• Taurus 180 Curve pocket pistol

Taurus 180 Curve pocket pistol

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Taurus 180 Curve pocket pistol

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The Taurus 180 "Curve" pocket-size, concealed carry pistol in .380 ACP boosts a most unconventional design... but not without reason

Taurus 180 Curve: the oddest design in the history of concealed carry pistols?

Taurus 180 Curve: the oddest design in the history of concealed carry pistols?

The Taurus 180 Curve pocket pistol – manufactured in the United States by Taurus International Manufacturing, the north American branch of the Brazilian Forjas Taurus conglomerate – is by far the oddest entry in the field of concealed carry pistols in years.

First impact aside, however, the Taurus 180 Curve was not designed to be a crazy, fancy one-of-a-kind product. More pragmatically, Taurus designers and engineers were tasked to come out with an innovative subcompact pocket pistol that would be easily and comfortably carried in a pocket or a purse, featuring a red light laser sight and a set of emergency LED lights, and a design that would comfortably adapt to the natural curves of the human body (hence the monicker, "Curve") for a comfortable grip and a printless carry in most situations.

What you see here is the cosmetic outcome of the project. As odd as it may look like, it's perfectly in line with the original goals of the Taurus designers.

Right side of the Taurus Curve

Right side of the Taurus Curve

The Taurus Curve as seen from the left side

The Taurus Curve as seen from the left side

The Taurus 180 Curve pistol is sold in a bright orange box

The Taurus 180 Curve pistol is sold in a bright orange box

Skilled shooters and experts of defensive pistols may not like the design at all, so let's be clear about it right from the get go and save your and our time as well: the Taurus 180 Curve pistol was NOT conceived for expert shooters but for the unskilled first-time buyers who would approach the defensive pistols market unbiased looking for a deep concealment pistol to be carried in a pocket or a purse like a smartphone.

The Taurus 180 Curve is a straight blowback-operated, double-action only semi-automatic pistol that does without the ubiquitous striker-fired system, opting for a standard hammer-fired design akin to that of a revolver – quite an advantage for a purely defense-oriented design: a true "point-and-click" design, the Taurus Curve pistol offers second-strike capabilities without the need of racking the slide in case of a failure.

The Taurus Curve is chambered for the .380 ACP round – a caliber that could be considered underpowered nowadays, particularly if compared with the ballistic performance of other entries on the market, but on the other hand offering low recoil and decent accuracy, and acceptable stopping power with the right loads
If you live in a jurisdiction where the use of frangible or expanding ammunition for personal defense is forbidden, our suggestion is to give a try to the .380 Auto Fiocchi Black Mamba 85-grains loads.

The built-in clip allows holster-less pocket or IWB carry

The built-in clip allows holster-less pocket or IWB carry

The Taurus Security System will lock the gun, making it impossible to use, for secure storage

The Taurus Security System will lock the gun, making it impossible to use, for secure storage

A close-up of the pinching surface to press on in order to release the magazine

A close-up of the pinching surface to press on in order to release the magazine

A slip-proof surface on the grip backstrap helps provide a solid gripping in most circumstances

A slip-proof surface on the grip backstrap helps provide a solid gripping in most circumstances

The six-shots, single-stack magazine is manufactured in the U.S., and the outer finish is not exactly "premier"...

The six-shots, single-stack magazine is manufactured in the U.S., and the outer finish is not exactly "premier"...

The Taurus Curve feeds through single-stack metal magazines offering a capacity of six rounds overall – plus a seventh round in chamber. The polymer magazine base features two buttons on the sides that must be squeezed together with the thumb and finger to remove the magazine from the grip for reloading.

Just like a 1911 derivative, the Taurus Curve features a magazine disconnect system: the gun will not fire with the magazine out, even if there is a round in chamber. Also featured is the Taurus Security System, or TSS: a signature feature of all Taurus pistols and revolvers ever since 1997, the TSS allows the Curve to be "locked" and made inert through an issued key for increased safety when the gun is stored.

The rounded, snag-proof slide of the Taurus Curve pistol is machined out of carbon steel and features a black Tenox finish, rear serrations, and a loaded chamber indicator on top.

No standard iron sights are issued: three white notches on the rear of the slide constitute what the Taurus company dubs as the "Bore axis sighting system", allowing quick instinctive alignment on targets at close range.

Seen from the front, this small Taurus pistol is definitely... curved

Seen from the front, this small Taurus pistol is definitely... curved

The Taurus Curve comes without iron sights: a white cross allows the user to align the bore axis with the intended target

The Taurus Curve comes without iron sights: a white cross allows the user to align the bore axis with the intended target

The slide of the Taurus 180 Curve pistol, held open

The slide of the Taurus 180 Curve pistol, held open

The Taurus 180 Curve comes with a highly visible and tactile loaded chamber indicator

The Taurus 180 Curve comes with a highly visible and tactile loaded chamber indicator

A close-up of the slant muzzle of the Taurus 180 Curve pistol

A close-up of the slant muzzle of the Taurus 180 Curve pistol

A small, flat-headed tool is required to disassemble the Taurus Curve: with the gun unloaded and the slide held open, the tool is necessary to remove the passing pin that keeps the slide and frame together. Once it's done, the slide can be removed for cleaning and maintenance.

The Taurus Curve features a chrome-lined, cold-hammer forged, 2.7" barrel offering a higher level of accuracy than expected: the authoritative American Rifleman magazine, published in the United States by the NRAtest-fired the Taurus Curve pistol in September 2015 and reported groups ranging between 1.15" (2.9 cm) and 2.05" (5.2 cm) at 7 yards with 90-grains and 95-grains commercial loads. An overall acceptable performance, after all, particularly for a gun that's meant to hit a center-mass target at ranges of about 5 metres.

The Taurus Curve strips by removing a single cross pin that holds the slide group on to the frame

The Taurus Curve strips by removing a single cross pin that holds the slide group on to the frame

The frame is definitely the most distinctive feature of the Taurus Curve pistol. The inner structure is straight, and manufactured out of aluminum – that's where the trigger group is installed and where the slide rides. The outer black polymer shell is instead markedly curved to the right.

The intentions of the Taurus designers was to match the natural curve of human hips; as such, the Taurus Curve pistol features a metal belt clip affixed to the frame through a set of Allen screws, allowing the pistol to be carried without a holster in a IWB condition with minimal or no printing even when wearing light summer clothes.

The Taurus 180 Curve pistol, field-stripped

The Taurus 180 Curve pistol, field-stripped

The barrel of the Taurus Curve is just under 7 centimetres in length

The barrel of the Taurus Curve is just under 7 centimetres in length

A close-up of the double return spring

A close-up of the double return spring

A detail of the frame, with the slide partially removed from its rails

A detail of the frame, with the slide partially removed from its rails

The Taurus 180 Curve features a Viridian laser designator and a double 25-Lumens led light

The Taurus 180 Curve features a Viridian laser designator and a double 25-Lumens led light

A rigid plastic trigger shield, also featuring a lanyard, is also issued with each Taurus Curve to provide an additional level of protection – particularly for pocket, pouch, or handbag carry.

The front portion of the frame integrates a sighting module manufactured initially by LaserLyte and currently by Viridian: a red- or green-light Class IIIA laser emitter and two twin 25-lumen white LEDs provide quick instinctive aiming capabilities by day or night, particularly in confined spaces. The laser module is activated through a button located on the right side, at easy index reach.

The laser designator is powered by a single battery, whose seat is located in front of the frame, just under the muzzle. Two small screws located respectively under the frame and on the left side allow for the laser beam to be zeroed; a small hex key is issued from factory with every pistol.

The activation button for the target designator is found on the front right portion of the frame

The activation button for the target designator is found on the front right portion of the frame

The battery seat for the target designator is located under the muzzle

The battery seat for the target designator is located under the muzzle

A small set screw allows adjustment of the red dot laser sight

A small set screw allows adjustment of the red dot laser sight

The design of the Taurus 180 Curve pistol is definitely unusual, but by no means a nonsense

The design of the Taurus 180 Curve pistol is definitely unusual, but by no means a nonsense

The Taurus 180 Curve pistol is by no means a conventional design; if anything, instead, it is a radical approach to the typical printing issues posed by concealed carry pistols. Other than that (and specifically in Europe, where concealed carry licenses are harder to obtain than in the United States), the Taurus 180 Curve is a niche design, for a niche market. It may be a sign of tendencies to come, but so far, it may not meet everybody's tastes, so... buyer beware!

And yet, after handling and trying it out extensively, we at GUNSweek.com can safely say that this small and odd pistol has some very solid reasons to be: it's an extra-compact handgun, with integrated LEDs and laser sight, and being conceived to provide an innovative approach to full concealment needs under any condition, the results couldn't be far from what you see pictured here. As exotic as it may seem, it delivers exactly what it promises: deep concealment capabilities and effectiveness in engaging threats in extreme close quarters. Under that point of view, the Taurus 180 Curve is definitely a pass.

The Taurus 180 Curve is issued with a synthetic trigger cover

The Taurus 180 Curve is issued with a synthetic trigger cover

The trigger cover is pressure-released and wraps around the trigger guard

The trigger cover is pressure-released and wraps around the trigger guard

Taurus 180 Curve - Technical specs

Model

180-CRV "Curve"

Typology

Semi-automatic pistol

Caliber

.380 ACP

Action

Straight blowback operation

Trigger system

Double-action, hammer-fired

Safeties

Magazine disconnector, Taurus Security System

Capacity

6+1 rounds in single-stack magazine

Barrel

69 mm / 2.7"
Cold-hammer forged, 6 RH grooves, 1 twist in 16"

Sights

Bore axis sighting system
Class IIIA laser sight and two 25-lumen LEDs integrated

Overall length

131 mm / 5.2"

Weight (empty)

290 grams / 13 oz.

Materials / Finishes

Tenox black steel slide, chromed steel barrel, aluminum frame insert, black polymer frame

Price

Consult your dealer for local availability and pricing

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Taurus 180 Curve pocket pistol