TAKE CHARGE CARRY WITH CONFIDENCE
Glock 43x vs Taurus GX4
Our Glock 43x vs Taurus GX4 in depth comparison.
We’re comparing the Glock 43X vs the Taurus GX4. Both of these guns are great options for concealed carry but have significant differences.
Today, we’ll help you answer the question of which is the best concealed carry handgun for you.
Size
| Metrics | Glock 43x | Taurus GX4 |
| Weight w/ no mag (Oz) | 16.5 | 16.6 |
| Weight w/ empty mag (Oz) | 18.8 | 18.6 |
| Weight w/ full mag (Oz) | 23.1 | 23.4 |
| Height (top of slide to bottom of magazine baseplate) (Inches) | 4.92 | 4.2 |
| Length (Inches) | 6.27 | 5.8 |
| Width of grip (Inches) | 1.02 | 0.99 |
| Width of slide (Inches) | 0.86 | .95 |
| Width across controls (Inches) | 1.05 | 1.06 |
Taurus GX4
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Glock 43x vs Taurus GX4 Concealed Carry
The Glock 43X has a 10-round capacity with a standard magazine and 15 rounds if using the Shield S15 mags. The Taurus GX4, on the other hand, has an 11-round flush-fit capacity with the ability to use 13-round extended magazines.
If you use extended magazines in the 43X, you could hypothetically get 20 rounds using the Shield magazines with plus-five extensions.
From a weight perspective, these guns are almost identical. You get one extra round and a little more weight with the Taurus GX4 with the gun fully loaded, and you get four additional rounds and a bit more weight with a Glock 43X if that gun is full with 15.
If you compare the guns in their factory format, the only difference in weight that accounts for that one extra round is the Taurus GX4. Despite the weight being very similar, the size of these guns varies drastically.
Grip
The height of the firearm from the bottom of the magazine to the top of the slide is almost three-quarters of an inch longer on the Glock 43X vs Taurus GX4. That’s a critical dimension when you’re concealed-carrying a firearm. The 43X is going to be less concealable than the Taurus GX4 by default. All of the sizing, with the exception of the width of the slide, are almost identical.
The slide width doesn’t matter when it comes to concealment, but it does matter for other operations, which we’ll mention later on.
If you’re going to carry these guns inside the waistband, either one could likely work. If you have a tiny frame or wear very tight clothing, there’s going to be an advantage with the Taurus GX4, but if you don’t fit into one of those categories, you’ll likely be able to use either of these firearms equally well.
However, if you plan to pocket carry, the 43X just isn’t built for it. I’m sure some people out there can do it and do it, but that doesn’t mean you should. If you’re Shaquille O’Neal and just a massive human being, then you can probably get away with it, but if you’re sized like any average person, even the Taurus GX4 is going to be on the larger end of what most people can pocket carry.
Glock 43X
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Ergonomics Overall
Both of these guns take a drastically different approach when it comes to ergonomics. One thing to remember is that ergonomics are not just how the gun feels, but how the weapon allows you to apply leverage to control when shooting properly.
Sometimes an excellent-feelling gun enables you to do that, and other times, a gun that feels good in the store doesn’t necessarily shoot as well because it doesn’t allow you to apply proper leverage.
Frame
There is a little bit of modularity in the Taurus GX4 with small and large removable backstraps. This is a nice feature; if you want, they’ll change the shape up slightly for your hand. The Glock 43X, on the other hand, comes with no removable backstraps, so you’re stuck with what the gun feels like from the factory. Nevertheless, I think the ergonomics of both of these firearms are pretty good when it comes to a shooting perspective.
One of the most important things when it comes to controlling a firearm is getting your pinky on the gun’s grip. The reason for this is leverage. Your pinky is one of the most muscular fingers in your hand when it comes to applying force to a firearm.
I can get my pinky on the Glock 43X just fine. I can only get half of my pinky on the grip of the Taurus GX4, which isn’t ideal, but it’s better than nothing, and it gives me an advantage over slightly-shorter firearms.
Both of these guns do a pretty good job of forcing your hand high into the grip, although I will have to say that the Taurus GX4 seems to do a better job of it, not by much but enough that I think I’ll have to give a little bit of advantage to the Taurus GX4 vs Glock 43X in this area. The ergonomics on the Taurus remind me of a mini CZ P-10 C.
It does an excellent job of forcing that hand high up on the grip and is a beautiful, solid grip for a brand-new shooter. It really forces them to have the proper technique right off the bat.
Taurus GX4
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Texture
The texture of these two guns is quite different. The Glock 43X MOS variant has a somewhat similar surface to the texture on the Gen5 Glocks, but it’s a little less aggressive. It does seem more aggressive than the texturing on a Gen4 Glock, which the 43X technically is.
That said, I don’t love it — it’s a little too slick, and while usable, it leaves a lot to be desired. On the other hand, the texturing on the Taurus GX4 is fantastic. It feels like 600-grit sandpaper and is wrapped 360 degrees around the gun. It’s aggressive enough that it’ll work well when you’re shooting, but it’s not so bold that it‘ll cause chafing when you’re carrying the gun concealed.
Slide
The slides on these two firearms are identical in feature set, meaning they both have forward-cocking serrations. This is a nice feature to have, especially if you like to use them to press-check.
Now, this is where things get pretty different. The finish on the Glock 43X in the last slide is slick, which means that you’re going to have to grip the slide more firmly than usual to run the slot. The finish on the Taurus GX4 isn’t nearly as slick and has a little more texture to it. The serrations on the GX4 are also more profound and a little more aggressive, in my opinion. The slide is also slightly wider, which allows you to get just a little more grip on the gun.
Glock 43X
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The spring weights on these two firearms feel almost identical. It’s not hard to rack the slide on either one of these, but I think people with smaller hands will find it just slightly more accessible to rack the Taurus GX4, while those with larger hands will probably feel that both guns rack about the same. You also get a little extra leverage from getting your pinky on the frame of the 43X.
This gives you a more solid base when going to cock the striker or rack the slide.
Sights
From the factory, the Glock 43X comes with Glock’s plastic slot-fillers. These sights work, but they aren’t great, and I would suggest replacing them as soon as you get the gun.
The Taurus GX4, on the other hand, comes with metal sights. The front sight has a small painted ring, and the rear sight has a blacked-out profile with a square notch. This rear sight is pretty darn decent for what it is.
Aftermarket
Both of these guns accept the same sights. Taurus designed the GX4 to accept Glock factory sights, so any aftermarket sights made for the Glock will also fit the Taurus GX4. I can’t give an advantage to either one of these guns when it comes to aftermarket sight options.
Red-Dot Optics
Both of these guns have been designed to run red-dot optics. Taurus has not released the Taurus GX4 with a red dot yet. I know it has been developed and it’s supposed to be coming soon, but apparently, they’re waiting for parts. We don’t have details on what optics that gun is designed to use, but we do have the information on the Glock 43X MOS as a gun we have in-house.
The 43X MOS was designed around the Shield RMSC mounting pattern. This is a very common mounting pattern, but Glock had to go and screw one thing up: they made this gun compatible with an optic explicitly made for this gun by Shield.
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Many other companies had adopted Shield’s mounting pattern, which was great until they decided to add hardware that would only work with a specific optic that Shield made.
This gun does not work with the SIG Romeo Zero or Holosun 507K.
You have to file down the recoil boxes to work or buy an adapter plate, which makes the optic sit much higher. This was a significant oversight on Glock’s part. In my opinion, I suspect this was a decision made in Glock Europe and not at the American facility. Americans love the ability to use aftermarket features whereas the European market might not favor that.
Taurus GX4
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Controls
Controls make or break a gun.
Trigger
Glock 43X Trigger
The trigger on the Glock 43X has a very stiff and springy take-up. It’s not as light as a lot of other Glocks. Once you’ve taken that take-up out, you’re going to feel a rigid wall, and from there, you’re going to feel just a little bit of creep before you go into a very stiff break. This trigger feels almost like a Glock Gen3 trigger. It doesn’t have the rolling break of the Gen4/5 models. When it comes to the reset, it’s a standard Glock. I
t’s short and very authoritative right at the front of that wall.
Taurus GX4 Trigger
The trigger on the Taurus GX4, on the other hand, has a very light and short take-up, and then you’re going to hit a hard wall that has a very clean and easy break. It feels much lighter than the trigger on the Glock 43X.
I personally really liked the trigger on the GX4.
One thing I need to mention is the reset. The reset is very short and tactile. It’s not as aggressive as the reset on the Glock 43X, but it’s still a reasonably short and nice reset. I’ve enjoyed shooting the Taurus GX4 trigger.
It just performs much better than I thought it would. While some people may disagree (and triggers do come down to personal preference), I think most people find that the winner is the Taurus GX4 vs. the Glock 43 when it comes to the trigger.
Glock 43X
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Slide Lock
Both of these guns have slide locks mounted on the left-hand side of the firearm. Although I will say somebody with slightly shorter hands might find the slide stop on the Taurus GX4 is marginally easier to reach, they’re both positioned within an easy reach. They’re in almost an identical position. The Taurus GX4 slide stop just seems to be back just a hair.
Now, these slide stops themselves are pretty different. The Glock 43X has a sheet metal slide stop that is exceptionally slick. I find it quite stiff. There are no problem dropping the slide, but I also handle firearms every day, and I’m pretty used to it. I can see how a newer shooter could have issues.
The slide stop of the GX4, on the other hand, is a fantastic design. They used polymer for this part, and it appears to be connected to a sheet metal addition. This polymer design is not nearly as slick as the design on the 43X and it’s just easier to use. It’s a shallow profile. I can’t say how much I liked this design. Almost anybody’s going to find it easy to drop the slide on the GX4.
Magazine Release
The magazine releases on these guns are both reversible to the opposite side if you want to switch it around for left-handed use. The release on the GX4 is just a little bit sharper than the Glock 43X. The 43X, though, takes more pressure to press in than the magazine release on the GX4.
The magazines on the GX4 also pop out just a little bit easier than the magazines on the G43X, but that’s just due to the materials of the magazines. If you have the Shield S15 mags, it’ll drop free just as quickly in the 43X as the magazines in the GX4 do. I will mention that if you have expansive hands, you might have to break your grip for the magazines to drop free from the GX4. I personally only experienced this problem about 1 out of 10 times.
That means somebody with larger hands could have issues.
Taurus GX4
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Magazine Well
The magazine well on the Glock 43X has just the slightest bevel in it, but it doesn’t do a lot to help when you reload. The GX4, on the other hand, has no bevel whatsoever, but your hand itself acts as a funnel to guide the magazine into the mag well. I find that to be a little more effective than the 43X. That said, both of these guns are plenty easy to reload with practice.
Quality
The quality of these guns seems identical. I might say the finish on the GX4 looks a little better on the slot, but the polymer on the Glock 43X seems a little higher-quality than that of the GX4. We’re talking small amounts, though.
It’s not like either of these guns shows a massive difference in quality over the other. I’m impressed with how well Taurus has done in this department. They’re not known as a company for their quality of feel when it comes to polymer handguns.
The GX4 has stepped up their game.
Aftermarket
There are many more aftermarket parts for the Glock 43X and Glock 43X MOS vs. the Taurus GX4. Glock always seems to have the most and most considerable aftermarket support. The Taurus GX4, on the other hand, is a brand-new handgun with no legacy as far as previous models to provide aftermarket support from.
All aftermarket support for the GX4 will be built from the ground up. I suspect we’ll see plenty of offerings here soon, but I still expect the Glock 43X to beat the GX4 when it comes to aftermarket offerings.
Aesthetics
Aesthetically, it’s all going to come down to opinion, but I find the Taurus GX4 to seem a little bit more well-proportioned. It also has some excellent and clean modern lines. I feel like the Glock 43X will look better over time, but the Taurus GX4 has a cool, trendy look that works for this period. But, again, it will come down to a matter of opinion, and my opinion doesn’t matter much in this department.
Shooting
Shooting these guns, I was shocked.
The Taurus GX4 has a tremendous little recoil impulse. The downside is that the grip is just a little bit shorter. The G43X, on the other hand, has an excellent grip that I like, and I managed to shoot well, but the gun has more felt recoil than the GX4. They use the same slide and recall system as the Glock 43, and the 43 has always been a very flippy firearm. The extra grip does help tame that flip, but the violence of recoil is still there.
I can see many reasons why somebody would choose the Glock 43X over the Taurus GX4, especially if you’re running a 15-round Shield mag. With the Shield mags, the Glock 43X will be barely more significant than the Taurus GX4 with a 13-round extended magazine. You’re going to get two extra rounds for barely any size penalty. I think which gun is better will come down to how you plan to conceal a firearm.
Glock 43X
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Glock 43x vs Taurus GX4 Carry
If you’re carrying inside the waistband, the Glock 43X has many advantages to somebody who wants to carry a full-length grip on the gun, but if you aren’t carrying IWB, the Taurus GX4 has a lot of advantages. If you want a short grip, go with the Taurus GX4, but if you like a longer grip length, the G43X with Shield mags is going to be a complex combination to beat. Get both of these guns out to the range and shoot them yourself to see which one will be the best shooter for you.
I wish I had more insight into the Glock 43X vs. the Taurus GX4 comparison, but these guns are relatively close when comparing all their features at the end of the day. Not close from the standpoint of the features are identical, but your use case will make a big difference on how the firearm will work for you.
If you like a more extended grip, the G43X will be hard to beat, but if you want a small gun with a good recoil impulse and excellent trigger, then the GX4 will likely be the better choice.
Price/Value
MSRP is $538 for the regular Glock 43X and $582 for the MOS variant. For the Taurus, the MSRP is $393. Street price tends to be $50 less than MSRP for both guns.
It’s hard to argue that the Taurus isn’t a better value than the Glock, but Glock as a manufacturer does have a better reputation than Taurus. That is worth something. However, Taurus really seems to be working hard to fix that reputation.
Taurus GX4
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Pros/Cons
Glock 43X Pros
- Grip length
- Aftermarket
Taurus GX4 Pros
- Concealment
- Capacity
- Trigger
Glock 43X Cons
- Trigger
- Concealment
Taurus GX4 Cons
- Aftermarket
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4 Comments
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I own them all, but it is refreshing to see someone educated in firearms, make an honest evaluation of Taurus, especially when the writer goes public in NOT kneeling before the almighty Glock. Taurus has come light years in the last 20 years. I own the SIG 365, a S&W Shield , a Glock 26, a KAHR PM9, and the Taurus GX4. Overall, the Shield is my absolute hands down favorite, but believe it or not, it’s a tie for second with the PM9 and the GX4. And it’s a super close second place. That’s saying a lot coming from a guy that carried a Glock with the NYPD for 15 years, owns at least one of almost every Glock model they make, and Five model 19’s, that’s a statement that screams Glock guy. Glock has the market and the aftermarket cornered, but they better pay attention, lots of companies have become every bit as good or better than Glock. With all that’s out there, I think first time buyers, for the most part, buy Glock due to name or brand recognition or on recommendations from guys online that are heavily biased . I’d be willing to wager that guys sitting in a Glock forum online, are heavily biased. I’m really impressed with the GX4, and although they function perfectly, I’d like to see Taurus magazines made of a heavier material, or stainless steel. I’m not sure what it is exactly, but they just feel cheaply made, almost like they might be for a toy. That said, they function perfectly, and that’s what you need.
I stopped by my local, and favorite gun shop today to put hands on the Glock 43, SIG 365, Springfield Hellcat, the Taurus GX4….He didn’t have a comparable Ruger….by far Taurus won….and the price was icing on the cake…I am somewhat prejudice considering I’ve happily carried a Taurus PT111 G2 for several years….and the holster wear shows it…. I’ve run 2,000 + rounds through it with never a misfire or issues of any kind…So for what it’s worth, I feel like Taurus has hit a home run with the GX4…..
I’ve carried the Gx4 for a little under 2 years now. I have put a little over 5k round’s through it. I fire it once a week and shoot anywhere from 50-100 rounds per week. Very few misfires. And when it does , it’s generally due to a magazine not being properly seated. Tap Rack Bang always fixes it! The Gx4 shoots great! It’s more accurate than my 43x. I bet my life on it as it is my EDC. My only “complaints” are that I need to replace the sites. I am unable to see the front site while aiming because of the constant holster wear that has shown on the weapon. The second complaint is the weapon is not easily accessible when at the 3 O’clock position.
Recently I reached for my weapon when someone came to the driver side door while I was in the car. Had I needed it at that moment, I’m not sure I could have gotten to it in time…. It got me thinking about alternatives.
Over all, I love this weapon. Fit finish function and fiscal restraint. Kudos to Taurus. They’re changing minds daily. Great weapon.
This is a very useful review. Thanks.