Range report. PSA Dagger

American_Fusilier

American_Fusilier

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So I built a PSA Dagger... I bought the frame (standard size) and slide (RMR cut) separately. I threw a Faxon G19 barrel in it and bought a cheap red dot sight for it (Cyelee Wolf0).

I bought KCI G19 mags for it because I'm cheap and they work.

This whole build was very cheap and just begging for a reason to not work.

It ran like a top with zero malfunctions. I think I was shooting magtec ammo.

Zeroed the dot at 10 yards. It was my first time using a red dot on a pistol. It was great!

I can't wait to try it at IDPA in Carry Optics!

I highly recommend the PSA Dagger. Especially if you want a working man's gun on a budget.

20230714_172243.jpg
 
sevt_chevelle said:
Considering PSA copied the gen 3 glock and most if not all parts interchange, I'd say your right.
Click to expand...
To the best of my knowledge the locking block is different, the Dagger uses roll pins instead of solid pins like a Glock & the Dagger striker wont work in a Glock but a 3rd generation G-19 striker will work in a Dagger.
 
Dagger makes a great alternative to buying a full-price G19 and sending it for a Rowland Special.

Buddy of mine compares them to the Caspian 1911s--good parts, build it however you want to exactly how you want it.

Kind of tough deal to argue against when PSA will run a deal where you buy a bag of ten mags at full prices and they toss in a Dagger too ( :) )
 
I gotta concur with CapnMac.

For years, I have been telling concealed carry students; "Eat soma mac and cheese, shake out the cushions for change, and go cruise the pawn shops to find a used G-19." Which is a good enough idea, except I find the pawn shops manage to get rid of good G-19s pretty quick, they're kind of hard to find that way.

So the Dagger is a G-19 knockoff with a few shortcuts. Ok. There are worse guns to knockoff. Will it last the half million round torture test that Glocks are so famous for? Not sure. Will it last through a training course, reasonable practice for a civilian for a lifetime, and still go bang when you need it to? Likely enough for me.

I am curious to get and try one, I might switch out the trigger for something better. (Like I would with a Glock.)
 
mljdeckard said:
I am curious to get and try one, I might switch out the trigger for something better. (Like I would with a Glock.)
Click to expand...
You know, I had the same thought. But the trigger on the dagger isn't half bad. I really don't care for the hinged type of trigger safety like the old S&W M&Ps, but honestly I forgot all about that when I was shooting the dagger. I got used to the trigger before my range session was done, I think I'm going to leave it alone.

Of course, your mileage may vary!
 
American_Fusilier said:
You know, I had the same thought. But the trigger on the dagger isn't half bad. I really don't care for the hinged type of trigger safety like the old S&W M&Ps, but honestly I forgot all about that when I was shooting the dagger. I got used to the trigger before my range session was done, I think I'm going to leave it alone.

Of course, your mileage may vary!
Click to expand...

I completely agree on all points. I also don't care for the early Jointed S&W trigger but find it to be a non-issue on my PSA Dagger.
 
I have just about 20,000 rounds through my stock Dagger from PSA. No parts changed from the store, only added a sight and light. Trigger isn't the best of my firearms but it is adequate for a carry gun. It has smoothed out considerably since I bought it but it will never be a PPQ or similar trigger. Right now, I am okay with that. The best part about the Dagger is if I decide there is something on it I don't like or it breaks, parts are easy to find.
 
I find the dagger trigger comfortable and pretty easy to shoot accurately after 15 minutes with some sandpaper polishing the sliding parts. I do prefer the center blade type of trigger safety because I think they are safer and do more to prevent an accidental discharge by snagging or pushing on the trigger from the side, so I put used OEM glock gen 3 trigger in a couple of my daggers as well as my P80’s. I’m curious if just installing an OEM glock gen 3 trigger shoe and trigger bar and leaving the PSA trigger housing and connector will improve it like using an entire gen 3 trigger group does. Going to order one and try. If it does then I’ll probably do all of them that way for the steep price of $16.49 each

aimarms.com

Glock OEM Gen 3 Trigger with Trigger Bar Fits Glock 17/22/31/34/35 SP00357

Compatible with 17/22/31/34/35 Gen 1-3
aimarms.com aimarms.com
 
someguy2800 said:
I find the dagger trigger comfortable and pretty easy to shoot accurately after 15 minutes with some sandpaper polishing the sliding parts. I do prefer the center blade type of trigger safety because I think they are safer and do more to prevent an accidental discharge by snagging or pushing on the trigger from the side, so I put used OEM glock gen 3 trigger in a couple of my daggers as well as my P80’s. I’m curious if just installing an OEM glock gen 3 trigger shoe and trigger bar and leaving the PSA trigger housing and connector will improve it like using an entire gen 3 trigger group does. Going to order one and try. If it does then I’ll probably do all of them that way for the steep price of $16.49 each

aimarms.com

Glock OEM Gen 3 Trigger with Trigger Bar Fits Glock 17/22/31/34/35 SP00357

Compatible with 17/22/31/34/35 Gen 1-3
aimarms.com aimarms.com
Click to expand...
Let us know how that works! I'd be curious.
 
American_Fusilier said:
Let us know how that works! I'd be curious.
Click to expand...

I got 2 oem gen 3 triggers in the mail today and put one in a dagger. I polished the sliding surfaces before install and put it in with the original PSA trigger housing and spring and connector.

It is significantly less spongy than the stock dagger trigger but doesn’t feel quite as good as my complete oem glock triggers with the same polishing. For $17 though it’s a very worthwhile upgrade which I’ll do in the rest of my daggers from now on.
 

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someguy2800 said:
I got 2 oem gen 3 triggers in the mail today and put one in a dagger. I polished the sliding surfaces before install and put it in with the original PSA trigger housing and spring and connector.

It is significantly less spongy than the stock dagger trigger but doesn’t feel quite as good as my complete oem glock triggers with the same polishing. For $17 though it’s a very worthwhile upgrade which I’ll do in the rest of my daggers from now on.
Click to expand...
Hmmm... That really tempts me to try that. Even though I said I wouldn't change it, ha ha.

Those gen 3 triggers are pretty cheap though...
 
I tried swapping triggers, but I can not get my trigger pin to come out. It will not budge, we with a hammer and punch.

Which is really weird, because I got it out to change the slide lock...
 
American_Fusilier said:
I tried swapping triggers, but I can not get my trigger pin to come out. It will not budge, we with a hammer and punch.

Which is really weird, because I got it out to change the slide lock...
Click to expand...
I have not actually done this but I read a lot of posts on the PSA Dagger F-book page. If I recall correctly they said to wiggle the slide stop to take tension off the spring that rides on the pin that holds the trigger as you push. I am generally reluctant to share things I have not experienced but I hop this helps. Maybe if nothing else my post will give the thread a bump & someone who has actually done it will see it.
 
@Mike J Thanks for the info. I've been looking into it as well. Seems like this is a common problem. It's just weird because I had the pin out a few weeks ago. Now it's not budging... Frustrating.
 
American_Fusilier said:
I got it! In goes the new trigger. Still doesn't feel quite like a Glock, but it's closer.

View attachment 1176910
Click to expand...
Glad you got it. In all honesty I haven't messed with my Daggers trigger because I like it. I am glad you got yours more to your liking though. I am thinking about changing a shoe on another pistol but it isn't because of the weight or length of pull I just don't like the shape.
 
Mike J said:
Glad you got it. In all honesty I haven't messed with my Daggers trigger because I like it. I am glad you got yours more to your liking though. I am thinking about changing a shoe on another pistol but it isn't because of the weight or length of pull I just don't like the shape.
Click to expand...
Yeah the shape of a trigger does matter, especially on pistols.
 
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