According to my sources, Taurus hasn’t been able to keep up with demand for the 738 TCP pistol — and for good reason. The 738 is reliable and easy-to-conceal, chambered in the popular .380 caliber. So why has Taurus introduced what appears to be a replacement for the 738?
Ergonomics, particularly the new Spectrum’s double-action only trigger. The handgun’s relatively wide trigger makes the pull feel much lighter than the listed seven t0 nine pounds. I was reminded of the excellent double-action triggers on some of the older Smith and Wesson revolvers.
Taurus includes two magazines with the pistol: a six round and a seven round with a magazine extension. The magazine extension has an innovative rebated pinky finger spot slightly back from the grip. Most magazine extensions angle the extension forward and down in front. This extension goes down and back. It fit the hand very well.
The pistol’s frame has slightly softened areas to reduce felt recoil. The engineer in me suspects it will work as designed. Even a small ability to dampen recoil will likely be noticeable in the very small, light, pistols.
The sights are fixed and large enough to be used. If they’re correctly regulated, they will be serviceable. The minority of people who actually shoot often, and like to make the most of each pistol, would be better served with a simple adjustable sight, perhaps drift adjustable. Most people are not going to be taking coyote at 40 yards with this sort of pistol.
I know a couple of expert shots who have done it. The capability is likely there, if the sights can be made to work. Small pistols are often very accurate. It takes an accomplished, practiced shooter to get the most out of them.
The Spectrum weighs 10 ounces unloaded — slightly bigger and wider (.07 inches) than a Ruger LCP. Both are extremely small, concealable pistols. The proof, of course, will be in the shooting. That will have to wait until production runs become available, probably sometime later this year.
©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included. Link to Gun Watch
Jeremy S. additions to Dean’s post:
One interesting item of note is that the Spectrum was designed in the U.S. by a new team of U.S.-based engineers. It is also made 100% in the U.S.
Color combination options are vast.
