Ruger RXM 9mm Semi-Automatic Pistol Review 

Ruger & Magpul Have Teamed Up To Create Their Version Of The Iconic 3rd Generation Glock 19 

In an interesting turn of events, Ruger just made a bit of a splash with its latest 9mm semi-automatic pistol—a clone of a Gen3 Glock 19. Ruger teamed up with Magpul to produce their interpretation of one of the most popular pistols ever produced. But while manufacturing its own version of the venerable G19, Ruger threw in a few upgrades of its own to show what can be done with the platform while still keeping the price at a very reasonable level for the average gun buyer. 

Meet the Ruger + Magpul RXM 

I know, right? Ruger is making a Glock 19 clone! Well, I should say Ruger and Magpul both since Magpul is manufacturing the EHG (Enhanced Handgun Grip) that’s mated with a slide and other components manufactured by Ruger. An interesting result of this collaboration is the use of Ruger’s new Fire Control Insert. Similar to the trigger chassis in a Sig P320, the FCI is the serialized component that’s recognized as the firearm. This means it can be swapped out from frame to frame without doing any additional paperwork with the feds. 

Presumably, this also means that there are probably other EHGs of different sizes and colors on the roadmap to be produced by Magpul as well. The EHG included with the RXM is offered in Stealth Gray and sports Magpul’s ¾-scale TSP texture that’s designed to be sticky in the grip without being too abrasive to skin or clothing during concealed carry. 

Other selling points of Magpul’s EHG are a low-profile flared magwell, a universal accessory rail, and extra relief behind the trigger guard and around the beavertail area. This extra relief affords the user a higher and more comfortable grip for better control during recoil. Magpul also manufactures the two double-stack, 15-round magazines that are shipped with each Ruger RXM, though Glock or Glock-pattern magazines should work as well. 

Ruger’s contribution to the mix, aside from the FCI, are all of the other parts such as the barrel, slide, recoil spring assembly, etc. Both the slide and barrel are made of alloy steel according to Ruger. I’m not a metallurgical engineer but that sounds a little redundant since steel of any type is always some sort of alloy, but either way, both are finished with a nitride treatment for excellent corrosion resistance. 

And while the RXM is a clone of a third-generation Glock 19, it still includes a few enhancements of its own to separate it from the crowd. First, the RXM ships with steel sights. That’s a big, big plus in its favor since Glock still ships even its standard, latest-generation pistols with plastic sights. Additionally, the RXM’s sights are suppressor-height to co-witness with an optic, and the front sight includes a tritium insert with a white outline for great visibility in all lighting conditions. 

The next upgrade is the RXM’s optics-mounting capability. Not only is the slide cut for mounting a red dot, but it’s also pre-drilled to match the footprints of the RMR, Deltapoint Pro, and Shield RMSc optics. That means you can mount one of your favorite red dots directly to the slide without the use of an adapter plate. That’s a more robust mounting solution with a better co-witness with the iron sights. 

Aside from those improvements, the slide includes a bit of machining for a little style, and it features both front and rear cocking serrations that aren’t overdone but still very functional. Up front, the nose of the slide sports beveled edges to facilitate ease and speed of re-holstering. The RXM wears a little beveling on both edges of the top of the slide as well for a cohesive and modern appearance. 

As you would expect, the RXM’s take-down is the same as a G19. Just remove the magazine, check to ensure there’s no bullet chambered, retract the slide slightly with one hand, and depress the takedown levers on both sides. Once that’s done, just pull the trigger to release the slide and then slide the upper assembly off the frame. This reveals the barrel and the captive recoil-spring assembly that can be easily plucked out for cleaning and maintenance. 

Range Report On The New Ruger  RXM 

A little range time was in order to get a feel for the RXM’s reliability, accuracy, and overall shootability with a variety of premium and range loads. I just happened to have an extra Trijicon RMR lying around, so after mounting it on the RXM, I hit the range with one of my shooting buddies, Daniel, to see what the RXM could do. 

The first order of business was doing some accuracy testing from the bench at 15 yards because of the RXM’s shorter, four-inch barrel. The RMR helped immensely with the testing since the red dot is much easier to work with for accuracy testing than trying to align iron sights consistently for every shot. 

The trigger isn’t exactly intended for precision shooting, though. The RXM is a defensive pistol with a priority on reliability. Don’t get me wrong; it’s not a bad trigger. But it has the same type of pull weight and feel as a standard Glock and it’s not exactly built for precision shooting. There’s a little bit of smooth creep while it feels like you’re pulling against a heavy rubber band and then a fairly crisp break that registered 5.1 pounds on my trigger gauge. The reset was a little long on the return, but it offered a nice audible and tactile pop when it was complete. 

For a pistol intended for self-defense and in its price range, the RXM turned out very nice accuracy results. Premium loads like Hornady’s Critical Defense and Critical Duty were used in the testing as were Federal’s 124-grain HST offering and Remington’s 147-grain Golden Saber. The average for all five-shot groups fired was just 1.48 inches. Federal’s 124-grain HST load not only had the best group of .94 inches, but it also had the best three-group average at 1.26 inches. 

Once we got away from the range and actually started some general offhand shooting and running a few drills, I got a better feel for the RXM. One aspect I like a lot are the controls. The magazine release was out of the way but still easy to engage, and it had a nice, soft-touch texturing that was very comfortable. The slide stop was also well thought out, being just prominent enough to easily engage while still not getting in the way while shooting. Also, the trigger had a nice roll-off with a comfortable feel during offhand shooting and when not parsing every millimeter of the pull as with shooting from the bench. 

Being a clone of the third-generation G19, the grip frame doesn’t have the ability to take interchangeable backstraps and there are no ambidextrous controls for the magazine release or the slide stop. It’s pretty much a one-size-fits-all (or not) package, so that’s something Southpaws should consider before jumping into an RXM or even those folks who need to tailor a gun’s grip size because of small or large hands. 

One issue I’ve always had with older-generation, compact Glock pistols is my chunky hands. It was always tough to get a high grip on the pistol, and when I did, my hand usually got bit by the slide between my thumb and index finger. That wasn’t an issue with the RXM. There’s a very generous relief cut behind the trigger guard for a higher and more comfortable grip that you don’t get with a Gen3 G19, and there’s a prominent beavertail that helped keep the slide away from my hand during recoil. 

Regarding reliability, a review sample I had on hand to put through its paces had no problem feeding everything we threw at it. We shot everything from Federal’s 124-grain and 147-grain Syntech Training Match loads to 135-grain remanufactured TMJ loads to standard FMJ range ammo. On top of that, we shot a variety of premium loads including Hornady’s 135-grain +P Critical Duty and 115-grain Critical Defense offerings, Federal’s 115-grain +P Lead Free P9LFD1 and 135-grain Hydra-Shok Deep loads, and Lehigh Defense’s 115-grain ME +P and CP +P ammunition. 

With that RXM, there were no stoppages of any sort. During that testing, I used a few of my own personal Gen3 G19 magazines in addition to the supplied Magpul magazines to ensure compatibility and reliability across the board. That said, with any firearm you buy for defensive purposes, it’s prudent to always test its reliability with lots of rounds downrange, especially with the ammunition you choose to carry on a regular basis. 

Parting Shots On The Ruger RXM 

I wouldn’t say that Ruger and Magpul re-invented the wheel here, but I do think they improved on it to a good degree. They’ve taken a tried-and-true platform and added their own enhancements to the package while keeping the MSRP under $500. Beyond that, I think it was a bold move by Ruger. This could potentially divert attention from its other line of pistols, but it also taps into the huge aftermarket support that exists for Glock pistols including a vast array of holsters. Who knows? This might pay off for Ruger and could lead to other interesting projects like it. 

If you’re a Glock enthusiast and looking for something different in the way of a reasonably priced G19 clone with top-shelf features, the RXM might just ring your bell. Considering its features, price point, and parts compatibility with tons of aftermarket products, it would be well worth your time to have a look at one and see if it meets your needs. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. 

Specifications: Ruger RXM 9mm 

• Caliber: 9mm  
• Action: Semi-automatic 
• Barrel length: 4 inches 
• Overall Length: 7.15 inches 
• Capacity: 15+1 
• Finish: Nitride 
• Weight: 23.2 ounces 
• Sights: Tritium Front, Serrated Rear 
• MSRP: $499 
• Optic Ready: Yes 
• Grips: Polymer 
• URL: ruger.com 
• Performance: Ruger RXM 

Load Accuracy

Bullet weight was measured in grains and accuracy in inches for the best five-shot groups at 15 yards. 

For more information, visit ruger.com