DA/SA in 2022

mak20

Newbie
I'm curious to see what other people think about DA/SA these days.

I own a few DA/SA pistols and whatever my personal opinion on them, I see DA/SA becoming something of a lost art. There haven't been many new designs with DA/SA coming out these days and if you want the latest and greatest new design it's going to be a striker fired pistol. I'll still defend the benefits of DA/SA but I don't think most people will consider them seriously unless they just want a classic design like the 92 series, CZ75, 226/229, and USP just for the sake of owning one.
 

Matt Landfair

Matt Six Actual
Staff member
Administrator
DA/SA are pretty damn great but I happen like all guns and seek to learn the intricacies of all of them. DA/SA happens to work great for dryfire too. Careful with certain CZs that will smoosh pins with a lot of dryfire.
 

pointblank4445

Established
As a former HK shooter, there is no redeeming quality from a DA/SA HK USP trigger. Even their "match" trigger is pretty shitty in comparison to others and even that system with the nickel plated sear spring with get you some occasional hammer follow. Most usually concede to the LEM trigger instead (which also has its quirks).

I'm very curious to see just how much magic Ernest Langdon can perform on these P-series HK's now in his lineup.
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
I thought DA/SA was seeing a bit of a renaissance in popularity over the last several years. People didn’t seem to be quite as quickly or wholly dismissing DA/SA pistols in favor of striker-fired guns at least. A lot of more classic DA/SA pistols have been getting a bit of a modernized refresh as well - Beretta/LTT with the RDO, Sig with the Legion guns, CZ continuing to develop the Shadow 2 guns. Atlantic Firearms just completed the process to begin importing the FB Radom VIS-100 M1, a Polish military pistol with a DA/SA trigger. They’re still out there being made and have their devoted fans
 

LukeNCMX

Member
I love DA/SA pistols. I did a lot of shooting early on with a west german Sig Sauer P226 with the classic stamped slide. Awesome example of an all-metal DA/SA gun. I shoot mostly glocks but I have a Landgon Beretta 92 and and a Langdon Beretta PX4 compact; they are both a fun break from my striker guns.
 

lovetoys

Newbie
I Have learned on DA/SA since day 1, and really like them. I am starting to get a few Striker fire, but the DA/Sa is my go to.
 

DavidMS

Amateur
My first centerfire pistol is a surplus SIG P6. I really like how it shoots. I mostly shoot a Glock 19 but have a soft spot for DA/SA pistols and would not feel under equiped with one.
 
I went to the academy with a S&W 4006 and carried one on duty for seven years.

If one is going to carry a DA/SA pistol, they MUST habituate decocking every time they come off of a target array. MUST.

What I see in classes is people who bought a DA/SA for whatever reason holstering pistols that are in SA mode (without a manual safety) because they have not done the above.
 

Barry B

Regular Member
First gun in I every bought, about 1984, was a imported Sig P-226, DA/SA. It was a tad big for my hand if memory serves, wish I never unloaded it just because of what it is.

I carry only Glocks with the Striker Control Device on them, for safe re-holstering. Not a fan of an external safety. If I didn’t carry the SCD equipped Glocks I’d have a DA/SA for Safe reholstering.

-B
 
I went to the academy with a S&W 4006 and carried one on duty for seven years.

If one is going to carry a DA/SA pistol, they MUST habituate decocking every time they come off of a target array. MUST.

What I see in classes is people who bought a DA/SA for whatever reason holstering pistols that are in SA mode (without a manual safety) because they have not done the above.

You just gave me a strong flashback to a .mil CQB school I went to where not yelling "DECOCK" before holstering on the range, or moving inside the house, as you did it, was a grade-able part of the safety procedures.
You only need to watch a guy speed re-holster with the M9 still on SA once for that to procedure to seem less silly.
 

jnc36rcpd

Regular Member
When my former agency used the SIG 226 and 239, "Scan, decock, and holster" was a range command. I'm not sure how often anyone actually scanned, but most did decock their weapons.
 

Seth Thompson

Regular Member
Some DA/SA guns have very smooth, workable DA pulls and very, very nice SA presses.

That long DA pull has some advantages in stressful situations. I believe Darryl Bolke referred to them as "thinking man's triggers", for the extra safety margin when dealing with ambiguous shoot/no-shoot situations.

I started out with the DA/SA Beretta 92 as a young copper and learned to shoot it pretty well. I've helped lots of new shooters learn to master issued SIG 229's and Beretta 92's over the years, and some of those folks can shoot very, very fast and accurately with those trigger systems.

Like FPS said, it's a must to make the de-cocking step automatic for shooters. I think the systems with the spring-loaded "decock-only" type levers have the edge in smooth manipulation.
 
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