Ruger RXM 9mm Modular Pistol | Review

Today’s pistol market is decidedly different than it was some years ago. With the growing prevalence of striker-fired, polymer-framed guns, it’s different than it was when the DA/SA pistol was king of the hill. Another trend that is really starting to take off is the modularity concept. That’s where the pistol has a serial-numbered steel insert that houses the basic action and is removable. You can swap out frames and slides while keeping the same fire control module. This is not a new concept in the handgun industry, but it is to Ruger.

Ruger is the latest manufacturer to come to this particular dance, but they didn’t come by themselves. They brought Magpul along, too.

The new RXM is a joint effort between Ruger and Magpul. Wow. Who’da thunk it? Ruger is known for its utilitarian, innovative firearms, and Magpul is famous for its stock and other accessories. So, they got together, and Ruger came up with a clever slide and action arrangement, and Magpul contributed the frame and magazine.

Ruger RXM 9mm Pistol

Live Inventory Price Checker

	Ruger RXM 9mm 4" 15rd Pistol w/ Magpul Enhanced Grip, Gray/Black - 19400	Palmetto State Armory	$ 499.99 $ 399.99
	Rxm 9mm Luger Semi-Auto Handgun - Rxm 9mm Luger 4'''' Bbl (2)15rd Mags Stealth Gray	Brownells.com	$ 399.00
	Rxm 9mm Luger Semi-Auto Handgun - Rxm 9mm Luger 4'''' Bbl (2)10rd Mags Stealth Gray	Brownells.com	$ 399.00

The Big Idea

The big idea here, as I said above, is really clever. Ruger has come up with what they call the Fire Control Insert (FCI), which houses the serial number. This is the action part of the pistol – the trigger, ejector, etc. It is removable from the frame, allowing it to be installed in other frames. I do believe this is the future of pistol design… more manufacturers are going to go into the deep end of this pool, as it opens up sales of aftermarket frames and other parts. It allows extreme customization.

Here’s how it works. Knock out two pins and pull the insert out. Buy a full-size frame, when available, and install it. You can order frames and slides and not have to have them shipped to your FFL since the “gun” is the FCI – that’s where the serial number is. Other manufacturers have had success with a similar system. It makes sense… buy two or three inexpensive frames and different barrel lengths with slides, and customize your pistol for whatever you need. Concealed carry, home defense, competition… buy one FCI and have several different pistols available. I would imagine that Ruger and Magpul will not be long in getting aftermarket parts ready to go.

Features

The modularity of this pistol is a feature that sets it apart from other similar-sized pistols. That, to my way of thinking, is huge. You can have two or three different pistols, but only have to learn one trigger. But what else about the RXM do I like?

Magazine Well. I learned something about magazine wells the other day. I was with my friend Ed, who is a former county deputy with many pistol and rifle training sessions under his belt. He said that when they trained, when it came time to drop the mag, they were not allowed to just “hit the button”. They had to literally strip the mag out of the well with their fingers. That way, if they had a sticky mag during a stressful time, they’d know how to deal with it. He pointed out the RXM’s mag well was designed to get a thumb into in order to strip the mag out. I had not been aware of that, but it makes sense. He said they did the mag well right.

Optics Cut. The gun is set up to directly attach these patterns: RMR, Delta Point Pro (DPP), and RMSc.

Magpul’s Enhanced Handgun Grip. The texturing, beavertail, mag well design, and other ergos are great.

Trigger. The flat-faced trigger showed very little take-up and creep and broke right at four pounds.

Sights. The rear sight is serrated with a wide notch, and the front has a Tritium insert.

Specifications

The specs are shown on the RXM web page.

• Capacity: 15+1
• Grip Frame: Stealth Gray Magpul Enhanced Handgun Grip
• Optic Ready: Yes
• Front Sight: Tritium, Co-Witness Height
• Rear Sight: Steel Drift Adjustable
• Manual Safety: No
• Magazines Included: Two PMAG 15 GL9
• Overall Length: 7.15″
• Barrel Length: 4″
• Barrel Material: Alloy Steel
• Barrel Finish: Black FNC Nitride
• Slide Material: Through-Hardened Alloy Steel
• Slide Finish: Black FNC Nitride
• Slide Width: 1″
• Weight: 23.2 oz.
• Height: 5.31″
• Grooves: 6
• Twist: 1:10″ RH
• Suggested Retail: $499.00

Shooting Impressions

I went to my backyard and set some targets up at 20 yards. The weather has been very iffy here in the Hoosier State, but I chose a clear, cold day to shoot the RXM… at least the rain had stopped.

As I said above, the trigger is very nice in this particular sample. I would hope that would translate to all of them, but at least this one’s trigger contributed to its accuracy. Also, the sights are excellent. For paper targets, a red dot might help a little bit, but the sights provided a great picture. The red dot would help if you needed to shoot in a hurry. 

I grabbed some Remington 115-grain FMJ 9mm ammo that I had on hand. Here’s a representative target. We had shot this gun before and knew what to expect, but different shooters can get different groups, as we all know. At any rate, the gun didn’t disappoint. It was plenty accurate enough with this and with other types of ammo that we’d shot previously. It did shoot a bit to the right, but that’s easily fixed.

Something to consider as you go about shooting from a bench… a chronograph. Granted, with most pistol cartridges, it’s not too much of an eye-opener, but with some high-pressure rounds like the 5.7×28 and most rifle calibers, it can be enlightening. I took my Caldwell Velociradar to the bench while testing the Ruger RXM.

This chronograph is different than other radar units in that it will provide, via Chirp radar technology, not only muzzle velocity and energy but also downrange velocities and energies out to 100 yards. As a bonus, you get the average ballistic coefficient of the bullet as well. Another screen will give you downrange trajectories. Nice!

As I said, for pistol calibers such as 9mm, .38/.357, .45AP, etc., it isn’t too exciting, but it’s always good to have more data on hand. That way, you can make informed decisions. (An example: I find that looking at one of the Velociradar’s functions, standard deviation, for handgun ammo helps me zoom in on loads that have low SDs, and show accuracy potential). Where it comes into its own is when you lay a 5.56mm, .308, .243, 6.5 Creedmoor, etc. on the shooting bench and let fly. It’s downright helpful, the info it provides. Anyway, this is just a nugget that I’ve learned to include in my reviews… shooters seem to appreciate being made aware of interesting, helpful tools out there. 

Take-Down

Here’s the drill. Empty the gun and strip the magazine out. Remove all ammunition from the area and double-check to make sure the gun is empty. Press the trigger, pull the slide back a bit, and pull down on the takedown tabs. Move the slide off the frame. Separate the barrel and spring, and clean everything. Reverse the procedure to reassemble it. If you’ve ever cleaned a similar pistol, you know the drill.

Final Thoughts

Given the feature set of this pistol and a real-world price of around $400, I don’t think Ruger will be able to make these fast enough. The great trigger, optics cut, and Magpul EHG frame all contribute to its desirability. Add in the FCI modularity and you have a definite winner. I could see Ruger and Magpul coming out with different-sized frames, slides, and barrel lengths in the future. That alone would seal the deal if I were looking for a compact 9mm pistol to carry. Add Ruger and Magpul’s reputations, and I think this pistol will be hard to pass.

About Mike Hardesty

With experience spanning over 45 years, Mike Hardesty has long enjoyed shooting and reloading. An inveterate reloader, he casts bullets and reloads for a diverse array of firearms, each handled with long-practiced precision. Living in rural Indiana, his homestead boasts a personal 100-yard range where he shares his love for guns to his four sons, their wives, and eleven grandchildren. As a recognized author, his writings have been featured in notable platforms like Sniper Country, Bear Creek Arsenal Blog, Pew Pew Tactical, TTAG, Dillon Precision’s Blue Press, and Gun Made, revealing his ongoing passion for firearms at the age of 72.