Taurus' PT-709 Slim is a pistol designed from the outset as a backup or concealed-carry weapon. The Slim is chambered for the 9 mm round and holds seven in the clip plus one in the chamber, and measures in at six inches in length, making it an easily-concealable firearm. In order to keep your Slim clean -- or to perform repairs on the weapon itself -- you will need to know how to break it down into its individual parts. This can be done without the aid of any specialized tools.
Press the magazine release switch on the right side of the pistol and pull the magazine out of the grip.
Pull the slide back to open the firing chamber. Examine the chamber carefully to ensure there are no live rounds still loaded in the Slim.
Close the slide, then depress the two take-down buttons on the right and left sides of the pistol. These are located forward on the frame, in front of the trigger assembly. Hold the buttons down, then push the slide straight forward and off the Slim.
Turn the slide over and pull out the recoil spring assembly and the barrel, in that order.