The Arex Delta Gen. 2 M: An Honest Appraisal

There is no shortage of polymer framed and striker fired handguns chambered in 9mm these days. It has become the default for which other platforms and calibers are judged, rightly or wrongly. But one common refrain of the type is that some users do not like the lighter trigger pull in tandem with the lack of a manual safety to prevent accidental discharge. That criticism was more than enough justification for some manufacturers to offer an alternative take and that includes Arex and their Delta series of pistols. The Arex Delta offers a longer, double action-like trigger pull without resorting to an older hammer-fired, all metal design. This review concerns the Arex Delta Gen. 2 M, the mid-sized Arex option, now modernized, with many of the same features as the original, save for being ambidextrous and optics ready.  For those who want the most options with safety in mind, the Delta Gen. 2 is a solid choice.

The Arex Delta Gen. 2: The New Kid On The Block

There is a certain caution assigned to semi-auto pistols that is not assigned to revolvers. That is born from early autoloading pistols not being drop safe and the practice of empty chamber carry on autoloaders was standard for quite some time. As law enforcement transitioned from double-action revolvers to semi-auto pistols like the Glock, episodes of accidental discharges were recognized. Indeed, a lot can happen if you carelessly get your finger or any other obstruction on the trigger before you intend to fire. But with the right training and a correct holster and draw stroke, striker fired pistols are very safe and indeed safer than many single-action handguns, should you forget to engage a manual safety. 

Slovenia and Slovakia were quick adherents of striker fired pistols post-Cold War, but each came up with different manners to increase safety. What became the Springfield XD originated as Slovakia’s service pistol at the turn of the century. Since 1995, Arex out of Slovenia has intensively developed its pistol line from double action hammer fired pistols to their new Delta in 2019.

Arex Delta Features:

1 Ambidextrous magazine release and slide release

Friendly for lefties

2 2-Slot Picatinny rail

The standard for mounting a weapon light

3 High beavertail and low bore axis

Enables a high grip and reduced muzzle flip

4 Double-action like trigger stroke

A longer pull for safety

Models and Variants:

Arex Delta Gen 2 Review:

Admittedly, I am estranged from striker fired pistols because everyone seems to be producing one. Some are certainly better than others, and the idea of a double-action like design was just enough of difference to set me off. I also liked the effort Arex goes through to provide five different optics plates so you don’t have to go hunting for the right one. These plates encompass just about all optics you could want from Doctor Sights, to Burris Fastfires, to Trijicon RMRs, Shield RMS, J-Point, and Leupold DeltaPoint Pro reflex dot sights. Although I did much of my shooting with the available iron sights, toward the latter stages I slapped on a Viridian RFX11 Green Dot sight using the Shield RMS plate. I ran a total of three-hundred fifty rounds through the Delta M and after an initial learning curve, I began to see the pistol’s merits.

Reliability

Reliability can be affected by all sorts of factors including how you hold the handgun, what type of ammunition you feed it, and how much of how little lubrication and cleaning a pistol has received. Even magazines that are not properly broken in can cause issues when used for the first time. Ordinarily, I load my magazines for a few days before going out to shoot. In the case of the Delta, I simply gave it a quick spritz of Rem oil at the wear parts and loaded my magazines right on the firing line. I shot a number of ammunition ranging from xyz 124 grain FMJ to light Hornady Critical Defense Lite 100 grainers to Hornady Critical Duty 135 grain +P. I even through in some Winchester 115 JHPs and Sig Sauer Elite Performance 147 grain subsonics. All ammunition did well and my only malfunction occurred on my fifth round fired through the pistol. One FMJ round failed to fully go into battery. A quick tap to the slide and I was back in action. I had no further issues.

Ergonomics 

The Delta Gen.2 is generally well-appointed in the ergonomics department, although it was here where I had the most issues. The rails ride deeper inside the frame, allowing for a lower relationship between the barrel and firing hand. This was helped by the high beavertail and a thinner grip that should be thicker for a traditional double stack gun. The end result is more hand on the gun and lower muzzle rise from shot to shot. The iron sights are typical of the type and very useable. On the timer, I felt grateful that Arex did not include a set of traditional 3-dot sights, where you might align the wrong dot on the fly. I was a little bit faster using the Viridian, which I had zeroed just above the front sight post. 

The ergonomics of the Delta was such that muzzle rise and overall comfort felt similar to my CZ-75, which I shot alongside it. While shooting went well, reloading was slightly more haphazard. The ambidextrous slide release is quite small on both sides, but easy enough to hit. But the magazine release scarcely stands proud of the grip frame, so I found it hard to release my magazines with a cursory press. It took a determined shift in my grip and hard press to do the job. 

Accuracy

I did most of my shooting between 25-50 yards, but when I first started out at much shorter distances I had to mind the trigger. The Arex has a bladed trigger safety and trigger shoe, similar, although more pronounced and forward in the trigger guard, than a Glock. It is not a true double action trigger, which would fully cock the striker then release it. If that was so, you could strike a bad round twice. With the Arex, the striker is cocked by the slide just enough to catch on the trigger bar. From there, the trigger pull cocks the striker all the way and then releases it.

The trigger pull itself is not as long, as say, a double action revolver. Nor is it as heavy. On my Lyman scale, it breaks in at 6.5 lbs. But in terms of characteristics, it mechanically feels revolver like. The trigger stacks and you can audibly and physically tell when the striker is cocked and ready to fall. In fact, the red back of the striker pokes through the slide as a reminder.

After some dry firing practice and some live fire repetitions, I went for groups and found that the iron sights shot 2 inches high at ten yards. But I could reliably put a cluster inside a 3.5 inch group at that distance. My personal favorite load, Winchester 115 grain JHPs, consistently grouped that size, while the other ammunitions came in slightly behind and in the same spot. The lighter Hornady Critical Defense 100 grain load did print closer to the point of aim, but gave me the worst group. But all ammunitions hit reliably out to 25 yards on eight-inch steel knockdown plates when using a six o’clock hold. 

With the inclusion of a 3 MOA Viridian dot, I shot similarly as I did with iron sights although I could now shoot to point of aim with no issues. It also helped me connect out to 50 yards on steel without problems. But the bigger factor that plays into accuracy is bearing in mind that the Delta’s trigger operates differently than most striker fired pistols out there. 

Value

Pricing and value of a product depends more on the velocity of money than the velocity of the rounds you shoot. But relatively speaking in the here and now, the Arex Delta Gen. 2 is a Slovenian import that is priced just above what some would consider budget, but below price-inflated Glocks and Sigs. It is a $400-500 piece.

The Slovenes have been making quality autoloaders for some time for their own armed forces and over the past several years. Arex is certainly the best known and, in my view, their Delta is among the best that has come from that corner of the world. The fit and finish is excellent as are the steel magazines. The polymer frame has a consistent thickness and is smartly stippled where your hands will naturally go. While it has some Glock and Steyr M9 vibes, the Delta is something of its own animal. In the hand and on the firing line, it feels like a better gun but at its price range there had to be some flaw in the slaw. I found it in the abbreviated magazine release, which would be more at home on a pocket pistol than a duty-sized handgun. But at this price range, the whole that is the Delta Gen. 2 punches above its weight.

Arex Delta Gen. 2 Pros and Cons

Upgrade and Accessories for the Arex Delta

Pistol Magazine Arex Delta L/X 9mm		Get 19 instead of 15 rounds on tap	Check Price
Green Dot Reflex Sight Viridian Weapon Technologies RFX11		A good optic that is easy on the eyes	Check Price

Best Ammo for Your Arex Delta Gen. 2