In our latest "I Carry" segment, American Rifleman Executive Editor Jay Grazio pairs the new Taurus TX9 Compact with a leather Stow-N-Go holster from Galco, Inc. This compact, concealed-carry kit is rounded out with an Xolotl automatic knife produced by CRKT. Watch our full segment above to see all the details of this gun-and-gear combination.
"We've got the compact model here. It's in between. There's a full size, and there's a subcompact. We went with middle of the road," Grazio said. "The Compact is a very familiar size. There's a 4-inch barrel. There's a 15-round magazine. Sounds a lot like, well, a certain other Austrian pistol, doesn't it? But it's a good gun in its own right."
The Taurus TX9 Compact is outfitted with Glock-pattern sights, along with the company's T.O.R.O optics-mounting system, which accommodates several mounting plates that allow for the attachment of most red-dot optics footprints. A Picatinny accessory rail allows for the attachment of accessories, and for controls, bilateral slide-stop levers make the pistol accessible to both left- and right-handed shooters. The single-sided, push-button magazine release is also reversible. Suggested retail pricing on the TX9 Compact is $499.
"To carry the TX9 Compact, we've opted for Galco’s Masterbilt Stow-N-Go, and the Stow-N-Go holster is really good," Grazio said. "I like to refer to them as 'grab-and-go' type holsters. It's a very simple clip on the back. You can grab it, you can put it on the belt quickly. You can take it off the belt quickly. The easier it is to get ready, the more likely you are to actually have it with you."
As part of Galco's Masterbilt line of holsters, the Stow-N-Go is constructed using premium leather. The polymer belt clip is open at the bottom, allowing for easy attachment onto belts up to 1.5 inches in width. The interior of the holster body has smooth leather to reduce friction, speeding up draw time and allowing for seamless reholstering. Suggested retail pricing on Galco's Masterbilt Stow-N-Go line of holsters starts at $139.
"Rounding out today's kit, we have the Xolotl from CRKT. This is a really nice, out-the-front automatic knife with a spear point blade," Grazio said. "It's MagnaCut steel, very sharp. Be careful. The pocket clip can be swapped to either side. Not quite as big of a deal with an automatic because, by nature, the buttons are ambidextrous for right- or left-handed folks."
The CRKT Xolotl has a blade length of 3.5 inches and an overall length of 8.88 inches when deployed. The aluminum handle measures 5.31 inches, and the design weighs 3.2 ounces. The CRKT Xolotl retails for a suggested MSRP of $325.
