Product Review PSA Dagger Compete Lower $100

[Bongo Lewi]

@Peepsight I bought my Dagger complete, not a builder project. That was intentional. Now that I am confident in the platform, I’d have no reservations buying a frame and assembling a custom pistol using whatever components I like.

I get that a true build begins with parts that are a bit more raw than a complete frame. But what is a frame, really. It’s a piece of plastic with rails and a trigger. I will always replace the factory trigger on the Dagger. It’s ok out if the box but not great.

The shape of the grip and texturing on the Dagger represents the majority of my affection for it. Not to mention the price. Good luck with yours! I think you will like it.

 

[Peepsight]

@Peepsight I bought my Dagger complete, not a builder project. That was intentional. Now that I am confident in the platform, I’d have no reservations buying a frame and assembling a custom pistol using whatever components I like.

I get that a true build begins with parts that are a bit more raw than a complete frame. But what is a frame, really. It’s a piece of plastic with rails and a trigger. I will always replace the factory trigger on the Dagger. It’s ok out if the box but not great.

The shape of the grip and texturing on the Dagger represents the majority of my affection for it. Not to mention the price. Good luck with yours! I think you will like it.

Thanks. I recently purchased a Dagger slide that I'm using now on my glock frame. I will install the Dagger slide on the Dagger frame when it arrives. But right now it works great. Ordered a stainless Swenson barrel from Midway last night.

 

[Bongo Lewi]

Thanks. I recently purchased a Dagger slide that I'm using now on my glock frame. I will install the Dagger slide on the Dagger frame when it arrives. But right now it works great. Ordered a stainless Swenson barrel from Midway last night.

I am noodling over which slide to buy next for the P80 I haven't started working on yet. I like the Statement Defense Overbite. I like it without the optional windows.

 

[Racer88]

I like the Statement Defense Overbite. I like it without the optional windows.

Yowza, they're "proud" of that one. First I've heard of this company.

The front serrations are similar (but much more "aggressive") to my "Florida Man Supply" slide on my EDC build:

 

[Peepsight]

I am noodling over which slide to buy next for the P80 I haven't started working on yet. I like the Statement Defense Overbite. I like it without the optional windows.

$500. Holy schmoly

 

[Bongo Lewi]

$500. Holy schmoly

Yep. That's what @Racer88 said too. I'm discovering that building guns is not cheaper than buying one.

 

[Bobster]

I've read on other forums that S&B loads are inconsistent and primers are low quality.

Not to go OT too much but funny you should mention this. Was using some S&B at the range today, the all brass stuff (ie: primer and bullet coatings also), 115gr FMJ. Had a number of "duds" due to primer issues or maybe limp-wristing by my dot's BF , who I was shooting with. The primer indents looked fine and it didn't happen with me... Put the duds back into rotation and they fired second time around.

While I have your attention and back OT, I'm ordering some other PSA stuff and I'm looking for a "regular-ish" (not extended) mag release. Does anyone know how it compares to OEM? For $2 I'll to take a chance, I suppose.

Am I to understand that the internals in the Dagger frame (other than pins) can (should) be replaced with OEM (or aftermarket)?

And has anyone reviewed the "Full Size S" frame?

 

[Bongo Lewi]

Hard to know precisely. Not holding the gun correctly, impeding the movement of the slide could cause light strikes. It can also be issues with the slide and slide parts. If it never happens to you and only your pal with the same ammo and gun, there's your most likely answer. Occams Razor.

Personally I have found S&B ammo to be inconsistent in the 10mm realm. Others have said the same thing - bad primers or inconsistent loads. It's cheap, discounted range ammo, which is why ranges love to sell it. A few dead rounds is not a huge deal for cheap range ammo but I'd avoid putting it in a carry gun that needs to go bang every time you pull the trigger.

Factor in that a lot of gun forum posts are like the rumor mill at work, church, or any other gathering of people. There's always a reason why a gun doesn't fire. Sometimes the gun is the issue. Or the ammo. But most of the time it's the skill of the person pulling the trigger that's lacking.

BTW: I'd advise against putting a defective round back in a gun. So-called "coffee can" ammo... rounds that didnt fire and were put aside... may be defective in other ways besides a bad primer.

 

[Bobster]

Blem PSA Dagger Compact Frame, $60 today LINK

 

[Bongo Lewi]

@Bobster That's a great deal @ $59

 

[bkbrno]

While I have your attention and back OT, I'm ordering some other PSA stuff and I'm looking for a "regular-ish" (not extended) mag release. Does anyone know how it compares to OEM? For $2 I'll to take a chance, I suppose.

Am I to understand that the internals in the Dagger frame (other than pins) can (should) be replaced with OEM (or aftermarket)?

And has anyone reviewed the "Full Size S" frame?

I used one. It is not an extended release. The button is not grooved, just a textured surface. It is nicely rounded and does't dig in like the extended mag release. The right side doesn't exactly match the P80 frame but OEM doesn't either. Personally, I like it. For $2, it is worth a try.

I bought a bunch of PSA small parts to play around with and posted my thoughts in one of the other sections.

 

[Bobster]

I bought a bunch of PSA small parts to play around with and posted my thoughts in one of the other sections.

I looked through Mooner's description at the beginning of this thread. Do you remember what the topic was or have a link to your thoughts?

 

[Viking2721]

Hey Moon, I'll preface this comment/ question with I'm sure you do, and it's a dumb question, but do you have the special roll pin punches? They are like hollow at the end and the roll pin fits halfway inside. It keeps them from flaring out like regular punches cause them to do. I hate them too, but whether is recommended or not I always take my file and just take e a little bit of the edge off of the side that is going into the hole 1st. Put a little bevel on it just to get them started.

 

[Mooner]

Hey Moon, I'll preface this comment/ question with I'm sure you do, and it's a dumb question, but do you have the special roll pin punches? They are like hollow at the end and the roll pin fits halfway inside. It keeps them from flaring out like regular punches cause them to do. I hate them too, but whether is recommended or not I always take my file and just take e a little bit of the edge off of the side that is going into the hole 1st. Put a little bevel on it just to get them started.

I did not, at first I used a Glock pin then I used a regular set of AR punch sets.

But if you damaged the roll pins, PSA sells Dagger parts...

https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-dagger-trigger-housing-pin.html

 

[bkbrno]

I looked through Mooner's description at the beginning of this thread. Do you remember what the topic was or have a link to your thoughts?

PSA Dagger parts for P80 and GST-9

I was forced to order a red dot from Palmetto State due to low sale price. While there, I bought a pile of small Dagger parts to test. This applies to G19 compatible builds. The Dagger uses roll pins in a couple of places. These will NOT work in the 80%. Trigger pin is standard and works...

www.patriotgunbuilders.com

 

[Bobster]

PSA Dagger parts for P80 and GST-9

I was forced to order a red dot from Palmetto State due to low sale price. While there, I bought a pile of small Dagger parts to test. This applies to G19 compatible builds. The Dagger uses roll pins in a couple of places. These will NOT work in the 80%. Trigger pin is standard and works...

www.patriotgunbuilders.com

Yes, I DID read that post. Thanks for the refreshment!

 

[Hvymax]

 

[Racer88]

View attachment 15255

So, you can have a complete gun for about $280. Amazing.

Thanks for joining the forum and participating by posting! When you get a chance, please write up a quick “introduction” (or RE-introduction if you were a former MGB forum member) of yourself over in the Introduce Yourself! section. Tell us about yourself, your building experience, and how you found the forum.

Jump into other threads, too! Come on in... the water's fine!

 

[Dave]

Are normal pins available to replace the roll pins? Has anyone here done this?.

 

[Bobster]

Are normal pins available to replace the roll pins? Has anyone here done this?

The pins are 1/8. I did a write up on a full size HERE.