The Taurus PT 809 pistol is a polymer handgun that offers a lot of value for a modest price. The pistol was chambered in 9mm and would anchor a line that included models chambered for the .40 S&W and .45 ACP as well as compact variants.
Taurus discontinued the 809 pistol some years ago, so my guess is you either have one or are looking to purchase one from a buddy. So, let me go over the history of the gun and give you my take on it. Some aspects of this handgun might surprise you.
History of the Taurus 809
The Taurus 809 was a 9mm pistol that used a polymer frame and a hammer-fired action. It was based on the older OSS.
Designed to compete in the 2006 Joint Combat Pistol competition, Taurus eyed the OSS as the next handgun for the U.S. military. Joining the OSS was an eclectic mix of contenders including:
- Beretta PX4 Storm
- FN FNP45
- Glock 21 SF
- H&K HK45C
- Para Ordnance LDA 1911
- Ruger P345
- SIG SAUER P220
- Smith & Wesson M&P45
- Springfield Armory XD
It is interesting to look back on these guns and think that they were the best the gun industry had to offer. Compare them to today and see how far we’ve come in a relatively short amount of time.
As the OSS was a specialized version of the (then) current production 24/7 pistol, it was easy to see how Taurus figured it had nothing to lose by trying. Of course, the 24/7 would later be subject to a class-action lawsuit regarding its safety, so maybe it is best the U.S. military did not select it.
Regardless, Taurus claimed the OSS inspired the 809 that entered production in 2009.
Details
As I mentioned above the PT 809 was a hammer-fired, polymer-framed pistol chambered for the 9mm cartridge. It had a 4″ barrel and 17-round magazine putting it in the “duty gun” size of pistols.
Taurus uses a Strike 2 system in the gun. Sometimes referred to as a “second strike” capability, the gun allows you to pull the trigger repeatedly on a dud round.
According to Taurus, there is a greater than 90% likelihood of a round firing when struck a second time if it did not go off initially. I’m not sure about those numbers, but I have never seen this as being of great value.
Neat concept, but I don’t know how tactically sound the concept is. Regardless, it is an option to use should you choose.
Although it was hammer-fired, the 809 followed a popular trend found with other polymer-framed pistols by offering interchangeable backstraps. Three backstraps shipped with the pistol: small, medium and large.
Taurus designed the gun with an ambidextrous, 3-way thumb safety. In the up position, the gun would not fire. In the middle position, the gun was ready for use. If you pressed down on the safety, it acted as a decocker to safely lower the hammer.
Thinking of the left-handed shooters, Taurus also engineered the pistol with a true ambidextrous magazine release. No matter which side of the pistol you were on, you had full access to the button.
Taurus made a number of dubious claims about the 809 pistol including that the magazine well was “super guided” that resulted in “record-setting reload times.”
Further, the company claimed the recoil spring was “balanced” which led to “record-setting cycle times.” Of course, I could never find any details about these records set by the pistol.
At launch, Taurus affixed the princely sum of $656 on the pistol. Compared to the prices on more reliable pistols from other manufacturers, that seemed very aspirational.
The PT 809 was covered by a lifetime warranty. So, if you are the original purchaser, you should still be covered if anything breaks.
Additional Models
At launch, the company also offered the Taurus 840 and Taurus 845 pistols. They were chambered for the .40 S&W and .45 ACP cartridges respectively.
Two finishes were offered by the company: a black Tennifer and stainless steel. Taurus designated these as the 809B and the 809SS in its catalog.
The company later introduced a compact version of the gun – the 809C. An 840c also saw time in the company’s catalog, though I’ve never spotted one in the wild.
22 Conversion Kit
Taurus offered a .22 LR conversion kit for the 809 pistol. The kit came with an entire upper assembly plus one magazine.
Additionally, Taurus included the 822 pistol – essentially an 809 frame with the .22 conversion kit installed – in its catalog.
I’ve never seen one in person, so I don’t know if this actually shipped or if it was one of Taurus’s vaporware products that were all too frequent during this time period.
Specifications
When it shipped, the Taurus 809 had the following factory specifications:
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Standard Magazine Capacity | 17 rounds |
| # of Included Magazines | 2 |
| Barrel Length | 4″ |
| Weight (unloaded) | 30.2 oz |
| Sights | Novak 3-dot |
| MSRP | $656 |
Performance
At the time the 809 was manufactured, Taurus had a reputation among some reviewers and owners as producing firearms with inconsistent quality control. As such, the company was not trusted by anyone I knew for personal protection.
The PT 809 was considered by many as being a mediocre gun – one that should not be relied upon unless your budget constrained you to none other.
Take a look at the review video below. The Guns & Gear channel on YouTube had significant problems with the gun toward the end of his testing.
He believed the problem came from the gun not being cleaned. However, I’ve shot many different pistols that had no problems running 1,000+ rounds with no problems. So, I question the reliability of a pistol that can’t handle 1,000 rounds.
If you do own or buy an 809, make sure you keep it clean. The following video shows you how to field strip the 809 for cleaning.
Infamous Class Action Lawsuit
During the production run of the Taurus 809, the company defended itself against a class-action lawsuit. The suit alleged the company manufactured firearms that were not drop-safe. In other words, it was claimed that certain Taurus firearms could discharge if dropped.
The 809 was not part of this class action lawsuit.
Last update: May 23, 2021.
28 replies on “Taurus PT 809 9mm Pistol”
I would avoid the 809. No usefull range time with two different 809’s. The trigger spring on the first pistol broke 4 times. They replaced it with another 809 and that one just broke another trigger spring exactly the same as the first pistol… They have a design problem and need a recall.. The spring does not have enough coil turns and breaks easy.. Did not get fifty rounds through the second pistol before it broke. I’m going to see if they will replace it with a different model.. You can’t trust the 809. It has nice features and looks good but can’t live with the reliability problems.. I would spend the extra money and buy a Springfield XDM or Glock. I will post the outcome when I hear back from Taurus…. good luck.. bh
The strike two really works..thee or four times i think for the two shootfest i participated..realy great feature because you don’t have to loosen your grip to cock the hammer for a 2nd try on a delayed primer which usually happen on a reloaded cartridge unlike the 1911 where you have to manually cock the hammer or pull the slide to eject the defective cartride and inject a new one to the chamber.
The 809 I purchased a year ago is still doing fine. I understand that sometimes you just get a lemon no matter what brand. That does not mean that all 809’s are going to malfunction such as with B. Hammon. It could happen to a Colt or S&W just as easy, doesn’t mean that they make bad guns. Just means you may have bought a lemon. Automobiles have lemons and firearms are no different. When you have several complex moving parts sometimes those parts don’t do what their supposed to do. However in regards to Lloyd Santiago, this is just me but if you are looking for a good conceal carry you might want to check out the Taurus 609 series. I have had one for over a year and traded a Glock for it. Some might say, “What, you traded a Glock for a Taurus?” Yes I did, and it has turned out to be one of the best gun trades I have ever done. It is so balanced, Heiney Straight 8 sights, 13 rounds in the clip. Gun feels like it was made for my hand. It’s quick out of the holster and quick to aim, and recoil is actually lighter than the Glock I feel. Try it! You may just end up liking it. Anyway that’s one mans oppinion.
Scotty,
Thanks for posting. I’m always happy to hear positive reports on guns from owners.
-Richard
I don’t have the 809, but I do carry the 845. I love this gun. And every thing about it. I do plan to get the 809. Taurus makes fine pistols, and I stand behind them. With a lifetime warranty, there’s no reason to complain about one or two auto’s. They will make it good. I have a Taurus in 357., 22., & two 45’s.