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Thread: My PSA Dagger Experience

  1. #1
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    My PSA Dagger Experience

    Overall, a good value for the price. The Dagger seems solid for a budget gun. But it still has some caveats you would apply to any PSA product.

    Over 500 rounds:
    - Front sight came loose in the first 150 rounds
    - 1 failure to feed magazine-related issue
    - No extraction or ejection issues

    I've been wanting to build a Glock clone just to have something that could use the same magazines as my AR-9 - and because they are fun to accessorize. I found that I could buy a complete dagger for less than a Polymer80 AFT kit. I ended up with a black DLC coated Dagger with threaded barrel and suppressor height night sights.

    Due to the hump on the grip, the Dagger feels more like a Glock 19 in the hand than the straight backstrp on a Polymer80. I think I would prefer the straight grip and will pick up a Poly80 frame to try at some point. The grip texture on the Dagger is sand paper-like and comfortable.

    There is also one finger groove on the front of the grip. Finger grooves either fit your hand or they don’t. The single finger groove is good for a consistent grip but the trend is away from finger grooves and PSA should have left this one off.

    The Glocks and the Dagger are a little large for my hands so I replaced the magazine release with a Ghost Lo-Pro which required a little sanding to fit. The Ghost release doesn't stick out too far from the frame which is good because there is a scallop cut out for the release. It also extends back which makes it easier for me to reach. I also installed a Vickers Tactical slide release.

    The trigger is surprisingly good for a Gen 3 Glock in that is was smooth and without a lot of creep. Just what you would expect for a broken in Gen 3 trigger. The hinged trigger doesn't bother me but that will probably be the next thing I replace anyway.

    The sights are so-so. The tritium is not as bright as on my Trijicon, Night Fision, or Ameriglo sights but it's adequate. The u-notch in the rear sight is a little small. They seem to be regulated for 25 yards but I've been consistently shooting low with them even with a combat sight picture.

    Before the first shooting session I lubed the gun with Lucas Oil Extreme Duty Gun Oil with the intention of doing a PF 2,000 round challenge type of test. For the test you clean and lube the gun and then run it for 2,000 rounds without any additional cleaning or lube. So far I have hit 500 rounds with the following issues - 1 of which was the gun.

    1 Failure of the trigger to reset
    As part of installing the Vickers slide release I went ahead and polished the trigger parts. However, when I put the pistol back together, the trigger return spring slipped to the side of the trigger cruciform and was dragging. During the first shooting session this caused one failure of the trigger to reset. After I reinstalled the spring there haven't been any more issues.

    1 failure to feed from a Magpul 21 round magazine with an extra power spring
    Two coils of the spring had ridden over each other and bound up. I replaced the extra power ISMI spring with the original MagPul spring and haven't had any further issues.

    The fron sight came loose during the first shooting session
    Front sight came loose during first 150 rounds. Could have been due to banging into the bench to clear an oversized reload but did not appear to have any thread locker on the screw.

    So far I've made it through 500 rounds. 125 S&B 115 gr. factory FMJ and the rest assorted FMJ and HP reloads including 147 gr. Speer G2 and 115 gr. Sig V-Crown bullets. I've used Magpul 15 and 21 round magazines, Glock 17 and 24 round magazines. The pistol has fed and fired everything with no isses - except the one magazine related failure.

    I haven't shot off a rest for groups but accuracy seems in line with what I can do with iron sights. Handling is pretty Glockish as you would expect.

    Some have noted the finish on their Dagger wearing quickly. The wear on my slide seems normal but the wear on the barrel may be a little accelerated but not extreme.

    The Dagger doesn’t fit in Glock holsters but it does fit in my M&P holsters. The extremely tall sights gouge the sight channel in my BladeTech holsters but it fits in an old Safariland without issue.

  2. #2
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    I thought of getting one. How are the materials ie plastic durability and what about the frame rails? I have trouble getting past the grip bottom also. I dunno? I would like to see one in person.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by gsd2053 View Post
    I thought of getting one. How are the materials ie plastic durability and what about the frame rails? I have trouble getting past the grip bottom also. I dunno? I would like to see one in person.
    I’m no materials expert but I would say the Polymer is harder than in a Glock, more like a Sig frame. That would make it more rigid with less flexing. The molding looks clean.

    The frame rails are pinned in versus molded like.a Polymer80. The front rail is part of the locking block but even with that, the actual frame/rail contact surface is the same sails as on a Glock.

    I have medium-sized hands so I don’t notice the cut outs. If you have large or meaty hands they could pinch you on mag changes but I don’t think they would bother you shooting because they’re on the sides of the grip.

  4. #4
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    I really like my Dagger. It shoots as well or better than my Glocks, M&P's, CZ, and the Walther PDP I had for a short while.

  5. #5
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    I don't like finger grooves, not even if it is just one.
    Strive to carry the handgun you would want anywhere, everywhere; forget that good area bullcrap.
    "Wouldn't want to / Nobody volunteer to" get shot by _____ is not indicative of quickly incapacitating.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by CDW4ME View Post
    I don't like finger grooves, not even if it is just one.
    It’s a pretty subtle groove, not like a Gen 3 Glock, but, I agree it’s better if manufacturers don’t include them. I’ve read the finger groove helps with recoil control, that’s beyond my expertise. For me, the finger groove fits my hand so it doesn’t bother me. But for every person it fits there are probably three or four it doesn’t.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by JB2000 View Post
    It’s a pretty subtle groove, not like a Gen 3 Glock, but, I agree it’s better if manufacturers don’t include them. I’ve read the finger groove helps with recoil control, that’s beyond my expertise. For me, the finger groove fits my hand so it doesn’t bother me. But for every person it fits there are probably three or four it doesn’t.
    No personal experience with PSA.
    I removed the finger grooves (protrusions) from my gen 3 Glocks; I've got a couple of gen 5 and prefer the gen 5.
    Have 19 & 23 gen 2 also, but the magazine well has (had) a protrusion (flare) on the front that abrades my pinky given enough rounds.
    Strive to carry the handgun you would want anywhere, everywhere; forget that good area bullcrap.
    "Wouldn't want to / Nobody volunteer to" get shot by _____ is not indicative of quickly incapacitating.

  8. #8
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    JB2000 review pretty much mirrors my Dagger. The pistol fits my hands far better than a factory Glock and the trigger is no issue for me whatsoever but reviews seem to indicate you get a really good trigger or you hate it. I'd much prefer a 1911 grip & grip angle but Dagger grip / angle far superior for me than factory Glock 19 pistol. My example : flawless performance, no issues with iron sights loosening, great trigger and a great pistol. Finger grooves as stated by JB2000...they fit or they don't. If I find them distracting, I'll remove them. This is a work / range pistol not a heirloom collectable which increases in value. This is a hammer to pound nails with and bought as such. Anyhow...anyone seen how cheap used Glocks are from AIM ? Not like older used Glocks increase in value but not slamming Glock for that, its just how things are ...no harm or foul.

    I have arthritus in hands so I'm looking at a lesser # trigger release spring ($3 o $5) to make trigger release easier for me...might go into a larger button / extended release if need be but those are comments of an old guy and ought not to be relevant if you don't suffer old hands. Of all the horror stores of S&W and Dagger hinged triggers, all such triggers seem fine for me and on par with any Springfield XD or HK USP triggers. I don't nor do I need a Colt Gold Cup 1911 trigger pull , others may need better trigger as found on Dagger so like a running shoe...it it does not fit, it will never fit so replace it.

    Fun pistol , do not regret purchase. The Glock 19 pistol now is cloned by so many after market vendors, if you are really into 9mm and like the Glock 19 but want to fit / custom make one to your spec's ...then buy frame, slide and parts and build one. Sky is the limit on such a build, so plan accordingly

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