America is currently going through some particularly difficult times. On the one hand, we’re dealing with the highest rate of inflation that we’ve seen in decades which is hitting Americans hard in the pocketbooks. On the other hand, crime is soaring due to a number of factors (including the inflation and sagging economy which are almost certainly making crime worse).

What’s a law-abiding American to do?

Answer: Look for the best value in your gun purchases (because you know that you need another one to keep you and your family safe).

Of course, a number of manufacturers offer budget-friendly pistols, but not all inexpensive pistols are worth buying. After all, that’s why the phrase “you get what you pay for” is, often, true.

One manufacturer, though, has been working hard over the last several years to change that perception in the minds of gun buyers, and they’ve come so far as to have one of their pistols rated as the “Best Value (Centerfire)” pistol currently available: the Taurus GX4. Richard Mann writes,

If you like the way a Glock looks and feels in your hand, you’ll like the Taurus GX4. It is a polymer-framed, striker-fired pistol, with a passive trigger safety, and a removable slide plate for optics mounting. At only 6 inches long and 4.4 inches high, it is an amazingly compact, and lightweight pistol. However, with its easy-to-see sights, it was very manageable on all the practical drills and scored fourth place overall in that category. Stacked up against all the other handguns in the test, this pistol ranked third, and had a best-of-the-test score of 4.64 points out of 5 on the value scale. We experienced no stoppages with the GX4.

The GX4 has a reversible magazine release and comes with two 11-round magazines with a much-appreciated extended base plate. An additional backstrap is supplied to help you adjust the grip to fit your hand. The slide stop is of minimal proportions to prevent accidental engagement, but is positioned well enough for thumb control if that’s how you like to release the slide. The rear sight is smartly devoid of unnecessary dots and the front sight has a white dot. The pistol disassembles easily enough, but a flat-blade screwdriver is required. This was the one feature our test group did not like.

You can see the GX4 in action in the video below.

A budget pistol favorably compared to Glocks? That’s likely to appeal to many long-time gun owners.

So, if you’re a Glock fan who is in the market for a new pistol but want to save some money, then, the Taurus GX4 may be a pistol worth considering.