Rifleman Review: Taurus G3

by
posted on February 2, 2022

The Millennium G2 was one of Taurus' most successful handgun lines, and in 2019, the company modified its design to create a new pistol, the Taurus G3. Like the previous Millennium G2 line off of which it was based, the G3 is a polymer-frame, striker-fired, recoil-operated handgun with added features and a slightly larger size. It was reviewed by American Rifleman staff in 2020. 

The Taurus G3 handgun.

Taurus adjusted the overall size of the G3's design over the compact G2, resulting in a more mid-size handgun platform. Chambered in 9 mm Luger, the G3 has a 4" barrel over the G2's 3.2" barrel. The same is true for the grip frame, which has extra height added to the grip. As a result, the G3 has a greater magazine capacity than the G2. Where the G2 was limited to 12-round magazines, the G3 comes with one flush-fitting, 15-round magazine as well as a 17 rounder with an extended baseplate.

A view from the right side of the Taurus G3.

The slide of the G3 is made of carbon steel topped off with a matte finish, while the barrel is made of stainless steel and left bare. The added length to the slide allowed for the addition of serrations the the front, in addition to the rear sides of the slide, which is not found on the G2. A small loaded-chamber window is also machined into the top of the barrel. On top of the slide, the G3 comes with a fixed front sight post and drift-adjustable rear sight, with both being of the white three-dot variety.  

A closer look at the stippled texturing molded into the grip frame of the Taurus G3.

Another feature added to the design of the G3 due to its overall larger size is an enlarged Picatinny rail on the dust cover, with three slots afforded to the G3 over the G2's single slot. The grip features mildly aggressive stippled texturing on the slides, as well as on the front and back strap, which offer firm yet comfortable control over the pistol. There are also recesses added to the grip frame for the indexing of the thumb and trigger finger.

Testing the Taurus G3 on the range.

For controls, the G3 has a reversible magazine release, a slide catch on the left side of the frame and a blade-in-trigger safety on the trigger shoe. Two disassembly tabs can also be found on both sides of the frame. The specific version of the G3 reviewed here also features an added manual safety lever behind the slide catch, though other versions are offered without this feature, if so desired. The trigger itself has a crisp break, with the specific model tested breaking between 5 lbs. to 5.5 lbs.

The G3 has all these features at a price point that makes it a fairly feature laden handgun that is also budget friendly. Form more information on the Taurus G3 pistol, and its other version which are now offered, visit taurusua.com.

To watch complete segments of past episodes of American Rifleman TV, go to americanrifleman.org/artv. For all-new episodes of ARTV, tune in Wednesday nights to Outdoor Channel 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. EST.

Latest

Fn Americana 545 Tactical Giveaway
Fn Americana 545 Tactical Giveaway

The Great FN Gun Giveaway At NRAAM 2025

Here’s a chance to win a custom, one-of-a-kind FN 545 Tactical pistol at the 154th NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits, April 24-27, in Atlanta, Ga. No purchase necessary.

Training With Moving Targets

Most target shooters understand static or bullseye-type stationary targets quite well, but did you know that adding motion into your training routine will improve practical marksmanship and the skills necessary to conquer defensive situations?

USA Shooting Celebrates 30th Anniversary

USA Shooting marks a historic milestone in April as it celebrates 30 years as the national governing body for international shooting sports within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

Rifleman Review: Rock River Arms LAR-15M .17 HMR

Building a reliable semi-automatic rifle chambered for the .17 HMR can be a challenge, but Rock River Arms seems to have solved the issue with its unique RRA .17 HMR AR-style rifle.

New For 2025: Tanfoglio Hexagon Tactical & Hexagon P

Tanfoglio manufactures CZ 75 pattern pistols in a variety of forms, and for 2025, the company is adding two new variants to its lineup with the Hexagon Tactical and Hexagon P.

See New Guns & Gear At The NRA's Annual Meetings In Georgia

Freedom-loving American patriots gather every spring at the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits to celebrate their liberty and check out the newest crop of guns, optics, ammunition and accessories. This year, 2025, the fun will take place in Atlanta, Ga.—we hope to see you there!

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.