Arex Delta M Gen 2 Review: From Slovenia with Love

There are many pretenders to the Glock 19’s throne. About ArexFive year ago, I was invited as part of a media junket in Slovenia to see a new firearm that Arex Defense was about to release. The trip included a factory visit and a shooting range to promote the original Arex Rex Delta. It was a polymer-framed striker-fired handgun in 9mm, about the size of a Glock 19, with a polymer frame. I expected a Cold War-era facility, but I was pleasantly shocked to see a modern gunmaking facility, with over 120 highly motivated employees. The polymer pistols are even better than their metal handguns. This factory has a barrel making mandrel that is used to make barrels for FN 2000s, which are used by the Slovenian military. I was impressed to see everything under one roof from manufacturing to assembly and proof testing. The Rex Delta M Gen 2 Tactical is a great home defense gun with a mounted light and sight. The number of changes made to this new version make it worth writing. First ImpressionsWhen asked to give feedback on the original Rex Delta I chose the obvious: threaded barrels, higher sights, optic plates, etc. I wouldn’t say they have taken all my ideas but almost everything I wanted changed has been done. The slide features excellent front and back cocking serrations. The Arex Delta M Gen 2 Tactical comes with four interchangeable backstraps that can be customized to fit the hand of each shooter. I usually use the largest or second-largest of these for most handguns. However, I found that the smallest gave the impression of a one-stack gun, despite the fact that the magazine can be either a 15-round flush-fit magazine or a slightly-extended 17-round with a base pad to blend the magazine to the frame. During a feedback session, I initially tried to discourage them from using a plate system and encouraged them to mill for a specific site’s footprint. It was a result of seeing a few MOS plates screws fail and send sights flying downrange around the 5,000 to 7,000 round mark. This was due to two sets slowly backing out, and the heads shearing. It comes in five different sizes, and is made of polymer. These plates include two sets of steel inserts that fit the mounting screws for the particular sight. I recommend Loctite for each one. However, the Delta’s highlight is its ability to be disassembled. You pull the slide slightly to the rear and then push down the two tabs on the front. Then you push the slide forward. The Rex Delta M Gen 2 Tactical is easy to disassemble and reassemble. There is a provision for adding a manual safety. The pistols do not come with a manual safety. This option is for police departments and people who live in states that require a manual safety on semiautomatic pistols. Another interesting feature is a red indicator that is located in the middle of rear plate of the slide. It lets the shooter see if the striker has been cocked. The red indicator is not necessarily a chamber indicator but it can be seen at a glance that the pistol is ready to shoot. Controls are ambidextrous. Both the magazine release and slide stop can be operated from either side. These features will be appreciated by left-handed shooters. The pistol also has a three-slot accessory rail that allows you to attach a laser, light or Mantis X device to the weapon. Arex has improved the feel of the gun’s trigger compared to a previous version that I shot. I measured it with an RCBS scale and it consistently broke at 4.5 pounds. It’s not bad, but could be better. That said, it has a very quick reset. I hope that Apex Triggers receives a sample of this pistol so they can turn it into an actual performer. Parts and AccessoriesThe pistol comes in a hard plastic case with two magazines: a 15-round flush-fitting magazine and a 17 round with an extended baseplate. Included are five optic sight plates and four backstraps. There is also a cable lock, printed instruction manual, and four backstraps. This last item is important, as many manufacturers no longer print manuals and instead send their customers to a web page. As with any new concealed carry firearm, most shooters are looking for holsters first. FIME is working on holsters specifically made for the Delta. Global Ordnance sells spare magazines for $25 to $30 each. They are high-quality Mec-Gar magazines. Global Ordnance can also provide any other spare parts required to service the Arex Delta. Arex OptionsThe T&E has an OD-framed pistol, but Arex also offers this model in black, gray and FDE. Also, if you’re in a state that outlaws threaded barrels, a non-threaded version is available.Aftermarket AccessoriesSome of us like to deck out our guns to make them easier to shoot. Some prefer to keep them in their stock configuration. I wanted to make the most of all the options that Arex provided with this handgun. I chose mounting plate 1, for a Holosun-507C, as my red-dot. Installation was simple and quick. The suppressor-height sight allowed for a good co-witnessing with the red-dot. The dot was larger than I was used to. The outer ring extended to 32 MOA, and the center dot was at 2 MOA. The P.ID weapon flashlight from Holosun, which has a high-power mode of 1,000 lumens with 23,000 candela and a low-power mode of up to 60 minutes, is a great choice. It is powered by an 18350 flat-top battery (included), and can be charged without removal with the included USB magnetic cable. I chose a Thunder Beast Arms Corp Fly-9 instead. This is a modular, lightweight pistol silencer. This lightweight titanium can weighs 5.9 ounces and measures 4.4 inches long. It is quieter than 140 dB. It’s a clean, reliable ammunition that has recently become one of my favorites. Global Ordnance imports it from Serbia, and they also import Arex pistols. With my target at 50 yards, I was still getting used the new sight. After adjusting to the sights and new sight picture, my best five-shot groups with this ammunition were 2.43 inches. To keep things interesting, I ran some Winchester 147 grain JHP through the gun to test reliability. There were no issues. The trigger is much better than it was five years ago. However, there are still some improvements to be made. The Rex Delta M Gen 2 Tactical pistol allows shooters to add lights, muzzle devices, and optics without the need for adapters. This pistol is around $200 cheaper than the G19MOS. With an MSRP of only $479, and online prices that are often $20 to $50 less than that, it’s a great option for carrying. It does not take Glock mags, or drop-in-triggers, but Mec-Gar magazine are more affordable than Glock magazines. This pistol has the potential of outpacing the Austrian Goliath in the civilian shooting community who want a gun that is accurate, reliable and affordable–and tactical–to a nth degree. The target grids and bullseyes are measured in MOA. Subscribe to the Gun Digest newsletter and we will send you your print-at home target pack immediately. Enter your email below.