Anybody know the difference between the TM-9 and TM-9X models ?
Magazine compatibility ??

My TM9X came with 3 polished magazines.  I purchased two magazines I found online for an original TM9.  They are not polished and the witness holes do not match.  The magazines fit and feed just fine in the TM9X but do not always lock the slide to the rear.

As far as differences between the gun, I believe they are just cosmetic but I don't have an original to compare to.

For whats its worth, the TM9X is one of the most accurate 9mm's I have.  Despite the heavy "double action' trigger.   It's well made and the materials seem very high quality.  The grip fits my hand very well.  Best feature is the low bore axis.  Lower than Glock.  Recoil is almost straight back.

Btw....sights are Sig cut.

I can try to post some pics later if you're interested.

@AutumnFragrance

Here is a few pics.

Tara TM-9X with Gen 4 Glock 22.

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The slide is shorter than Glock, with a good beaver tail.  Very good recoil control.

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GEN 1 mags appear to be parkerized while X gen are polished.

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Gen 1 mag has different cut on top, front and rear, no other obvious physical difference except....

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Gen 1 mags are just a little bit shorter.

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Gen 1 mags lock and feed perfectly.  They don't always lock slide to rear when empty.

The gun itself is very high quality.  I'd compare fit, finish, material, and machining to H&K.  It will fit in some Glock holsters but not all.

Fit:  Safariland 6360
       Safariland 7377
       Blackhawk T Series

Fit but won't lock and secure:  Safariland 6733

Overall I'm happy with my Tara.  The trigger is long and heavy, like a double action revolver.  But its clean and smooth.  Doesnt affect accuracy at all, this gun shoots.  Reset is about half way and and positive.  And theres a restrike capability.  I don't plan on getting rid of it for any reason.

@HAGDADDY

Thanks for the informative post. I appreciate the work you put into that with the pictures.

I am probably going to try to pick up one of the original TM9 pistols while they are going so cheap. Don't need one, but I think it might be an interesting thing to experience and see how it works for myself.

Centerfire systems has these for like $189. Gonna order one tonight I think. I like odd guns and DAO action does not bother me.

They sent me an email a few days ago saying they had less than 100 left. I am going to a gun show this weekend. Depending on whether I find something else to waste $200 on, I may order one next week if they are still there. I happen to like DAO guns and this thing is just odd enough to fit nicely in my collection.

I'd really like to find someone that will mill the slide for optics.  Love this gun but I'm pretty sold on red dots now.

Mine has already shipped, grabbed an extra mag, I will have three for it. Should get it next week.

I ordered one yesterday, so maybe I will have it to take to the range this weekend. The Gen 1 models Centerfire is selling are supposed to be somewhat less than stellar in functioning, but I see that as a challenge.


ETA: just delivered to my FFL. I will stop and pick it up on the way home from work tomorrow, so I should have it for this weekend.

Mine came in and Pistol looks in great shape. Seems to function just fine. Cleaned it and going to the range this afternoon.

Need pics boys!

Picked mine up yesterday. Total with shipping was $205.

The DAO trigger on this Gen 1 model does not seem bad at all, at least not as bad as some of the crybabies in the videos I watched were making it out to be. But then they were all probably used to single SA or striker fired systems or something. The first pull on my digital gauge measured just over 7 pounds, then it started going down after the initial pulls.

Centerfire list these as used guns. I think some of that maybe has to do with the fact that they kept some of the mags each gun shipped with from Montenegro to sell as spares, and Tara wil not warranty anything on them if you dare to use real ammo, per the statement on their website:
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The gun looks to be in new shape. Came with a soft case and owners manual.
Bright 3 dot sights - my old eyes will like that.
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Takedown is easy. Reminds me of a modern Sig. Just pull the side back, rotate the lever down.
Slide locks back on an empty mag. 2 Mags it came with hold 17 rounds each.
The overall size of the gun is identical to my Glock 17.


I will take this to the range tomorrow morning to see how it does. With real ammo.
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Looks to desperately need a stipple job or tractiongrips

Took this gun to the range Saturday morning. First magazine I ran clean through with no issues using 115 grain ball ammo. Ran into 3 incidents Saturday morning where the slide locked open on a non-empty magazine. A simple tap on the back put it back into gear and going again.
Ejection seemed sort of anemic with lots of brass right in my face or on top of my head, but that was not really an issue. The DAO trigger was a lot easier to use than I had been lead to believe by some Youtube videos, but then I have at least a dozen DAO guns and those type of triggers do not bother me.
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The sights were good enough to allow my old eyes to do this at 7 yards when firing fairly rapidly..
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I will take it back to the range a few more times in the coming months and maybe try different ammo types depending on what I can find, other than the 115 grain and 124 grain ball used Saturday.

Nice range report. Taking mine out today. Did not make it to the range last week

Got out to the range today. Seems reasonable accurate out to 12 yards.

First 50 rounds

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Ejection pattern is weak and straight up. I had frequent failures due to the slide locking open with rounds still in magazine.

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Last 50 rounds of 100 fired.

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The slide stop spring seems really weak. I may try and see if a glock 17 slide lock lever fits. That or just take it out all together.


For $200 I like it. Shoots a lot better than my 10mm Hi point, lol.

That video got me interested in them. His sucks, mine seems descent so far.

Same here. Even the fact that his sucked so much is part of what sold it to me. I was a little disappointed mine worked as well as it did. I thought I might have a problem child to figure out, but the last mag I fired went straight out of the gun with no issues.
There's still time for it to screw up. I am not finished with it yet

Gonna hit the range again tomorrow and secure the slide stop down. I think it is bouncing under recoil since the spring is so weak. See if it eliminates that issue, if it does then the slide stop will get pulled out of the gun.

A little duck tape holding the slide stop down and I fired 50 rounds with zero malfunctions.

I will try the same on the next range trip. Thanks!

Just a little update. I ordered a glock 17 spring and metal guiderod and installed it. Ran 100 rounds through it today. I had one stovepipe and one premature slide locking open with one round left in a mag. So two issues out of 100 rounds today. No idea why it worked better with a 17lb glock 17 spring/guiderod. Seemed to fix the issue with the week slide stop spring.

@pukindog

I will try the tape trick this weekend and if that works I will order the same parts. Thanks!

This is what I bought off ebay

Rod and spring

At the range today I took the slide off, put a piece of duct tape to hold the slide stop down, and no malfunctions through 4 magazines. That little trick makes this gun work well for the $205 I paid (including shipping), with the exception of not locking open on an empty mag.
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Glad it worked, enjoy.

Hi guys-

I am new here.  I saw this thread an wanted to contribute.

Disclaimer:  I do not advise anybody to shoot a pistol designed for rubber bullets.  Now that this is out of the way...

I have had both pistols for years, the TM-9 and TM-9X.  Yes, my TM-9 is on the "rubber bullet" list.

Almost nothing on them is interchangeable.  The gen 2 was a complete redesign, not cosmetic or aesthetic. The TM-9X (gen 2) is not the "tactical version", although there is such a version of the TM-9 outside the US that includes a threaded barrel and optic cut slide.  The springs are mostly (but not all) interchangeable between the gen 1 and 2, and with Gen 3 Glock.  But these are definitely NOT Glock clones, at all.  

If you have trouble with a gen 1 (TM-9), you most likely have weak springs.  

OEM Gen 3 Glock 17 pound recoil rod and spring works great.  Why?  Because it is exactly what it was designed for.  This will fix several problems, especially the failure to return to battery.  If you have a weak slide stop lever spring, the Gen 3 Glock spring will fit.  This will solve the random slide locking issue.  If you have nosediving/fail to feed, then use S&W M&P 17 round magazine springs, they are an exact match.  The 5.5 pound striker spring from a Gen 3 Glock also fits and will lighten the already good DA trigger if you want.

IMHO a 7.5 to 8 pound DS trigger is excellent compared to "wonder 9" 12 and 13 pound triggers.  And it is very smooth.  The SA pull is just as heavy but only about 2mm in length with a crisp break.

Simply put, the springs are often weak and even deformed.  That's the problem.  

The TM-9 uses a plastic guide rod, and the 9X uses stainless.  In addition the 9X uses a dual inner/outer spring arrangement.

I am running OEM Glock springs in my TM-9 and OEM Tara springs in my 9X.

Both of mine run excellent.  I consider them curios and range toys, I didn't get them to carry or defend my home.

Hi-

I noticed your follower sags.  In my experience if you replace your magazine spring with OEM from a S&W M&P 2.0 17rnd mag it will resolve reliability issues.   They look to be exact replacements.  If you open your mag I am very confident you will find the spring is not only weak, it is deformed.

Also, your slide stop lever spring is weak, that's why taping it worked.  The Glock spring will fit but I never see them separately available.  Just buy a lever since they are cheap and use the spring that comes with it.  It looks like the Glock lever might work but is slightly different so I have not tried one, I just used the spring.

The only thing I have found wrong with the TM-9 so far is weak springs.  Recoil, magazine, and slide stop springs are often bad.  The striker springs so far are OK.  The TM-9X is so far without flaws.

A knowledgeable friend suggested the weak springs were the accommodation for lower pressure rubber bullets.  I don't think so because they aren't just weak, they are deformed.  I think it was QC problem, either in-house or from a spring supplier.  I had a gunsmith with metallurgy and production experience examine my TM-9 and he said there is nothing about it that indicates it was not intended to fire something other than proper 9MM.

Please post if you change the slide stop spring, I am betting it will make a world of difference.  Same with mag springs.