Let’s face it… Palmetto State Armory is coming out with some really exciting new guns…
And one of their most popular new designs is without a doubt the PSA Dagger…
Now if you’re not aware, the PSA Dagger is a VERY affordable Gen 3 Glock clone…
And that makes a very enticing pistol in the eyes of many…
But is it a quality pistol worth the low price tag…? Or have there been a lot of PSA Dagger problems reported…?
Well, in this article I’ll be answering that question for you by discussing my experience with a PSA Dagger that I bought…
In the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of what you get with the PSA Dagger, and you should have all the information you need to determine if it’s a worthwhile pistol for you or not…
Let’s begin!
PSA Dagger Problems? – Is It A Good Quality Pistol…?
There are not too many PSA Dagger problems that are reported because the guns are generally reliable and accurate even at their low price point. The rare problems that do seem to occur appear to be caused mostly by out-of-spec parts, and Palmetto State Armory’s customer service has a good reputation for taking care of the issues. Overall, the PSA Dagger has a solid reputation at this point, and my personal Dagger has been a great gun to shoot…
My PSA Dagger Parts:
Frame: >> Sniper Green Full Size S Frame
Slide: >> FDE Complete RMR Slide W/ Threaded Barrel
Optic: >> Swampfox Kraken
Weapon Light: >> Creative XP Glass Eagle
Other Options…
Below, I’ll give you more information about the PSA Dagger and I’ll also explain the things I’ve expereinced with my personal PSA Dagger Full Size S…
PSA Dagger Reliability…
Most people are reporting that their Dagger’s are very reliable, and even though my personal dagger has had a few hang ups, let me explain why I’m not worried about it…
For many years I’ve shot cheap reloaded ammunition. Malfunctions were rare in all of my guns, but recently I bought a batch from a company that I have never used before, and the stuff is absolutely terrible…
It’s caused malfunctions in my M&P9, my Sig P320, and even in my Glock 17 which has been one of my most reliable handguns…
So that same crappy, reloaded ammunition did cause some malfunctions in my PSA Dagger, but since I’ve been sticking to factory ammunition, I haven’t seen any problems pop up and the reliability has been solid.
PSA Dagger Accuracy…
The PSA dagger is basically a Gen 3 Glock clone, and the accuracy is similar to that that you get with a Glock…
That’s not a bad thing because most people can not out-shoot their Glocks, and it’s the same thing with the PSA Dagger…
In fact, my PSA Dagger (which has a red dot on it) has been extremely accurate. I’ve shot groups that turn into ragged 1 ½ inch holes on paper targets at 7 yards, and it wasn’t even difficult to do (even though I’m just an average shooter).
So the accuracy that you get with the Dagger is excellent, especially if you run an optic on it.
PSA Dagger Trigger…
Some people have a problem with the PSA Dagger’s trigger, but I actually like it and I’ll explain why…
It’s a hinged trigger that is similar to the trigger on an M&P, and I think most people would prefer a bladed trigger that is more similar to a Glock…
I own several M&Ps, and I’ve never had an issue with the articulating hinged triggers that come on them…
I’ve been able to shoot both fast and accurately with them, and it’s a similar experience when manipulating the trigger on the Dagger…
Also, sometimes after a long range session, the blade on a stock Glock trigger can start to get uncomfortable on my trigger finger because it digs in just a little bit…
But because the hinged trigger on the Dagger has a smooth face, you don’t run into that issue…
On top of that, the Dagger has a fairly light break right from the factory…
It’s a little lighter than the break on a stock Glock trigger (even a Gen 5), and I was pleasantly surprised by it the first time I dry fired my buddy’s Dagger…
Now, I usually polish my Glock triggers and replace the connectors (you can check out what I did to my Glock 17 here), So after that, they are better than the trigger on the PSA Dagger…
But right out of the box, I think the Dagger trigger is better, and I have no plans of changing the trigger on my personal Dagger because I think it’s actually pretty good, especially for a budget pistol.
PSA Dagger Frame…
Right now, there are two PSA Dagger frame sizes that you can get… the Compact and the Full Size S…
The Compact frame gives you the same size frame as a Glock 19, and the Full Size S is similar to a Glock 19X or Glock 45 frame…
My personal Dagger is the Full Size S because I like the full size grip for more control when shooting and because it takes 17 round magazines rather than the 15 round magazines that you get with the Compact frame…
That being said, both frames are very ergonomic and comfortable in your hand…
I think they’re more comfortable than a Glock (even though I love Glocks) because they give you a more natural grip angle and just seem to have a more natural shape that fits in your hand…
On top of that, the PSA Dagger stippling is very good…
I don’t know how they create it, but it’s a very grippy texture which helps you get a solid hold on the gun…
And at the same time, it’s not aggressive at all and doesn’t scratch or dig into your hands…
So I really like the frame design of the PSA Dagger because it’s ergonomic, comfortable, and still gives you a great grip on the gun.
PSA Dagger Slide…
There are a number of different slide options that you can get for the PSA dagger, but my two favorite options are the Extreme Carry Cut and the Compact X…
The Extreme Carry Cut gives you serrations in both the front and the rear of the slide, and it also doesn’t have any windows…
I’m not totally against windows in handgun slides, but generally I prefer not to have them because they make it easier for outside debris to get into the slide of your gun…
Aside from that, the length on the Extreme Carry Cut slide is compact, which means it’s the same length as the slide on a Glock 19…
Overall, it makes my Dagger very similar to my Glock 45, and I’ve been really happy with the recoil impulse from it (which is fairly soft)…
That being said, I also really like the new Compact X slide which gives you a longer slide that is more similar to the Glock 17 or the new Glock 47…
I haven’t had a chance to pick up one of these slides yet, but it’ll probably be my next purchase because I really like the idea of a full size frame and full size slide on a Dagger (I think it will end up shooting even smoother than my Full Size S)…
Last, some people have reported that they solved PSA Dagger slide problems (if you have any – I didn’t) with a little bit of break in and you can do this for free by just racking the slide of your Dagger over and over again a few hundred times.
PSA Dagger Sights/ Optics…
The sights that come on the non optic cut Dagger models are good. They are metal, which makes them better than the plastic sights that you get on a Glock, and I think they give you a solid sight picture…
That being said, I recommend that you get an Optic Ready Dagger, and you can get a Dagger slide that features an RMR cut or a Docter cut…
Out of the two, I would definitely go with an RMR cut because you’ll have a ton of better red dot options that are ready to mounted, and that’s exactly what my personal Dagger slide is cut for (an RMR).
Does The PSA Dagger Take Glock Mags…?
If you purchase a complete Dagger from PSA’s website, then your pistol will come with a Glock magazine made by Magpul…
These are good magazines, which will get you by when shooting at the range…
But I recommend getting Glock factory magazines if you ever intend to use your Dagger as a defensive gun…
My Glock factory magazines have worked flawlessly in my Dagger, and they’re better than the Magpul Glock magazines because they’re lined with metal rather than being all polymer…
Aside from that, if you go with the Compact Dagger frame, the Glock 15 round magazines will sit flush in your gun. You can still use Glock 17 magazines, but they will stick out the bottom of your gun’s grip a little bit…
On the other hand, if you go with the Full Size S frame then you’ll have to use Glock 17 round (or greater) magazines.
Overall though, Glock factory magazines are super reliable and fairly affordable, so it’s a very good thing that the Dagger takes them.
PSA Dagger Price…
One of the cool things about the PSA Dagger is that you can buy a complete gun or buy a frame and a slide separately to ‘build’ your own gun…
That’s what I ended up doing. I ordered a Full Size S frame in Sniper Green, which I had sent to my FFL (because that’s legally the gun), and I ordered an FDE slide that was shipped straight to my home…
It all cost me well under $400 bucks, and I think it’s awesome that you can get a reliable, optic ready Glock clone for that amount of money…
On top of that, if you go with an iron sight only variant of the Dagger, you’ll be able to pick it up for less than $300, which is great.
PSA Dagger FAQS…
Is PSA Dagger as good as Glock 19?
Even though the PSA Dagger is a great pistol, I still believe the Glock 19 is a more reliable and better made pistol. Again, that doesn’t mean that the PSA Dagger is bad or isn’t the right gun for you because I love my PSA Dagger. But when I rack the slides on my Glocks, they’re smoother than my Dagger, and I trust their reliability more.
Will the PSA Dagger accept Glock parts?
Yes, almost all the parts on a PSA Dagger are compatible with Gen 3 Glock parts. There are a few small parts that are not interchangeable, but things like barrels, slides, frames, and sights are interchangeable along with most of the internal components. Some Glock holsters will work with the Dagger, but it’s better to get a dedicated PSA Dagger Holster.
Who builds the PSA Dagger?
The PSA Dagger is built by Palmetto State Armory or PSA for short. PSA is known for making affordable AR-15s, and they’re huge second amendment advocates (which I love!). They base many of their designs on customer feedback, and they really try to keep their products affordable so that the common man or woman can exercise their 2nd Amendment rights.
What triggers work with PSA dagger?
Most, if not all, Gen 3 Glock compatible triggers will work in the PSA Dagger. But as I mentioned earlier, I think the stock PSA Dagger trigger is pretty good, and doesn’t need to be upgraded.
What Glock is the PSA dagger equivalent to?
It depends on which variant of the PSA Dagger you’re referring to. The Compact frame and Compact Slide Dagger is the same size as a Glock 19. The Full Size S frame and the Compact slide is the same size as the Glock 19X and Glock 45. The Full Size S frame and the Compact X slide make it the same as a Glock 47 and similar to the size of a Glock 17.
Does the PSA dagger use Glock barrels? (What Barrel Is Compatible With The PSA Dagger?)
Yes, the PSA Dagger can use any barrel that is designed to work in a Gen 3 Glock. That being said, PSA has a wide selection of barrels that you can choose from including different colors and threaded and non threaded barrels.
Does the PSA dagger have the same grip angle as the Glock?
No. The Glock grip angle is more extreme and forces you to tilt your wrists more forward. The PSA Dagger grip angle is less extreme and allows you to shoot from a wrist angle that many people find to be more comfortable. Personally, I don’t mind either grip angle.
Will a Romeo zero fit a PSA dagger?
No, unless you use an adapter plate. Right now, the PSA Dagger can be had with an RMR optic cut or a Docter optic cut. The Romeo Zero features an RMSc footprint. All that being said, the new PSA Dagger Micro does feature an RMSc footprint and the Romeo Zero can be mounted on its slide.
What part of the PSA Dagger is serialized?
The serialized part of the PSA Dagger is the frame. This means if you purchase a Dagger frame from Palmetto State Armory’s website, it will have to be shipped to an FFL. That being said, if you purchase other parts for the Dagger (for example a slide and barrel) they can be shipped directly to your home (check your local laws as this might not apply in some states).
PSA Dagger Problems – Final Thoughts…
So to sum it all up, there are not a lot of problems with the PSA Dagger both in my experience and based on the reports of other shooters who’ve purchased them…
If you do run into a problem, PSA’s customer service is pretty helpful, and I think it’s likely that you’ll be taken care of…
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I’ve had a great time shooting my personal Dagger, and I love my setup with the Swampfox Kraken optic and budget light that I’ve been running on it…
I’ve found this Dagger set up to run very smoothly and to be very accurate and pleasant to shoot…
If you’re interested in the Dagger, I recommend trying one out. They don’t cost a lot of money, and right now, I believe they’re one of the best bangs for your buck in the affordable handgun market.
