FreedomFriedFather

We’re just a small rowboat paddling through a vast ocean of striker-fired handguns dominated by Glock, Smith & Wesson, and Sig Sauer. The options seem endless, and nearly every major brand offers a similar product backed by fiercely loyal fans ready to defend their favorite. But what happens when an import undercuts the big names while delivering all the features customers want, the quality they expect, and a price that’s far easier to swallow? One standout example is the Arex Delta Gen. 2 M OR—a compact, striker-fired, optics-ready pistol manufactured in Šentjernej, Slovenia.

A Bit of History: Arex Defense entered the pistol market in 2016 with the Rex Zero 1, a hammer-fired DA/SA design heavily inspired by the Sig Sauer P226 and imported through FIME Group LLC. I still vividly remember watching Military Arms Channel’s “Gauntlet” torture test and thinking, “I’ve got to get my hands on one of these someday.”

Fast-forward to 2019: Arex launched the Delta line in the United States. In 2020, Global Ordnance became the exclusive U.S. importer for Arex Defense products. Then, in 2022, the company released the Delta Gen. 2—the refined, current-version pistol we’re looking at today.

Full Disclosure: I’ve been an affiliate of Global Ordnance for several years, and during that time I kept hearing nothing but praise for the Arex Delta. Honestly, I chalked it up to typical industry bias—what importer is going to trash-talk the one brand they have exclusive rights to sell in the U.S.?

So when Global Ordnance offered me the chance to test a Delta Gen. 2 for myself, I jumped at it. I genuinely hoped it would live up to the hype they’d been giving it, but I’ll admit I was skeptical.

We interrupt this review for a self-serving affiliate plug.  Use code FRIED for free shipping on orders $99+ (including on ammo) at Global Ordnance.  I receive a small commission in return for saving you money. Now back to the review.

Initial Impressions:  When the Delta M OR showed up, I was fully expecting a “Glock 19 clone” and was caught off guard in the best way. Dimensionally, it splits the difference between a Glock 19 and a Sig P365 XMacro Comp (which had been my daily carry for the past couple of years). The frame is just a touch thinner than a G19 and only a hair wider than the subcompact Sig—those 2–4 mm make a surprising difference in the hand.

 It also felt noticeably light for its size: lighter than a Glock 19 yet barely heavier than the P365 XMacro Comp. The polymer frame is comfortable, with a moderately aggressive texture that locks in without being abrasive. Front and rear slide serrations are deep and well-executed—plenty of purchase without looking over-styled or excessively machined.

The factory sights are steel (black rear, white dot front), which is a genuinely nice touch at this price point. Right out of the box, the Delta M OR didn’t feel like a budget compromise—it felt like something different, and in a good way.

While examining the slide, I immediately noticed something unusual: the screw holes on the optics cover plate were deliberately offset. I’d never seen that before, and it piqued my curiosity.

I set the slide down and started digging through the factory precision-cut foam in the box—backstraps, a compact cleaning kit, spare magazines—and then spotted a small bag with five optics mounting plates. When I pulled them out, I was genuinely surprised: they’re polymer. Yes, polymer plates. I’ll admit, it made me a bit nervous.  Would these hold zero and survive? I aimed to find out.

Arex includes 5 plates to cover virtually every major red-dot footprint, each with the correct screws, posts, or nuts needed for a secure mount. I grabbed the Type 5 plate for my Gideon Valor Mini enclosed red-dot (RMSc footprint). It uses two screws that thread into captive nuts on the underside of the plate, plus four more screws to secure the plate to the slide. Installation was straightforward—no drama, no shims, no guessing games. With the optic in place, I slapped a Streamlight TLR-7X onto the forward Picatinny rail and started running dry-fire reps.

The factory trigger is spec’d at 5 lb 8 oz, and that feels about right—very much in the same ballpark as a good Glock 19 or P365 trigger. Being a partially pre-cocked striker system (what some call “double-action striker” or “partially tensioned”), there’s a small amount of light take-up before you hit the wall where the striker finishes cocking. After that, the break is crisp, with a short, tactile, and audible reset. A bright red striker indicator also pops out the back of the slide when the gun is ready to go again—super handy for training or low-light verification. Out of the box the trigger had a tiny bit of grit, but it smoothed out noticeably after just a couple hundred dry reps. The flat-faced trigger shoe sits fairly far forward in the guard, and the safety lever (“dingus”) is thin and protrudes just enough to do its job without digging into your finger too much. 

Finally, the magazine release buttons were noticeably molded to match the geometry of the frame, with an uneven surface area and little protrusion.

Range Day:  I loaded the two factory magazines (one 15-round flush-fit and one 17-round extended) plus an extra 15-rounder I picked up from GunMagWarehouse, all stuffed with Global Ordnance 115-grain FMJ. For the first trip I also grabbed an ANR Designs IWB light-bearing holster and matching spare-mag carrier—figured I’d test the complete carry package from the jump. Before heading out, I field-stripped the Delta, wiped down the internals, and gave everything a light coat of ALG Go-Juice. No heavy factory grease to deal with, just a quick once-over and I was good to go.

First Shots: Snappy, but Surprisingly Tame: The very first magazine caught me off guard—the Delta felt noticeably snappier than I expected, even with the added weight of the Streamlight TLR-7X and the Gideon Valor Mini on top, and even running relatively light 115-grain Global Ordnance FMJ. “Snappy” is the word that shows up in almost every review I’d read, and now I understood why.

Fortunately, the ergonomics bailed me out fast. The low bore axis, deeply recessed frame rails, and high beavertail let me get an aggressively high grip right away. A minor adjustment upward on the support hand and the muzzle was back under control—after that, the gun was an absolute pleasure to run. (Later, Global Ordnance confirmed their 115-grain FMJ is loaded a little hotter than most standard range fodder, so that explained part of the extra kick.)

One follower on X had warned me that earlier Delta Gens were prone to brass-to-face; I never experienced it once. Ejection was consistent, off to the side, and well clear of both my face and the front lens of my optic.

I took the opportunity to zero the Gideon Valor Mini during that first session and the little RMSc-footprint dot turned the Delta into a tack-driver. Despite my early skepticism, the polymer optics plate never flexed, shifted, or caused a problem. None of the screws backed out or loosened over the course of the afternoon.

Reliability was flawless. I ran just shy of 300 rounds that day—mostly the Global Ordnance 115-grain FMJ, finishing with several magazines of Speer 124-grain Gold Dot JHP. Not a single malfunction, stove-pipe, or failure to feed. Mags dropped free when empty, the slide locked back every time, and the gun just kept running.

The One Real Complaint: No review would be honest without at least one gripe, and the Delta Gen. 2 has a legitimate one: the factory ambidextrous magazine release.

While I love that it’s completely flush, snag-free, and virtually impossible to bump accidentally while carrying, it comes at a cost. Dropping a magazine—especially a loaded one—requires an awkward grip shift and a deliberate, almost forceful press. Empty mags fall a little more willingly, but even then it’s slower and less positive than I’m used to on a Glock, Sig, or most other handguns. Several earlier reviewers have called out the exact same thing, so it’s not just me.

The good news? Arex already has the fix: a factory extended ambidextrous mag release that costs all of $20 from Global Ordnance. Supposedly, this part-swap alleviates the problem completely. The less-good news is that Arex officially recommends a gunsmith do the swap because it involves drifting a pin and wrangling a tiny spring.

Deal-breaker? Not even close—the gun is too good and the fix too cheap and readily available. Still, I’d love to see future U.S.-market Deltas ship with the extended button already installed. It’s a small change that would eliminate the single most common complaint overnight.

Conclusion: My early skepticism about Global Ordnance’s glowing praise for the Arex Delta Gen. 2 M OR turned out to be completely unfounded. I loved shooting it, and it has already worked its way into my carry rotation. The magazine-release issue is real, but it’s a $20 factory part away from being a non-issue.

Everything else—size, features, reliability, ergonomics, and that ridiculously low bore axis—exceeded expectations. At an honest retail price of $425, the Delta Gen. 2 is one of the best values on the market today: a truly optics-ready, compact, metal-sighted, Slovenian-made striker pistol that ships with five mounting plates and two magazines.

Arex has a new fan. I’m already itching to try the rest of their lineup. If you’re in the market for a carry gun that punches well above its price tag, put the Delta Gen. 2 at the top of your list. You won’t be disappointed.