When it comes to carry guns, I don’t get too excited about the shiny new guns in dealer cases. I’m not swayed by the latest-and-greatest. As a matter of fact, I’m more likely to carry something that has been through the gauntlet and has proven itself to be reliable. Being a guinea pig for a manufacturer is something I’d rather leave to someone else, because when the safety of my loved ones is on the line, I want something I know will work when I need it.
So, when Smith & Wesson introduced the CSX E-Series, I was aware of the pistol but not all that interested in checking it out. However, my mind was changed after I got a chance to get my hands on it. The S&W CSX E-Series does a remarkable job of melding the latest-and-greatest with tried and true design features that have proven reliable under the most extreme conditions. This single-action, semi-automatic, optic-ready pistol is chambered in 9mm, making it the advanced evolution of a classic platform that is perfect for those who demand more from their concealed carry.
A compact 9mm pistol with the weight and balance of a duty gun
One of the first things you will notice about the new Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series is that it is heavier than you would expect. The trend of modern micro-compact pistols has been to be extra small and lightweight. The CSX E-Series diverges from this trend. Instead of a polymer frame to save weight, the CSX E-Series has an aluminum alloy frame in flat black. The frame is mated to a stainless steel slide with an Armornite finish to protect it against the corrosion caused by carrying a pistol right next to your body.
The result is a good-looking pistol that weighs in at 23.5 oz. (666.2 g) with an empty 12-round magazine. It’s not too heavy to carry comfortably but is more substantial than it looks and is built for the rigors of being your everyday carry pistol. This weight and the balance of the pistol are an asset when shooting it, but more on that later.
The Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series pistols come with a 12-round, 15-round and 17-round magazine letting you decide what is right for your carry situation. In addition to the magazine choices, you get to decide how big you want the pistol to be. Interchangeable backstraps with extensive grip texture coverage help you get the perfect fit for small or large hands.
Taking it even further, the modular grip adapter lets you take your CSX E-Series and size it to meet your needs. Size down to a micro-compact for ultimate concealment or size up to a compact frame size for better handling when shooting. Either way, the frame measures a narrow 1.01˝ (1.125˝ with controls) width and boasts an overall frame height without a magazine of 4.6˝. The overall length of the pistol is 6.6” making it easily concealable for people of different heights and builds.
CSX E-Series trigger, optics cut and sight options
Some people insist that the definition of a good trigger is a light trigger, but a concealed carry gun shouldn’t have a light trigger. I believe the perfect trigger weight for a concealed carry gun falls somewhere between 5–7 lbs. The measure of whether a trigger is “good” may be subjective, but there are some commonalities most shooters will agree on. The trigger should have a discernible pressure wall, clean break, minimum overtravel and a short reset that puts the trigger back on the pressure wall without significant slack.
The newly enhanced Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series trigger checks all the boxes. The straighter travel of the trigger to the rear, similar to a traditional 1911-type trigger, helps the shooter improve in accuracy when firing.
The Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series comes optic ready with a modified RMS-C/507K optic footprint that features the Smith & Wesson ClearSight cut designed to strategically divert gasses away from the optic lens when shooting. This is a small but useful and functional addition that helps keep your glass clear. If you haven’t made the pistol-mounted optic leap yet, the proven and reliable side of things is the nearly infallible white dot sights that come installed on the CSX E-Series.
How the Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series actually shoots
Shooting the Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series proved to be more enjoyable than most other micro-compact or compact pistols. Many other pistols are so small and lightweight that they become a chore to shoot for extended training sessions. This is not the case with the CSX E-Series. The weight of the aluminum frame matched with the stainless steel slide and barrel make for a pistol that doesn’t beat you up and is a joy to shoot.
The pistol recoils and settles back to your original point of aim easily and consistently. This is a compact pistol that shoots more like a full-size handgun. Even shooters with big hands can shoot the Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series without the slide pinching or biting them. There’s ample room to adjust for hand size with the different magazines and interchangeable backstraps.
The manual safety is a little more challenging for big hands since it can sit behind the shooter’s thumb, but those of us with small to medium-sized hands will find the safety lever is well-placed and easy to manipulate. The safety lever has good movement and a well-defined audible and tactile feel to it, making it easy to tell if it has moved into the desired position.
Out of the box, the trigger feels a little stiff but after a few hundred rounds, it broke in nicely and feels like a good concealed carry trigger should feel. The way the trigger travels, the pressure wall, crisp break and reset make the Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series an easy pistol to shoot well quickly, even for a small pistol. Like I said before, this pistol is a joy to run, and you can enjoy shooting it during extended training sessions.
The Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series doesn’t come with a rail for attachments like a small light or laser, but this is not a deal breaker as far as I’m concerned. I like a light on a duty gun, but I don’t find it necessary on a concealed carry pistol. As a matter of fact, none of my carry pistols have a light attached so the CSX E-Series fits well in my line-up.
The Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series has functioned flawlessly after nearly 800 rounds downrange. It is compact without giving up comfort regardless of hand size. The choices between the different magazines and the interchangeable backstraps make it customizable to fit the shooter. The exposed hammer and single action operating system give it a 1911 look, but the ergonomics and features expected of a modern pistol make the Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series a great choice for everyday carry.
The Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series is a good-looking pistol that blends the ease of shooting a single-action operating system with modern features like optics and interchangeable backstraps. It runs and shoots more like a full-size duty gun than a micro- or compact carry pistol by returning very predictably back to the original point of aim.
Learn more about the Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series.
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