Taurus is a Brazilian gun maker best known in the U.S. for affordable pistols and revolvers. It began as a tool forge in 1939 and grew into one of the largest handgun makers in the world, with a major U.S. factory in Georgia.
Company at a glance
| Founded | November 17, 1939, Porto Alegre, Brazil, as Forjas Taurus |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | São Leopoldo, Brazil (global); Bainbridge, Georgia (U.S.) |
| Ownership | Taurus Armas S.A., public on Brazil’s B3 exchange, controlled by CBC (Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos) |
| U.S. company | Taurus Holdings, Inc., which also runs the Rossi and Heritage brands |
| Status | In operation |
Locations and moves
Taurus opened its U.S. arm in Miami in 1982 and moved U.S. operations to a new 200,000 square foot plant in Bainbridge, Georgia in 2019. In 2025 it began shifting its main G-series assembly line for the U.S. market from Brazil to Georgia, in response to U.S. tariffs on Brazilian goods.
- São Leopoldo, Brazil: main factory
- Bainbridge, Georgia: U.S. plant
- Hisar, India: JD Taurus joint-venture plant, producing since 2024
Timeline
- 1939 Founded as a forging plant in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
- 1941 First revolver.
- 1968 Begins exporting revolvers to the United States.
- 1980 Buys Beretta’s São Paulo plant, the start of the PT92 line.
- 1982 Taurus Holdings formed in Miami, Florida.
- 1997 Acquires the rights to Rossi revolvers.
- 2015 CBC takes control. A class-action settlement and recall covers older pistols.
- 2019 Renamed Taurus Armas S.A. Bainbridge, Georgia plant opens.
- 2024 JD Taurus plant in India starts production.
- 2025 Begins moving G-series assembly for the U.S. market to Georgia.
Major pistols
| Model | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| G2C, G3, G3C | Striker-fired 9mm | Budget favorites for carry and home |
| GX4 | Striker-fired 9mm | Micro-compact, introduced 2021 |
| TX22 | Rimfire .22 | 2019 Handgun of the Year |
| PT92 | Hammer-fired 9mm | Beretta 92-derived design |
| 1911 | Single action | Classic steel 1911 |
| TX9 | Striker-fired 9mm | Duty pistol shown in 2026 |
| Millennium series | Striker-fired | Older line, replaced by the G series |
Also makes: revolvers (Judge, Raging Bull, 856) plus Rossi and Heritage firearms.
Important people
- Salesio Nuhs: Global CEO since December 2017
- Bret Vorhees: President and CEO of Taurus Holdings, Inc. since 2020
Notable events
- Buying Beretta’s Brazilian factory in 1980 gave Taurus the basis for its PT92 pistols.
- In 2015 Taurus settled a class action of about $39 million and recalled nearly one million pistols made from 1997 to 2013, including the Millennium series.
- The Bainbridge plant was built to roughly double U.S. capacity.
- The TX22 was named Handgun of the Year for 2019.
See also the Taurus PT111 Millennium G2.
Videos
More makers: Pistol Brands · New to pistols? Start with Where to Start.
Company details change. Information current as of October 2026.