Product Review: Taurus TX22 Compact Riton Optic (October 2023)

With the holidays just around the corner, I decided to get my wife a 22LR pistol for our range days.  After careful consideration of several pistols prioritizing shootability and reliability, I decided on a Taurus TX22 Compact with a Riton red dot optic, a new model for 2023.  Taurus was also running a “Gear Up for Fall Rebate” promo which included a Taurus branded tactical range case and 3 additional magazines.  For $389.99 at Sportsman’s Warehouse,  I purchased the pistol and dot configuration which also included 2 magazines.  With the rebate deal, this was an absolute steal since the rebate goodies total retail value is well over $100.   Apparently Taurus is known for their rebate programs so definitely wait for one if you are looking for a Taurus.

Taurus released the original TX22 in 2019 followed by a competition version in 2021.  These full size, affordable pistols earned their popularity from their reliability, a feat which is hard to accomplish for rimfire pistols.  In 2023, the red dot ready Compact version was released, with similar styling to the larger sized TX22, but with lightening cuts into the slide to offset the weight of a red dot.  Barrel length is reduced from 4.1″ to 3.6″, and magazine capacity is reduced from 16 rounds to 13 rounds from the regular TX22.   The TX22 Compact has an optics footprint for the Shield RMSc and Holosun K optics.

The Riton Optic that came with the TX22 Compact is a 3 MOA dot with shake awake, auto brightness, and auto shutoff.  Unfortunately it has no brightness settings, but I’ve found it easy to shoot on sunny days outdoors.  The optic isn’t particularly special, but more than adequate for its price point.  The deficiencies are worth noting however.  First of all the windage and elevation screws are advertised as 1 MOA but are neither tactile or audible.  The battery is located beneath the optic without a cover, so re-zeroing might be needed after battery replacement.  Also, if a company is going to pair a red dot with their pistol, it should have some kind of cowitness with the factory iron sights.  This installation is effectively a “no-witness”.   There is kind of a rear notch built into the Riton red dot, but the factory iron sights are completely obscured by the height of the dot.  My final complaint about the red dot is not the red dot itself, but rather the installation from the factory.  After about 50 rounds or so, I noticed that the dot would intermittently turn off.  I realized that the dot was not mounted with any type of loctite, so the mounting screws were backing out, and lack of a battery cover would cause the dot to shut off.  This was an easy fix, but if this is sold with the dot installed, it should be installed properly, or else state to loctite it prior to shooting in the manual.