While the Kel-Tec can be concealed, It is a standard-sized pistol. It is concealable, but not for “deep” concealment.
Concealing the Taurus TX22 would be easy. It is close to the size of a model 19 Glock. At slightly more than one pound, concealment becomes easier.
There are general-purpose holsters available. I am unaware of any made specifically for the Taurus or the Kel-Tec at this time.
As a field gun, I want to see the Taurus TX22 with a five- or six-inch barrel. That might happen at a later date. Jason told me the tooling and design were made in such a way as to make that possible without exorbitant expense.
As a general-purpose .22 kit gun, it does well. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) on the Taurus TX22 handgun is $349, which is $125 less than the Kel-Tec.
The .22 Long Rifle cartridge has outstanding inherent accuracy. I did not find any accuracy numbers for the Taurus TX22.
Usually, .22 pistols have a habit of having more potential accuracy than most shooters are capable of utilizing.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of constitutional carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and recently retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.