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Taurus PT738: Top of the Line Micro .380
The PT738 is a seven-shot polymer-framed .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol designed for nearly undetectable concealed carry—one that still provides an adequate level of power for use as a defensive firearm. It, like the other micro .380s on the market, relies on a compact locked-breech design rather than a massive blowback operating system used on earlier .380 pistols like the Walther PPK.
The first of the micro-.380 genre was the minuscule Kel-Tec P-3AT. Weighing in at 8.3 ounces, the P-3AT was manageable for most experienced shooters, but a bit too small for the uninitiated. It is now what I would call a starter handgun, and the recoil was noticeable. However, as a backup gun, or deep cover piece, it was hard to beat.
Later came the Ruger LCP .380. Weighing in at 9.6 ounces, I found the LCP was a bit more manageable than the P-3AT. Sighting was difficult because the integral front and rear sights were so small. A bunch of cops bought the Ruger LCP for backup and even off-duty use because it was small, light, and reliable. However, many found they could not pass their agency qualification course of fire with the LCP, and switched to somewhat larger, but easier to shoot, secondary handguns. Cops weren't the only ones having some issues—as evidenced by the fact that Ruger introduced the larger and somewhat more manageable LC380, which was nothing more than the LC9 re-chambered for .380 ACP. This resulted in a 17.2-ounce pistol that was easier on the shooter's hand and easier to sight due to the addition of more prominent adjustable three-dot front and rear sights.
Taurus managed to split the difference between the two extremes of the P-3AT and the LC380 with the PT738. Weighing in at 10.2 ounces, the PT738 features a well-designed polymer-grip frame that is about as ambidextrous as it gets and which proved very comfortable during testing. The slide is given a black protective matte finish, and, like competing designs, the low profile front and rear sights are integral with the frame and are non adjustable. They also are plain black but more prominent than those found on the original Kel-Tec P-3AT or Ruger LCP.
The PT738 is double-action-only with no second-strike capability. This is not an issue. If a semi-automatic pistol malfunctions during firing, corrective action involves some variation of a "tap-rack-bang" manipulation, not another pull on the trigger. The trigger face is smooth and the double-action pull is long, but easily managed. The magazine is blued steel with a polymer baseplate and easily drops free. One was included with my test gun. The magazine holds six rounds. The PT738 is a seven shooter once it has been topped off.
I headed to the range with the PT738, two types of SIG Elite Performance .380 ammo (www.sigsauer.com), and my neighbor, who is just starting to learn about defensive firearms. I felt that he would be an ideal person to help with testing because he is the quintessential new shooter who might select the PT738 as his first defensive handgun.
The two SIG loads tested were their 100-grain FMJ flat nose load rated at 910 fps muzzle velocity with 184 foot-pounds of muzzle energy and their V-Crown 90-grain JHP defensive round rated at 980 fps with a corresponding 192 foot-pounds of muzzle energy.
We began testing at 20 feet using the 100-grain FMJ ammo, with the gun taken straight from the box. From the very first shot to the very last, the PT738 ran flawlessly. No break-in time or pre-shooting lubrication was needed. My first seven-shot group landed right to the point of aim and was 4 inches in diameter.
My neighbor fired next. He was very impressed with the lack of felt recoil, and was rewarded with a group in the 10-inch range. With some coaching and more practice, he was able to shrink his group down to around 4 inches. He had no problem controlling the PT738. Both of us found that the slide release and magazine release were easily reached, and the slide locked back on the last shot for each magazine fired.
We then broke out the V-Crown loads, and at 20 feet, I managed a 1.5-inch six-shot group. Backing out to 50 yards, I was able to land four rounds into the silhouette, with the remaining two rounds landing on the paper. Considering that it was late in the post daylight savings time afternoon with overcast conditions, I was more than happy with that result.
The PT738 is a winner. It is extremely lightweight and is more than manageable, reliable, and accurate. It runs right out of the box and can be concealed just about anywhere. Best yet, it is available on sale in my area for $179.00. If you haven't considered a Taurus firearm for defensive purposes before, now is certainly the time. Oh, and did I mention their unlimited lifetime repair policy?
For more information, check out the entire Taurus line at www.taurususa.com.
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