Review: CSX E-Series 3.1 Inch Pistol

We first started to see semi-automatic, micro-compact pistols hit the marketplace about 30 years ago. These pistols were easy to conceal, but they also had magazines that held six to eight rounds, far less than larger compact 9mm pistols could carry. That changed in 2018, and all of sudden a small pistol with a 3-inch barrel could carry 11 rounds, and the race to increase the capacity of a micro-compact pistol was on.

However, almost all of those guns were polymer-framed, striker-fired guns, just like their larger cousins, which means that they are easy to carry and easy to use. However, because they have striker-fired actions, they also tend to have long trigger pulls which can go upwards of 6 pounds, and also have recoil springs that are stiffer than their hammer-fired brethren.

For most people, this is not a problem. However, I live in Florida, and as you may have heard, there are quite a few retirees here who may have trouble with a 6-pound trigger pull or a 14-pound action spring of a striker-fired gun. These are two of the reasons why Smith & Wesson came out with the M&P Shield EZ series, which are single-action, hammer-fired compact pistols that are easy to shoot and easy to manipulate. However, they are compact pistols, which means they are slightly more difficult to carry discreetly than a micro-compact pistol.

Enter the first-generation Smith & Wesson CSX. At just over 6 inches long and with a 3.1-inch barrel, it fits squarely into the “micro-compact” market niche. It also had a 10-round magazine, placing it right up there with other pistols in this market and offered a 12-round extended magazine. To top it all off, it was a single-action, hammer-fired gun, which meant it was easy to manipulate. 

Upgrades That Make A Difference

So why am I talking about the CSX E-Series and not this pistol? Well, as good as the original CSX was, it had two major issues. The first was it was not compatible with red-dot sights, which is a bit of a missed opportunity in today’s dot-centric handgun world. The second was the trigger: The model we tested broke at just over five pounds, which is fine for a striker-fired gun, but rather heavy for a single-action pistol, and units I tried out in gun stores felt much heavier than that. 

Smith & Wesson took all of this to heart and rolled out the CSX E-Series to address these items and add in a few more upgrades for good measure. The standard capacity magazine now holds 12 rounds, and the pistol now ships with a 15- and a 17-round magazine. The trigger is much improved, with 1911-style travel and breaks at just over 4 pounds. There are 3.1-inch and 3.6-inch barrel versions available, and best of all, both versions can mount red-dot optics which use a Holosun K or RMSc footprint. 

What all of this means is that people like myself who are hopelessly addicted to the shorter, crisper trigger of a single-action pistol now have something that’s the same size as a striker-fired Smith & Wesson Shield X. It also means that people who prefer compact, single-action guns like the M&P Shield EZ have an even smaller gun to carry with them. Best of all, up to 17 rounds in the magazine means you’ll be able to handle just about anything that life may throw at you. 

Shooting The CSX E-Series

On the range, the CSX E-Series felt absolutely terrific in my hands, although I have long, skinny spider fingers and not thicker digits. There is an ambidextrous safety on the frame which I found easy to use, but you may not. In addition to that frame-mounted safety, there is a bladed safety on the trigger. This combination adds an extra level of security to the pistol, reducing my concerns about carrying it in an appendix holster or via off-body carry. 

I initially mounted a Gideon Optics Judge to my pistol, then swapped it out after a few weeks for a Gideon Valor as I prefer enclosed-emitter sights. After a break-in period of about 200 rounds, I made the decision to use the 3.1-inch variant as my daily carry gun, and it works admirably in this role. The gun flat-out disappears with the 12-round magazine inserted, allowing me to carry at any position I want around my waistline or off-body carry if I so choose. 

Because of their longer, heavier triggers and smaller frames, other micro-compact pistols tend to give out above 15 yards. However, the larger 15- and 17-round magazines of the CSX E-Series combined with the short, light trigger pull and red dot sight means this gun can make 25-yard headshots all day long if you are up to that level of marksmanship. Add in rock-solid reliability (I’m at over 1,000 rounds with this pistol with no cleanings and no issues), and the Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series becomes a very attractive alternative to the cookie-cutter world of striker-fired, micro-compact pistols. 

Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series Specifications

• Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson
• Model Name: CSX E-Series 
• Action Type: Single Action
• Caliber: 9mm
• Height: 4.6 inches
• Width: 1.12 inches
• Length: 6.1 inches
• Barrel Length: 3.1 inches 
• Weight: 19.7 ounces
• Finish: Black
• Magazine Capacity: 12-round flush-fit, 15- and 17-round extended
• MSRP: $699