Small budget friendly reliable carry

[TNPhil]

Afternoon y'all

   Looking at getting my EDC pistol before I purchase my fun gun in a few months or so. Currently looking at a Taurus G3c as it seems to check off most of what my criteria are. Y'all have any experience with this model or possible advice? This would be my primary everyday carry, especially due to its size.

[Tom B]

I dont think you can do better for that price.

[BigK]

It's going to be really really hard to beat that price. 

[10-Ring]

I picked up a GX4c a while back an have been very impressed despite it being one of the lower dollar guns in my collection. Shoots well and was under $300 OTD.

[TNPhil]

Would love to find a CZ p10c or a Stoeger str9 close to that price range. Definitely looking into safest option vs overall price. Adulting sucks sometimes...lol

[JustEd]

I've owned one for about 2-3 years.  Have no regrets.  It is quite rugged and always shoots and cycles. 

Trigger is "different" but easy to get used to. 

Good Kydex holsters can be found on Amazon for about $30 or so.

I replaced the rear sight with a taller glock metal sight.  I don't like how most manufacturers sight to a "combat hold". I much prefer point of aim sights.  This Glock sight was not all that hard to install myself

My singular complaint is that the Taurus manual warns against carrying with a round in the chamber, except for certain circumstances which they point out.  Think that is all legal cya.  It seems as safe and possibly safer than any other compact 9 I own. 

 

[FrankD]

PSA Micro Dagger?

[papa61]

No secret I'm a Taurus fan. Currently have three in 45ACP, one 357 mag revolver, one 9MM and a 380 and looking for more.

I have the precursor to the G3 in a PT111 G2. Not a fan of striker fired but it works well. I do not care for Taurus trigger feel on their striker fired pistols but I don't like striker fired in general. Unlike others, I've had very good results with Taurus.

My recommendation would be GX4 unless you need the higher capacity. The ones I've picked up have had a better trigger than the G2 or G3's I've handled. Also they are slimmer making them easier to conceal and carry.

[Thearmededucator]

Don’t get me wrong, a Taurus is adequate, but honestly, as I am reading it, I think your mindset on it is a bit messed up.

You are naturally correct in focusing on carry gun before the (presumably more expensive) fun gun in a couple of months. But the carry gun is life saving equipment, and therefore not something to skimp on. Especially when significantly better arms to be had for minimal price differences. 
 

On this forum you can often see well cared for Glocks (for example) go $400 or less. Additionally (and this part often gets overlooked) all the other equipment like spare parts, magazines, and (especially) holsters are ubiquitous. I recommend people build these costs into the initial investment for the best return. 
 

Lastly, have you shot numerous models, to include the Taurus, for firsthand experience? Online opinions (mine included) mean Jack squat in the face of personal experience. 

[BigK]

On 7/1/2025 at 5:51 PM, TNPhil said:

Would love to find a CZ p10c or a Stoeger str9 close to that price range. Definitely looking into safest option vs overall price. Adulting sucks sometimes...lol

IMHO, the right philosophy is to get yourself armed as fast as possible with the best gun you can afford. Your life will NOT be in jeopardy if it's a $250 Taurus instead of a $500 <insert brand that will better impress us on the internet>. If you like guns, you'll eventually want to upgrade to something with features you like better, but for now I think you're making a solid choice on a solid firearm, which is better than waiting until you have 60-80% more money saved up.

[gregintenn]

I can heartily recommend a Ruger LCP.

[Will Carry]

I just checked out that Taurus. It looks pretty cool.  Take the plunge! Taurus is known for their innovation. 

They have come a long way in the last 20 years, and I will not talk trash about them. 

You should also look at a Ruger. LPC Max, Security 380, Security 9mm, or the new RMX. 

 

Edited July 3 by Will Carry

[papa61]

12 hours ago, Thearmededucator said:

Don’t get me wrong, a Taurus is adequate, but honestly, as I am reading it, I think your mindset on it is a bit messed up.

You are naturally correct in focusing on carry gun before the (presumably more expensive) fun gun in a couple of months. But the carry gun is life saving equipment, and therefore not something to skimp on. Especially when significantly better arms to be had for minimal price differences. 
 

On this forum you can often see well cared for Glocks (for example) go $400 or less. Additionally (and this part often gets overlooked) all the other equipment like spare parts, magazines, and (especially) holsters are ubiquitous. I recommend people build these costs into the initial investment for the best return. 
 

Lastly, have you shot numerous models, to include the Taurus, for firsthand experience? Online opinions (mine included) mean Jack squat in the face of personal experience. 

 A carry pistol should be your first choice. Find one that fits you, comfortable in the hand. I agree you should try and shoot a few different models before making your choice. The OP said "budget" renting pistols at the ranges around here doesn't qualify as "LOW budget". With that said, it might be cheaper than the wrong pistol. But it IS your choice, no one except you will know if you are comfortable with it,
 Practice is a high priority. Therefore, if one is on a budget I would agree with the lower priced gun and more ammo. I've never owned a Glock so I won't malign them other than to say they are the Camry of pistols, ugly, basic, working machines. And just like the Camry, they have risen to overpriced for the machine due to reputation. Also remember that Glock also fails, breaks, and have issues. I'll put my Taurus pistols round for round against any other brand.

 LAKELINE, M-CARBO, and GALLOWAY PRECISION all carry replacement/upgrade parts for Taurus G2/G3 pistols. There are also multiple videos on installing these parts as well as how to's on fixing perceived issues.

 As an example, a Glock 21 is twice what I paid for a Taurus PT845. And for a poly framed pistol I prefer the Taurus.

[et45]

I’m a Glock and 1911 guy.I trimmed the herd to just those two pistols years ago.A few weeks back I won a Springfield XD Mod 3. It’s the newest version of the XD that came out last year.They sell for around $300.Already cut for an optic,slide serrations look great,fiber optic FS,the trigger isn’t bad.So far I have 300 rds through it and it’s been 100% and very accurate to boot.It’s roughly the same size as the Glock 45/19x.

[Moped]

The Taurus would be a good starter. I’ve owned one for 7 or 8 years. Not had any issues with it. But it’s not a pistol I carry. If you wanted to step up, a used police trade-in pistol might be the answer for just a little more money.

[Wheelgunner]

@ TN Phil - The Taurus you mentioned is probably fine.  A Ruger LCP or LC380, Shield, Taurus 605, Charter Arms .357, Rock Island M206, or used Glock would also serve just fine and not break the bank.

If I had it to do over again, I would buy my first carry gun and then buy a good belt and holster, plenty of ammo, a way to carry reloads, a good light, frequent trips to the range, and classes on practical shooting - before buying another gun.  

You are starting a journey, not choosing a destination, and this stuff would help you get down the road smoothly.  

[TNPhil]

Went and shot a few different models, including the Canik TP9 Elite SF, CZ P10c, and the Ruger RXM in an attempt to further narrow down my choice for a carry firearm. A purchase was made online yesterday for a CZ P10c. That pistol not only felt better to me, but it was almost effortless to fire follow-up shots. Now begins the task of finding the best holster to use in an open carry cross draw role. I have to admit this is quite the adventure, and I'm having fun piecing everything together!

[JustEd]

Glad you found a gun that works for you.

I am not a fan of open carry or of cross-draw holsters. 

It's you choice though.

[TNPhil]

Update: Got my P10c in and ran some rounds through after inspecting and cleaning. Found out pretty quickly that it did NOT like the Turan 124g HP since the first one I chambered hung up, and I ended up having to force rack the slide in order to eject the unspent round. CCI and Fiocchi ran flawlessly. I will definitely be upgrading the front sight as the three white dot system is difficult to see, but I still managed a decent group at 25 yards. Now, I just need to work on repetitions and work toward better grouping and speed as time goes along. The gun feels great in my hands, even with the needle-like stippling, but I think I will try the Hogue rubber grip for it and see how that feels in comparison. Pics will be added soon.

[BigK]

10 minutes ago, TNPhil said:

The gun feels great in my hands, even with the needle-like stippling, but I think I will try the Hogue rubber grip for it and see how that feels in comparison. Pics will be added soon.

If it feels good now, the Hogue grip might make it feel too big and/or change the feel of the grip. Have you ever tried Talon Grips? They add almost no thickness and do not change the grip profile. Just another option to consider, hope you enjoy your CZ.

[chances R]

Most instructors will not permit you in a class to train with a cross-draw holster.  Since you are a novice it is regarded as a safety issue for you and others.  The only advantage, IMO, is if you are on the road a lot driving.  If that's the case, AIWB is a good option and beats OC.

[TNPhil]

2 hours ago, BigK said:

If it feels good now, the Hogue grip might make it feel too big and/or change the feel of the grip. Have you ever tried Talon Grips? They add almost no thickness and do not change the grip profile. Just another option to consider, hope you enjoy your CZ.

Talon Grips is actually on my radar as well, but I have not had any interaction with them as of yet.

 

[TNPhil]

2 hours ago, chances R said:

Most instructors will not permit you in a class to train with a cross-draw holster.  Since you are a novice it is regarded as a safety issue for you and others.  The only advantage, IMO, is if you are on the road a lot driving.  If that's the case, AIWB is a good option and beats OC.

I tried the strong side draw as well and noticed it did not hurt as badly as I had expected, but it felt very uncomfortable. AIWB is not an option, unfortunately, due to my shoulder issues.

[Tom B]

On 7/3/2025 at 11:52 AM, papa61 said:

LAKELINE, M-CARBO, and GALLOWAY PRECISION all carry replacement/upgrade parts for Taurus G2/G3 pistols. There are also multiple videos on installing these parts as well as how to's on fixing perceived issues.

 I'll interject my 2 cents here. As someone that carried a gun for work, we were advised to keep the gun stock . 
Other than maybe a grip change. Reason being, if you are ever involved in a shooting, even a clean shooting, a liberal prosecutor will try to paint you as someone that wanted to make their gun 'more' deadly. Grips and possibly sights are not an issue. But start messing with triggers, or trigger pulls, and it gets dicey. 

 I keep my carry guns all stock except for Talon grips, that were mentioned above.

 This is just my opinion, but I have known a few folks involved in shootings that ended up spending a LOT of money for lawyers, even though the shoots were good.

Perfect example. A local businessman back where I lived got mugged but was able to shoot the guy. The mugger was a 18 or 19 yr old that was always in trouble. However, the liberal newspaper ran the article with the title "Local man shoots teenager" , not "Local man shoots mugger". So he was seen as already guilty before anyone even knew the facts.

 

[Sleep profit]

2 hours ago, Tom B said:

 I'll interject my 2 cents here. As someone that carried a gun for work, we were advised to keep the gun stock . 
Other than maybe a grip change. Reason being, if you are ever involved in a shooting, even a clean shooting, a liberal prosecutor will try to paint you as someone that wanted to make their gun 'more' deadly. Grips and possibly sights are not an issue. But start messing with triggers, or trigger pulls, and it gets dicey. 

 I keep my carry guns all stock except for Talon grips, that were mentioned above.

 This is just my opinion, but I have known a few folks involved in shootings that ended up spending a LOT of money for lawyers, even though the shoots were good.

Perfect example. A local businessman back where I lived got mugged but was able to shoot the guy. The mugger was a 18 or 19 yr old that was always in trouble. However, the liberal newspaper ran the article with the title "Local man shoots teenager" , not "Local man shoots mugger". So he was seen as already guilty before anyone even knew the facts.

 

Think you’re right keep your carry gun stock less to worry about when a lawyer gets ahold of it and the media you’re range gun soup it up