World traveler, Mike Searson, gives us a first look at the Arex Rex Delta Pistol from FIME Group, ahead of its U.S release date.
USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Earlier this year I wrote about the Rex Zero 1 Tactical. It left me very impressed with not only its reliability and accuracy but also its workmanship. So when the manufacturer Arex and the US importer and distributor, FIME Group invited me on an all-expense paid trip to Slovenia to see the factory and shoot the new pistols that will be rolled out at SHOT Show; I couldn’t say no.
We can talk about the factory visit next time out. This time I want to tell you about their newest pistol: The Arex Rex Delta Pistol.
In all honesty, I expected to see another SIG clone. Maybe a SIG P220 or a SIG P210, but Arex continues to surprise, and in this instance, the Delta is a polymer-framed, striker-fired 9mm handgun.
You may be thinking, big deal. If you’ve seen one piece of fantastic plastic, you’ve seen them all. Not in this case.
Arex Rex Delta Pistol – The Good
The Arex Rex Delta Pistol is an entirely new design from the ground up. Similarities to the Glock 19 will be drawn, of course, but that is just a base form of reference. If you’re reading this site, you should know what a Glock 19 is. If you don’t, maybe you’re reading the wrong stuff.
One of the first things we noticed were the excellent front and rear cocking serrations, and the pistol is about 2 ounces lighter than the G19 mentioned above.
However, the highlight of the Delta is the way it breaks down. You slightly pull the slide to the rear, push down the two front tabs, push the slide forward, and in a most unusual move, you flip the slide off to either side. There is no pulling the trigger or pushing down on an internal lever as one would do with a Glock or Smith & Wesson M&P, respectively.
To reassemble you simply tilt the slide on from either side and pull it rearward.
It’s that simple, and it eliminates the error we have made more than once of putting the slide on at a cant and having to resort to hitting it with a rubber mallet to get it off. That was not one of our more exceptional moments.
There is a provision to add a manual safety. However, the pistols will not ship with one. This option is in anticipation of police departments or folks who live in states where a manual safety is required on semiautomatic handguns.
Of course, the pistol is fitted with a Picatinny rail to add a weapon-mounted light or laser. Spare magazines will be available from FIME as the new design rolls out for about $20 a piece and they are quality mags manufactured by Mec Gar.
Factory sights are the same size as a certain pistol manufactured in neighboring Croatia and are currently available from a few manufacturers. An assortment of holsters are in the works, and more manufacturers should come on board in 2019.
The pistol will ship with four interchangeable backstraps in order to better fit an individual shooter’s hands.
All in all, it is a very well-made piece and I look forward to future in-depth testing once they are available stateside.
Arex Rex Delta Pistol – The Bad
I found the factory trigger to be a bit too rough. Not just the pull, but the actual profile of the trigger was a bit abusive on the finger. FIME assured us that the final version would be much smoother and we encouraged them to get a sample gun to Randy Lee at Apex Tactical as soon as they can for something to blow the doors off this one.
The factory sights (black rear with white dot front) were a bit narrow and at times difficult to see. I did fire one model with three dot sights that were green and possibly Tru Glos, and that one served me well.
Truthfully, these are not bad things on an early version of the pistol and hopefully will be rectified by the time of the US release.
Arex Rex Delta Pistol – The Reality
The market may be flooded with plenty of striker fired 9mm polymer pistols, but the Arex Rex Delta is worth taking a look at with its innovations.
As you will see in our next article on this subject, the Arex factory is one of the most advanced firearms factories I have ever visited, and their QC is top notch.
If you heard Slovenia and envisioned a third-world type factory with workers turning out firearms on machinery made before the Second World War, you couldn’t be more wrong. These pistols are well made, reliable and have a massive potential in the CCW and law enforcement markets.
About Mike Searson
Mike Searson’s career as a shooter began as a Marine Rifleman at age 17. He has worked in the firearms industry his entire adult life as a Gunsmith, Ballistician, Consultant, Salesman, Author and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1989.
Mike has written over 2000 articles for a number of magazines, websites and newsletters including Blade, RECOIL, OFF-GRID, Tactical Officer, SWAT, Tactical World, Gun Digest, Examiner.com and the US Concealed Carry Association as well as AmmoLand Shooting Sports News.
- Homepage: www.mikesearson.com
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