When I think Ruger, I think budget-priced semi-autos, solid revolvers, and cool, old-school guns like the Winchester No.1 and the Blackhawk single-action revolver. Not to forget the A-Team, of course. When I think Magpul, I think of the best polymer furniture, magazines, and more. Before the RXM, I would have never thought the two companies would come together to produce one of the most talked about pistols of 2025.
Ruger RXM 9mm Pistol with Magpul Enhanced Grip
Live Inventory Price Checker
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Ruger RXM 9mm Luger 4in FNC Nitride/Gray Pistol - 10+1 Rounds - Gray | Sportsman's Warehouse | $ 419.99 |
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Ruger RXM 9mm 4" 15rd Pistol w/ Magpul Enhanced Grip, Gray/Black - 19400 | Palmetto State Armory | $ 499.99 $ 399.99 |
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Ruger RXM 9mm Optic Ready 15+1 Striker-Fired Magpul Grip Pistol | BattleHawk Armory | $ 499.99 $ 399.99 |
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Ruger RXM 9mm Luger 4in FNC Nitride/Gray Pistol - 15+1 Rounds - Gray | Sportsman's Warehouse | $ 419.99 |
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The Ruger RXM is the Ruger and Magpul collaboration that ended in a modern, semi-auto handgun that utilizes a Magpul-made grip and Ruger-made slide and fire control unit. Most of Ruger’s semi-auto handguns are solid guns, but they tend to lag a bit behind the modern world. The RXM does not. It’s a modern defensive firearm with all the modern features you expect.
Yet, it has the Ruger price point we are all used to. A brief look around the ‘net shows a handgun selling for less than 400 dollars. With that in mind, how does the RXM compare to higher-priced competition?
The Ruger RXM – Inside and Out
The Gen 3 Glocks influenced the Ruger RXM. It’s a compact gun that’s compatible with most Gen 3 Glock parts and pieces, including the magazine. The magazines are Magpul-made, and the RXM comes with two 15-round magazines. The RXM is sized for most Glock 19 holsters and seems to work perfectly fine with my Safariland holsters.
It’s not fair to call it a clone. The gun is clone-like, but it also differs a fair bit, namely in how the internals work. The RXM uses a removable fire control group, kinda like the P320. The chassis is the serialized portion of the gun. It’s removable, and the user can swap between frames, slide sizes, and potentially calibers.
The RXM box is a hint of what’s to come. The gun is compact, but the box has room for a full-length frame and slide. Starting with the compact mode makes the most sense since it can satisfy so many different roles. Magpul has already released a black grip for those who don’t like the sniper grey grip that’s stock.
The RXM series comes optics-ready with a neat optics system. It can fit multiple optics but doesn’t use plates. Rather, it has threaded holes everywhere, and you can add or remove recoil bosses to fit your optic of choice. The sights cowitness through the optic without issue. I went with the Defender-ST from Vortex. We also got a rail for lights, and I threw an Inforce Wild2 on the gun.
The Grip
The Magpul-style grip has a more vertical angle, similar to a 1911. The grip angle is a preference, and the RXM is another option. The grip feels very Magpul, like a Magpul AR grip. It’s a nice, familiar feeling. Magpul chose a very aggressive grip texture that feels nice and keeps the gun locked into your hand.
Magpul predictably does polymer well, and the grip is fantastic. The magazine release has a hefty scallop cut that makes it easy to reach and release the magazine. A mini gas pedal allows for thumb pressure to help fight recoil and keep the gun on target.
The trigger guard has a higher undercut, which allows your hand to sit higher on the gun, making it more comfortable overall. At the bottom, we have a wide, funnel-like magazine well for quick reloads. At the top of the grip, the gun has a bit more of a beavertail. This allows for a comfortable high grip without the fear of slide bite.
To The Range With the RXM
Zeroing the Defender-ST was my first goal. It also helped me explore the gun’s trigger and potential for accuracy. The zero process took place at 15 yards and ended at 25 yards. A 25-yard zero covers me out to an optimistic distance. At 15 yards, It’s easy to keep all the rounds in the 9-ring of a B-8 target. At 25 yards, when I can keep them within the 9-ring from a rested position.
That’s with a red dot, but the iron sight isn’t all that bad. The rear sight is blacked out and serrated to reduce glare. The front sight features a high visibility ring with a glow-in-the-dark insert for low-light shooting. Through the Defender-ST, the top of each sight is barely visible but usable in case the optic dies.
Shooting fast and straight didn’t feel all that challenging. The gun’s easy to control, and the grip’s ergonomics do a great job of letting you grab high and tight on the gun, which lends itself to decent control.
The trigger delivers in a surprising way. It has a bit of a roll to it, and it’s smooth, with a positive reset. It’s better than I expected, and it doesn’t rub the finger as you amp up your training and the number of times you pull it.
The Drills
I fired the No Fail Pistol drill several times with the RXM.
The No Fail requires you to draw and fire one shot in 3.5 seconds at a B-8 Target 25 yards away. You repeat this for a total of ten reps. If you miss the nine ring the entire drill is a failure.
If you miss the 3.5-second time limit, it’s a fail. I won’t lie; I failed, just barely. Most shots hit were inside the nine ring, with a couple of tossed rounds and a few 3.6 par times. That’s not on the arrow. It’s on the Indian.
I also shot a drill called Cold Heat, which requires a draw and firing as many rounds as possible in two seconds into the 9-ring of a B8. I could get two shots in two seconds from the draw consistently.
The RXM and I fired the famed Bill Drill from a relaxed position and scored the six rounds into an A-zone in 2.4 seconds. That was the best run of the day, with the worst being a 2.72 when I messed up the ALS lever on my Safariland holster.
Shoot Until Empty
The little expanded magwell works nicely. I could drive fresh magazines into the spot where empties sat with ease. The scalloped portion near the magazine release may make it super easy to hit the release and free the empty magazines. Empty mags slid out with ease and didn’t require a grip and rip.
Reloads are quick and easy. The grip is just longer enough to prevent the pinky of my finger from pinning the magazine inside the grip. It’s just right to flow through magazine releases and reloads.
The RXM handles itself well. There were no failures to fire, failures to eject, or reliability concerns. I fired a lot of nickel-plated steel case ammo, and while dirty and terribly inconsistent, it all poured through the RXM without complaint.
Ruger’s Little Surprise.
I don’t think I was the only one surprised by the RXM. It’s a step up for Ruger’s semi-autos and arguably an interesting crossover from Magpul and Ruger. The RXM delivers in the departments that matter and still maintains Ruger’s reputation for affordable semi-auto handguns. What will make or break the RXM is continued support. We need to see more grip modules and slide options will make or break the RXM’s long term success.
About Travis Pike
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms enthusiast, and now a regular guy who likes to shoot, write, and find ways to combine the two. He holds an NRA certification as a Basic Pistol Instructor and is the world’s Okayest firearm’s instructor.
