UPDATE: Davidson’s Raspberry Frame Taurus PT 738 380 Pocket Pistol

YouTube Video

UPDATE! September 5, 2011

 

by Jeff Quinn

photography by Jeff Quinn & Boge Quinn

October 27th, 2009

UPDATED September 5th, 2011

 

 

YouTube Video

 

 

Click pictures for a larger version.

 

Davidson's Raspberry-frame Taurus PT 738 380 pistol.

 

 

Nylon carry case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disassembly is simple: unload the pistol, lock slide back (top), pull out pin (center), and hold slide while releasing to go forward.

 

 

 

 

Taurus Security System.

 

 

 

 

It has been almost two years now since Taurus started shipping their little US-made 380 pocket pistol. That first gun that I reviewed performed very well, and I have received many reports from satisfied users of the little gun. The 380 pocket pistol market is very lively, and the Taurus entry is a major player.

Now, Davidson’s has a new version all their own. Davidson’s is a firearms wholesaler which moves a lot of guns through the retail market. Just about any legitimate gun dealer can buy from Davidson’s, and many do so, finding great service and competitive prices. This new Raspberry-frame PT 738 can be purchased through any gun dealer who buys from Davidson’s. To find a dealer near you, click on the RETAILER SEARCH at www.galleryofguns.com, and you will get a list of dealers near you. Also, by clicking on their GUN GENIE, you can purchase firearms right on the website, and receive bids from gun dealers in your area bidding for your business. The prices listed include all transfer fees and taxes, so you know exactly how much the firearm will cost before ordering. It is a great way to buy a gun online, and by buying through www.galleryofguns.com, your gun is backed by Davidson’s GuaranteeD Lifetime Replacement guarantee, in addition to the manufacturer’s warranty.

This new Raspberry PT 738 will appeal to the ladies. The ones to whom I have shown this little pistol loved it, as most women do. It is a different shade than the pink PT 738, and looks a lot better to me. It shoots great, is lightweight, has enough power for personal defense, and is easy to ALWAYS have within reach. The Raspberry PT 738 comes with a handy black nylon carry pouch that has a belt clip. It has the Taurus Security System internal key lock, a loaded-chamber indicator, and comes with two six-round magazines. Watching the video, you can see than even though it is light weight, the PT 738 is easy to control. The trigger pull is smooth, requiring about four and three-quarters pounds of pressure. The PT 738 is reliable, accurate, and made in the USA. The Raspberry flavor is only available through your local Davidson’s dealer, or online at www.galleryofguns.com.

For more info on the Taurus PT 738, I refer you to the review below.

To go direct to the link for this little jewel, click on this:

http://www.galleryofguns.com/genie/default.aspx?item=1-738031RSP

Some of the most popular pistols in the United States today are the new generation, lightweight and very small .380 ACP pocket pistols. Built roughly the same size as was once found only in .25 ACP pistols, these newest pistols are not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes, weigh less than three-quarters of a pound, and slide easily into a pants pocket. They are small enough, and light enough, that they can ALWAYS be with you, and that is the key to their popularity. The most popular of the breed are the ones that use a polymer frame and a double action style trigger pull. They are the “point-and-shoot” style pistols. With no safety to manipulate, you pull the trigger like on a double action revolver. Pistols of this type are built for personal defense. When they are needed, they are needed right now. Trouble is not on the way, it is here. They are built for up close and personal social conflicts, and therefore, the weapon must be within reach to be useful. Kel-Tec and Ruger are cranking out such pistols as fast as they can, and still, demand seems to exceed supply. This type of pistol is just so handy yet powerful enough to get the job done, it seems that everyone wants one. I own a few myself, and usually have one in my pocket at all times.

For several months now, I have been awaiting, as have others, the arrival of the newest of this breed of pocket pistol from Taurus USA. Introduced early this year, they are now in full production, and built in the new Taurus facility in the USA. Dubbed the PT 738 TCP, the .380 ACP lightweight pistol is for all practical purposes the same size and weight as the Kel-Tec and the Ruger. It is also priced about the same as the other two. The critical dimensions are listed in the chart below. I did notice that on the Taurus website, the weight is listed at 10.2 ounces, but it was not quite that heavy on my scale. Also, Taurus lists the barrel length at 3.25 inches. That is not correct. The correct barrel length is listed below.

  Kel-Tec P3AT Ruger LCP Taurus 738
Weight 8.3 Oz 9.42 Oz 9.9 Oz
Frame Width 0.798" 0.790" 0.775”
Barrel Length 2.745" 2.796" 2.830”
Slide Width 0.748" 0.741" 0.778"
Overall Length 5.14" 5.172" 5.195”
Overall Height 3.576" 3.612" 3.625”
Cartridge Capacity 6+1 6+1 6+1

Like the other two, the TCP is a hammer-fired, locked-breech action with a double action type trigger pull. The TCP differs in that, unlike the Kel-Tec and Ruger, the slide locks open on an empty magazine, and has a slide release like on most full-size auto pistols. The trigger pull on the TCP is perfect for such a pistol. The pull weight measured slightly under four pounds on my pistol, and is butter-smooth. I can find no fault at all with the trigger pull on this pistol. The trigger blade is comfortable to use, and does not pinch at all. Perfect.

The slide on my test gun is made of stainless steel. Models are also offered with blued steel or titanium slides. All have polymer frames, triggers, magazine releases, and magazine floorplates. The six shot magazine is made of blued steel, and my pistol came with two magazines. Also included is a cordura-type case which attaches to the wearer’s belt with a spring steel clip. It looks much like a PDA or Blackberry case, and hides the pistol effectively, for those who do not want to carry the TCP in the pocket. The 738 TCP has the Taurus Security System internal key lock, and comes with two keys. The internal lock is unobtrusive, and can be utilized or ignored. It is there if you want to use it, but is not in the way at all if you do not. Just above the extractor is a loaded-chamber indicator. There is, thankfully, no magazine safety, and the pistol will fire with or without the magazine in place. The sights are necessarily small, but are useful in good lighting conditions. For work after dark or in dimly-lit places, Crimson Trace already has a Lasergrip in production for the TCP, and I highly recommend it.

Shooting the 738 TCP was a pleasure. Even when using Plus P high performance ammunition, the pistol is very controllable and hits on a human silhouette target at twenty-five yards were easy during rapid fire. Head shots at seven and fifteen yards were also relatively easy, shooting offhand from a standing position. No attempt was made to benchrest the TCP, as it is built purely for defensive purposes, and displayed plenty of accuracy for such. I fired several brands and types of ammunition through the Taurus for function and to check the velocities from the short barrel. Functioning was perfect, except for one bad cartridge that failed to fire, which was no fault of the pistol. All other cartridges fed, fired, and ejected perfectly. I do want to note that occasionally an empty cartridge was ejected onto the top of my head, but did not hinder my shooting at all. It might be bothersome to some shooters, but it did not bother me. Chronograph results are listed in the chart below. Shooting for velocities was done on a clear day, with temperatures hovering around the fifty degree Fahrenheit mark. Velocities are listed in feet-per-second (fps). Bullet weights are listed in grains. JHP is jacketed hollowpoint ammo. FMJ is a full metal jacket bullet. Glaser is a pre-fragmented bullet. DPX is a homogenous copper hollow point bullet. JFN is a jacketed flatnose bullet. HC is a hard-cast lead bullet. Velocities were taken at a distance of ten feet from the muzzle, at an elevation of approximately 541 feet above sea level.

Ammunition Bullet Weight Velocity
Glaser Safety Slug 70 1186.7
Cor-Bon PowRBall 70 1220
Cor-Bon DPX 80 1033.3
Cor-Bon JHP 90 952.6
Remington JHP 88 870.8
Remington FMJ 90 836.2
Federal FMJ 90 850.1
Handload JHP 88 899.9
Buffalo Bore HC 100 1121.4
Buffalo Bore JFN 95 1020.4
Buffalo Bore JHP 90 1092.9

These are pretty respectable velocities from such a short barrel, and particularly the high performance ammo should prove very useful for defensive purposes. Recoil was not painful at all, but naturally, the heavier, faster loads had sharper recoil. All loads were controllable for fast repeat shots.

The Taurus PT 738 TCP is a dandy little weapon. Reliable, lightweight, and accurate for its intended purpose. It is a very useful pistol, one that can ride unnoticed in a pocket, or in the supplied belt case. It is a welcome addition to the Taurus line of auto pistols, and should prove to be one of their most popular. It is built of quality materials, displays excellent workmanship, is priced right, and built in the USA.

Check out the extensive line of Taurus products at www.taurususa.com.

To order the TCP online, go to www.galleryofguns.com.

For the location of a Taurus dealer near you, click on the DEALER FINDER at www.lipseys.com.

For more information on the ammunition used here, go to www.buffalobore.com, www.corbon.com, www.federalcartridge.com, and www.remington.com.

Jeff Quinn

Got something to say about this article? Want to agree (or disagree) with it? Click the following link to go to the GUNBlast Feedback Page.

 

 

Click pictures for a larger version.

 

Taurus PT 738 TCP .380 ACP stainless/polymer pocket pistol.

 

 

 

 

Magazine release (top), slide release (bottom).

 

 

Loaded chamber indicator.

 

 

 

 

Sights are large enough to see in good light.

 

 

 

 

Pistol comes with a black cordura carrying case.

 

 

The TCP is a locked-breech, hammer-fired pistol.

 

 

 

 

Slide locks open on an empty magazine.

 

 

 

 

The PT 738 shown in comparison to a Ruger LCP.