Taurus TH40 Compact 40 S&W 11+1 3.54in — Superb Hammer-Fired Pistol

Description

The Taurus TH40 Compact is the hammer-fired option in the Taurus line, catalogued as 1-TH40C031. Eleven rounds of 40 S&W plus one chambered, a 3.54-inch matte stainless barrel, a matte black serrated slide and a black polymer frame carrying a Picatinny rail and finger-grooved grip panels.

Almost everything else Taurus builds today is striker fired. The TH series is not: it has an exposed hammer, a double-action first shot and single action thereafter, and a manual safety and decocker. For shooters who learned on that system, or who simply want to carry hammer down on a loaded chamber with a long first press, the Taurus TH40 Compact is the one to look at.

MAG5 Firearms has it in stock. Handguns ship to a licensed FFL on a signed 4473, and we coordinate the transfer with your dealer.

Why hammer fired still has a following

• A long, deliberate double-action first press, which some shooters prefer as a margin of safety on a carried gun.
• Single action for every shot after that, with a noticeably lighter and shorter press than any striker gun offers.
• The hammer position is a visual and tactile indication of the gun’s state.
• A manual safety and decocker, so the Taurus TH40 Compact can be carried hammer down or cocked and locked at the owner’s preference.
• A hammer-fired action can be re-struck on a hard primer simply by pressing the trigger again.

The 40 S&W question, answered honestly

• 40 S&W recoils more sharply than 9mm and holds fewer rounds in the same frame. That is the trade and it is real.
• What it offers is a heavier bullet at useful velocity, which still has a following among people who carried it professionally.
• Ammunition is widely available and often cheaper than 9mm now, because demand has shifted.
• Eleven rounds plus one in a compact frame is respectable for the cartridge.
• The Taurus TH40 Compact has enough slide mass and a low enough bore axis to keep the recoil manageable.

Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 1-TH40C031
• Model: TH40 Compact
• Caliber: 40 S&W
• Capacity: 11+1
• Barrel: 3.54 in, matte stainless steel
• Slide: matte black, serrated
• Frame: black polymer with Picatinny rail
• Grip: black finger-grooved polymer
• Action: hammer fired, double action / single action, right hand
• Controls: manual safety and decocker

Ammunition is straightforward. Every 40 S&W load from a reputable maker is produced to the chamber and pressure standard published by SAAMI, so practice ball and defensive hollow points both headspace and cycle correctly in this barrel. We stock CCI Blazer 40 Cal 165gr and Aguila 40 S&W 180gr for practice, with Buffalo Bore 40 S&W Barnes TAC-XP for carry.

If you would rather have 9mm, the striker-fired Taurus G3 and the compact GX2 are the obvious comparisons. Browse the rest of our semi-automatic handguns before deciding.

Why the TH40 earns its place

• The Taurus TH40 Compact is one of very few current hammer-fired compacts at anything like this price.
• A manual safety and a decocker, so the owner chooses how it is carried rather than the design choosing for them.
• Eleven rounds of 40 S&W in a frame that still conceals.
• A Picatinny rail, which is not a given on a compact at this price point.
• Taurus backs it with a limited lifetime repair policy that follows the firearm rather than the original buyer.

This is for a shooter who wants a hammer gun and knows why. The Taurus TH40 Compact suits someone who carried a double-action pistol professionally and never got on with strikers, or who wants a manual safety on a carried firearm. It also suits anyone sitting on a stock of 40 S&W and looking for a modern compact that will shoot it.

Ordering is simple. Choose it, tell us which FFL should receive it, and we handle the dealer side. If you have not picked a transfer dealer, call us and we will help you find one nearby.