Clarifying Double Action Only (DAO)

by
posted on April 23, 2015
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
wiley-clapp.jpg (1)

I recently had the pleasure of writing up the new SIG Sauer P320 for American Rifleman. Somehow or another, I left a number of readers a little confused about the pistol's trigger action, and we can't have that. So let's take a quick second look at the gun and see if we can get things straightened out. 320s are striker-fired pistols, a first for SIG Sauer. The striker is spring loaded and becomes fully cocked when the slide comes all the way to the rear, either manually or when the act of firing drives it back. To fire, the shooter presses the trigger, an act that clears safeties and releases the striker. This initial trigger pull does feel a great deal like several other guns (Glock, S&W M&P) that partially pre-cock the striker and are called DAOs (for double-action-only). undefined

But the correct technical definition of DAO is a system where trigger pressure performs the twin functions of cocking and firing. Since the P320 is already cocked, the trigger can only release the striker. It would have to be more like an SAO (single-action-only) trigger. It would probably be better to say that DA and SA are terms that define trigger action as it relates to the pistol's lockwork. Leave the clearing of passive safeties out of the equation, even though they make some of these trigger systems feel very DA-like. Somehow, the term DAO has come to be associated with greater safety in handling, so it is unlikely that the makers will cease using it on guns that are clearly fully cocked. undefined

It is also interesting to note that proper use of the reset point in the trigger can be so very useful. For the first shot in a series, the shooter has to sweep the trigger through a longer arc to get it in position to make that important release of the striker and fire. With practice, after firing the shot, he learns to allow the trigger to return only the short distance to where it resets the striker for firing. If he needs a second shot, he now moves the trigger back the same distance and it fires again. Like the old joke, repeat if necessary. There is usually a major difference in the length of trigger travel from all the way down to trigger travel from reset.

I hope this helps, but I am betting we haven't heard the end of the subject.

Latest

Star Model B Ihtog 1
Star Model B Ihtog 1

I Have This Old Gun: Star Model B

Of the many Spanish-made firearms to emerge throughout the 19th and 20th century, one of the most recognizable is the Star Model B, largely due to its similarity to the Colt Model 1911.

New For 2025: Kimber Next Generation 1911

For its latest M1911 offering, Kimber Mfg. borrowed design elements from its double-stack 2K11 pistol to create what it calls the Next Generation 1911.

Review: Charter Arms Double Dog

Charter Arms is an American gunmaker that has offered its own versions of compact, double-action revolvers at fair prices for more than 60 years.

Rifleman Q&A: Mysterious “Broomhandle” Bring-Back

"My favorite gun is inoperable, so I have not shot it. It is one of two weapons that my dad brought back from the Philippines after World War II, the other being a sword."

New Jersey Town Supports CCW With Fee Refund

The city of Englishtown, N.J., recently made a move to reduce that financial barrier, sparking widespread optimism that a statewide, even nationwide, trend may be on the horizon.

Review: Savage Arms Revel

Lever-action rifles have experienced a revival in recent years, and Savage Arms is getting in on the act with its Revel series rimfires. To understand it, you may have to read (backward) between the lines.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.