Gun Review: Taurus G2s [Complete Hands-on Guide]

I’m a fan of concealed carry weapons, and I have the Sig Sauer P365 for my everyday carry. The 9mm caliber is also a popular round for this purpose. Guns that shoot the 9mm are lightweight, compact, and easy to use. Additionally, the recoil is manageable, and its size is excellent for CCW. Now there are many compact guns available in the market, but the price ranges are quite high. This is where the Taurus G2s comes in, to solve this dilemma of high-priced CCW pistols while serving its purpose.

Ever since the launch of the PT92 and PT1911, Taurus boosted its popularity with its serviceable yet affordable guns. Although Taurus patterned both guns on the Beretta’s model 92 and Colt 1911 respectively, it was still a hit to those who are a bit tighter with their budget.

In this article, we’ll review the G2s pistol. But first, let’s take a glimpse of its pros and cons. Then, we’ll talk about the brand behind this subcompact.

The Taurus G2s is a striker-fired semiauto pistol with a single stack magazine. In addition, the S in its name stands for slim. I’ve read a lot of great reviews about this gun. It’s a single stack variant of their previous Taurus G2c pistol. I am not the biggest Taurus fan. However, I liked the G2c as it’s fairly accurate and does its job very well. I know it’s a reliable gun that I can use for self-defense. So let’s see if the G2s is just as good?

The Brand Taurus

Taurus is a company renowned for its affordable firearms. It’s also a Brazilian-based company, specifically in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Taurus introduced itself into the United States in 1941, and you can say that Americans have a love-hate relationship with the brand. You’ll find others saying it’s better than their Glock, while others say it’s junk. In addition, most of the company’s product lines focus on revolvers and semi-autos. Although you will find that most of Taurus’ revolvers received negative reviews, you’ll also find that their semiautos have decent quality.

So, in short, Taurus is a company that’s not so great and not so bad either. But why do many firearms enthusiasts still go for this brand? It’s because Taurus offers their firearms at an attractive price. Additionally, Taurus has progressed so far to establish its presence in the firearms community. Their guns are serviceable and get the job done. Moreover, folks who are tight on cash may opt for this brand as it has firearms that cost less than half of the expensive brands.

Who is the Taurus G2s for?

At a glance, you’ll find out immediately the purpose of this gun. I’d say that with its small, compact, and lightweight design, it’s ideal for concealed carry users. The 9mm caliber also makes it a suitable gun for self-defense and short-range shooting. Additionally, considering its price, it’s a gun for those who are on a budget and would like a decent gun that does its job.

Taurus G2s Specifications

Taurus G2s: Hands-On Review

Now let’s review this striker-fired compact pistol.

Unboxing

Taurus packed the G2s in a single, glossy cardboard box with its logo printed on it.

Upon removing the box, you’ll find the G2s gun, a manual, a cheap-looking lock, and not just one, but two extra 7-round magazines. It also has a plastic bag inside that says Taurus. On top of that, you’ll also get two 6-round .40 S&W magazines if you get the .40 S&W model.

Appearance

The Taurus G2s looks like an enhanced version of the Taurus 709 Slim. Upon searching the internet, to my surprise, the PT 709 is the G2s’ predecessor — it’s only a bit larger. Not to mention, it weighs 20 ounces. It’s a bit heavy for a compact pistol, but once you carry this gun, you won’t notice its weight anymore. Furthermore, the G2s come available in different colors such as black, matte stainless steel, and cyan finish.

It has 3 dot sights: a fixed front sight and adjustable rear sight. You can easily adjust the rear sight using the windage and elevation with the screwdriver. Adjusting the sights helps lining up a piece of cake when aiming. In addition, the sights are small. Hence, it’s easy to store in a holster. However, one thing is that since the sights are painted and it does not glow. Also, when cleaning this gun, make sure to be careful and use only mild cleaners to prevent cleaning off the dots. In addition, it is also not suitable to use in low light conditions. Therefore, I suggest that you get a red dot sight to compensate for this downside.

It also has an accessory rail that can accommodate micro-sized lights and lasers. It’s very short, so it’s still holster-friendly. Additionally, the sights you can use for the Taurus G2s are compatible with older models of Taurus pistols. The aftermarket options are widely available.

Aside from its sights, it also has many safeties. You can secure this gun by using its manual frame safety, trigger safety, and loaded chamber indicator. For the grips, it’s very comfortable to hold onto. It’s flat and has a square-like shape with aggressive textures around it.

The slide has long and deep serrations, and the frame has scallop dimples for the thumb and fingers to rest. In addition, the magazine sticks out a bit further which helps add an extra grip to get a good hold of the gun. However, you might find it disappointing if you’re a lefty as the Taurus G2S is not ambidextrous.

Operation

I like that the grip is long enough so that my pinky doesn’t dangle when holding this gun. It’s also grippy and comfortable. Taurus made an excellent job with the placement of buttons. The manual safety is well-placed, as well as the other safeties of this pistol. I can click on the safeties easily. Moreover, the blade safety and manual safety are on the left side of the frame. However, one downside I noticed is that when I tried to engage and disengage the trigger blade safety, I found it a bit finicky. The safety frame, on the other hand, is mounted nicely like 1911.

Inserting the magazines is another story. It’s challenging — and troublesome. I’m not a fan of smacking a magazine every reload just to get it seated in the pistol. But it happened a couple of times. You need to put effort into reloading this gun properly.

I did some dry firing and the trigger is mushy. One problem most shooters have to deal with striker-fired guns is the plastic-like feel of the pistols. The Taurus G2S also shares this caveat, but the good thing is that I can easily hear the click of its reset in every trigger pull.

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Features

A distinct feature of the Taurus G2s is its single action with restrike capability. How does it work, you wonder? First off, is that the trigger of this pistol has a single action/ double action design. It lacks decocking, so once you rack it in single-action mode, it stays that way. You cannot decock the gun manually. Instead, if you pull the trigger and it clicks, you need to pull it again to restrike it in double-action mode.

Now let’s head to the range and see how the Taurus G2s performs.

A Trip to the Range

For a subcompact, it’s powerful, comfortable, and easy to shoot. As I’ve mentioned earlier, the controls are where you want them to be, and the grip is firm. I shot the G2s smoothly with no fail. However, when I used the Winchester Forged ammo, I began having feeding issues. It doesn’t feed this round well, so I used a Remington brass full metal jacket round instead. Using cheaper ammo, the shots went flawlessly. I guess budget guns need cheap ammo. So, I advise using brass cartridges to make your G2s run smoothly to avoid feeding issues.

Accuracy and Recoil

I had an issue with accuracy at my first string and got shotgun-like groups because the sights were loose. So I tried to fix it, consequently getting tighter groups. The groups are pretty tight and accurate at 20 yards, which is not bad at all. With my experience of shooting the G2s at the range. I can say that it is a great pistol for short-distance and self-defense use.

Surprisingly, the G2s has low recoil. It also has no hand slap, and the finger rest helps me hold the gun in place. Additionally, the functional design and textured grip help provide better recoil management.

The Taurus G2s has a decent trigger with a long trigger pull in both SA and DA modes. However, the pull is heavier in DA mode. If you have large hands like me, then beware of the slide bite. It’s quite common in Glocks, but slide bites might make you end up with hurting hands after a trip to the range. As I mentioned earlier, the trigger reset clicked on dry fire, but it’s different when on the range. It’s also hard to find the reset once I start firing. It’s quite inaudible. So, also take note of this when you try this pistol outside.

Like I’ve mentioned earlier, one thing I did not like is inserting the magazines. It’s hard to reload it, and I had to smack it to get the magazine inserted well. I found this annoying as this happened many times regardless of the magazine being empty or full.

In addition, the Taurus G2s had a few hiccups at first, but after a series of shots and time of use, it will consistently cycle well afterward.

Taking the Taurus G2s Apart

Now, let’s do a disassembly/ assembly of the Taurus G2s.

First, run a safety check. Make sure that the gun has no ammo, and remove the magazine. Then, lightly rack the slide. You’ll hear a click on the trigger as it resets. Push the button on the left side of the gun near the front of the slide while simultaneously pulling the trigger and sliding the frame forward.

Remove the barrel, spring, and do your cleaning and maintenance. Now, for assembling the Taurus G2s, just put back the barrel and spring into place. Then take the slide and place it back by sliding it forward. It’s a breeze to disassemble and reassemble the Taurus G2s. If you want to see the whole process, I found a video that helps which is attached below.

Reliability

Now for the question: is the Taurus G2s a good gun? Let’s first have a roundup of the things I dislike about this gun. The tricky magazine, wobbly-at-first front sights, mushy trigger, and the first few hiccups of operation. If you think about it, these are not major downsides, and it depends on the user if these factors affect their shooting performance. I can say that it’s a so-so gun, and I do not find it fully reliable. But maybe after a few uses and adjustments, until it cycles efficiently, I’ll be able to say that I can rely on this gun for self-defense situations. With its functions and features, it’s a good gun. However, I’m a bit skeptical about the price tag because I believe that you get what you pay for.

But as I look at the positive factors such as accuracy, price, great aftermarket support, and impressive function and design — the Taurus G2s is a steal.

Competition

There’s a lot of compact guns similar to the Taurus G2s. Let’s also talk about this gun’s competition in the market to help you further with your buying decision.

Taurus G2s vs G2C

These two guns have the same grip, specifications, and feel. Moreover, both have almost the same features. The difference is that the G2s has a longer grip compared to the G2c. In addition, when it comes to rounds, the G2c is the winner. It has a double-stack 12-round capacity which is 5 rounds more than the G2s.

Taurus G2s vs Sig Sauer P365

The P365 is smaller than the Taurus. You can easily see the difference at first glance. However, when it comes to reliability & performance, I’ll go with Sig. It’s because Sig Sauer has been around in the firearms community for a long time. It’s also my everyday carry, and I had no issues using this gun. Additionally, Sig has proved its reliability, so I’ll trust the P365 for my self-defense gun.

Taurus G2s vs Glock 43

Now let’s compare the Taurus G2s to the famous Glock 43. The Glock 43 is a sure winner for its higher capacity. Another difference to take note of is their triggers.

Once you fire the Glock 43, the trigger sticks to the rear. Hence, you need to rack it again. Meanwhile, G2s has a longer trigger take-up and goes further, which is a bit awkward to use. So, I’ll go with the Glock 43 for this comparison.

Taurus G2s vs Taurus 709 Slim

I’ve added the 709 as it’s the predecessor of the G2s. Similar to the G2c, both have almost the same features. The distinct difference between these two guns is the external lock on the right side. The G2s does not have this type of lock. The subtle differences are the grip contours, aesthetic design, and the larger magazine release button of the G2s.

Taurus G2s vs Ruger Security 9

Both pistols have safeties. You can find the difference between these two with their performance. The Ruger Sec 9 has a spongy trigger with a longer reset. Hence, it’s hard to use for rapid firing as it’s slower. In addition, the texture of the Ruger’s grip is not so great. Meanwhile, the Taurus G2s has a sticky trigger feel and has grip textures in the right places.

Taurus G2s vs Smith & Wesson M&P Shield

At first glance, you’ll notice that both guns have almost identical dimensions. Both also have a polymer frame, stainless steel frame & slide finish. However, the S&W M&P has its proprietary finish. In addition, the M&P Shield comes in single-action mode only and has a smaller safety, which may be an advantage to those who prefer these kinds of features. On the other hand, the Taurus G2s has a stippled grip, a much better grip texture than the M&P Shield. Lastly, the G2s comes with an accessory rail. It also has a longer and heavier trigger.

Taurus G2s vs Springfield Armory Hellcat

The distinct difference between these two is that the G2s has a longer barrel and grip. It also has more room in the trigger guard, which can accommodate shooters who prefer using gloves. The advantage of the Hellcat is that it sports tritium night nights.

Accessories for the Taurus G2s

You can always buy another magazine if you want after reloads.

Aftermarket support for the Taurus G2s is widely available. Most accessories compatible with other Taurus models such as G2c and G3 are also compatible with the G2s. But I’m going to give a few suggestions.

If you’re looking for a high-quality and reliable IWB holster, then you should check out the B.B.F IWB Kydex Holster.

Now, if you’re an OWB type of fellow, then you need to take a look at the PoLe.Craft OWB Kydex Holster.

And finally, for laser lights, I highly suggest the Viridian red laser lights.

Final Thoughts

There isn’t something cool or innovative about the Taurus G2s. You can’t even find a unique feature in this striker-fired gun either.

But if you were to ask me if I recommend buying one for everyday carry, then I suggest you save a couple more bucks to buy something better like the P365 or a Glock. This gun was made for those who are tight on cash and want a gun for self-defense. Taurus has received a lot of love and hate. So, it only depends on the user if they’ll go for the brand. It’s not perfect, but you can trust Taurus enough to serve its purpose.

Taurus G2s is a powerful gun with great features. It’s also a decent gun with brilliantly designed ergonomics. Besides that, there’s nothing special or innovative about this subcompact except the fact that it’s a steal for less than $200 with its features. Overall, it’s a simple pistol that is serviceable and great for self-defense.

However, as I mentioned earlier, I believe that you get what you pay for. So, if you are opting for Taurus, specifically the G2s, I strongly recommend that you take a trip to the range to make sure everything is running smoothly and cycling efficiently before you trust this gun with your life.

Related Readings

• Taurus GX4 Review: 11+1 Capacity 9mm Under $400
• The Full Taurus G2C Review
• [Review] Taurus G3C: Great 9mm for $250? (2021 Update)