s&w csx review

S&w Csx Review - Smith & Wesson's new CSX is a miniature 9mm pistol with an aluminum frame that can hold up to 13 rounds. Tyler Freer

The Smith & Wesson CSX is one of the newest subcompact 9mm pistols to enter the crowded market, but it has some unique design features that help it stand out. This is a brand new hammer gun with an aluminum frame and a capacity of 13 rounds. CSX is small and mighty. It has some key design differences compared to other Smith & Wesson pistols such as the M&P series.

S&w Csx Review

In the current gun market there is an arms race to pack huge amounts of ammunition into small packages. Smith & Wesson already had a relevant competitor in the market with its Shield Plus model, but they went one step further with the CSX.

First Look: Smith & Wesson Csx 9 Mm Pistol

On paper, the CSX isn't much smaller than the Shield Plus, but the new frame, magazine and hammer designs give it one of the best size-to-capacity ratios on the market. The CSX is small, about the same size as the single-row Kimber Micro 9 1911 and Springfield Armory's popular Hellcat. Smith & Wesson's website lists the height of the CSX as 4.6", but the one I received was less than 4.5" from the top of the scope to the bottom of the magazine (12 round magazine).

CSX is much more than a product line extension. It is a newly designed miniature carry gun. It has clean ergonomics, bevelled edges and low-profile controls. It has aggressive but smooth serrations on the front and back of the sleeves, and a slightly wider pull tab on the back. It includes an ultra-compact 10-round magazine as well as a slightly longer 12-round magazine.

The CSX is one of the smallest miniature 9mm pistols on the market, with several key design features that set it apart from most other competitors. Most of the miniature 9mm pistols on the market are polymer-framed, bolt-action rifles—and for good reason. Polymer frame guns are simple, durable and affordable, and most firing pin guns are very reliable. Aside from the ergonomics of the layout and the differences in appearance, many of the miniature 9mm pistols on the market are similar. CSX does not conform to this specification.

The CSX has ambidextrous controls, including interchangeable straps. The minimal straps provide a minimalist feel, but have a good fit.

S&w Csx Iwb Holster Right Side

The biggest departure from current competitors is that the Smith & Wesson CSX has an aluminum frame with textured grip panels on the front and replaceable polymer grip panels on the rear. The grain on the plates is fine and abrasive, like 36-grit sandpaper.

Grip panels provide a comfortable and secure grip on the otherwise smooth aluminum frame, even with sweaty hands. The gun comes with a palm swelling strap, but you can easily replace it with the thinner, minimalist strap that comes with it. Both slings provide excellent traction for my hand and the gun is comfortable to hold.

Aluminum is a softer metal than steel, but it works well in this gun. After about 300 rounds, I didn't notice any worrisome or unusual wear between the stainless steel rails and the rails on the aluminum frame. Skeptics should be reminded that most AR receivers are made of aluminum, and can withstand years of abuse and bonding to moving steel parts. With the CSX, you get a compact, lightweight metal gun that feels great in your hand.

The Smith & Wesson CSX differs from the most common 9mm miniature pistol in another way: it's hammer action. Both pin and hammer pistols are reliable, but being a hammer pistol, the CSX has a more compact slide and a crisp, short trigger. The external hammer also gives the shooter the ability to carry it in a half-heel position if the shooter so desires.

S&w Csx: When Intent And Realities Don't Coincide

Upon closer inspection, the CSX looks more like a 1911 than most other miniature 9mm pistols. Calling it a 1911 variant is a bit of a stretch, but it shares some key similarities with some of the smaller 1911s, such as the barrel and firing pin, long slide rail, ejector, and general 1911-style controls. All controls are modest but easy to operate.

Smith & Wesson CSX field strips are like a micro-1911, with a slide stop lever that doubles as a takedown pin. It uses an independent recoil spring and slide, and the barrel and feed ramp are similar to those of some miniature 1911s. The CSX uses a large external extractor like you see on many shotguns, which adds to the reliability.

The CSX pistol has stop levers on the left and right sides, and while the pistol comes with a left side magazine catch button, it can easily be swapped out for the included right side button. The CSX comes out of the box with safety thumb bars on the left and right sides.

The thumb safety works and feels like a 1911, but works smoother because the pivot point of the safety lever is further behind the beaver tail. A shorter lever requires less force to operate. I have relatively large hands and the thumb pad extends well beyond the safety bar. Some thumb safety devices are difficult to disengage without breaking the grip, but the CSX's safety device is easy to disengage by touching the side of the thumb, just push it down.

Smith & Wesson Cold Launches The New Csx Micro Compact 9mm Pistol

If you have large hands, the safety bar will be behind the thumb pad. Fortunately, separation is very easy. Tyler Freer

Another notable feature of the thumb safety is that it works regardless of whether the gun is loaded or not, and does not prevent slipping when the safety is engaged. You can manipulate the slide to load, unload or inspect the chamber while the safety device is in the "ON" position. You can also engage the safety before the hammer is raised. If you don't want to use a thumb guard at all, you may find its presence unobtrusive.

The shooting capabilities of compact and micro-compact handguns have made huge strides in recent years. The first miniature carry gun I bought - and it must have been miniature at the time - was the Kahr CW9. It's a cute little single post 9mm pistol, but geez, it looks flimsy and clunky. The CSX shooting is another story.

I no longer have a CW9, but for comparison, I shoot with my CSX alongside one of my favorite micro-9mms, my Kimber Micro 9 Triari. The pistols are almost the same size, the CSX has a slightly thicker grip due to the double layer magazine. The Kimber is easy to handle for its size and I don't find it as fast as some other pistols, such as the Springfield Hellcat.

Smith & Wesson Csx Pro Idpa Competition Holster

Despite its small size, the CSX has nearly double the capacity of this single-stack Kimber. Tyler Freer

I shoot the CSX with a palm extension and a minimalist sling and find it very comfortable to shoot a gun of its size. Recoil control is easy, and the scope never seems to be off target during the recoil cycle. I often refer to my Kimber Micro 9 as

, meaning it has a low chance of flying off target when fired, but the CSX is even better.

I attribute CSX's shooting prowess to a few things. First, it's a comfortable fit, and the textured panels certainly help with that. Even with a 10 round magazine - leaving no room for my gun - I had no weakness or movement when holding the gun. Second, the gun allows for a very tall shaft that is close to the bore. When you cut the beavertail on the CSX, the top of your holder is only about 0.8" below the center of the hole. On my Kimber, you are almost 1.25" below the center of the hole. The difference is noticeable.

Smith & Wesson Csx Review

Practice and good recoil control will make shooting any gun easier, but I was impressed with how the Smith & Wesson CSX handled out of the box. The CSX's slippage may also contribute to the perceived jerk due to its lower mass. Sure there is recoil, but if you hold the gun, the bike feels more like a micro-compact .380 (like the LCP Max) than a 9mm.

The Smith & Wesson CSX is medium weight, but the trigger is very sharp and has very little travel. I measured the trigger weight on the sample at 5 lbs 12 oz. A lot of carry guns take an awfully long wind-up time, but not the CSX. It has a small trigger safety which, when compressed, gives the trigger a flat - almost backwards - shape. The gun is small, so finger placement is important for accuracy, but it's a good trigger.

The only downside to flip flops is the reset. The reset is nice, short, audible and tactile, but it takes a conscious effort to return to the reset after impact. I mean, you can't just relax your finger and let the spring tension in the trigger push your finger forward to reset. You have to consciously move it. Startup conditions

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