S&W CSX
- Thread starter hawkeye17
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Get it if You can. Never regretted mine.
SnidelyWhiplash
Member
Awesome little pistols. Ergonomic...groups well but mine is slightly off point of aim...could be the ammo I used. I have a set of tritium night sights for it I'm going to install and will adjust to take care of any final sighting in.
Some problems with early magazines - but I think that has been resolved.
Personally I dont care for mine, but that is a matter of taste.
I am more used to the 3rd generation pistols that are TDA with a decocking safety or DAO rather than the CSX.
Clearly the CSX has more firepower than a CS9 or a 3913, but I would trade my CSX for a CS9 in an instant.
Personally I dont care for mine, but that is a matter of taste.
I am more used to the 3rd generation pistols that are TDA with a decocking safety or DAO rather than the CSX.
Clearly the CSX has more firepower than a CS9 or a 3913, but I would trade my CSX for a CS9 in an instant.
Shoots pretty well, best thing is amazing fit to hand. Easily pocketable. I fed it 6 different kinds of ammo 115-147 including some long 147g that choked up a 6946, and it ran 100% no issues.
You will want to check:
1. Make sure mag goes in/out freely.
2. Make sure safety movement feel is to your liking.
3. With slide locked back, look at the underside for the firing pin safety plunger - you want the later white one, not the black one. (Reset feel issue some have complained about.)
4. I’ve seen a couple with the sights uncentered, up to you if you want to deal with that or not.
Pocket gun that holds 1 round shy of a High Power!
You will want to check:
1. Make sure mag goes in/out freely.
2. Make sure safety movement feel is to your liking.
3. With slide locked back, look at the underside for the firing pin safety plunger - you want the later white one, not the black one. (Reset feel issue some have complained about.)
4. I’ve seen a couple with the sights uncentered, up to you if you want to deal with that or not.
Pocket gun that holds 1 round shy of a High Power!
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mckenney99
Member
Great little pistol and hard to beat the capacity for it's size. S&W did a tremendous job working out the ergonomics of this little pistol. I had 1 failure to go fully into battery within the first magazine full. I haven't experienced another single failure since and that is firing one handed strong hand, one handed weak hand and one handed immediately from clearing the holster from the retention position and 2 handed. Bullet weights from 115gr fmj/jhp, 124gr fmj/jhp and 147gr fmj/jhp. My first pistol had a bad barrel in it, (posted that experience here) but the factory replaced the barrel under warranty. While my first CSX was back at the factory for the barrel issue, I bought a second one that has been completely reliable. The excellent ergonomics go a long way in taming recoil in such a little pistol. Another thing that I haven't seen mentioned is that since this is a single action, hammer fired pistol, if you pre-cock the hammer (which can be done with the safety engaged) the force required to retract the slide for loading/unloading is extremely easy.
I do have 2 complaints about the CSX. #1) I wish S&W would have put "witness marks" on the right side of the slide/frame to assist in getting/keeping both lined up properly to punch out the slide stop pin for disassembly. #2) The stupid 12rd magazine sleeve is cheap & problematic, in that the sleeves tend to slip up/down away from the baseplate and that can interfere with properly seating the magazine in the pistol. I did find a solution that fixed the sleeve to the baseplate, but still allowed the sleeve to serve its intended purpose (prevent over-insertion) and still allowed proper disassembly of the magazine. (I have posted about the fix here also.)
These are not target guns, they are self defense guns and as such I am happy getting 2 to 3 inch groups with Federal 124gr HST's at 15 yards and some of that group size can be attributed to my 65 yr old eyes.
I do have 2 complaints about the CSX. #1) I wish S&W would have put "witness marks" on the right side of the slide/frame to assist in getting/keeping both lined up properly to punch out the slide stop pin for disassembly. #2) The stupid 12rd magazine sleeve is cheap & problematic, in that the sleeves tend to slip up/down away from the baseplate and that can interfere with properly seating the magazine in the pistol. I did find a solution that fixed the sleeve to the baseplate, but still allowed the sleeve to serve its intended purpose (prevent over-insertion) and still allowed proper disassembly of the magazine. (I have posted about the fix here also.)
These are not target guns, they are self defense guns and as such I am happy getting 2 to 3 inch groups with Federal 124gr HST's at 15 yards and some of that group size can be attributed to my 65 yr old eyes.
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HOUSTON RICK
Member
Nice little pistol for CCW. When it first came out it took a lot of unjust flack for not being the only gun that some rookies would ever need for competition, long range targets, etc.
It wasn't the magazines that were the problem, it was the magwell clearances. I fixed mine.
See thread for more.
Anyone with a CSX have their mags stick in the magwell when fully loaded?
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I paid over $600 for mine new (had to be the first on the block). Was lucky to get $400 a year later. Safety was a little troublesome (had to push the left side safety to the right to get it to snick into place). The 10 round and 12 round magazine both had that ridiculous mag swell when loaded (S&W did replace the 10 round mag which was a little better). The small grip when installed looked like they forgot something.
It was very accurate at combat ranges (7 to 10 yards) but I was happy when I sold it.
Your mileage may very.
Trooper Joe
It was very accurate at combat ranges (7 to 10 yards) but I was happy when I sold it.
Your mileage may very.
Trooper Joe
Picked up a used one a few months ago. Kind of a whim purchase, I had some gift cards to use up.
I like it. Been reliable, surprisingly accurate. Trigger is more than adequate. A different duck for sure, kind of surprised Smith came out with it.
I like it. Been reliable, surprisingly accurate. Trigger is more than adequate. A different duck for sure, kind of surprised Smith came out with it.
squidsix
Member
I have one with nearly 2k rounds thru it. Works great, accurate, reliable. I carry it often when "small gun" is the requirement.
LVSteve
Member
I handled one at a dealer recently. I was reminded of the Star Firestar by its size, metal heft, and SA trigger. Grip has a better shape than the Firestar. I'd have to shoot one before buying. I've been burned by guns that feel "good in my hand" before, the LC9s is a good example with its narrow backstrap.
Likewise, I was fooled into the thinking the Firestar would be a good carry piece with its size and weight to soak up recoil. Turned out the grip was too small for my long, thin hands. The gun never came out of the holster pointing the same way twice.
Likewise, I was fooled into the thinking the Firestar would be a good carry piece with its size and weight to soak up recoil. Turned out the grip was too small for my long, thin hands. The gun never came out of the holster pointing the same way twice.
mckenney99
Member
LVSteve is correct, the CSX is very close to the Firestar in size, in fact the CSX will fit in a couple of tightly molded Milt Sparks leather holsters I have for my Firestar M40. The CSX's edges and contours are smoother and blended and the CSX is considerably lighter. To me the trigger on the CSX is kind of reminiscent of the trigger on my Firestar which I learned to use well enough to qualify with as an on duty backup gun.
Erich
Member
Liked mine so well that I bought a second!
I've posted a bit about mine in a few other threads here (feel free to search on my name and CSX), so I don't want to bore everyone by repeating myself. Utterly reliable (with the exception of one improperly manufactured round of ammuntion that wouldn't fit into any 9x19 chamber), mine is my most-carried gun these days. (My second CSX is on range duty, and is probably my most-shot gun these days.) Whether it works for a given person seems pretty subjective - I know a lot of experienced folks who just don't like these - but I'm grateful for Uncle Mas' recommendation that I try one out.
This should read "Federal American Eagle 147-gr factory flaw.
I've posted a bit about mine in a few other threads here (feel free to search on my name and CSX), so I don't want to bore everyone by repeating myself. Utterly reliable (with the exception of one improperly manufactured round of ammuntion that wouldn't fit into any 9x19 chamber), mine is my most-carried gun these days. (My second CSX is on range duty, and is probably my most-shot gun these days.) Whether it works for a given person seems pretty subjective - I know a lot of experienced folks who just don't like these - but I'm grateful for Uncle Mas' recommendation that I try one out.
This should read "Federal American Eagle 147-gr factory flaw.
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squidsix
Member
Retract your slide and look at the firing pin safety.
Is yours black or is it white?
Is yours black or is it white?
Sticky mags in the CSX is the fault of the pistol's magwell
Maybe if I keep posting this people will quit saying the problem was the magazines.
.
The problem is not the magazines.
None of my (4) mags would drop freely from my CSX if loaded with more than (6) rounds.
My son's magazines all drop freely from his CSX if fully loaded.
His magazines will NOT drop freely from my CSX if fully loaded.
My magazines WILL drop freely from his CSX if fully loaded.
The obvious conclusion then is that our CSXs' magwells were not the exact same internal dimensions, mine being tighter.
I fixed mine by filing down the magwell's high spots.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/141607510-post27.html
.
Both mine & my son's CSX POI hit about 3" left of POA. Tapping the factory rear sight a pencil mark's width to the right fixed that.
I ultimately installed XS's DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights on mine for easier sight acquisition. (Seems my eyes have gotten two sizes smaller
)
The safety lever could be a little bigger & the mag's spacer isn't their best idea but it doesn't bother me.
I quit counting but I've got over 700 rounds thru mine now.
And I do like mine & think it's a great compromise in size & firepower.
.
Out of the box, before rear sight adjustment, 10yds off-hand.
.
.
.
XS DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights
.
.
Maybe if I keep posting this people will quit saying the problem was the magazines.
.
The problem is not the magazines.
None of my (4) mags would drop freely from my CSX if loaded with more than (6) rounds.
My son's magazines all drop freely from his CSX if fully loaded.
His magazines will NOT drop freely from my CSX if fully loaded.
My magazines WILL drop freely from his CSX if fully loaded.
The obvious conclusion then is that our CSXs' magwells were not the exact same internal dimensions, mine being tighter.
I fixed mine by filing down the magwell's high spots.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/141607510-post27.html
.
Both mine & my son's CSX POI hit about 3" left of POA. Tapping the factory rear sight a pencil mark's width to the right fixed that.
I ultimately installed XS's DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights on mine for easier sight acquisition. (Seems my eyes have gotten two sizes smaller
)The safety lever could be a little bigger & the mag's spacer isn't their best idea but it doesn't bother me.
I quit counting but I've got over 700 rounds thru mine now.
And I do like mine & think it's a great compromise in size & firepower.
.
Out of the box, before rear sight adjustment, 10yds off-hand.
.
.
.
XS DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights
.
.
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I like mine, thinking of getting a second one to replace my wife's Shield for the sake of magazine interchangeability.
it is white, the newer model i believe , thanks
hi, did xs sights fit easily or need adjustments?Maybe if I keep posting this people will quit saying the problem was the magazines.
.
The problem is not the magazines.
None of my (4) mags would drop freely from my CSX if loaded with more than (6) rounds.
My son's magazines all drop freely from his CSX if fully loaded.
His magazines will NOT drop freely from my CSX if fully loaded.
My magazines WILL drop freely from his CSX if fully loaded.
The obvious conclusion then is that our CSXs' magwells were not the exact same internal dimensions, mine being tighter.
I fixed mine by filing down the magwell's high spots.
.
Both mine & my son's CSX POI hit about 3" left of POA. Tapping the factory rear sight a pencil mark's width to the right fixed that.
I ultimately installed XS's DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights on mine for easier sight acquisition. (Seems my eyes have gotten two sizes smaller
The safety lever could be a little bigger & the mag's spacer isn't their best idea but it doesn't bother me.
I quit counting but I've got over 700 rounds thru mine now.
And I do like mine & think it's a great compromise in size & firepower.
.
Out of the box, before rear sight adjustment, 10yds off-hand.
.
.
.
XS DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights
.
.
