I got the CSX with the idea of putting it into my carry rotation. I wanted a gun that had a decent power level, an ambidextrous manual safety, ambidextrous slide release, at least 10 rounds and, most importantly for me, must be carried very discreetly in appendix position while wearing summer clothing.

So how did the CSX do?

This is a hammer fired pistol with an aluminum frame and a 3’1” barrel. There is also a 3.6” barrel version which I have never seen. It has a removeable plate for mounting a dot optic and a rear sight that is easily adjusted for windage. The sights are a good square notch and post with white dots.

The trigger, while looking like a direct pull 1911 trigger, has a little bit of a “striker fired” feel. It was a better pull than a Glock, but not as good as a good 1911. My CSX let off at between 5.1 and 5.5 pounds on my trigger gauge with about 1/8” of creep. The trigger has a small safety tab which worked well and was not noticeable during operation. All in all, it wasn’t bad. The reset is very short and audible.

The slide and all controls were easy to operate. The grip modules are held by a, “depress the pin and push” fit, but are clunky to change and need a little plastic button tool which you will lose almost immediately. The ambi safety has to be pushed in a bit to go up into safe position, but this is good because it will prevent the safety levers from being inadvertently activated under recoil. The safety was very easy to flip off. It is so easy to depress that it should be protected by the holster. The field strip disassembly is extremely awkward, but I have a work around which I will discuss later.

The grip filled my hand well and the CSX is very comfortable to shoot. It also has a “small hands” grip which looks weird but fits my short finger / average palms better. The pistol recoils less than you would expect, and it is easier for me to shoot than my M&P Shield 1.0. This gun points naturally like 1911. A very good feature for a combat tool.

At the range I fired 150 rounds of Blazer Brass 115 and 124 grain, plus 25 rounds of Federal HST 124 grain standard pressure. The gun cycled perfectly with everything. I noticed that the 124 grain loads were more accurate. Speaking of accuracy, the pistol was grouping at a little under 8” at 15 yards firing offhand. I’m not a good shot and while this is acceptable for qualification for my CCW, I am confident that the group size will shrink to around 6” or less as I become more familiar with the pistol. I had a tendency to pull my shots to the right, (I’m left-handed) and when I switch to the small grip module this is corrected. The small grip also makes the gun somewhat easier to conceal. The small grip is backstrap only which leaves the aluminum sides of the grip exposed. This visually takes some getting used to and just plain looks weird. But it works.

The worst feature of the CSX is the field stripping. To remove the slide, you have to drive the “takedown pin”, which is also the left side slide stop, from right to left. This is further complicated by the pin protruding through the right side, “ambi” slide release, which is captive in the frame, so you don’t have much area to aim for. To make it worse it fits flush with the adjoining surfaces and the little punch they give you to do this with has a rounded face. Just keeping it on the end of pin while it wants to slip around is difficult.

You have to push the pin from the right side while lining up hump on the pin with the notch on the left side of the slide ala 1911. The manual tells you to apply pressure on the pin while moving the slide back about ¼ inch. This sounds good, but the pin / slide stop fit is so tight you can’t push it out with hand strength. You need a hammer. To make it even more difficult the punch is rounded so it slips off the pin, the hump is almost impossible to see in the notch and you can’t see both sides at the same time, which is necessary to keep the punch on the pin and line up the hump and notch while under recoil spring pressure.

It took about 20 minutes of holding the punch on the pin, while slowly moving the slide back, while hitting the base of the punch against the edge of the work bench. I finally got lucky, and it popped out. The “just push the pin out” in the manual is a complete fiction. I really had to slam that little gun and punch on the edge of the bench to get it to work.

Okay, here is how you do it. You need a small hammer, a decent punch about 1/16” or so and a bench block or some place to rest the gun so the left side is about 1 inch off the surface. Take the little orange chamber flag that comes with the gun, move the slide back and place the flag tab behind the barrel and let the slide close on it. This is just about the right distance, and you can visually check the notch / hump alignment playing with the tab until it is exactly lined up. Next, turn the gun so the right side is up, take the hammer and the punch and tap the pin out. The rest of the disassembly is easy.

Final thoughts. The CSX is designed to be a concealed, defensive close quarters combat weapon. At this task it excels. Easy to manipulate, instinctively pointing, light recoiling, safe for appendix carry re-holstering and fast to action this gun has all the boxes checked. The only real downside is that you will never “field strip” it in the field.

Hello Tom, I am glad you had a positive experience and thanks for sharing with all of us...maybe some other members will become fans also.

The first CSX's got a bad Rap because of the trigger reset, the floating mag sleeve, and no optics mounting, etc. Never an issue for me, and I find the shooting experience on par or better than my small 1-3 gen SW Semi's...I've included a pic of CSX with my CS9 for reference.

I bought the Original CSX a couple of years ago (LNIB $400.00) from a pawn shop, and it has been my EDC edging out my Sig 365XL.

The Slide stop pin is a bit tricky but will get easier with regular cleanings/takedown. I never needed a hammer but it is a tiny target using a punch...be careful to avoid scratching.

Again, thanks for sharing !! 3GF

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A lurker here. I too have the E series CSX and support the OP in all he has posted on his experience with his copy. I use a similar work around, a pop sickle stick.
I had sent mine to SW to get this takedown situation looked in to when I got the pistol about a month ago. I didn't want to shoot it if I couldn't take it down first. The repair order I received was a checklist type of thing with nothing noted on it. The stiff fit on the TD latch hasn't changed. Aside from that experience, the CSX is all I expected.

Well OP, sounds like the gun did what it is supposed to do...shoot good! With some practice, you'll probably get the field strip down to a science.

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USMC 83'-87', NRA Member.

I carry my CSX every day all day and take it down every weekend to wipe it down. The more you work with the takedown procedure the easier it will get.

This is for the 3.6 inch barrel model.........

kind of easy with a trick.....take down pin on the right side has to line up directly under the h in the word with.

pull slide back and insert nail..holds the slide in the correct position for pin removal.

found a nail that fit's perfect for this alignment so the take down is rather quick and easy with a small punch....do have to use a hammer as can not remove it with hand force

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Hipcocked & Locked