You know what they say, three men can keep a secret…just as long as two of them are dead. Smith & Wesson’s new CSX pistol has had a remarkably low-key release. The pistol first showed up on Reddit last week in the r/guns forum. Supposedly an employee at an FFL got his hands on one and posted a photo, but nuked the thread after people were trying to figure out which gun store he worked at.
In the modern 9mm market, it’s tough to be different, but for some, the Smith & Wesson CSX might be different enough.
It seems like the official release date was the yesterday, with numerous Youtube videos popping up showing the gun. That included a brief (for him) 37-minute Nutnfancy video detailing a few issues he apparently had with his.
However, Smith & Wesson is seemingly silent on the topic. Their social media hasn’t mentioned it as of this writing, but the guns are popping up in the hands of retailers around the country and seem to be selling for around $599.
What Is The CSX?
I want to believe that CSX stands for Chief’s Special X, but that’s yet to be determined. The CSX enters the micro compact world of 9mm. You know, those not-quite-double-stack guns that SIG pioneered with the P365 and have been some of the most popular guns sold in the last two years.
So far, all of the micro compacts (P365, Hellcat, Max-9, Shield Plus, GX4, Mako) have all been striker-fired guns. The CSX, however, takes the hammer-fired route.
The CSX is a single action only, hammer-fired micro-compact. The pistol utilizes 10 and 12 round magazines. Oh, and S&W ditched the all polymer frame, too.
The CSX sports a metal frame with polymer inserts. The backstrap is polymer and interchangeable for hand size. The front of the grip has a small textured polymer insert.
The gun comes with a reversible magazine release for lefties, an ambidextrous 1911-style safety, and an ambi slide lock/release. Overall it’s significantly different than the standard micro-compacts it will compete against, and as a hammer-fired guy, I heartily approve.
Here’s how Palmetto State describes the CSX:
The new Smith and Wesson CSX micro compact 9mm pistol features an aluminum alloy frame, glare reducing serrations on top of slide, interchangeable textured backstraps, ambidextrous manual thumb safety and elongated slide stop, and an impressive 10+1 or 12+1 capacity. Optimal 18 degree grip angle for natural point of aim, EZ tab integration for simpler racking, chamfered ejection port, and a crisp single action trigger make this the ideal concealed carry pistol.
Size Wise
Like the P365, Hellcat, and Shield Plus, the CSX has an efficient size-to-capacity ratio. Here’s what the specs look like from retailers.
Barrel Length: 3.1″
Overall Length: 6.1″
Width: 1.12″
Height: 4.6″
Weight: 19.5 oz
The sights are simple three-dot irons, and the gun isn’t optic’s ready. At least this initial version isn’t. That’s a shame, but given the popularity of pistol red dots these days, it seems like a lock that an optics-ready model is in Smith & Wesson’s future.
The CSX doesn’t have an accessory rail either. I expected the S&W CSX to use Shield Plus magazines, but according to the always-authoritative internet scuttlebutt that’s circulating, it’s a proprietary magazine.
The Smith & Wesson CSX is a fascinating little micro-compact that brings a metal-framed, hammer-fired design to a world of polymer-frame striker-fired guns. Hopefully, we’ll get our hands on one soon and be able to provide a full report.
