The Taurus TCP was a micro-sized .380 ACP pistol released by Taurus in 2008. Taurus manufactured the gun until about 2014.
Aimed at the same market that was dominated by the Ruger LCP, Taurus’ attempt to woo buyers to the TCP 380 ultimately failed. Low prices are typically the major selling point for Taurus firearms, but the LCP was also very aggressively priced. Most buyers opted for the better regarded Ruger name.
This article examines the Taurus TCP and looks at some of the variants offered by the company.
Introduction of the 738 TCP
Three versions of the Taurus 738 TCP, or Taurus Compact Pistol, were introduced at the 2009 SHOT Show in Orlando. The TCP, also known as the model 738, was a .380 ACP, semi-automatic pistol.
The TCP was a very small, thin and lightweight polymer handgun. It made for a good pocket pistol.
The sights were described by Taurus as “low-profile,” but I would more accurately describe them as almost non-existent. That’s too bad, because this would have been one significant way the gun could have differentiated itself from the original Ruger.
The Taurus TCP has a slide lock, ambidextrous magazine release, and a loaded chamber indicator. A slide stop is not always found on pistols of this size, and an ambidextrous mag release is almost never seen except on larger handguns. These could have been important features for anyone looking to pick up a 738 TCP.
Six rounds was the capacity of the standard magazine. An additional eight-round magazine was sold by Taurus. The extended magazine adds a little length to the grip of the gun, which may make it harder to conceal, but easier to hold onto.
ProMag made 10-round magazines also. These were a bit longer, but gave you a substantial increase in firepower.
Where to buy Taurus 738 TCP Magazines
If you have a TCP .380 and need mags, two companies are still offering magazines. Mec-gar offers a 6-round magazine and ProMag offers its 10-round extended mags.
These can be difficult to find, and I recommend using my affiliate links to GunMagWarehouse below. I’ve done a lot of business with these guys over the years and they always deliver quickly with some of the best prices around.
The TCP had a 3.3″ barrel and an overall length of 5.19″. That’s pretty small stuff.
I hope you like double action only (DAO) pistols, because that is what you would get with this handgun. The trigger pull was long and moderately heavy. I would have liked it a lot more with a shorter trigger pull with the same weight.
Others may disagree with this assessment since the Taurus 738 TCP is designed to be a pocket gun. But I believe you should always pocket carry with a holster, so that would avoid any problems with a marginally lighter trigger.
The TCP was the lightest gun that Taurus offered at the time, weighing only 10.2 ounces with a blued or stainless steel slide, and a mere nine ounces (!) with a titanium slide.
The titanium slide version was so light, you might actually forget you are carrying it. Those weights are unloaded, by the way. To my knowledge, the TCP with a titanium slide tied the ill-fated Taurus View for the lightest handgun ever made by the company.
The Taurus TCP was manufactured here in the United States. Taurus makes most of their guns in Brazil, but small guns like the 738 TCP are difficult to import. In many ways, it makes sense for the company to invest in manufacturing here in the US. Not all parts have to be made in the USA, and many may be made in Brazil, with the serial numbered part being made in-country.
The Taurus rep on the show floor said pricing would be “around $300” with the titanium model “about $100 more.” Ultimately, street prices are almost always cheaper, and Taurus handguns tend to be very competitive on price. I would expect this to be a sub-$300 gun at the end of the day. Time will tell.
White TCP
Taurus started selling white versions of the TCP pistol in 2014. The new guns retained all of the standard features of the original TCP guns, but with a white frame and either a stainless finished or white slide. Don’t drop it in the snow.
| Caliber | .380 ACP |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Action | DAO |
| Weight (unloaded) | 10.2 oz |
| Barrel Length | 2.84″ |
| MSRP | not announced |
By this time, Taurus already made the TCP with a pink frame, so white makes a third frame color option in the line. Although an MSRP is not listed other models of TCP retail for $355.66. I would expect this gun to be the same. This new model was introduced at the 2014 SHOT Show in Las Vegas.
TCP with “Wings”
In 2015, Taurus decided to take a new approach to the TCP and add foldable wings. While the intent was good, the execution was – in my opinion – poor. You can read my full take on the Taurus TCP with Wings here.
Spectrum – The TCP Replacement
By 2017, Taurus was ready to announce a TCP replacement. According to my sources, the 738 TCP was lagging in sales due to the well-priced competition. Combined with the perceptions of poor quality control at Taurus, it seemed the company couldn’t compete.
Enter the Spectrum.
The Spectrum was another micro-380 that offered a lot of features that none of the competition offered. While I had high hopes for the Spectrum (and even bought one at full retail,) it proved to be a dud in my eyes. I strongly recommend reading my Spectrum review if you are considering a purchase.
Updated: April 2, 2022
109 replies on “Taurus 738 TCP: .380 ACP Pistol Takes Aim at the Ruger LCP”
Received my 738 back from Taurus on 9-10-10. Only a 3 week turn around. Plus they sent an extra mag and another set of keys for the security lock. Well all my problems seemed to be fixed. Fired 50 FSM 95 gr fmj & 50 S&B 92 gr fmj all mixed up in the 3 mags. Also fired 20 Fedral hydra shock 90 gr jhp, my carry round. Glad to say I didn’t have any problems at all. All fed,fired and cycled without a hitch. Now I ordered 500 Prvi Partizan 94 gr fmj from Palmetto St Armory. Hope this ammo workes just as good. Can’t say enough how pleased I am with Taurus cust. service. They were very nice and understanding and gave a quicker turn around than expected.
Ok guys heres my take on the Taurus PT 738 TCP. When I bought mine in June of 2010,It came from the factory with one defective magazine.After waiting about a month or two Taurus sent a replacement.
Problem#2 Gun failed to lock back on last shot,slide lock replaced,now gun comes back from factory; marked slide lock replaced gun adjusted.
Problem#3 gun failed to extract,also fail’s to feed ammo. ammuo used UMC, CCI, Blazer Brass case, Mag tec fmj ect.Sent back to factory
Problem#4 Now gun comes back from the factory left side of gun is bulgeing out on left side.I would not fire gun sent back to factory.Gun comes back from factory it is finaly fixed.No problems with ammo ;Tulammo Russian stuff one step above wolf,but it still functioned with out any problems.Go figure
Problem#5 After firing about 50 plus rounds thru the gun took it down to clean it;upon cleaning it I found that the aluminium frame rail on the left side was cracked and seperated from the frame, this was a big surprise considering that I have never, and would never fire anything but standard ammo thru this pistol ;no plus P plus of any kind.
Problem#6 gun sent back to factory.awaiting review board decision on whether to replace this pistol with a new one or repair this one.
It is evident that Taurus has little or no quality control.The customer service people know nothing about the products that they represent.I know that Taurus must be pumping out these inovative little pocket guns at a fantastic rate.I would even go so far as to say that this is there # 1 seller,seconded only by the new Judge 45/410 revolver.When I first saw this gun it was love at first sight,it had so many inovations that the others did’nt have;a slide lock, extra magazine,loaded chamber indicator,built in safety device,the real selling point.The only thing that the gun lacked was a good inspection before it went out the door.If this keeps up Taurus’s wont be able to give these guns away,despite the great return policies.I hope they realize that word of mouth sells a lot of products and it can also impare a product’s reputation,as well.
This handgun is the worst product I have ever owned. It is defective. I fired ball and hollow-point through it and it misfed at least 40% of the time and misfired about 8-10% of the time. This is the same ammo which I fire through my PPK. I have returned it once but I cannot trust it and will replace it. I have no idea whether Cabela’s will trade but it is going back to them. I recommend you not buy it but if you want one, contact me and I’ll make you a really good deal!
The TCP that I have is the worst firearm I have ever owned. I have just boxed it up to send back to Taurus for the 3rd time. The gun has about 300rds through it, and has had failure to feed problems since day one. Most of the problems were from defective magazines. I am now on my 3rd set. The barrel has been changed twice, due to bulging cases. The trigger actuation point has been inconsistent from day one. The Taurus repair staff has made it worse and even dangerous. It now fires often times as soon as you start to pull the trigger. I also have a problem with the hammer rubbing up against the frame and slide. Taurus asks that you write them a letter outlining the problem areas, which I have done. It would appear however that they don’t actually read the letters. The gun comes back with the same problems I sent it in with. I have asked them to refund my money or swap the gun out with a different model. Taurus has a life time warrantee, but unfortunately I feel like I’ve been recruited into their reasearch and development team. Buyer beware!