{"id":399171,"date":"2023-06-06T11:00:36","date_gmt":"2023-06-06T16:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/?p=399171"},"modified":"2026-01-06T12:53:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T18:53:15","slug":"taurus-gx4-vs-ruger-max-9-which-one-should-you-buy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/taurus-gx4-vs-ruger-max-9-which-one-should-you-buy\/","title":{"rendered":"Taurus GX4 vs Ruger Max 9: Which One Should You Buy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are looking for a compact or mid-sized gun for under $400, you have probably found both the Taurus GX4 and the Ruger Max 9. Each one of these guns retail for around $350 so deciding which one to buy could be difficult. Ruger and Taurus have had quality issues in the past, but each company has greatly improved their quality and the result is a line of weapons that are reliable, affordable, and a perfect size for concealed carrying.<\/p>\n

Years ago, any gun that sold for less than $500 was assumed to be mediocre at best. At a price tag of less than $400, most gun gurus wouldn\u2019t even glance at one. That low price tag meant low quality and low reliability. But things have changed a lot over the years and companies are continuing to look for ways to make a reliable firearm that doesn\u2019t cost a small fortune.<\/p>\n

\"Ruger
The Ruger Max-9 and Taurus GX4 are in the same price range but which one is better? [Photo: Jason Mosher]<\/figcaption><\/figure>Much of this is possible because of the advancement in technology and machinery. Small gun companies have access to the same computer-controlled machines to cut and mill quality parts as the big guys do. This has caused a flood of new firearms to hit the market over the years. But the larger gun companies don\u2019t want to be outdone so this competitiveness has caused a line of quality guns that are being offered at prices that many would have scoffed at years ago. Here are two such guns that deserve consideration.<\/p>\n

Taurus GX4<\/h2>\n

Taurus has been making low-budget guns for a while. They have a line of revolvers that compete with lower-priced guns like Charter Arms and Rock Island. They produce a line of 1911 handguns and Beretta 92F clones, but their most recent success is from their line of G2, G3, and GX4 pistols. The Taurus GX4<\/a> is the first micro-compact pistol from the company for CCW.<\/p>\n

\"Shooting
The Taurus GX4 is one of the best compact guns Taurus has produced. [Photo: Jason Mosher]<\/figcaption><\/figure>Many of their other models are on the bulky side, but Taurus made an appealing gun with the GX4. The 9mm pistol is nearly the same size as the Ruger Max-9. It has a short grip but can be extended with two 13-round mags that come in the case. The extended mag allows just enough room for my pinky finger to help grip the gun.<\/p>\n

Taurus put a flat-faced trigger on the GX4 and because it has a Glock-style trigger safety, there is no manual safety. It has a short, double recoil spring which helps take up some of the kick when you pull the trigger. The grip is only one inch wide so it\u2019s easy to wear with an IWB holster<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One of the unique things I like about the GX4 is the take-down lever. Instead of a pin that needs to be pushed out of the gun while the slide is locked back, the GX4 has a rotating pin. There is a groove on the right side of the pin for a flathead screwdriver. When you turn the screw to the left, the slide will pull forward off the frame.
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