The arms race being waged by gun manufacturers to grab a share of the concealed carry market has yielded some interesting innovations in the last several years. None of them may be more “outside the box” than the new Taurus Curve.
Taurus 180 Curve Pistol
As the name would imply, the frame is curved to offer a more ergonomic ultra-comfortable fit for every day carry.
It also comes with a pocket clip, a kydex trigger guard holster and a double action only trigger pull. This might be one of the few handguns I’d consider wearing without a holster.
The Taurus Curve is chambered in .380 with a 6+1 capacity and weighs only 10.2 ounces. It has a 2.5 inch barrel and the frame width is a slim 1.18″. It features an integrated light and laser combination manufactured by LaserLyte, which is actuated by swiping the finger that you’d index (or should index) along the frame as it transitions to the trigger.
The Curve hasn’t been released yet but from what I’ve read, the gun has proven to be reliable on the range and the curve of the frame in the hand isn’t as noticeable as you would think. As a result, it shoots pretty much like a typical pocket .380 pistol. The problem I’d have with the gun is illustrated in the picture below.
The Curve has only a bore axis sight on the frame as a back-up to the laser. Should the laser fail, you’re pretty much relegated to point shooting; particularly in low light conditions. The other issue is the magazine release. Two buttons on either side must be pushed in while the magazine is pinched between two fingers. Not great for a combat reload and a battery of arms that will likely be very different from anything else in your gun cabinet.
Guns and Ammo wrote a shameless gushing article in this month’s issue that doesn’t highlight the negatives of the gun (which should come as no surprise). Other reviews have been more mixed – mostly because of the design quirks I’ve highlighted above. Regardless, I think Bob Owens is correct when he wrote “Why You’re All Wrong About the Taurus Curve”.
The Curve isn’t targeted at shooters. It’s more geared towards bringing non-shooters into the fold. Most concealed carry holders figure out very quickly that wearing a gun for any extended period of time is work. Like the Beretta Nano and the M&P Shield before it, the Curve is designed to address that. Only time will tell if this gun will be as much of a success as those were.
The Taurus Curve will retail for $392 and is targeted for a release sometime in the first quarter of 2015.
The post First Look: Taurus Curve appeared first on Loaded Pocketz.