Ruger RXM Pistol Review: Awesome Collaboration

With the introduction of the Glock-compatible RXM, Ruger and Magpul team up on a gun they hope will be a market leader.

May 08, 2025 By Brad Fitzpatrick

Ruger celebrated 75 years of firearms manufacturing last year, and the company has achieved many milestones in the past three-quarters of a century. Its 10/22 .22 semiauto rifle and Mark-series rimfire pistols set the standards in their respective categories, and the company claims a substantial share of the single- and double-action revolver market. The American rifle is the best-selling bolt gun in the country, and new additions to the Ruger family, including the PC and LC carbines, have been instant best-sellers.

One area where Ruger seems to have struggled a bit, though, is the compact and full-size polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol market. I wrote about the SR9—Ruger’s first striker-fired gun—when it arrived on the scene more than a decade ago, and that was followed up by the American pistol. Both were fine guns, but neither threatened to become the best-selling striker-fired pistol. Ruger doesn’t seem to like the runner-up status, and as such it is revamping its semiauto pistol line with the new RXM.

The RXM and the American are brand mates, but aside from the fact that they’re both striker-fired, polymer-frame semiautos, the two share little in the way of design architecture. The RXM looks very Glock G19-ish, and in fact it is Glock G19 Gen 3-compatible. There’s no doubt that the shooting public likes the G19 pistol, and Ruger loyalists will love to see that they can have a Glock G19 Gen 3-compatible pistol that’s built in Prescott, Arizona.

The RXM is sized similarly to other double-stack compact guns with four-inch barrels. It measures 7.2 inches long and 5.3 inches tall. The slide itself is an inch wide, and the overall width of the gun is just around 1.1 inches.

Footprint

two tone pistol finish — The forward part of the grip frame features an indexing point and a Glock-dimensioned accessory rail. The steel front sight is on the Glock pattern and incorporates a tritium vial. (Photo submitted by the author)

That makes the RXM slightly shorter overall than the 7.4-inch Glock G19 and about .015 inch narrower. At 23.2 ounces unloaded, the Ruger is about a half-ounce lighter than the Glock.

The new RXM isn’t just a Ruger project, though. It’s a collaboration between Ruger and Magpul (hence the name: R for Ruger, M for Magpul). Ruger offered up the machined metal parts. Magpul provided the gray grip frame it refers to as its Enhanced Handgun Grip, or EHG for short. It does not incorporate interchangeable backstraps.

Inside the grip frame you’ll find a serialized stainless steel Fire Control Insert (FCI). Since the FCI is serialized, it can be removed and reinserted into a different grip assembly, and that means down the line you can mix and match slides and grips as they become available, without having to buy a completely new firearm.

The current grip frame holds 15-round magazines; 10-round versions are available in capacity-restricted jurisdictions. A full-size gun—and corresponding full-size frame—is almost certain to follow, as are color options besides gray. We may see an even more compact version of the frame for better concealment. Point is, you have the ability to configure this gun as you’d like when new components come to market.

Fit and Finishes

The RXM features a Magpul grip frame that houses the serialized fire-control unit. The American-made gun is compatible with Glock 19 Gen 3 parts, sights and holsters. (Photo submitted by the author)

RXM pistols feature through-hardened alloy steel slides that are precision machined and treated with ferritic nitrocarburizing (FNC) for durability and corrosion resistance. The four-inch, 1:10 twist alloy steel barrel is also FNC treated.

Other finishes such as Cerakote may follow, but I think FNC is a good place to start. The process rearranges the molecules on the surface of the metal, improving lubricity and protecting against wear.

I’ve really tried to wear down the surface finish on the FNC-finished pistol I’ve carried every day for the last several years, and it just doesn’t happen. Sure, you can damage the metal, but the finish won’t flake like some ceramic finishes, and it’s considerably tougher than standard bluing. Even the abuse of daily carry won’t mar the RXM.

This pistol has angular slide serrations at the front and rear of the slide. They’re not radical, and there are no crisscrossed diamond-shaped patterns that wrap around to the top of the slide, but they’re functional for press checks.

All RXM slides are cut to accept optics, and, hallelujah, Ruger has decided to make optics mounting and swapping simple. The slide is cut and drilled to accept a range of red-dot sights. To accommodate differing sight designs, Ruger supplies four round metal inserts—called dowel pins in the manual—that fit in pre-drilled holes on the optics cut. The setup is similar in concept to Springfield’s Variable Interface System in that you don’t have to match plates to specific optics, and the optic sits lower on the gun.

Attaching a Leupold DeltaPoint Pro like the one I used, or an optic on the Shield RMSc footprint, requires all four dowel pins, whereas attaching a Trijicon RMR-footprint optic requires only two pins. The pins are bagged separately, and they are tiny and easy to lose, so pay close attention when opening the bag.

Ruger also did a good job selecting iron sights for the RXM. The all-black metal rear sight fits in a dovetail and has both glare-preventing serrations on the rear and a flat face with ample purchase for one-handed cycling. The front sight is also metal, and it’s pinned to the slide. It’s a tritium sight that provides around-the-clock visibility.

The sights are suppressor height and will co-witness with most optics. They didn’t with the Leupold DeltaPoint Pro, but this sight has a very high deck height, so that’s not unusual. The sights are Glock compatible, but the Ruger’s factory sights are superior to Glock’s G19 factory sights, which aren’t as sturdy or as easy to see as those on the RXM.

Grip and Feel

pistol grip close up — The EHG grip frame on the RXM features texturing on the backstrap, sides and frontstrap of the grip to offer better purchase on the gun. The grip frame does not offer interchangeable backstraps. (Photo submitted by the author)

Magpul put serious thought into the grip frame design and has added some features I wish were found on other guns. Chief among these is a molded low-profile magazine well that’s just the right size. The mag well makes it easier to reload quickly—especially with your hand resting on the mag well itself, offering an instant reference point—but it doesn’t print under clothing or jab into your body.

There’s also a magazine release “scallop” for improved access to the release. Magpul’s proprietary texturing is called Trapezoidal Surface Projections (TSP), and the Enhanced Handgun Grip on the RXM features three-quarter-scale TSP texturing. This offers a secure hold on the gun without biting.

In keeping with the times, Magpul has also built an indexing point into the forward portion of the frame. It offers a reliable, repeatable landing spot for the forward thumb and a bit of control over muzzle rise.

Speaking of control, the grip frame features a high trigger undercut and a beavertail that pushes the hand up closer to the plane of the bore, which helps reduce recoil fatigue and muzzle rise. The frame also incorporates a Glock “universal” rail on the dust cover and an oversize trigger guard with plenty of room for gloved fingers.

Trigger Time

paper target with pistol — Accuracy from the RXM 9mm semiauto with a Leupold DeltaPoint Pro red dot proved excellent. At seven yards it was easy to make accurate shots on hostage targets. (Photo submitted by the author)

The RXM has a flat-face trigger with integral safety; models with a manual safety aren’t currently available. There’s also a striker-block safety, as well as a small cutout machined into the chamber that allows for a visual inspection. The beefy extractor is externally mounted, and the barrel’s feed ramp is smooth.

Controls include a compact slide stop and rectangular magazine release. Both of these are on the left side only and are not reversible. The takedown pin is a transverse style.

The test RXM’s trigger broke at 5.25 pounds average after 10 pulls on a Wheeler gauge, and I like the flat front design. There’s plenty of take-up but a defined wall, and the break is relatively clean. Trigger reset is on par with other striker-fired polymer pistols but noticeably longer than the reset of, say, the Walther PDP.

Accuracy was very impressive. At 25 yards the Ruger managed to shoot several five-shot groups under two inches, and the best group measured 1.6 inches center to center.

Accuracy and Reliability

accuracy results chart — (Accuracy results provided by the author)

Reliability was excellent throughout testing, although the slide failed to lock back twice while I was shooting from a supported position on the bench. However, I never encountered this issue when shooting drills.

I fired 10-shot slow-fire drills, and perhaps the most telling was a seven-yard hostage drill. All my shots struck the bad guy and did not nick the hostage. Margin of error is less than 2.5 inches for that drill, and it was no problem to shoot accurately.

Ruger got a lot right with the RXM. First, as mentioned, I like the design of the magazine well. It’s just large enough to accommodate those fast reloads and to provide a tactile reference point when reloading. The molded index point is a nice touch, offering enough purchase to control the pistol and to encourage consistent hand position.

I’m not crazy about the TSP grip texturing and prefer what Walther and Springfield do with their guns, but the TSP is secure and functional.

Hitting the Mark

Where Ruger really hit the mark was with the sight setup. If you have a red-dot sight on the Trijicon RMR, Leupold DeltaPoint Pro or Shield RMSc footprint, everything you need to mount your optic is included with the gun. The metal sights are also very good, and that bold green tritium front dot promotes front-sight focus. Because the RXM uses Glock-pattern sights, there are lots of aftermarket options, too.

The Magpul GL9 magazines that ship with the RXM work in both the Glock G19 and the Ruger. I also used factory Glock G19 magazines in the RXM without any issues.

The RXM is also compatible with G19 holsters, and because that fitment is so popular you have lots of options. I tested Bianchi, Safariland and Blackhawk holsters designed for the G19, and all fit the RXM.

The RXM deserves consideration as a carry pistol. No, it’s not as trim as the company’s Max-9 or other subcompacts, but this gun’s narrow design, superb accuracy and manageable weight make it a good option—especially since it will hold 15 rounds.

All-Around Weapon

The RXM feels like a full-size gun and shoots that way. It would make a great choice for an all-around pistol for home defense, concealed carry and target shooting for the buyer who wants a single gun.

The RXM comes with a plastic case with locking tabs and two Magpul GL9 15-round PMags. At a suggested retail price of $499 it’s a great value. Ruger told me they’ve seen street prices as low as $399, with an average around $450. Compare that to the cost of the Glock G19 Gen 3, which has a typical street price of $499.

Is the RXM going to make Ruger the leader in the compact 9mm market? Time will tell, but its collaboration with trusted brand Magpul is a great start. The RXM is certainly a well-designed pistol, and it’s the type of high-quality American-made firearm that is the bedrock of the Ruger brand.