I got the chance to look at and handle an Arex compact today for the first time and it's pretty impressive. Exceptionally clean and smooth inside and out, very tight tolerances, DA/SA and decocker, with ambi manual safety and mag release, and can be disassembled with it on safe. Automatically trips the takedown lever upon reassembly. 15 rounds of 9mm in the compact, 17 rounds in the full size. Out the door at the lgs $640. The flat dark earth is not actually FDE, more like a gold color, but a dark bronze coating on it would be nice! Other than the safety, if you didn't see any name on it from 10 ft away you would think it's a 226, if it was the black one that is. Close inspection inside and out had me put some money down to order one in unless his other customer doesn't take this one, then it's mine. If I end up with their FDE I'm definitely having it coated something else, but if I end up with a black one I may or may not have it coated, haven't decided yet. Can't wait to shoot it.