Ruger RXM Review: Best Clone Yet?

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	Ruger RXM 9mm Pistol	Check Price

Today we bring you a review of the brand new Ruger RXM 9mm pistol, a pistol that has been seeing great success since its release in mid 2024.

The RXM is one of many new pistols that follow the pattern of Gaston Glock’s incredibly successful design. But the Ruger has more than just a familiar pattern to show, there are a few secrets under the hood of this polymer-frame striker-fired pistol.

As a joint project of both Ruger and Magpul, the RXM is likely to have a brilliant future. The grip frame is made by the polymer master manufacturer, but the Fire Control Insert (FCI) is made by Ruger.

That’s right. Much like the popular Sig Sauer pistol, the RXM uses a removable FCI that incorporates the trigger, sear, slide rails, etc., which can be swapped from one grip to another. This feature, coupled with the pistol’s big-name parents, suggests that there will soon be a broad selection of interchangeable and customizable grips, slides, barrels, and so on.

For all those Glock fanboys out there, this is good news.

The RXM brings all the benefits of the popular line of pistols and modularity at a very affordable price. After chatting with Ruger at SHOT Show 2025, they agreed to send me the pistol for review here.

The Ruger RXM is a Glock clone, but it was necessary to make the RXM exceptional in a market filled with such clones.

This was accomplished in cooperation with Magpul, creating the poly grip module and the removable FCI. Additionally, making the slide ready to accept optics would put the RXM above the entry level pistols.

But Ruger took it a step further by making the optics cut nearly universal. Incorporating various screw patterns and anchor pins you can change to fit whatever red dot sight you intend to mount.

Most of these features would go undetected at a glance, because the clean lines and smooth machining of the RXM give a very finished look. The textures of the grip, and the quality molding of the frame on par with any comparable pistol. The overall dimensions and size are nearly the same as the Glock 19, which makes it a nice fit to the large aftermarket support enjoyed by the G19.

Like the pistol whose dimensions it closely follows, the Ruger RXM would be a great choice for a CCW pistol. With its common chambering in 9mm and mostly the same features as the G19, it is simple to use and shoots well for most people.

We’ve seen very popular clones like the PSA Dagger flourish in the pistol market.

One of the reasons is because of the massive selection of components and the Tinker-Toy-like ability to mix and match however you see fit.

The RXM can do the exact same thing but on a larger scale. And with Ruger and Magpul on the scene together, it might take off better and sooner.

I’d be surprised if there isn’t a wide selection of colored frames in different grip lengths and other options. The already good ergonomics of the G19 were accentuated in the RXM. And the very well done optics cut allows you to mount the red dot of your choice.

Quality components and features also make the RXM easy to shoot well, hitting what you’re aiming at was surprisingly easy. And brought great confidence to an already pleasant shooting experience.

Having spent some time shooting the RXM now, I can say it is very fun to shoot and has performed quite well. Everything from the setup to the pull of the trigger went better than expected, for both myself and others.

The way the grip sticks to your hands and the sights line up on target is just prime. And other benefits like the magwell flare and luminescent front sight add to the user experience.

I had a hard time coming up with something I disliked about the RXM. Before I actually had it in my hands, I wondered if the FCI would be integrally and firmly mounted in the grip frame. But after disassembling the RXM I was quite confident that the system was very robust.

I did notice one thing I would surely change, and in fact, I did. It’s not uncommon for some handgun pic-rails to have only one groove. This isn’t a problem depending on which weapon light you intend to use.

The RXM had a single groove, which was fine when I used the Surefire X300 light, but when I installed my Streamlight TLR8 it was not. Using the single groove to line up the recoil lug on the TLR8 pushed its location too far forward, which looked and functioned poorly.

So I put on my machinist’s hat, and clamped the frame into a mill, and cut a second groove into the underside of the picatinny rail. Of course, I’d measured the ideal location first, and ever since, my TLR8 has fit perfectly as I would like it to.

I expect that there will be other grip frames available that correct for this issue. It certainly wasn’t a big deal for me to correct the problem, but it seems it would have been easy to just put two or three grooves instead of one. And obviously this is only relevant to those who plan on mounting a weapon light.

As a clone, the Ruger RXM is entering an already popular handgun market. The sub-five-hundred-dollar 9mm pistol market is very competitive and filled with other clones. It might be a better question to ask who the RXM isn’t for because, basically, if you like handguns and have hands, this gun is for you.

Not only does the RXM bring affordable fun shooting with the reliability of the famous Glock, but it also looks to offer the customization and tinkering potential that American gun owners crave.

The RXM would surely be a good CCW pistol; its size and capacity are just right. It also works well as a fun sport pistol, and its future convertibility allows it to be reconfigured to nearly anything.

If you absolutely need something more inexpensive, if the $400 street price is beyond your reach, there are other similar options for less. Though they also have fewer benefits, for example the PSA Dagger family has quite a few configurations, sometimes for a hundred dollars or more less.

Bear Creek Arsenal also makes a less expensive alternative with their BC-101 pistol.

Testing the RXM was done with a variety of range trips, both indoor and outdoor. I did some testing using the provided sights, but I’ve quickly become a fan of red dots, so for the most part I shot the pistol with the Apex Optics Atom red dot.

I did a variety of shooting drills and practices, from seven to fifty yards. Shooting back and forth from targets between various ranges and incorporating reloads into transitions was a great way to get comfortable with the RXM. I also did quite a few reload drills, with single rounds loaded into magazines. I shot and reloaded as fast and smoothly as possible.

Shooting the RXM from both a concealed holster and a tactical holster was also part of my testing. I used a 1791 Gunleather CCW holster and my Safariland ALS holster in conjunction with the Ruger RXM. They both worked great and allowed proper handling of the pistol. The RXM handled smoothly and was quick to point and maneuver between targets.

Reliability

After many hundred rounds of testing, we saw zero stoppages in the RXM. While I did notice a few instances where the ejection pattern seemed a touch inconsistent, it always worked.

The extraction and ejection were solid, and the function of the Magpul magazines was flawless, as was the feeding from other magazines from Glock and KCI. The magazine release also worked exactly as designed; it was easy to find every time.

Ammunition

Shooting a variety of ammunition from both MWLP Trailforger ammo and PMC Bronze shows no issues at all.

Both 115 grain and 124 grain ammunition selections cycled through the pistol easily.

Accuracy

I was very satisfied with the accuracy of the Ruger RXM. I’m not a competition shooter, but I felt more than adequate when hitting targets with the RXM. It was definitely as good as I shoot with other similar pistols. Shooting groups at 10 yards would produce groups of 1-2 inches.

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Optics Ready Slide

Ruger’s optics ready slide is not only configurable, it’s easy to do so. You can use a variety of screw patterns to attach your favorite red dot, and the anchor pins can be moved to accept your red dot.

Removable FCI

The serialized Fire Control insert is technically the receiver, which means you can swap it from one frame to another without much effort. Punching out a couple pins is all it takes to pull the FCI from the existing frame, you can then swap it into a different one.

Flared Magwell

The magwell flare of the RXM grip frame isn’t particularly conspicuous. But I was quite happy with how well it worked. Reloads became quick and smooth without even looking closely.

Loaded Chamber Indicator

The loaded chamber indicator is a small window in the top of the chamber block. When the chamber is loaded, the brass case rim is easily visible. This is very effective as a visual-only chamber indicator.

Reliability (9/10)

Flawless function, no malfunctions experienced

Ergonomics (9/10)

Great grip angle and texture, controls smooth and easy to operate

Customization (9/10)

Swappable FCI means this thing could be as customizable as the AR15

Appearance (8.5/10)

The fit and finish of both the Ruger and Magpul parts was at or above price point

Value (9/10)

At the $400 street price I think the RXM is a fantastic deal

Weapon Light

I used both the TLR8 and the X300 lights on the RXM, and both worked great depending on the use.

In a CCW holster I would definitely prefer the TLR8.

Holster

The Safariland ALS holster worked great with the RXM; the fit and retention were superb. The 1791 Gunleather holster was also great for a CCW holster. The RXM fit well and stayed put.

Red Dot

I would absolutely put a red dot on the Ruger RXM. I used both the Apex Optics Atom and the Vortex Defender CCW red dots. Both worked great and allowed precise aiming.

For alternatives, I chose a slightly less expensive and a slightly more expensive option.

PSA Dagger

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While the Dagger doesn’t have the convertibility features of the RXM, it certainly is customizable.

An incredible selection of frames, slides, barrels, and such are available for impressive prices. The Dagger pistols can be bought for as little as $250 at times if you look carefully. They can certainly be configured in a way that pleases everybody, and they still have the Glock clone reliability.

You can also read our PSA Dagger review for more info!

ZRO Delta FKS 9

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The FKS9 is another clone that brings all the compatibility and reliability of the Glock. While it doesn’t have the wild custom options like the Dagger, it has high quality parts and features.

A comparable model FKS 9 would cost fifty or so bucks more than the RXM, it is a high quality alternative that works great

I started with the Ruger RXM, unsure if I wanted to keep it. Mainly because I already have quite a collection of Glock clones. But having spent a great deal of time shooting, carrying, and playing with the RXM, I don’t think I can let it go now.

Not only is it fun to shoot and reliable functioning, but the future of the RXM family shows great promise. I’d expect that Magpul will release a variety of different grip frames of different lengths, sizes, and colors. And I also expect Ruger will eventually release different slides and barrel combinations to allow users to customize and configure the guns as they like.

Even if you discarded that impressive future potential, the Ruger RXM is a fantastic pistol just as it is. Even if I never removed the FCI or changed anything, it would still be a great little CCW pistol that I would be happy to carry wherever I go.