Taurus 638 Pro Compact

Handgun review photo: Left-side thumbnail of 638 Pro Compact.Editor’s Rating: 8.0/10

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Summary: Paul Markel’s review of and rating for the Taurus 638 Pro Compact pistol, including a description, range report, photos, pricing, specs and user ratings. (Click here to see all of Markel’s handgun reviews.)

Editor’s Review

Taurus 638 Pro Compact slide photo
The stainless slide.

Recently I was able get a first look at new .380 ACP pistol from Taurus, the 638 Pro Compact, which had just arrived in the United States from the company’s Brazilian manufacturing facility. A media event was arranged as a joint venture between Winchester Ammunition and Taurus. At Winchester’s pistol range, a number of firearms media folks were given the opportunity to test and evaluate several new offerings from both companies.

The 638 is a bit of a departure from the current crop of subcompact/pocket guns, and I must admit I was taken with the new Taurus pistol.

The Details

blue slide photo
The blued slide.

The 638 is just a bit smaller than a Glock 19. It’s  built on a black polymer frame the same size as that found under the Taurus 609TI Pro. The steel slide is available finished in blue or stainless.

The 638 employs a single-action trigger. The firing pin is pre-staged when you chamber a round. Pressing the trigger completes the cocking process and releases the striker/firing-pin.

In addition to the safety-lever on the trigger, Taurus has included an ambidextrous manual thumb safety located on the frame. The Taurus Security System is also built into the slide and activated with a special key.

A dual-column magazine feeds the gun and brings the capacity to a full 15+1 rounds. (You can get 10-round magazines for your pistol in the future.) The frame has a light/accessory rail, but it’s a compact version similar to that found on the Springfield XD compact. Taurus has molded checkering into the front and backstrap of the frame.

Taurus 638 Pro Compact left side photo
The 638 Pro Compact with the stainless slide, from the left.

The sights on the pistol are the white three-dot variety and are adjustable. For my money I can do without three dots to look at. I’d rather have an easy-to-see front sight and a muted rear sight. Putting twice as much light-reflecting material on the rear sight versus the front makes no sense from the shooter’s perspective. This is particularly true if the gun in question is designed for personal protection, which the 638 seems to be.

Range Time

author shooting photo
The author sends rounds downrange with the 638.

Trying my best not to be a range hog, I took several turns testing out the 638. I ran the gun using two-hands, single handed and support hand only to test its reliability. I ran rapid-fire drills against paper targets, and then I moved on to a plate rack set out at 15 yards. After I figured out my hold, the plates stood little chance. As long at the shooter did his part, the pistol would put the rounds on target.
All told I fired somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 rounds of Winchester ammunition through the pistol during the couple of hours I had to work with the gun. I believe I experienced one or two stove-pipe stoppages during the first couple of magazines, which were immediately remedied with a tap and rack. Experience has taught me Taurus pistols like to have a break-in period, and I’d expect this one to be no different.

Felt recoil was very mild. The weight and size of the 638 are considerable for a .380 ACP pistol, but that is not necessarily a negative. For new shooters or any gun owner who is recoil sensitive due to age or physical limitation, the 638 is a very attractive personal-defense pistol.

Final thoughts: While I look forward to a longer, more thorough review, I was very pleased with my initial experience. The 638 is brand new and just now arriving on our shores.

Paul Markel photoPaul G. Markel became a United States Marine in 1987 and served his nation honorably during peace time and at war. Among the many hats he has worn in his career, Markel has been a police officer, professional bodyguard, firearms instructor and gun writer. Markel is the creative director and host of “Student of the Gun,” a weekly television show airing on the Sportsman Channel (www.studentofthegun.com). Visit his Web site at www.paulmarkel.com.

The Specs

Caliber Capacity OAL BBL Weight
.380 ACP 15+1 6.2″ 3.2″ 28 oz. (empty)

Pricing

MSRP: $483 (blued)
MSRP: $498 (stainless)

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10 thoughts on “Taurus 638 Pro Compact”

  1. very easy to shoot, accurate easy to field strip

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  2. Jaming paperweight good to hit some one over the head .Cleaned it 7 jams out of 30 shots tried differnt ammo took it to my gunsmith he said to send it back to taurus it has feed ramp problems they have stoped production . Dont bet your life on this P.O.S.

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  3. irving legagneur

    Great gun. 800+ rounds with no problems.

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  4. Awesome CCW choice!

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  5. Sweet gun, great CCW, accurate and reliable.

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  6. Mark Williams Sr

    Gun randomly jams often. slide recoil does not fully engage stove pipes every 2 to 3 shots.would not recommend anyone buy one.would make a great anchor for a toy boat. we had 3 other people shoot the gun and it did the same thing to them also.

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  7. Great gun! Put 300 rounds through it, including Liberty defense hollow points. NOT ONE JAM! No stove pipes, nothing! Can’t claim that with my S&W. Very easy to control, also… My daughter, who has never shot before, was hitting 14 out of 15 plates right off the bat. Used all factory ammo.. Maybe the people with jamming problems are using reloads?

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  8. Have no issues with mine after many rounds fired. I shoot mostly reloads with a 100 grain round nose plated bullet and a moderate powder charge.

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  9. nearly 1000 rounds and only jammed one single time on cheap Perfecta ammo from Walmart. My favorite carry gun now. I can shoot respectable groups shooting as fast as I can with this gun. And on the tactical range it was Outstanding. I put the Crimson Trace Defender Series for Glocks on it too, and it look awesome and works amazing on it also.

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  10. I love this gun, but am very disappointed that I can’t get more spare magazines. Taurus had discontinued it and stopped supporting it. I think this is a terrible way to run a company and led me to stop buying Taurus for fear of not being able to get parts for their other guns. How hard is it for them to make some magazines anyway?

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