Show some pics, give out details on parts you've changed out etc.

I've got a frame coming in in a day or two to put my slide on. I've got a 1911 Springfield Garrison as my primary carry, but I will carry the Dagger sometimes, but it's mostly for around the house and outside at night ( critters ), I live out in the country.

What I have is a basic full size slide , FDE,, no optics cuts, nothing like that. I'll put a tritium front sight on it. That's all I wanted. The frame is a basic frame, full size, nothing special, FDE, and that's what I wanted.

I just want to see what you guys have, the swapped parts if any that you have on yours. Tell me what works better than factory, and what works worse that you  changed back, or changed to a different part.

I'm hearing the Glock trigger set ups work better, and a few other things.

My frame should be in in a couple of days.

Show me what you've got. Show me targets, videos, your guns how they're set up etc.

Thanks.

I have an all FDE dagger with a holosun that I use as a suppressor host. Works great

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Set up for the boating accident.

Both of those are nice.

How are they running?

started with the one in the back, currently carrying the one in the front

I have a plain Jane compact with a zev fulcrum trigger... Great little carry gun.

Built a full size frame model with a holosun red dot, zev compensator and timney elite trigger.... Fast and flat. Had to do a little recoil spring tuning to get jt running right  due to the comp but that's pretty common.

I swapped everything out with a complete Glock 19.

Just got a Dagger slide and Lone Wolf lower today for a cheap car gun/behind the bar beater/laptop bag gun. I forgot to order the guide rod so when that arrives Wednesday I’ll throw some pics up.

Essentially stock but has a Glock RSA in it.  One of these days I might get rid of the hinged trigger for a Glock trigger.

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No pics but I added a baldr s and Timney alpha trigger to my compact. The Timney is awesome but pretty damn light. The stock trigger was still better than a Glock trigger.

100%

I have one that's fairly basic, except for the threaded barrel. I have abused it - probably put 2500 rounds of ammo through it suppressed of all different varieties. I have never cleaned it, but it continues to run. Compared to a stock G19, I'd say they're virtually the same in terms of quality and reliability, but the Glock has a better finish to the slide. For polymer duty-grade stuff, they're hard to beat. Also, the price is good enough that you can afford to buy a nice metal-framed pistol with the money you save and not feel like you're sacrificing for a bargain firearm that shoots like a bargain firearm.

I've got one I purchased (frame and slide) as a supressor host but it doesn't function as one.  Something wrong in the frame itself because the slide works perfect on my Glock.  Return trip to PSA made no difference so I chucked it in the safe until I decide whether to sell it, trade it, or throw an OEM glock parts kit at it.

Most of them are just frames in bubble wrap. Some have slides.

Kharn

Looks like I'll get to test mine out tomorrow. It just left Columbia headed to my FFL. It probably already got there. I'm only 50 minutes up the road, and it's shipping from Columbia. If I can get there tomorrow I will, and I'll run a mag of Berry's fmj I loaded up, and a mag of X Treme expanding HPs. If those run well, I'll put a mag full of 124gr Gold Dot hand loads through it.

After that, it's a couple hundred rounds FMJs.  Then I'll load a mag of Gold Dots and a mag of the XTreme's and clean the pistol again, and shoot it the next day a couple hundred rounds. That'll tell me if it's good or not. Hopefully it will be.

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In the toybox where it belongs.

Holosun, TLR7, and a JT designs (I think that’s what it is) magwell.

I got my pistol yesterday. I love it, except, and I'll get to the except in a sec.

I shot four full magazines yesterday after I got home.

I want to preface this with my not being familiar at all with the trigger, or with a striker frame, last one I had was in the 90 with an original Sigma, before the changes. Great firearm, got sued by Glock and had to change their triggers, and nothing until the 2nd gen was really any good. My carry gun is a 1911 with a 3.5# trigger, so I'm spoiled. lol

Results

1st mag, 124gr hand loads, Xtreme brand fmj, no failures of any kind. Started slow the first five rds, then went to a normal pace. All rounds hit the small sauce pan I was aiming at, in a 2.5" group, with 2 fliers still on the pan, from 10 yards.

2nd mag, 124 grain XTreme expanding HPs, had one failure on the fourth round fired. The round went in the chamber, trigger did not reset. I don't know if I was riding the trigger trying to find the reset point. That was the only time anything happened. I made sure to give the trigger room to reset, starting with the round that wasn't hit, and the rest of that mag was fine.

3rd mag, 124gr Berry's plated fmj, no failures of any kind. I was shooting at a plastic astronaut I found in the yard, same size as the Army men we used to play with, from 5 yards, then ten. I hit it about one third of the time, or close enough that it flew sideways or back. The last five rounds, I shot at the pot as fast as I could pull the trigger, got a couple of hits out of the five fired. I'm happy with that, I was trying to outrun the trigger.

4th mag, 147gr Gold Dots, hand loaded. Good hits, accurate, shooting different ways. Right side up, upside down, turn left, turned right. Trying to outrun the trigger with those shots and cause a malfunction. No malfunctions at all. I mean, I got the gun hot I fired it so fast. I figure if it will get through that, it's fine. It was perfect. I wasn't really aiming at anything, I was trying to cause a failure.

My thoughts

I'm certain now that the one hiccup was me riding the trigger and not allowing it to reset. It had a dead trigger, and the primer hadn't been touched. When I put that bullet back in the mag and chambered it, everything was perfect, and I didn't have any issues afterwards, and I ran the defensive ammo after that.

The sights are very good, easy to pick up quickly, and clear, even with my old eyes. They guide you to the target. Clear and bright.

The feel of the grip, I love it. I know some folks have problems because of the size of their hands, where they hit the bump in the front with their fingers. Mine lay perfectly around it as designed. I have medium sized hands, and I use a very high grip.

The slide, I really don't think they could improve it, and all the internal pieces work great so far. I think personal taste improvements are really about it. I know some swap out some parts, but I probably won't run into that for a long time.

The trigger. That's my only negative. It's sloppy, it's got way too much travel, the break isn't crisp even to the point of a striker fired gun. Now Glock had the same problem way back, really until Gen 4. It's really spongy. I don't like it, at all. Now I'm coming from a 1911 with a 3.5# trigger with just over an eighth of an inch of creep / preset, so anything is going to feel bad, and I'm aware of that, but when I shoot my buddy's Gen 5 Glocks , they feel crisp to me for a striker trigger. It's not so bad to be un-shootable, but it's bad.

No problem, it's an easy swap.

So, in conclusion.

The PSA Dagger performs as a Gen 2 Glock. Everything is fine, but it has that 90s-2010 type spongy trigger with little to no true feeling of a trigger break.

I will be changing triggers, so, I'd appreciate any advice on a good trigger that is crisp, with a clean and noticeable break. I'm looking a the Glock Gen 5 improved trigger from Glock. I'm open to other triggers, but I don't want a race gun trigger. This is a carry gun, daily carry and shooter, so something with that in mind. My concerns with a trigger, rather my desires are, clean break, and somewhat noticeable wall before the break, and a good reduction in trigger travel over stock.

Thanks guys, thanks for helping, and thanks for listening.

PSA has not lost a customer with me.

Gen3?...

I bought a couple compact frames when they where 100.00 for two with free shipping.

Then a complete upper with 3 dot night sights no optic cut for about 225.00 with free shipping including tax. So under 300 with transfer

Then I bought another upper with optic cut and co witness sights for about the same. It fits in the same holster. I didnt like it as much but the thin tall blade is actually pretty fast just goofing looking without a RDS.

I have run about 150 rounds of ball through the optic cut one no problems


I have 300 ball and 250 HP through the night sight one. Bought a holster and two mag carriers.


Then a micro came up for 339.00 free shipping. I had 3 mags but they charge shipping so I took them out and where gone before I could add them. Three days latter they had them for 29.00 with free shipping so I lucked out. Mags came the same day as I could pick up the gun.

I have about the same amount and type of ammo as the night sight one. So far not one problem with any of them

I dont mind the trigger but really cant compare it to a Glock as I have shot a grand total of 3 in my life all the same day in the 1990


I was at Olin and the 40 S&W was being introduced and Gaston Glock and his son where there. They picked me out and let me run 1200 rounds through a Model 22 ? ( whatver the full size 40 S&W was)

They let me shoot Gastons GEN 1 17  and a very early 19 also a Gen 1 to compare the recoil to the 22

I have not shot a Glock or a 40 S&W since.

I was asked how it shot and I was a 1911, HP, CZ, Witness  fan. I said I didnt like they way they pointed.

Mentally it was a constant drive to keep it pointed at the target.

The PSA Compact and Micro are spot on pointing for me. Not sure if the newer GEN Glocks are or not.

The Daggers kept the traditional American style grip angle.  Glock's grip angle forces you to point the front of the pistol down, and at the same time it locks your wrists in place to be more effective in combating recoil. It works well, and if I were a new shooter, yeah, it would be great. I'm 58 years old, and we start shooting pistols out here in the country when we're old enough to go to kindergarten. I started shooting 1911s when I was around 8 years old, .38 special revolvers when I was about the same age, but a touch younger. I shot my first .22 pistol when I was in first grade, maybe a touch younger.

Either way, I'm stuck in my ways , my body has basically tuned itself over the years to that old American style.

Feeling real bad today, but I did step outside and fire a magazine through it after I started feeling a bit better. Eighteen more rounds without issue. I was dizzy as hell, but got just sort of dizzy, so I tried to hit a couple of short cans. I meant to set them out at 5 and 10 yards, but it wound up being around 8 and 18. I only hit the one at 18 yards once, and the one at eight yards twice. I'll take it, considering, considering I was wobbly and my eyes were wonky. I'm half blind too, and haven't had glasses or contacts since 2012, 20/200 or worse in my right eye, and 20/400 or thereabouts in the left one.

I will be getting new glasses in a couple of weeks.

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Is that an Olive Drab slide with a black frame? That's what I wanted.

Best 15 bucks you can spend on these.



I've got maritime spring cups and a 3.5lb trigger connector in this one too.

My daggers



The PA optic is surprisingly decent, haven't run it hard but for leisurely range pew pew I like it.

What plate and model of Holosun do you use?  According to PSA they only use 2 mounting plates and I would like to mount a light on mine since it shoots wayyyyy left even after drifting the rear sight.

I'm keeping a round count, mentioning any failures that might occur. I don't always get to go out and shoot, but most days I can IF I'm not looking do an accuracy test on paper. I want to get 500rds on this gun before I carry it, even though it will be rare when I do during the day. I have my 1911 for that.

I went out today and put another magazine +1 in the chamber through the gun. It ran perfectly. Ejected well, no hiccups. It's just FMJ ball that I hand loaded last year or the year before.

So that's 18 more successful rounds downrange. I wasn't shooting as well today but a little better than yesterday. Still a little off from my dizziness and problems yesterday.

So, I'm up to 6 mags with the +1 in the chamber, total of 18 rounds per mag loaded.

That's 108 rds

Summary

I failure to reset trigger, my fault

107 perfect rounds

Surprisingly accurate with an awful trigger. I am going to put an aftermarket trigger in it. I don't want a race gun trigger, but a clean pull, the least amount of pre-travel ( take up ) possible, and a clean, crisp break, short reset. I don't want to have to change any springs or anything.

This has been the latest edition of Dagger Up TV, thanks for watching.

Kidding. I'll get some pics up tonight I think.

Interesting failure to feed today. It was not the fault of the magazine, nor was it the fault of the pistol.

It was the third round in the magazine, and it stuck itself in the chamber, hard. Well, it was nearly in the chamber. I had to do the old rear sight press on a square wooden carport post, and it came right out. I picked it up, spun it around looking at it, apparently not very well ( that's twice I missed it ), put it back in the magazine, and racked the slide.

Stuck, again, only a little tighter this time. So I repeated the clearance drill, and it popped out.

I looked at it again, and sure enough, there was a tiny little section of the case mouth that was in a V shape. I've chambered rounds with that little bit of a messed up case mouth in my HK P30, but I guess this chamber was just tight enough, or the V shape was just raised enough to keep it from chambering all the way.

Now, that round was loaded on a Lee Progressive press. Those had just come out when I bought it. That press went down about once every 500-600 rds. I'd send off for the fix, new parts, and when they'd come in, I'd load another 500 or so, and repeat the order.

I bought a Dillon 550C and never looked back. It bent one case, and that's because I'd just put it back together after strippi9ng it down and cleaning it. It crushed one case, I made an adjustment, it bent one, next adjustment and it was right. Never had another issue with it, and I've loaded probably 3500rds of 9mm, .40cal, and .45acp.

I had a Lee 3 hole turret press, and 4 hole, and it lasted 10 years and rarely had an issue.

So, back to the quickie range day, rain's coming so I only shot one mag.

There were no more issues. The gun fed and fired perfectly. I'm getting more used to the trigger now, but I'll still throw a shot a foot away out of every mag, and from ten yards out, I'm generally in a 3 inch group. I actually hit two of the small Beanie Weenie cans from 20 yards and barely missed a few times. So my misses are getting smaller. They would have been 10 yards, but I stood under the carport because it was raining.

So, now we're up to 8 magazines of 17rds plus 1, and it's been perfect. The only two failures were on me. The first in the second mag that I didn't let the trigger reset, and this bad round that never fed. Neither of those are the fault of the gun or the mags. Oh, and I went through about half that Lay's Stax Mesquite BBQ potato chip can and found another round like the one that wouldn't feed today, buggered by the Lee Progressive.

Here's a tip if you want to use it.

I use Lay's Stax potato chip tubes, like Pringle's, but the Lays are plastic , to store my ammo. I keep them in the food pantry on a shelf behind other food, so they look like snacks. The good thing, is if you're gonna load some pistol ammo, buy a couple , eat the chips, and wash them out, drt them, and now you've got Robert Redman556 approved and sanctioned storage bins.

PS, it's good for nuts and bolts, screws and nails too. I just take the plastic lid, and use a magic marker to list what I put in it.

With ammo, I write the brand and bullet weight, the powder name and charge weight, and on some, I will write COAL, on the inside of the cap. You can't see it from the outside. looks unmarked.

That's my update, so far it's functioned perfectly for 187 rds.

PS, that's 100 more than

I'd be interest in round updates if you guys are keeping tack of yours, and youi can keep a round update in this thread. It would be interesting in how these hold up. Plus, the best upgrades etc.

I'd like to see how many Dagger owners bought it as their first gun, or if it was bought to replace a gun, or if it was just an addition to try out.

Like I said in the 1st or 2nd post, my Dagger is not my first, or my 15th, it's somewhere around 20th give or take, though I sold them all trying new guns. My primary carry is my Springfield 1911 Garrison, blued, and I carry an LCP for a backup or for out in the yard work. My son carries an HKP30 longslide .40 S&W and a Ruger LCP II for a backup. The Dagger is my bath gun, I'm going to mount a magnet over the tub on the wall, and my nighttime gun since put a light on it. I live out in the country sort of. Very rural, with @2,500 acres of woods behind me.

It's still in the case at PSA cuz i ain't poor... Ask me what staccato i shoot cuz i have 3.

Thanks for the helpful and insightful post

Pretty much box stock. It shoots good and functions good. I doubt I will make any changes unless I get the itch to pick up one of those slides milled for an optic.

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That's a nice one. I'm going to swap triggers, put a better striker cover plate on it. Maybe black out the grip sections that are stippled, and the part of the slide that's recessed.

OK, an update, part from yesterday, and part from today.

Yesterday, it was pouring down outside, but went out under the carport, which is old and leaky, and tried to stay warm and dry. It was a lot colder that I thought, plus I felt like crap, so I wasn't expecting much.

I fired 17 rounds out of it, only got a handful of hits. One miss was actually funny to me anyway. I took good aim , but it was raining so hard you couldn't see the targets at 15 yards. Beanie Weenie cans, the small ones, like half a regular can. So, I missed it by a couple of inches and I stepped to the side to get a better view, right under a hole in the metal roof. Just as I pulled the trigger on that next shot, a huge drop of water hit me right on top of my head. It was arctic cold lol. I was wearing shorts, flip flops, no shirt, because I thhought it wasn't going to be that cold. Turns out it was 45f.

I've got about 8 rds left in the mag, and now I'm shaking. I couldn't hold the sites still. So I just tried to shoot as fast as I could get the sights back on a can. I hit two, or I hit in front of the and that rolled them over. I'm not sure. I took off to get out of the rain, the as soon as I stepped inside the house, I slid into the wall. Couldn't stop sliding, hit my head on the wall on the other side of the room. That was an adventure.

I'm 58, and I can still get up to a good speed, just not for long.

The rain stopped for the most part and I loaded another mag up and went out and shot it. It was still cold, so I didn't do great, but I did ok. My misses were small, and my hits were lucky.

With both magazines, the Palmetto State Armory Dagger performed perfectly. No malfunctions.

So, 2 17rd mags later, the total is 136. The only failures so far were 1, my fault, not releasing the trigger far enough, and ammo that was made on that Lee progressive that were messed up. I found three more of them today but I sat them aside to break down and load in other cases.

So a total of 136rds without a failure attributable to the gun or the mags.

Last update today. I went outside and fired another magazine. 17rds, no failures of any kind. It was nice but cool-warm, about 60f. I stood out in the sun today so it was warm. I hit most of my targets ( little cans still ), and set out a 2 liter Pepsi bottle filled with water at 30 yards. My first time shooting this gun that far. First round missed the bottle, but it hit high, hit the top of the cap and knocked it off. It hit the side of the cap and spun it off. I hit the bottle four times. So out of the 5 shots at it, I hit it 5 times, but just barely on that one shot.

So, now it's up to 153 rounds, no failures, 2 stupid mistakes on my part.

Let me add, looking at the gun, it was getting dry,the oil was getting dirty,  and since this is a new gun, a lot of the wearing in of the gun happens in the first 500 rounds, so you have very fine metal powder in there. That helps smooth the parts together, but I wiped it all down and re-oiled it. I'll do it again at 500rds, then 1,000rds. After that, it should be worn in, no high spots to wear down, so it'll have a normal oil and clean schedule, which could be three months or six months, depending on how much I shoot it.

Round update.

I shot it again today, just one mag. I got more hits today. Nothing special.

All rounds fed and fired. I fired these kinda fast, but not too fast, about a round per second, then two rounds per second for the last 8 rds.

I got more hits today, out of 17rds I missed four targets. I was 15 yards out and shooting at little cans. I need to set up an actual paper target.

So , with today's mag, I'm up to 170rds. The trigger group is coming into its own, and getting better. I'm starting to like it. I may not buy a Glock trigger for it. Might just stick with the factory Dagger trigger.

Overall, I'm impressed so far.

Dagger upper, Lone Wolf lower. Great feeling and shooting pistol

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The low prices allow some ridiculous things to happen


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I can only think of one reason to do that.

OEM Dagger frame with an aftermarket mag funnel and Gen 3 G19 slide.

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How I initially set it up. Though I robbed the optic and light for another project, so it's currently sitting blank. I may buy a Holosun and an Olight just to have a meme gun. Maybe a gold flat face trigger is in order.

Overall I like the pistol, especially considering it only cost me $259. Might have to get another eventually.

Just picked this up today

And the not-so-humble brag that has us all impressed.