I really like the Previous Testomony story of how younger, meek David slew the Philistine big Goliath with a rock. Technically, he used the rock to take the massive man down after which used Goliath’s sword to complete the duty. Palmetto State Armory (PSA) has been making a sword of kinds not too long ago. Nicely, it’s a dagger, actually. The PSA Dagger Compact is a 15-round polymer striker-fired pistol trying to tackle the competitors. How nicely does this pistol run? Let’s discover out.
PSA Dagger Compact 9mm Pistol
Dwell Stock Value Checker
I had heard concerning the Dagger 9mm by PSA since its coming-out social gathering. Introduced on the SHOT Present of 2020, it skilled a delay or two, however when it did come out it induced fairly a stir. I needed to get my arms on one however, at the moment, couldn’t. Usually, Daggers are offered across the $300 worth level. However how does it examine in reliability, accuracy, and the opposite areas during which different widespread carry pistols are in contrast?
Let’s take a look at the bundle that includes the Dagger Compact. First, if you decide the gun up at your native FFL, you uncover that the factor doesn’t are available in a cardboard field. Every Dagger (or every PSA pistol, because the 5.7×28 Rock in addition they despatched proved) is available in a really good FDE (no less than those I bought have been FDE) zippered smooth case. Inside that case are the pistol, the ever-present lock, and one journal. This Dagger had its slide optics reduce for an RMR crimson dot, with a canopy plate included.
After spending a while inspecting and capturing the pistol, let’s take a look at some professionals and cons…
Professionals:
High quality Manufacturing: It’s well-made. The match and end are wonderful.
Reliability: The pistol was dependable with all manufacturing facility ammo examined – no hiccups.
Optics Prepared: There’s an optics reduce for an RMR crimson dot, even at that low worth level.
Set off: The set off pull is lengthy, however the break is clear with a pull weight of 5 lbs., 14 oz. The reset may be very quick.
Grip: Grip texture is sufficient to hold the gun safe in your hand, however not an excessive amount of.
Barrel: The barrel is threaded for comp or suppressor.
Nice Value: Discovering this pistol with all its options for round $300 is a superb deal!
Cons
Magazines Included: Just one journal is included with the pistol.
Options
Undercut Body
Optics Prepared Slide
Suppressor-height sights
Threaded Barrel
Grip Texturing
Prolonged Journal Launch
Magwell Lower
Basic Impressions
This gun doesn’t appear to be a $380 pistol… it seems to be extra prefer it ought to value far more than that. The polymer molding is top-notch, with tiny seam strains. The metalwork is first-quality. The slide has three cuts behind the muzzle. These cuts aren’t in a straight line however are barely angled down from rear to entrance. A pleasant, inventive contact. There are additionally ahead cocking serrations for the press-checker that lives in all of us. The 4.5-inch, stainless DLC-coated barrel is reduce nicely, and the coating is utilized evenly.
In regards to the grip texturing… I’m considerably of a throwback relating to semi-auto grip texturing, I prefer it tough. The rougher the higher. Not rip-the-skin-off-your-hand tough, however I just like the gun to remain put. I’ve been recognized to spend an hour with a soldering iron, rendering a mildly textured grip into one thing that Tremendous-Glued itself into my palm.
I wish to inform you that I like Dagger’s texturing. It’s not, on first really feel, overly tough. It does, nevertheless, park itself firmly within the mitt when a capturing grip is adopted. The extra you squeeze, the tighter it grips. My solder-iron-modified pistols tended to be tough on my pores and skin and holsters due to the texturing, however not the Dagger. The one grip-related matter I might handle, if the pistol have been mine, is the aid undercut on the set off guard. I’m left-handed and the left aspect of that reduce is only a bit too sharp. A couple of minutes with a file, Dremel, or sandpaper would treatment it. Ah, the wonders of polymer… simply custom-made!
The Journal Launch – (In case you’re a right-handed shooter, you’ve my permission to skip this subsequent paragraph)…
I mentioned above that the discharge is prolonged – typically a very good factor, However, being a left-handed shooter, it rubs towards my second finger once I crank my grip down on the gun. Once more, a number of seconds of de-horning it might assist. That is not at all a deal-breaker, as I might in all probability discover one other lefty with skinnier fingers who would don’t have any bother with it. I solely point out it as a result of I had a tough time discovering issues to not like about this pistol, and this certified, to an extent.
Sights
The Dagger makes use of suppressor-height. One factor very apparent is that the rear sight is positioned forward of the optics reduce. This can be a bit uncommon. The rationale given for doing that is that it permits a real co-witness with no matter crimson dot sight you mount. The dot would journey in entrance of, and on high of, the rear and entrance sights, nearer to your eye. This closeness shouldn’t matter – in any case, it’s a crimson dot – however the concept that co-witnessing is less complicated might have some validity.
All Daggers aren’t this fashion – different fashions are reduce “usually,” with the rear sight behind the crimson dot. However… I prefer it this fashion. It shortens the sight radius, however in a 4.5-inch-barreled pistol, that’s not an enormous deal. What this does do is make the gun look attention-grabbing. As a substitute of being “one among a thousand,” it has character if a gun can have such a factor.
Pink Dot
An extra phrase on the sights issues the crimson dot scenario. The Dagger Compact is reduce for an RMR footprint sight, so that you would possibly as nicely mount a crimson dot on the gun because it’s reduce for one. For an optic to accompany our PSA Dagger Compact pistol, we opted for a Holosun 407C. This optic was an incredible match and can obtain a evaluate of its personal.
Ergonomics
The texturing was excellent — not an excessive amount of, not too little. The evaluate gun is the Dagger Compact SW2 Carry Lower model, which has been de-horned to help in hid carry. The suppressor-height sights lined up nicely, and mounting a crimson dot is a bit of cake – after you have the fitting footprint. Stick an RMR footprint sight like this Holosun 407C, with no adapter plate wanted.
And, The Different Aspect Of The Coin…
I’ve already talked about the solely two negatives (if that’s the fitting time period) by way of ergos vs. my hand. First, the set off guard undercut is fairly sharp and rubs on my finger sufficient to note. Quantity two is the magazine launch’s edges are sharp and I discover that once I shoot the gun. Bear in mind, I’m a lefty with not-quite-baloney-sized fingers and one other shooter with skinnier fingers won’t discover both of those points.
What’s Included With the PSA Dagger Compact 9mm Pistol?
Many’s the pistol I’ve taken house from my buddy’s gun store that made the journey in a manufacturing facility cardboard field. A smaller quantity lived in a tough plastic case. Think about my shock (these have been my first PSA handguns) once I was greeted by two smooth zippered instances with the weapons inside and compartments for doo-dads, together with crimson dot cowl/adapter plates. The instances are well-built, with hold-down velcro straps for the gun itself, the magazines, and a protracted slot that the lock is available in however that you can use for a minimalist cleansing equipment on the vary.
The Dagger got here with one Magpul PMag 15 GL9 from the manufacturing facility (The 5.7 ROCK got here with two magazines). That could be a non-issue since there are appropriate mags on the market for pretty low cost. Magpul’s GL9 magazines are nice choices to run within the PSA Dagger Compact and may be discovered at affordable costs.
For a $380 pistol, you get quite a few freebies and options, such because the case, to make the PSA Dagger Compact an incredible gun.
Photographs, We Received Photographs…
Specs
Mannequin: Palmetto State Armory Dagger Compact SW2 Carry Lower
Caliber: 9mm
Motion: Striker Fired
Weight: 22.4oz (unloaded)
Total Size: 7.65″
Total Width: 1.28″
Total Peak: 4.78″ (With out Magazine)
Barrel Profile: Threaded with Thread Protector
Barrel Size: 4.5″
Barrel Materials: Stainless Metal
Barrel End: DLC Coating
Thread Pitch: 1/2×28 TPI
Twist Charge: SAAMI Spec 1:10
Slide Materials: Stainless Metal
Slide End: Flat Darkish Earth Cerakote
Body: Polymer
Entrance Sight: Co-Witness Serrated Sight, Black (Not a Night time Sight)
Rear Sight: Co-Witness Sight, Black (Not a Night time Sight)
Security: Striker Block Security & Set off Security
Journal: Comes with One 15-round Journal
Optics Mount: RMR Sample
Set off Pull Weight: 5 lb., 14 oz., avg. of 10 pulls
Capturing The PSA Dagger Compact 9mm Pistol
I went to my yard vary and caught some targets up on one of many few sunny days we’ve had. I actually get pleasure from capturing, however my ol’ eyeballs aren’t what they was once, and my glasses don’t assist a lot downrange. Consequently, I’m not going to win any awards for having the holes within the goal closest collectively, however this goal didn’t know that, evidently.
I pulled some 9mm ammo I had available. Fiocchi has despatched me ammo once in a while, and I’m favorably impressed by it… in the present day was no exception. For one goal, I pulled a field of their 115-grain Coaching Dynamics FMJ hundreds. I nonetheless have bother believing what occurred. Right here’s the goal:
I really put 5 rounds in a single gap. This was at 20 yards, from a Caldwell Pistolero capturing relaxation. As I mentioned within the caption above, that NEVER occurs with me! Nicely… I assume it simply did. The mixture of this pistol, the tall iron sights, and that lot of ammo will need to have been made in shooters’ heaven! This actually makes me re-think my entire ‘striker-fired-pistol-accuracy” mindset. The tall sights might use a little bit of tweaking, however by way of intrinsic accuracy, this pistol’s bought it. As I mentioned, I stop after that concentrate on…I don’t suppose I might’ve carried out significantly better than that. This pistol has confirmed to be probably the most correct striker gun I’ve ever fired.
Conclusion
For these shooters trying to purchase a compact pistol with a 15-round capability, the PSA Dagger Compact is an excellent selection. For about $300, you will get a pistol that’s well-made from top-notch supplies, has a threaded barrel and suppressor-height sights, and is reduce on your favourite RMR crimson dot. There aren’t too many different pistols on the market in that worth vary that can tick all these packing containers. I do know that I actually loved wringing this pistol out. That’s concerning the highest reward I can supply. Verify one out – you gained’t be sorry.
About Mike Hardesty
With expertise spanning over 45 years, Mike Hardesty has lengthy loved capturing and reloading. An inveterate reloader, he casts bullets and reloads for a various array of firearms, every dealt with with long-practiced precision. Residing in rural Indiana, his homestead boasts a private 100-yard vary the place he shares his love for weapons to his 4 sons, their wives, and eleven grandchildren. As a acknowledged writer, his writings have been featured in notable platforms like Sniper Nation, Bear Creek Arsenal Weblog, Pew Pew Tactical, TTAG, Dillon Precision’s Blue Press, and Gun Made, revealing his ongoing ardour for firearms on the age of 72.
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