Ruger made a Gen 3 Glock! Woo! Seriously, well, kind of. Ruger and Magpul teamed up to produce a new handgun that is admittedly largely based on the Gen 3 Glock, specifically the Glock 19. An educated guess says that the name RXM stands for Ruger X Magpul. It appears that Ruger is likely producing the slide and the removable Fire Control Unit, while Magpul produces the frame and magazine.
The gun is undoubtedly a Gen 3 Glock 19 for all intents and purposes. The Gen 3 Glocks have escaped patent protection, and it’s why we see so many Gen 3 clones. It’s how PSA gets away with the Dagger, and the other dozen companies get away with their Glock clones. Ruger embraced Glock years ago, or at least Glock’s magazines.
When Ruger released the PC Carbine and later the PC Charger, they included an extra magwell that allowed the user to swap from Ruger’s Security 9 magazines to Glock magazines. To me, that was not only smart but humble. Their most recent LC 45 and 10 both use Glock magazines as well. It’s been a slow realization that the best way to beat them is to join them….kind of.
The RXM – More than A Glock 19
The most notable change between the RXM and standard Glock 19 Gen 3 is that Ruger developed a removable fire control unit. SIG might not have created the FCU idea, but they did popularize it with the P320 and P365 series. The idea is simple. You have a serialized chassis with all the necessary fire controls.
Users can remove this chassis and swap it from frame to frame and gun to gun. With the P320, we’ve seen various grip modules appear on both SIG and the aftermarket. That concept has been taken to the extreme with the Flux Radier and SIG’s MP320 PDW-type platforms.
An FCU-based gun that’s a Glock and takes Glock magazines could open another entry into the PDW market. It could also bring a new level of customization to a Glock-based platform. Much like the SIG series, you could implement metal grip modules, change the size and caliber of the gun, and more.
Since the Glock platform is way more popular than even the P320, this opens up a massive market for customization. Ruger says the RXM is compatible with OEM Glock Gen 3 components. This would make it easy to swap calibers, slides, and more. Since Magpul is producing the grip module, I would expect to see various colors, sizes, and configurations.
It might be one of the most customizable firearms ever produced. With a price point of around 400 dollars, you won’t go broke with the standard platform. I’m betting we’ll see the RXM chassis being sold separately so the user can build their own.
The Downside of the RXM
We are still dealing with Gen 3 ergonomics. Nothing is ambidextrous or reversible, and the magazine release is also tiny. Luckily, they tossed the finger grooves out with the rest of 1998. Of course, extended releases and modifications could be released. It’s a Glock platform that expands modularity, so I’m betting improvements are easy to make.
Ruger X Magpul
Ruger ensured the gun was optics-ready. It uses a system similar to the Echelon to create a modular optics mounting system that doesn’t need plates. I love that feature, plus it appears the iron sights come ready to cowitness, which, again, I love to see. It’s little things like this that make a big difference to me.
It’s interesting to see Magpul and Ruger team up. The product they’ve released is certainly fascinating and nothing I could have predicted. Is this the team-up we’ve been waiting for? It feels like it, and I can’t wait to see where the RXM will go.
For more information, please visit Ruger.com.
