Gun Review: Taurus M640 Compact .40

1. Sorry, but there are too many things wrong with this gun for me to be at all comfortable with it.

   Integrated lock is a big no-no in my book, I intend to never own a gun with such an idiotic feature. If my guns need to be secured, there are better, safer ways to do it.

   Second is that it’s chambered in .40. Given all factors involved (ammo price, magazine capacity, ballistics), I find .40 to be unacceptable — it has ballistics not much better than 9mm, capacity not much higher than .45, and costs roughly the same as .45 ACP. The way I see it, .40 provides the worst of both worlds — low capacity, high price, and mediocre ballistics.

   • Alternatively, I’d recommend a low-budget carrier buy a better gun second hand.

     Of my guns, several were second or third hand, two were samples brought around to dealers by representatives of the manufacturer, and thus discounted. This leaves only one purchased new.

     Of my used guns, two are my XDs in 9mm; the first, a factory ported gun, cost me 425 all inclusive (400 + 25 for transfer), and came with 9 magazines (5×16, 1×15, 3×9) and a decent OWB holster, along with all original accessories, case, and holster. The second was pretty much just the bare gun and two 15 round mags for 325. These two are my EDC guns; I carry them every day at work, and put several thousand rounds through them every year; the only issues I’ve had are the occasional FTE, and only with some ammo (so far I’ve only ever seen it with wwb and American eagle (Federal’s Champion line has never given me problems, and as it is the lowest cost factory ammo I can find, it accounts for most of my rounds downrange.

     Back to cases though; my EDC guns may not be MADE in the U.S., but they are SUPPORTED by a U.S. company; I’ve heard too many horror stories of tarus’s CS — that is to say, horror stories about trying to get them to honor their warranty — to ever trust a tarus with my life.

   • .40 offers better ballistics than 9mm, without the larger overpenetration risks associated with 9mm ammunition ball or hollowpoint.

     .40 typically offers +1-3 rounds in comparable frame pistols than the .45 counterparts and none of the under penetration risks commonly associated with .45 defense ammunition. It also performs better than .45 through barriers and out of short barrels.

     The over and under penetration risks of all of these calibers are hyped and exaggerated but .40 has avoided both ends of the fall out for a reason. But those are anecdotal statements without citations, take them as you like.

     If you can’t wrap your hand around a double column .45 then .40 is the next logical choice. Not exactly a fan of the Taurus since I’ve had that frame fail to feed, eject and nearly double feed but a lot of folks swear by Millennium series style weapons and they have the most economic restrike capability in the market other than Kel Tec so there’s a market niche as well.

     I would not tinker on a defense gun aside from tricking it out but at that price if you’re knowledgeable the task is simple. My gun smith does the same and incidentally carries Taurus so they do work but its a matter of preference.

2. This is not so much of a review as a recounting of a typical male shopping experience when buying a gun.

   • I would have liked to have seen details of the failures and a round count since the last one.

     • I was at the range today.

       I fired 4 boxes of ball ammo (50@) for 200 rds consisting of (1 box each) of Federal American Eagle 180gr FMJ, Herter’s (Russian, made by Tula) polymer coated steel case 180gr FMJ, WWB 180gr FMJ, and Speer Lawman 180gr FMJ.

       I then fired two 11 round mags of my carry ammo, 180gr Remington Golden Saber HPJ.

       222 rounds of .40 S&W, mixed brands as above, with NO failures of any kind.

       All of these were fired using my factory original PT640 magazines.

       • This is awesome news, thanks for the update Texas Deputy… my friend that got one of these will be happy to hear that, as he has not had a chance to fire his 🙂 Cant wait to go to the range now.. We will shoot the Federal Champion(Walmart) and shoot some of the same Remington Golden Saber BJHP rounds.

         • I purchased this pistol black friday. I ran 2000 rounds of winchester ranger 180 gr jhp through mine without a failure. Shoots very good groups. The only thing I dont Like about it is the heine sights which will change when I get a chance. Very nice pistol for 289.00.

           • 2000 round is a miss print 200 rounds is correct rd count. My next purchase will be pt809 academy had them for 299.00 but were sold out today when I went to buy one. Will have to wait till they get another shipment.

       • Thanks for the review on the pt640. I bought one on black friday at academy on sale. I really like mine. I had a hard time finding any reviews on it until I came across this one. Yesterday I ordered the willams fire sights a holster and 2 24/7 c magazines . To this date ive ran 250 rounds of the winchester ranger 180 GR JHP through mine with no problems. I have a Question for you about the 24/7 mags. When filing the 1/16 inch off the mag you are refering to filing it off the top of the orange plastic insert that fits on top of spring. Im going to try them before I alter them but just wanted to make sure I understood in the event I have to alter Mag. Cabeleas has the 24/7c mags for $9.98 each. Again thanks for your review.

         • Texas Deputy has written extensively about his magazine mods at another website. I believe he’s talking about thinning the upper surface of the black plastic magazine base.

3. Taurus firearms cannot be sold by Massachusetts dealers, since they are not on The List and have not been submitted for drop- and heat-testing.

   Most MA dealers are very candid when it comes to Taurus: they’re good guns for the money, but the customer service is terrible. No, they’re not dissing the guns because they can’t sell them. They’re dissing the guns because they are not economically constrained to support a manufacturer that they believe will not back up its product.

   I’ve shot Taurus pistols and revolvers and enjoyed them. Bottom line: if you buy a good Taurus handgun, you will be very happy with your purchase. If you get a bad one, you may have bought an expensive paper weight. Were it a Ruger or S&W, the gun would be fixed. Would that be true with a Taurus?

   What do Taurus owners think?

   • Reading the reviews of Taurus customer service on the Taurusarmed.net website (http://www.taurusarmed.net/) TaurusUSA has been very good at customer service, and prompt repairs under their lifetime service program.

     There is a lengthy thread covering this model at:
     http://www.taurusarmed.net/forums/millennium-pro-pistols/58922-academy-pt640-deal.html

   • “Most MA dealers are very candid when it comes to Taurus: they’re good guns for the money, but the customer service is terrible. No, they’re not dissing the guns because they can’t sell them. They’re dissing the guns because they are not economically constrained to support a manufacturer that they believe will not back up its product.”

     I have a 2 Taurus pistols and needed support for part of the trigger i messed up on one of them… Sent it in to Taurus and got it back in 100% working order for free… Why retell stories you hear from others instead of your own experiences, or lack there of. They have great support/customer service! Plus, the warranty is on the pistol itself, not the owner. Check it out for yourself:
     http://www.taurususa.com/repair-policy.cfm

4. If I need to take a file to the magazine, get out the allen wrench, put on a paper clip, spray on some touch up paint and perfume, and turn around three times before I go to the range, it’s not a gun, it’s a hobby. I like these reviews. I just hope that anyone needing a gun for self defense takes a very close look at the review and realizes it’s much ado about nothing. Those who depend on a firearm for their life do not partake of such pleasures. Buy a gun that works (cleaned), first time, every time out of the box. No break-in rounds, no perfume, just clean it and shoot it. If it don’t work that way, don’t bet your life on it….ever.

   • The factory original magazines worked flawlessly.

     It was the replacement magazines, intended for a different model (the 24/7C), that required minor modification.

     • Good clarification Texas Deputy!

5. Actually I have owned or own two Taurus pistols, one a PT 92, and a currently owned and carry Taurus PT 609 TI. have had no problems with either and would not hesitate to purchase another. The only hang up with the 609 is they do not offer it anymore (must have been the high cost of Titanium) but I thoroughly love it, even though Tim McNabb had trouble shooting it.
   I had the same problem as the writer in finding holsters for the 609, but after a call to Taurus, they told me it was the same dimensions as the PT 145, so I also have a Fobus SB11 and a Crossbreed STD that were made for the 145 but fit my 609 fine.
   Will have to look into those F/O sights, for with my older eyes I need something to high light the sight picture.
   And the 13 +1 capacity in 9MM and light weight makes it a nice carry gun.

   • My problems with Taurus609’s Taurus 609 were shooter related. I thought the trigger pull was really nice, I just could not lay one round next to another. T609 shot it just fine.

     I was eyeballing a Taurus Slim .40 as a conceal carry piece but rejected it because of the safety. Not a fan of safeties.

     • then don’t use it. nuf’ said.

6. Texas Deputy,
   Thanks for the review and the heads up about the deal for a solid compact .40.

   I own several Taurus semi’s and the customer service has been excellent. Had to send in one of their Beretta Thomcat copies -PT22 I believe it is called, because the firing pin broke when it was subjected to dry firing. They fixed the problem, no questions asked, within about 2-3 weeks. For comparison, Beretta kept my 2 Neos in repair for 8 weeks when it was a factory recall.

   Not that I need any more pistols, but I would buy this Taurus especially at that price. Definitely prefer 9 mm for reasons mentioned above.

   Any new information on a gun constitutes a good addition to the gun review world. Thanks Texas Deputy, am looking forward to hearing how it wears over time.

7. For *that* price, its not a bad gun. But you’re a sucker if you buy a Taurus at just about any price above that.

   I work at a gun shop/shooting range, and I have had to do warranty returns on more Taurus pistols than any other handgun brand. They. Do. Not. Work. Well.

   If you have one and it treats you well, you’re extremely lucky.

   That being said, adjustable fiber optic sights on a carry pistol? I’m not sure what to think about that. Fiber optic sights are brittle. Adjustable sights have the possibility of unadjusting themselves. Once you get it dialed in, especially with a light weight pistol in .40, it would be very advisable to locktight all of those screws down.

   Fiber Optic sights work well in daylight, sure, but it is overwhelmingly probable that if you have to defend yourself, it is going to be in darkness.

   • Dude. What if I have 8 Taurus handguns and they have all been 100% flawless and functional and my wife and I both use them for everyday carry? Are we beyond extremely lucky?

     • Wow that awesome and not that surprising.. i have two myself and have used 4 others that belong to a few friends and they are all 100%.

     • Yes.

8. Taurus makes some nice looking guns, but I really wish they had a better reputation for quality and long term reliability. Still, it looks like a nice gun for the money and the fact that it is a police issued model should inspire some confidence. Maybe it needs a good wringing out and a follow up post.

9. Police issued my donkey…..name One (1) police department in the USA that issues it. Mostly Glocks , or the one’s that can afford it (mostly federal) Sigs.

   I’ll kiss a toad on main street the First time some police department over five officers strong issues that piece.

   • BRAZILIAN POLICE ISSUED. Please read.

     • Some people can’t read Ranger… don’t be rude 🙂

10. The sights he put on the thing are worth more than the gun. I’d buy a used Glock with 50,000 rounds through it and feel more secure with it than the Taurus.

    • +10 points.

      My GLOCK 17 was made in 1990 and is still running strong.

      And we all know how much police officers and especially their bureaucratic higher ups know about guns. Much less the famously professional police forces of South America.

    • Agreed. I’d buy a police used, scuffed up Glock any day over a brand new Taurus. A testimonial that Banana Republic, South American police forces use Tauruses doesn’t change my poor opinion of this brand. I’ve simply talked to too many gun owners and read too many posts think otherwise. Tauruses are like a box of chocolate; you never know which one you’re going to get.

11. More Taurus bashing. How clever. Tell me,all you Glock zombies; Why did it take until the Gen 4 for your beloved Glock to realize the benefits of a dual recoil captured spring assembly? Taurus has been using that design for years. And then had to issue a recall for them. How bout’ that Glock “perfection” huh? I will say that I totally respect how much abuse they were able to take and still function on the last couple episodes of Larry Vickers’ TAC TV. I wonder though,how other brands would have matched up under the same tests?

    • I meant to imply about the Glock Gen 4 recoil spring assembly,not Taurus. I tried to edit the post but sombody or something wouldn’t let me.

    • Heckler & Koch 🙂

      My CC: HK USP .45 Compact ..love every second of that thing firing…Not just a brand to me…and has held up just as equal and in some cases better under stress and quality tests as Glock

    • How many federal law enforcement agencies and local police & sheriffs departments in the U.S. have adopted a Taurus pistol as their primary side arm? I’ve seen S&W, Glock, Sigs, H&K, etc., but never a Taurus. (I’m sure there’s an exception some where.) Perhaps Taurus hasn’t been able to pass the rigorous testing and trials these agencies require? Perhaps they can’t manufacture firearms with high quality on a consistent basis?

      • Perhaps they can’t shove cocaine up decision makers’ noses or buy them hookers. Just a thought . . .

12. Glock was using a dual recoil spring well before the gen 4’s came out…

13. My only experience with TAURUS is the M44SS4 revolver I have. Right out of the box, I thought my FFL had done a trigger job on it. Very smooth DA and crisp SA. I bought 5 different loads from 4 different manufacturers ranging from 180 gr to 240 gr.

    All 5 loads shot within 2 ” at 25 yards with some around 1 “. This was not off a bag but with me sitting on the ground using my knees for support. I am sure better groups would have been possible using a bench and bag. 3 of the loads shot POA/POI with no sight adjustment out of the box, while the other two spread out a bit to the left. 2 clicks on the rear sight and they too were centered, should I want to carry them.

    I am really impressed with this revolver. I am sure I won’t be shooting it a lot unless I gear up one of my reloaders for 44 mag. But it’s enough fun shooting that I just might.

14. Don’t understand all the commotion. I for one purchased a Taurus Super 38 in 1972. It shot well, though I couldn’t say much for it’s appearance. The bluing left a lot to be desired. It paled next to my Goldcup. That said:

    This Taurus PT460, cycles faultlessly and the finish is superb. Frankly I’m very impressed with it’s finish. I’ve had cycling problems with Walther, S&W and Colt, none so far with Taurus. It has one of the best grips and natural pointing qualities I’ve found in handguns. It has a lifetime warrantee!!! You sure can’t beat the price. My Walter sells for more than $2500, My Goldcup series 70 sells for $1000+.

    For the price of this handgun, what more should a handgunner desire? Tell me – I’m puzzled.

15. There were some comments made that the base model M 640 or he PT 640 was not a police pistol.

    It is widely used in Brazil and other countries.

    Source: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurus_PT_640

    Foi adotada por diversas instituições policiais brasileiras, em especial as Polícias Militar, Civil e Científica de São Paulo, para porte pessoal e operacional dos seus agentes. … A PT 640 é, atualmente, a menor e mais leve pistola fabricada para as polícias estaduais brasileiras. Considerada uma versão menor da popular Taurus PT 24/7, a Taurus PT 640 pode utilizar os mesmos carregadores de sua “irmã maior” (o contrário é impossível devido ao tamanho dos carregadores da PT 640). É a pistola preferida entre as mulheres policiais. Assim como a PT 24/7, também existe uma versão civil para a PT 640, com a adição de trava de gatilho.

    TRANSLATION:
    It was adopted by various police agencies in Brazil, especially the Military Police, Civil and Scientific São Paulo, for personal possession and operating its agents…The PT 640 is currently the smallest and lightest pistol manufactured for the Brazilian state police. Considered a smaller version of the popular Taurus PT 24 / 7, the Taurus PT 640 can use the same chargers as its “big sister” (the opposite is impossible due to the size of boots EN 640). It is the gun of choice among women police officers. As PT 24 / 7, there is also a civilian version for PT 640, with the addition of a trigger lock.

16. So far, nothing beats my Raging Judge Magnum.
    This weapon has a 3″ cylinder and a 3″ barrel and weighs almost 4lbs fully loaded and that solid stainless steel weight makes all recoil/rise as easy to handle as shooting a 9mm. The pistol grip is also a custom soft foam with a hard rubber strip that seats perfectly with your palm and gets rid of painful kickback issues. The fiber optic sight works very well, even in low light. With the versatility of ammo loads that this weapon offers, you can have the ability to respond to any threat with the force required to keep you safe. This revolver holds 6 rounds and will shoot any 2 1/2″ or 3″ 410. shotgun shell, 45.cal longcolt, or 454 casull rounds up to 300 grains. I like to change the loads depending on where I am or will be going. If you live in the inner city (like me) I like to keep my 1st round 3″ 410. PDX1 so the shotgun round won’t go through my house and kill an innocent person outside or in the next house over. My second round is a 45.cal longcolt 255 grain hollow point, if it is even needed. Third, fourth, and fifth rounds go shotgun – longcolt – shotgun, and a 454 casull 300 grain hollow point for my last round so there is never any doubt that you just fired your last shot! I have fired almost every single handgun caliber there is and NOTHING beats a 454 casull round. They are extremely accurate, use high quality propellants so there is minimal smoke clouds from firing, and once you start shooting these rounds you will know without a doubt why they are used to hunt grizzlies & moose! The Raging Judge Magnum also comes in a 6″ barrel length for serious hunters who want to mount a scope or whatever to the built in rails. The power, versatility, and FEAR this weapon projects makes it the best handgun I have ever owned. At 10 yards I put all 6 rounds with-in the head of the badguy on the target and I kept it for proof as that was the best I have ever shot!
    As a last tip to all the gun lovers out there I will share this tid-bit, an all stainless steel handgun can be made to shine like chrome if you use some MOTHER’S POLISH and a dremel!

    • Hmm, I thought I was reading a thread about a Taurus PT640 .40
      …Maybe I’m just going crazy again…

      • LOL

17. Bought this gun on Black Friday from Academy for $289.99. I have never owned a Taurus Semi Automatic pistol, so for the price, I thought it was a good test for the 40 caliber which I have never owned before. After shooting 100 rounds of Monarch (50 FMJ and 50 JHP), I had no FTE or FTF. Pistol worked flawlessly. I have average sized hands and this pistol fit great in my hands. Out of the box, I hit the target at 21 feet all within 5 inch groupings. I am average at best as a pistol shooter. I know that Taurus has had a reputation in the past of some problems and as with any gun there will be problems and lemons. However, for the money, this gun is a great value and was a surprise as to the quality of its performance. I do not regret this purchase.

18. Interesting to see a review of a gun made by a local company featured in a gun blog I read.
    If you ever need help translating something from Pt-Br again, drop me an e-mail and I´ll be happy to help.

    • Thank you sir.

19. Personally, I would never own a Taurus firearm. I have friends who own and have “owned” them with very inconsistent results. They do not seem to have consistency within their manufacturing process. Perhaps the Brazilians need to embrace Six Sigma.

    In addition, Taurus firearms, specifically pistols, aren’t necessarily the bargain that they used to be. I’d rather spend another $50 – $100 and buy a Ruger, Glock, CZ, Sig Sauer (P250, P2022), or S&W M&P, than any Taurus pistol. From what I’ve read and heard directly from other gun owners, Taurus firearms are the most expensive “cheap” firearms that money can buy. (I know one gun dealer in Florida that won’t carry them because of customer complaints and returns.)

    • So. What happens if you don’t have the extra $50-$100 and are wanting to get something for protection in the house NOW!!. Then what? Hey. To each his own. I would buy what I could get for now, to keep me protected until I could afford something else. I could always use the first purchase for trade-in allowence of somekind. When I was looking for my first handgun to purchase for home defense,I almost bought a Hi-Point based on price, just because I wanted something quickly. But I waited another couple of months until I could purchase my Taurus. In my case I was lucky enough not to have anything happen during those extra couple of months. But that may not always be the case. The best gun for self defense is the one you have;not the one your “saving up for”,but don’t have yet. Think about it.

20. Folks…I own two Taurus firearms. A PT 24\7 Pro 9mm. I have had absolutely no problems at all. I shoot all types of ammo with it (the cheaper the better). I too purchase the PT640 on Black Friday. I have shot 300 rounds through it so far. Sorry to tell you Taurus haters …again have not had a issue. Bought the mags through Cabela’s and although I have not tried them yet, I do get the click when I bump the bottom of the mag (will file them more than likely though). We all have our opinions I suppose… I own two Taurus pistols…I like them just fine…again I can say that because I own them.

    • Well put! There’s nothing anyone can say about that 🙂

21. I own a couple Taurus handguns (709 and 24/7 Pro 9 MM) and absolutely love them. Never understood why ppl hate on them so much. I own many different pistols (XD 40, G26, Springfield 1911, etc) and the Taurus suits me very well. Not sure what it is about them, but they’re so smooth and reliable.

22. I’m curious why the weight you report (24 oz.) is so much greater than what Taurus lists for the PT140 (18.7 oz.). Thats nearly 1/3 of a lb. The only visible difference I can see is the rail.

23. I own a Taurus 1911 (pre-owned) and a PT92 (pre-owned). Both were purchased b/c I would rather spend the extra $ on ammo and range time. I’ve been very happy with both and have about 1500 rds through both. Less than 5 fte/ftf events between the two. The 1911 is one of my favorites and I like that Taurus has the vision to fit most of their pistols with ambi-safeties to meet the needs of southpaws like me. The M640 looks very enticing, but I haven’t found a C/C firearm I like better than my Bersa Thunder .45. I guess I like cheap/reliable.

24. I wish you could post some pictures of how exactly you filed down the 24/7 compact magazines. I just bought a couple from Cabela’s website. I noticed that there’s a little gap between the base of the magazine and the hand grip. Did the filing also help close that gap?

    Please post some pictures. Other than that, great review. I got this gun black friday of 2011 and love it. I had issues with it as soon as I got it. I kept getting failures to feed, so I sent it in (great support btw) and they found that the barrel wasn’t aligned properly. When I received it, I took it back to the range over and over again and have not had a single failure to feed.

    Again, please post how you filed the 24/7 compact magazines.

25. I was wondering about how one changed their 640 from single to double action. I lost my owners manual but don’t really remember that being in there.so if you can help a newby out that would be great thank you

    • ??

26. Taurus has horrible customer service, the Miami bunch will just run you around and lie to you if you have to send one back. They kept a brand new out of the box PT845 for 3 months running me around before I finally had enough and told them to send it back broken. After a yelling match with a A hole supervisor another supervisor called me back and said they would send a new replacement. Upon getting the replacement I promptly sold it at a loss and said never again with Taurus. YMMV but in comparison Glock takes back their guns, rebuilds them for free, and ships them back within a week. That 100.00 savings on a Taurus just isnt worth it.

27. I can tell you that I will never buy another Taurus firearm , that lifetime warranty they have isn’t worth the words it is written in , I sent back a Model 80 , .38 Special that I bought about 20 years ago , it had gone out of time , I called to check on its repair status and was told they couldn’t repair it but could offer to sell me an updated version for $ 200.00 , well I thought that the repair policy states that if it can’t be repaired they would send you another firearm to replace it , so much for the lifetime warranty , so if I were ya’ll I would take my business elsewhere since they won’t honor their own warranty . Be prepared and ready . Keep your powder dry .

28. Oh ,I told them to keep the old gun as I didn’t need a paperweight . BPAR . KYPD .

29. Heard from Taurus today , they are going to replace my firearm . BPAR. kYPD.

30. All these Taurus semi auto striker fired polymer guns from 2000-2013 are JUNK. Taurus just agreed to a 39 million dollar settlement because they can go off if dropped. That includes the 640 in this test from years ago. If you own a PT series Millenium or any striker fired Taurus from 2000- 2013 you should carry it unchambered to be safe. Taurus avoided a recall with this “settlement” and is only paying 200.00 for their junk guns, with no word if that includes picking it up or if you have to spend 65.00 to ship it. AVOID THESE TAURUS PAPERWEIGHTS!

31. Armas de fogo , e acessórios em geral .

    http://vendoarmasdefogo.net/
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32. You’re an extremely beneficial website; couldn’t make it without ya!

33. How do I order this gun?

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