DAO to DA/SA transition

[DawgFvr]

Is it me or has anybody else found the transition from DAO to DA/SA difficult?

I went to the range Sunday with a new DA/SA 9mm pistol...and darn if I did not get every first DAO round smack dab in the bull’s eye...and all the subsequent DA off to the left. I realize, of course, that I am pulling the trigger...too much finger in the well.

To date, I have had only DAO revolvers and both my P3AT and Taurus Millennium Pro PT145 are both DAO pistols. Is this something I need to work on or will it affect my DAO pull.

Perhaps I should have the pistol changed out to DAO...or sell it and only work with DAO pistols. Why does this seem such a difficult thing to adjust to? Do I just need more range time with it...or is this a pretty common problem to overcome?

 

[Kind of Blued]

All I can say is, I wish you (and I) could practice the DA/SA transition in dry fire drills, but that is, alas, not possible.

 

[9mmepiphany]

as a quick guess, you're coming off the trigger in reset (because you're used to the full release of the DAO trigger) and jerking the trigger on the SA shot (that's why its hitting low left)

you need to prep the trigger in SA and pull it through when the aligned sights are on target (like a compressed match press)

 

[Dismantler]

I shoot DA revolver (like you) and am not really interested in retraining my muscle memory and switching modes back and forth. I can cock my revolver (except the DAO) for finer accuracy, or shoot DA. Best of both worlds.

 

[wally]

I discovered I just don't like DA/SA operation and no longer buy guns with this "feature" unless cocked and locked SA is also part of the package (Beretta 9000S, HK USP Variants 1&2).

DAO is at least consistent, but I prefer cocked and locked, or the partially cocked strikers like on Glock, S&W M&P, XD, Kahr, etc.

--wally.

 

[MCgunner]

Never really bothered me. A good trigger like the one on my KP90DC really helps. I shot DA revolvers a lot before getting first, a couple of 1911s, then getting into DA autos. I only have two, both Rugers. I have two DAO autos, a Grendel P12 and a Kel Tec P11. The Grendel trigger sux. While some hate the P11, it's very smooth and I love it. If you REALLY think the P11 has a bad trigger, try a Grendel. It's very stiff at first, then gets lighter. WEIRD. But, I've learned to shoot it pretty well.

Every gun must be gotten used to and that just takes practice. I've yet to find the one I cannot adapt to. These guys that gripe about the "feel" of the gun or the trigger, sometimes on a gun I think is pretty good, crack me up. The 1911 guys are the worst and I don't know of a gun that points lower than a 1911. Well, maybe a 1905 or a Tokarev. Shoot it enough and I'll get used to it, though.

 

[owlhoot]

Stick with it. A few trips to the range with your DA/SA pistol and you will get the hang of it. The DA trigger pull on many such pistols is not great. But we owe it to ourselves to master every kind of action if we can afford the ammo and range time to do so.

 

[saltydog452]

For me, it mostly depends on the pistol and the initial grasp.

Transition in S&W 3913 LS isn't a problem. Same with a Sig 228.

It is terrible in a CZ 75.

salty

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

How the pistol fits your hand and the quality of the trigger pulls (especially the DA) makes a big difference. With SIGs I always found them to squirm about in my hands, forcing me to make adjustments in my sight picture and grasp for every shot - not something you want to do in addition to the pull transition. I do much better with the single-stack S&W 3913 and similar-sized pistols. A double-stack that does fit my hand well - even better with thin wood grips - is the CZ PCR compact. Combined with the shortened DA pull afforded by the decocker setup, I shoot very decently with this one.

... as a quick guess, you're coming off the trigger in reset (because you're used to the full release of the DAO trigger) and jerking the trigger on the SA shot (that's why its hitting low left)

That is very probable as well. You don't want your finger to lose contact with the trigger, or on the SA shot you will tend to "slap" it. But don't ride it too closely or your SA shot can go off prematurely.