One of the more notable recent introductions from Taurus USA is its RPC, a large-format pistol that fits squarely within the growing market of PDWs, or personal defense weapons. These arms are characterized by their pistol-caliber chambering and a format that is much larger than a traditional handgun while still remaining smaller than traditional defensive carbines. Watch our latest “Gun of the Week” video above to see the details.
“One of the really nice things about the RPC is that it is fully ambidextrous,” American Rifleman Executive Editor Jay Grazio said. “The slide release, safety, and magazine release are mirrored on both the right and left sides for whether you're right-handed or left-handed. The bolt handle can be swapped around to the other side.”
Chambered in 9 mm Luger, the Taurus RPC design first started life as a contract submission for Brazilian law-enforcement and military agencies, which were seeking a new compact submachine gun. The RPC is equipped with a 4.5-inch barrel, and with the Strike Industries FSA brace folded, the entire gun measures just 12.2 inches in length and 10.6 inches high with a magazine inserted.
“[It has a] threaded barrel, you want to put a suppressor on,” Grazio said. “It’s one of the really nice things about this platform as a PDW, a personal defense weapon, is even with a 9 mm suppressor on the end, it's still much shorter than a standard carbine. Of course, It is still a pistol.”
A flattop Picatinny rail makes it easy to mount optics or flip-up sights, and the design also makes use of a standard AR-15 pistol grip, allowing users to swap it out for any other AR grip on the market. The RPC features a short section of Picatinny rail at the rear of its receiver, allowing for the attachment of braces or stocks.
“It uses a 32-round magazine. Taurus ships it with two magazines,” Grazio said. “More are available through Taurus. They are proprietary, but they're not terribly expensive.”
For more details on the Taurus RPC, read our full review here.
