[Tkenworthy]

Caution! These observations and changes should be done by a gunsmith. If you don’t have skills associated with the changes, please take it to a gunsmith. The intent is to provide information on how the CSX can be an outstanding gun.

This is the first of several posts i plan to make, detailing modifications I believe improve the gun. Full disclosure, I am not a certified gunsmith. i have studied many of the AGI videos in addition to being a tool maker and manufacturing eng in the plastics industry for over 40 years. I only in recent years started working on guns for myself and some family. I wish I had started many years earlier. It a lot of fun and fulfilling to see improvement in a gun's performance.

If I'm providing information in an incorrect manner, please speak up.

After looking at the design thoroughly it seemed unnecessary need a tool for takedown. This can be done without sacrificing concealability, function, reliability, and most important safety.

This shows the components as a unit to help visualized what's modified.

At a basic level you only need three modifications.
1- Slot the right-side lever to insert your thumbnail or edge of a penny or dime. The dimensions shown arent critical, just what i ended up with. This could be done cleaner with some fixturing, but i masked it off and then used a dremmel with a cutoff wheel. I'll use some cold blue on it later, but it's easier to see as machined. it needs to be deep enough to overcome the detent, but not so deep to compromise the structure of the handle to hub wall stock. i placed it at an angle to comfortably line up with my thumb when holding the slide in position. I don't know how consistant the engraving on the slide is from the factory, but the left edge of the H in smith is centered with the lever pin.

2- Add thumbnail recess to the left side lever. I used a 1/2" dia grinding wheel on the dremmel then cold blued it. This is not visible when fully engaged in the detent but is easily removed once depressed from the right side slot. This can be engaged with your middle finger while still holding the slide and depressing the end of the pin in the slot with your thumb nail or penny. step 3 makes this much easier

3- Reduce the detent in the end of the left side lever, without changing is closed position. The first pic shows the detent in the assembly. The back wall "blue arrow" is where the plunger pushes to provide spring return of the lever slide lock. The detent angles "yellow" provide positioning to keep the right and left levers pulled together where the spline and yoke bottom out. The right-side angle prevents the left lever from coming out when the slide is in the teardown position. The white line is the original part. I wouldn't recommend modifying the tip of the plunger. I reduced the height of the right-side angle in the recess, gave it a slight radius at the top, and polished it. A dot of grease and it works like a champ

All of these components have a number of steps in Parting Lines from the Injected Metal Molding process. I have worked all the sufaces with an India stone, 600, 1000, and 1500 paper to get them to insert and rotate smoothly in the frame.

Honest Outlaw Incorrectly commented on YouTube, "the small diameter at the end of this lever is weak and will be failure point". This diameter sees No stress during operation. The two levers are locked together in rotation by the spline. All of the load is on the two hubs at either end, along with the main diameter in the middle that drives the lockup ramp on the barrel. All these need cleaned up a bit.

Please do a safety check to eliminate risk of an accidental Before operating the gun. Load only one round in the gun at ready position pointed down range. Adding additional rounds until you are comfortable the gun is operating as you intended

 

[Tkenworthy]

These mods don't affect the function of the pistol. They are personal preference mods.

I did the mod on the firing pin plunger as a personal preference. The pistol functioned flawlessly without the mod. I just wanted a smoother take-up.

The one mod I'm working on is to beef-up the safety detent. The ease in which the safety can be bumped off bothers me and is a bit of a concern. That I can't buy and replace parts limits my efforts, but I'll keep after it.

I’m on the road traveling this week bud I can post the modification to the safety this coming weekend. I made modification after your post It’s really pretty easy but I prefer to provide pictures with explanation to illuminate any confusion in directions.

 

[Tkenworthy]

Honest question, I saw your post about the flaws you found with this gun and your fixes, just wondering why not pick one of the many alternatives out there that does these things right out of the box vs. having to modify a CSX to make it do what you want?

Fair question. I kind of had the concept of the CSX in my mind for a while. I’ve been carrying a Kimber micro 9 and ultra for years but wanted more capacity in the nine. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with striker fire guns but they’re just not my preference. When I saw the CSX I thought it was a perfect combination, like a micro 2011. Still do. Working at refining my gunsmithing skills, so took it as a challenge and hope to help others who really like the gun as well. The fit to my hand is bettter than the 365 or shield plus which were my next choice. Thanks for the curiosity.

 

[Tkenworthy]

I’m on the road traveling this week bud I can post the modification to the safety this coming weekend. I made modification after your post It’s really pretty easy but I prefer to provide pictures with explanation to illuminate any confusion in directions.

I wouldn’t recommend modifying the spring. If you go too far, you’ll be sending it to Smith for 4-8 weeks because they wont ship you a new one and you’ll not find one as part of an assortment.

These mods don't affect the function of the pistol. They are personal preference mods.

I did the mod on the firing pin plunger as a personal preference. The pistol functioned flawlessly without the mod. I just wanted a smoother take-up.

The one mod I'm working on is to beef-up the safety detent. The ease in which the safety can be bumped off bothers me and is a bit of a concern. That I can't buy and replace parts limits my efforts, but I'll keep after it.

Found the pics I already had, so I went ahead and wrote it up.. The main issue as mentioned previously is the disconnector spring pushing the disconnecter bar fighting to push the safety off. I did change that spring to weaker one. Same diameter and length but smaller wire dia and larger pitch. It was from a wolf variety pack. Sorry, i don’t have dimensions with me on the road. This helped but wasn’t enough. See below, I changed the engagement ramp angle of the safety that engages from on to off position. By changing it, the tip, or point of the lever ramp now rubs on the spring instead of two flat parallel faces gliding over each other. This creates more friction and is pushing more lengthwise against the flat spring motion instead with the arch. I can’t tell you the exact angle of change, but the flatter you make it the more resistance there is. The less radii at the tip the more resistance as well. This has zero impact on the ramp or resistance from safe off to on movement . I put just a dot of grease on it to allow it to wear in overtime not too quickly. The lever now feels same for on and off. Hope it helps, and let me know how it goes.