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Old December 2, 2012, 01:27 AM   #1
grey_pilgrim
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Taurus TCP questions

Had a chance to handle/dry fire the taurus TCP, Kel-Tec P3at, Ruger LCP, S&W Bodygaurd (380), S&W 642, Ruger LCR.

Taurus TCP had the best trigger, and felt pretty good (second only to the snubbies). The semiautos also concealed better in a pocket than the snubbies. The taurus TCP is much cheaper than any of the snubbies. I read a bunch of reviews of the TCP, it seems all 380 autos have had/have problems until they get broken in or you find ammo that they like, but i'm calling that a wash between anything that's not a revolver.

Two things about the TCP bothered me:

1) When I dry-fire my current guns or any of the guns mentioned here, I usually hear a 'click'. When I dry-fired the TCP, i heard a 'sproing'. What does this mean?

2) The trigger was actually really nice.....possibly too nice for DAO? How light is too light for pocket carry in a holster?

Any thoughts on these two questions?

-Dave
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Old December 2, 2012, 03:35 AM   #2
TomInAL
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I've had my TCP for a little over a year. I like the light weight, but the recoil is pretty sharp. I load the magazine with Buffalo Bore .380 ACP 100gr HCFN and have a Pachmayr sleeve on the grip to help keep a good grip on it. It is possible for me to be accurate with it at short range as long as I don't flinch in anticipating the recoil. I can hit a Coke can at 10 yards with it, but I wouldn't say it is easy. I have experienced jams with it, especially with cheap steel cased ammo.

I bought a S&W J-Frame (Model 36) with a bobbed hammer a few months after the TCP. It is heavier and carries two less shots, but as a snubby revolver, it has many advantages compared to the Taurus TCP. It hasn't jammed on me (Tula ammo had jams, FTE's, and misfires with the TCP), recoil is not as severe, can be employed at contact distance or inside a coat pocket, I am more accurate with it (can drop steel plates at 25 yards), I can load and unload it one-handed, and it doesn't have an internal lock that can malfunction. I can also load my own practice rounds.

If I had to choose only 1, it would be the J-Frame, no contest. The TCP is great for what it is, but it's no J-Frame.

I carry the TCP in my front pocket of my jeans or my robe, where the J-Frame is either too bulky or too heavy.

To answer your questions:
1. (I thought it is striker-fired, but it has an internal hammer). It sounds like a spring is what makes that noise. I have read that holding the trigger down will prevent it from resetting, but I haven't personally experienced those problems. I'm just not as comfortable with an internal hammer as I am a visible hammer.

2. The trigger pull is light, compared to a double-action revolver, but I have no concerns about carrying it in a pocket holster. I wouldn't carry it without a holster though!

Last edited by TomInAL; December 3, 2012 at 05:47 AM. Reason: clarification: jams with Tula; correction: internal hammer, not striker
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Old December 2, 2012, 09:10 AM   #3
Yung.gunr
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I have had my TCP for a couple years now and really like it. The only thing I like better for pocket carry is MY Sig P238 that my wife is now carrying.

The trigger, feel of the gun, slide stop, price & quality feel are the reasons I went with it over the LCP or the Kel Tecs (and all the other pocket autos available at the time)

The only malfunctions I have ever encountered with mine is that it WILL NOT work with the cheap Tulammo. It won't even chamber a round. I am not sure why...... But, then again the Sig 238 won't function with that ammo either.

The only reason I was hesitant on getting mine was because you always hear about the poor QC and CS that Taurus has. But, with the TCP I figured it was so inexpensive it wouldn't be a HUGE loss if I ended up selling it at a loss or even throwing it away. (shrug) Plus, if you ever have to actually use it for it actual purpose and it is taken as evidence or whatever you are not out too much $$$ if you never get it back.
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Old December 2, 2012, 11:30 AM   #4
stantheman1976
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I personally won't own a Taurus again.

I bought the TCP because it was easily concealed and inexpensive. After a couple hundred rounds I had numerous malfunctions with several different types of ammo. I ended up selling it and the buyer sent it back to Taurus who supposedly fixed several problems with it.

I bought a Ruger LC9 after that and find it works great for pocket carry and after a few hundred rounds of various ammo have not hand a single malfunction. It shoots cheap and expensive ammo just the same.

The trigger is smoother than the TCP and it's fairly accurate. With the pinky extension it fits just right in my hand. I carry it all the time in a Desantis pocket holster.
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Old December 2, 2012, 11:37 AM   #5
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We sell the crap outta TCPs with nary a complaint.
Even Chuck, who thinks there are no other worthwhile pistols but Glocks, carries one and loves it.
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Old December 2, 2012, 11:37 AM   #6
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I have had a TCP since last March, and like it.
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Old December 2, 2012, 12:29 PM   #7
igousigloo
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A friend has a TCP and I have an LCP. The TCP does not like my reloads, a fail to fire quite often. the ftf go bang in my LCP. I use Tula primes in my reloads and they are harder than some. My friend just uses factory ammo. I had the same problem with 2 small Taurus revolvers. Heavier hammer springs fixed that.
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Old December 2, 2012, 01:48 PM   #8
Mobuck
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My older Son has a TCP and we've not had any problems with it. As far as the dry fire noise, I have no idea. See no need whatsoever to dry fire his TCP.
The little gun is accurate enough for it's intended purpose and 100% functional with every factory load we tried.
It has quite a bark and a snappy recoil compared to the mid to full sized 9mm's I'm used to.
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Old December 2, 2012, 02:02 PM   #9
lee n. field
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Quote:
It is striker-fired, the spring is what makes that noise.
The TCP is a hammer fired gun, like the P3AT it's a copy of.
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Old December 2, 2012, 02:46 PM   #10
JFootin
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+1 on the recoil. I have had one for a few months. It developed FTF, FTRB and no trigger reset after just a few mags of 2 kinds of FMJ ammo. I called Taurus and explained the issues. The very nice woman who talked to me assured me that they expect it to function with any quality factory ammo. She offered to send me a prepaid shipping label and have FedEx pick it up at my door. They sent me an email acknowledging receipt of the pistol and saying it could take up to 6 weeks to repair it. Two weeks to the day later, I was signing to receive the gun. A+ for Taurus CS!

Repair slip says:

Problem Found Resolution

MISFIRE - Trigger bar releases hammer too soon..........REPLACED

MISFEED - Extractor calibration under specs..................ADJUSTED

MISFEED - Magazine lips calibration under specs............ADJUSTED

The last 2 were things covered in the sticky on TaurusArmed.net. I put one bullet in each of my 3 mags, and the bullet rides higher in the one I sent to them. Obviously, they opened the lips up a bit. I adjusted the other 2 to match. They did the needed adjustment to the extractor. The trigger bar replacement is not too much of a surprise. I knew there was something wrong in there.

BTW, the only time I heard the 'sproing' sound when dry firing was after the range session, before I sent it back.

I just put 19 rounds through it Yesterday: 7 rounds of Hornady Critical Defense 90 gr JHP - perfect (interestingly, this is my chosen carry round and it has fed and fired every one that I have fed it since new); 6 rounds of Federal Champion 95 gr FMJ - 1 FTF (limp wrist, I think) but I tapped the back of the slide to get it chambered; 6 PMC Bronze 90 gr FMJ - 1 round the slide paused a second then finished chambering the round. I have crippled hands and wrists, so I am always limp wristing to a degree. I am not concerned with the couple of minor issues with range ammo which will probably clear up with more break in rounds. The fact that the CD ammo with the conical shaped bullets always performs 100% gives me confidence to carry the gun as a BUG.

I put a strip of hockey tape on the back of the grip to cushion it a bit. I want to try a pachmayr Grip Sleeve on it.

It's a surprizingly accurate gun at the range due to the soft, smooth trigger and the natural pointability. The sights are useless except in bright sunlight. I am going to paint the front one bright orange.

I paid well under $200 for this gun and I am very satisfied with it, and with Taurus.
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Old December 2, 2012, 03:52 PM   #11
Yung.gunr
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Oh I also stippled the grip with a wood burning kit. It makes it much easier to hold onto and thereby better accuracy for me. Not a ridiculous amount of stippling either. Some who are not familiar with it have thought it looked factory.
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Old December 2, 2012, 07:55 PM   #12
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I picked one of them up a little over a year ago. I figured for the money, what they hay if it ended up being junk. Well it's not junk. In that year of time this gun has shot flawlessly. I have over 1500 rounds through it and it has NEVER, I repeat NEVER malfunctioned on factory ammo. It loves both Blazer and PMC. It shoots Speer Gold Dot like a champ and that's what I carry in it. This gun stays in my car normally, but in summer time it comes out more. It does malfunction regularly on my wife's reloads though. She loads them very light and it won't cycle them.
With Blazer ammo, I can group all 6 shots inside a 3" area at 20 ft. With an LCP or a Kel Tec I can barely even hit the paper.
Great little gun, but I think it is true; you may get a good one or you may not. I got very lucky.
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Old December 3, 2012, 10:31 AM   #13
lapetrarca53
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Last month, I purchased a new TCP PT738 and so far, with a box of 50 each of Blazer, Lawman and B&S down the pipe, it just eats 'em up and spits 'em out!

I carry it in an Uncle Mike's Size 1 IWB with no problems at all.

Not a hiccup and it's pretty damned accurate as self defense ranges.
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Old December 3, 2012, 03:01 PM   #14
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We now have 2 TCPs in the family one with 300 rounds fired before my youngest girl claimed it for her CC. It has been trouble free with many different brands of ammo, fmj and HP. The other is a SS model still at 50 rounds fired rem 88gr hp walmart stuff. Runs like the other one so far. Just a nice little pistol. Added some orange paint to the front site and a dark blue "truck touch up paint" around the rear sight. makes for good sight picture too.
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Old December 3, 2012, 06:07 PM   #15
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I have a TCP and a PT22. Both shoot flawlessly. A few hundred rounds through each so far. A previous PT 22 was stolen from a locked toolbox some years ago and it shot flawlessly too.
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Old December 3, 2012, 08:52 PM   #16
grey_pilgrim
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Wow, I did not expect the amount of glowing reviews that I see here. Seems like there is a chance to have problems with any given gun, but after getting the bugs worked out, they run like a champ!

Quote:
BTW, the only time I heard the 'sproing' sound when dry firing was after the range session, before I sent it back.
This concerns me. Has anyone else heard the 'sproing'?

Quote:
Oh I also stippled the grip with a wood burning kit
Quote:
I put a strip of hockey tape on the back of the grip to cushion it a bit
Interesting. Seems a few of yall have made some mods to make it more 'hold onable'. Is it harder to hold onto than a bodygaurd or P3AT?

Is $200 a decent deal for a new TCP, or should I spend the extra $80 for tu-tone with the extra mag?

Someone I know is lobbying hard for the seecamp .32....but that's another can of worms, and based on this thread, I think i'll get a TCP, so please don't drift the thread.
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Old December 3, 2012, 09:51 PM   #17
JFootin
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Quote:
This concerns me. Has anyone else heard the 'sproing'?
Someone in a previous post mentioned the 'sproing' sound when dry firing, which is why I mentioned it. Maybe it occured when I was dry firing without a mag in the gun. I can't remember.

Last edited by JFootin; December 3, 2012 at 10:02 PM.
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Old December 16, 2012, 05:10 PM   #18
grey_pilgrim
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Update: I got the TCP. Had the chance to shoot it today. It's fairly easy to shoot, considering. My first five shots at 10 yards were in a ~3 inch circle, which I'm happy with. Trigger is great, sights are somewhat usable, but could be tough to use against black backgrounds. The only negatives are that the trigger guard hits my trigger finger upon recoil....so unless I can mitigate this issue, I'll only be able to shoot a box in one go. Also, that $%#@ takedown pin is a pain in the butt to get back in (it helps to put it in partway before putting the slide back on the gun). I shot ~50 rounds, with a mix of Federal FMJ and Prvi-Partizan FMJ, no malfunctions with either. I'll post a more full range report after I have some more time with the gun. Thanks for the opinions and comments! I so far I really like this gun, and am very happy with my purchase.

Also, shooting guns is fun!
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Old December 16, 2012, 07:36 PM   #19
kahrguy
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Grey get an old used 1.75" bike inner tube , free at a bike shop and cut a piece to cover as much grip as you can or a slip on from one of the many that make them to day.. Really aids with control issues. Try shooting one handed too. I found Ihave better handgun control one handed .
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