Selected Handgun Detail

Manufacturer
	Fratelli Tanfoglio S.R.L. More Info

About the Gun

Built on a steel frame with an open-top slide and simple fixed sights this compact pistol targeted the growing demand for affordable, easily concealed pocket handguns. Widely exported to the US before 1968 import restrictions, it appeared under multiple importer brands including Titan (EIG and early FIE), Targa (Excam), and occasionally as the GT27 itself, establishing it as a classic European budget defensive option.

Production

Production of this specific firearm began in the early 1960s and continued through the 1980s.

Market value

Originally retailed in the 1960s for around $20–$30. Current market value for a model in 95% condition is $175–$250.

Cartridge Specifications
Cartridge:	.25 Automatic
Alias:	6.35mm Browning
More Info

Analysis

While the Tanfoglio GT27's steel-frame construction offers superior durability compared to later zinc-alloy hybrids, modern shooters rarely seek it as a primary carry option. The .25 ACP cartridge's marginal stopping power has been eclipsed by compact 9mm and .380 ACP micros from Ruger, Sig Sauer, and Smith & Wesson, which provide far greater terminal performance in similarly sized packages. Today's interest in the GT27 is almost exclusively collector-driven—early Italian-made examples with clean markings command modest premiums on the used market for their historical role in the pre-GCA import era and as well-built representatives of classic European pocket pistols. Functional shooters occasionally use them for plinking or training due to low recoil and cheap ammunition, but they remain niche curiosities rather than practical defensive tools.