Polymer frame striker-fired pistols are a dime a dozen these days. Even the hammer-fired legends like Sig Sauer and CZ have taken the striker-fired pill. With so many different striker-fired options, it’s easy to see the market as flooded. When Arex released the Delta Gen 2 pistols, they did so to a very full market. What makes a striker-fired, polymer frame pistol stand out is often the best predictor of its success. With an Arex Delta Gen 2 M model in hand, I went searching to see what Arex could do differently.
This is the second generation of the Delta series. Arex is a company from Slovenia, and they became somewhat well-known for the Arex Rex series, which was a hammer-fired pistol. Hammer-fired pistols still rock, but the writing is on the wall, and it says striker-fired pistols with polymer frames are the current hotness.
The second generation of the Delta series incorporates a number of small changes to refine the pistol. The new frames are more modern, with a refined grip texture, a proper Picatinny rail, and an integrated magwell.
The Arex Delta Gen 2 Family
The Arex Delta series comes in numerous sizes and configurations. There are optic-ready models including a long slide model, an X model with a compact slide and full-sized grip module, and a tactical model. The model I have, the M, is the standard model. This specific model is not optic-ready and is the simplest, most affordable variant of the Delta series.
The gun comes with two mags and a series of backstraps. We also get a tiny cleaning kit that is a nice inclusion. Other than that, it’s a fairly standard setup. This specific model costs less than 350 bucks at the time of this writing, making it one of the more affordable pistols on the market. That places it well below most competitors.
The Ergonomics
Arex kept things simple with the Delta M model. There is no manual safety. Instead, we get the trigger dingus design made famous by Glock. The slide release is tiny but ambidextrous. The magazine release is also fairly small but ambidextrous.
While the slide release is small, Arex scalloped it for a good grip on your thumb. Pressing it downward and sending it home is fairly easy and intuitive. At first, I hated the magazine release sucked. It came incredibly stiff, but after only a little use, it became much easier to press and engage.
That new grip texture is quite nice, and it’s quite sticky. It certainly clings well to my hand without being irritating. The grip itself is just right. One of the interesting specifications is the fact the grip is only 1.18 inches wide. That makes it fairly narrow and a thing for a modern double-stack handgun. The grip itself is more 1911-like in its angle than Glock-like.
The rear of the frame has a great overhand that allows you to get your hang nice and high on the gun and remain snug. The slide doesn’t bite my big hands, and that’s a major pro for me. The trigger guard has a nice undercut that allows you to get a high grip on the gun, and the rear overhang does the same. It’s easy to establish a high, comfortable grip for maximum control.
The grip is a hair longer than the Glock 19 and allows me to have my hand fully on the gun. The magwell on the bottom is also fairly handy and easy to engage with. All in all, I think Arex built a surprisingly ergonomic gun.
Throwing Lead
With a few magazines, a shot timer, and a box of ammo, I went to the range and let loose. The Arex Delta M Gen 2 is a GU that needs to be broken in. I don’t mean in terms of reliability. The gun ran flawlessly through several hundred rounds. I mean in it’s controls. The magazine release started quite stiff, but after a few reload drills, it really loosened up. The trigger felt like plastic rubbing on plastic until we were a few magazines deep, and then it got much smoother.
My first impression at the range told me there was a reason the gun was affordable. However, by the end of the day, I walked away impressed. The trigger cleaned up nicely, and the magazines dropped free with ease, but it wasn’t immediate.
The flat-faced trigger is a nice touch, and many prefer the feel and shorter reach of the flat-faced design. I have no problems with reach, but I appreciate it all the same. The trigger dingus never rubs your finger the wrong way, and it never becomes uncomfortable like Glock triggers. The trigger pull is very short, with a little takeup followed by a crisp wall.
The sights are metal and not cheap plastic. The rear sight is blacked out, and the front sight features a simple white dot. The contrast makes it easy to see and aim. Tracking the sight as it returns to the target is fairly simple and helps you keep a good cadence of fire.
On the Clock
The recoil is rather tame, and it’s exactly what you expect from a compact 9mm. The gun is ultimately very easy to control and keep on target. Shooting sub-eight-second El Pres drills will be easy, and a good shooter won’t have problems getting down to six or seven-second par times with the Delta; it’s not a race gun, but it is still easy to manage for concealed carry.
I shot through a few simple drills and worked my target transitions, headshots, and even long-range shooting. I flew through failure-to-stop drills and always felt like I was in control of the gun. I ran several box drills and kept my times short and sweet. Drills like the 10-10-10 were easy to finish with good accuracy, well within the par time.
I took the gun back to 30 yards and pegged the chest of my steel IPSC target with ease. Hearing that ding with every shot made me feel good about my iron sight skills. As a red dot guy, I always wonder if my iron sights skill will slip, but they haven’t seemed to so far.
The Arex Delta M Gen 2 proved to be plenty reliable, accurate, and controllable. The question remains: where does it really stand out?
What the Arex Delta M Does Different
The Arex Delta Gen 2 isn’t revolutionary in any way. It competes against what’s easily the best market of handguns we’ve ever had. It does have some qualities that impress me. For one, it’s quite thin and fits in the hand well. They thought out the grip design, and it shows. Second, the ambidextrous controls are quite nice and easy to use all around. Still, plenty of modern guns do that.
Where the Arex Delta Gen 2 series succeeds is in making a very solid gun that’s also affordable. While many affordable guns are great, they tend to feel a little outdated and simplistic. The Arex Delta M easily competes with much more expensive guns without breaking the bank. It’s a heavy-duty, working gun that’s not going to leave you counting pennies. For that reason, I think the Arex Delta Gen 2 is here to stay.
