Manufactured by Taurus, the PT-709 Slim first debuted at the 2009 SHOT Show. Taurus produced this handgun as an alternative concealed carry weapon to the larger double stack PT-111, 140, or 145 series. Like the name implies, the Slim is a single stack design that is currently only available in 9mm. The single stack mag carries 7 so the total capacity is 7+1.
The 709 Slim is currently available in 3 different versions based on the slide material. The handgun can be purchased in the following configurations:
- 709B – Comes with a standard blued slide
- 709SS – Comes with a stainless steel slide (Pictured above)
- 709Ti – Comes with a Titanium based slide
According to data supplied by Taurus, both the blued and stainless models weigh 19 ounces (unloaded), while the lighter titanium version shaves 2 ounces off for an unloaded weight of 17 ounces. The frame itself is a polymer compound with steel inserts for additional strength and rigidity.
Like many of the other Taurus PT models, the 709 Slim is built as a single action handgun, although it does have a special capacity for double action use as well. As the weapon doesn’t feature an external hammer, the action is single action throughout each firing. However, should a round not fire, the 709 has what’s called double strike capability. Normally, with a comparable handgun like a Glock 26 or Springfield XD, if a round misfires, the shooter must pull the slide back, eject the unfired round, and then let the slide go as it rechambers a fresh round. The 709 Slim is different in that, in the event of a misfire, you can simply pull the trigger again and it will strike the same round again. Around 90% of the time, a second strike will ignite the round. While it may sound complicated, it’s actually a really useful feature in the possible event of a misfire during a self defense situation.
Like it’s PT-111 cousin, the 709 Slim also features a manual safety that is easy to operate and is much like the thumb safety found on a Colt 1911 weapon. Currently, the 709’s are not factory equipped with a night sight configuration, but rumor has it that this may change soon. A good set of night sights is one aftermarket item that the 709 can certainly use.
In terms of gun holsters, the 709 Slim doesn’t share any dimensions with any other Taurus handguns, so there isn’t really any potential crossfits for holsters. As the Slim has been on the market for over a year now, mainstream holster manufacturers are starting to produce a variety of holsters for this model. It’s size, weight, and width, make it an ideal candidate for most any concealed carry application. It could be used for home defense as well, but there are probably better, higher round capacity choices for that use.
Here are a couple of holsters for the Taurus PT-709 Slim that are ready to be shipped.
[phpbay]709, 15, 177885, “”[/phpbay]