My apologies if I missed this somewhere but I’ve searched the forum a bit and have tried to use the proper phrasing in google searches but I haven’t really gotten exactly what I’m looking for so I’m hoping to get some recommendations and help. I realize this is a subjective question but I’m trying to decide between the compact and full size dagger.
Unfortunately I’m not anywhere near a PSA retail store (knew I’d regret not stopping in to the Myrtle Beach location this summer) so I can’t just walk in and hold the two.
Looking to get the opinions on guys with average sized hands on what they prefer. Not sure if I plan to replace my carry gun (Springfield XDM 3.8 Compact) with a Dagger, which is why I’m open to both compact and full size. If I’m being honest, I’d prefer that the grip on my current carry was a bit longer, but it looks like even the Dagger compact is about 1/2 longer than what I currently have. Both sized frames would probably suit my needs, which is what brings me here.
A lot of words to ask some opinions. Thanks in advance!
Basically what GuitarGuy said. But an advantage to the compact if it ends up fitting you best, is that you can always run the larger Glock mags. Since I have a compact, I can use all the G19 mags I got new for carry, and all my old G17 mags for range use or backup mags. More options available that way.
Not that I see the world ever running out of G17+ mags anyway.
You can also get mag sleeves that give you the full grip on a G17 mag in the compact frame. I personally shoot G17 mags with my compact Daggers all the time.
I highly recommend against mag sleeves unless they are fixed to the baseplate. Across multiple gun brands and manufacturers I have had them slide and get cocked at an angle, resulting in an ability to load them in the gun. Had to slide them back in place by hand each time.
i’ll tell ya true, as a guy whos first pistol was a g21, and wished he could have bought the g30s instead but it didnt even exist back then. Go with the Dagger Compact. The grip is the most comfortable in my opinion and although i have somewhat on the large side of hand size, the compact fits sooo much better than the larger full size ever could. You wont be disappointed at all, and in the future you can always go back later and buy the full size.
I have average hands, the Compact’s grip generally feels really good and is probably better for most folks. However, the lip at the bottom of the front of the Compact’s grip bothered me. The grip of the full-size Dagger S is just enough longer that the lip does not bother me.
I have giant hands(almost 7 feet tall) and the full size S is the best feeling gun I own, the swells in combination with the GG Magwell . Fills up my hands in a good way, not like my Glock 21.
for me, PSA hit it out of the park with the full size frame.
i have large hands.
there were no full size when i bought my first Dagger. its not that i was not happy with the compact but when i got the full size i knew it fit best.
Get both! If you have little hands the compact big hands the full size.Feels way better than a glock!
What do you carry now?I love the micro slide on a p80 g43 equivalent
idk- not to be rude to anyone just trying to articulate a thought here… but the compact feels like a glock -i can shoot it the same i dont even think your hand size matters… it’s basically a p80 but perfected as in it uses the same locking block if you understand this well you will understand all the moves they made offering everything they do on their slide/frame chart all the way up to the beastmode 34 lookin’ 17… atlas in the end they nailed it to start (any glitches from first couple gens fixed free sending them in unmodified) without doubt, any compact with 3dot irons.! also JUST the threaded barrel acts as a comp and no actual block has to hang off your barrel
Threaded barrel alone doesn’t give any compensation effect. The slight weight difference wouldn’t account to much. I shoot my normal Dagger and threaded one the same when I take my comp off. You do get some more velocity though.
For a comp that isn’t a big block on the barrel, get the Strike Industries micro carry comp (circle). It’s basically a slightly longer thread protector, with 3 slots cut in it so you can clock it to vent left right and up, unlike the other micro comps out there that vent all the way around, including downward.
again not trying to be rude… but it’s a pointless block no one uses anymore… the threaded barrel makes the barrel the same length as the 17 which absolutely acts as compensation on its own
Lots of people still use compensators. Having shot both my Daggers side by side, and even swapped barrels into both, I don’t shoot one that much better outside of the one having a red dot on it. I also own a Gen 5 Glock 34. That I do shoot better. I’ve swapped THAT barrel into my Daggers (Gen 5 barrels are compatible with Gen3 19 locking blocks) and it really doesn’t change the shootability for me. The slide mass and reciprocating speed did though. It’s my flattest shooting gun but for me the barrel didn’t change it outside of the difference in travel time at 100yds on steel.
I would absolutely take a longer slide and barrel over a comp for reliability, but having a threaded barrel on a gun has never affected my shooting. I also have a lot of rounds through handguns and especially Glock style ones, so maybe by the time I tried threaded barrels it was too late to make a difference.
I guess you can argue the weight acts as a compensator but so does my flashlight. It’s not a compensator though, it’s just more weight on the gun. My micro comp actually directs the gas up and to the sides to actively push the gun down. A threaded barrel does not. It’d be like the USP Match “compensator” which is mostly just a big weight on the gun. It does have a pretty vague U shape so some gas goes up at least. Going by definition, weight is not a comp.
. Fills up my hands in a good way, not like my Glock 21.