The Taurus G3 is a full-size striker-fired 9mm built for home defense and learning to shoot. It has an MSRP of $343. Its action is single action with restrike, so a round that does not fire can be struck a second time by pressing the 6.0 lb trigger again instead of racking the slide.

The frame carries an integrated Picatinny rail for a light, and the manual safety and the slide release both sit above the thumb where they can be worked without shifting grip. Taurus lists four separate safety features on it, a manual thumb lever, a trigger safety, a striker block and a visual loaded chamber indicator. Sights are a white dot steel front and a serrated steel rear that drifts for windage, with no elevation adjustment, and two magazines come in the box. There is no optic cut on this slide, so a red dot means one of the separate T.O.R.O. models, and holster wear falls on the Tenifer finish of the alloy steel slide.

If you are cross-shopping, the Ruger Security-9 has an MSRP of $389 and the same 4.0-inch barrel, but it holds 15 rounds and weighs 23.8 oz, so the Taurus carries two more rounds for less money. The Smith & Wesson SD9 2.0 has an MSRP of $349 and holds 16 at 22.7 oz, with one magazine in the box and no manual safety at all.