PSA Dagger Review: Hands On Tested!

PSA released the Dagger years ago. Now, many years later and more than a few Daggers, I’ve revisited my review of PSA’s Glock clone. Does this beastly gun still hold up? Have years of experience changed my mind about the gun? Let’s dig in.

Carrying a Dagger 

Glock handguns dominate the firearms market, despite efforts from SIG, CZ, and FN. By dominating the market, I don’t mean just occupying the holsters of a metric ton of shooters, but being the reason those holsters exist. It’s insanely easy to find Glock holsters, triggers, sights, barrels, and custom work. 

In fact, you can create a Glock without using any actual Glock parts. That’s precisely what the Dagger is, a Glock without any Glock parts. Specifically, it’s a Glock 19 style pistol. It’s in the same realm as the Glock compact pistols. The Dagger works with standard Glock parts and pieces and is compatible with Glock Gen 3 parts. 

The Dagger has evolved into a family of firearms. The Micro Dagger series has embraced the G43X and G48 formats, but offers 15 round magazines. The standard Dagger series now comes in tons of colors and optics-ready configurations with various enhancements and triggers.

Palmetto State Armory is well known for its low prices, and the Dagger is priced to move. The base model sells for 300 dollars, which, in my opinion, is a very reasonable price. The optic’s cut, suppressor height sight, upgraded threaded barrel model we are reviewing cost 379.99. Regardless, they are a good deal cheaper than Glock brand Glocks and promise the same simplicity and reliability as the Glock pistols. 

This isn’t just a cheap Glock clone. PSA went all out to equip the Dagger with a ton of features and lots of modern flair. You get a lot of ‘gun’ for the money, but does that gun run? Does it shoot straight? Well, we’ll find out today. 

PSA Dagger Features

1 Optics Ready 

2 Ameriglow lower 1/3rd Co-witness sights

3 Threaded Barrel 

4 Flat Trigger 

The Dagger Models 

Palmetto State Armory Dagger has many variants to it. They come in micro, compact and full size options. Within each of these sizes there are various colors and slide cuts, threaded or non-threaded barrels, optics cuts, and colors to pick from.

Wielding the Dagger – Our Take

The Dagger’s grip texture is not messing around. Seriously, ditch the notion of stippling this thing—it’s already wearing a full suit of aggressive, toothy grip. Front, back, and sides, it just clings to your palm like a scared kid to their mama. The grip angle PSA went with feels a bit straighter than the usual suspect, but they kept it out of the Polymer 80 “too straight” territory.

It’s actually pretty comfy, fits the hand well, and here’s a kicker: it feels a touch longer than a standard Glock 19. Usually, a good chunk of my pinky is left out in the cold on a G19, but on the Dagger, it’s sitting nice and firm. They also threw in two seriously aggressive magazine cutouts. No worries, they stay out of the way while you’re shooting, but if you need to tear that magazine free in a hurry? You’ve got the leverage to do it.

The grip is solid—zero adjustment needed. It’s a comfy rig, and since it’s Gen 3 (meaning no fiddly backstraps; what you see is what you get), what you get is a damn good fit. I’m a big fan of that little overhang at the back; it’s subtle, but it lets you choke up high on the pistol without the slide taking a nibble out of your hand. That, combined with a properly decent trigger guard undercut, makes getting a high, aggressive purchase a breeze.

Let’s talk controls. The mag release is colossal! And I mean that as a compliment. No more awkward hand contortions just to drop a mag. It’s right there, easy to hit. The slide lock, though… well, it’s standard Glock fare. Which means my big dumb thumbs inevitably pin it down, turning it into a completely useless piece of metal. But hey, it locks the slide back when the mag is empty, so it’s doing something. 

Ringing Steel 

The model I’m reviewing has a Holosun 507C equipped to the gun, but the Aemriglo lower 1/3rd sights are a nice feature. If I have an optic’s ready gun, I want these sights. The optics cut accommodates the Trijicon RMR and optics that use that footprint. Optically enhanced guns are straightforward to shoot accurately, and the Dagger didn’t disappoint. 

I absolutely ran this thing ragged—dinged steel, printed a bunch of tight little groups, and generally had a great time doing it. Even way out there at 50 yards, unsupported, I kept ringing that steel over and over. Now, let’s talk trigger. It’s not amazing, but it’s definitely not a total loss. When the Dagger first dropped, some people had issues with the trigger not resetting, and some pins were trying to walk right out of the frame. This was nothing I ever experienced, and luckily, those days are mostly behind us, and we’re left with something perfectly serviceable.

The feel is classic, stock Glock. The reset is short, snappy, and tactile, which is always lovely. The pull itself feels like plastic rubbing on plastic, though. You get a little smooth initial movement, followed by that gritty journey, and then a clear, distinct break. It’s not crisp, but it’s not mushy, either. Honestly, I don’t have a massive problem with it, but let’s be real: I’m probably going to swap it out for something better. That’s the real win here, because just like its Austrian cousin, the Dagger platform lets you change almost every single damn part.

Running Hard 

Glock’s boring reliability is a big reason why this series of pistols took off. If the Dagger couldn’t match that reliability, it’s tough to call it a success. However, in all my shooting, I couldn’t get the gun to malfunction. I mainly shot brass-cased 115-grain FMJs through the weapon. In the midst of an ammo drought, you can’t be picky, especially when someone picks up the ammo tab. 

The gun didn’t care about the case, projectile type, or ammo quality. It fired, extracted, ejected, and fired again. The Dagger couldn’t care less about the ammunition you fed it. I used the included Magpul magazine, but I doubt that Glock mags or the other mags as such ETS as KCI would cause issues with the gun. 

In my testing, the PSA Dagger worked well. It was plenty accurate and reliable, the ergonomics are fantastic, it comes with optics cut, and with a threaded barrel and suppressor height sights for less than 400 bucks. That’s a ton of value for a reliable, modern pistol. It’s priced the same as a Taurus pistol, but it packs in way more features and likely fewer QC issues than Taurus as well. 

That’s not to mention how easy it is to carry. PSA melted the corners at the front and bottom of the slide to make it snag-free and carry comfy. The DLC finish is nice, and the front and rear slide serrations are another nice add-on.

Now, it’s not all perfect. I’ve noticed some quirks, especially when trying to suppress the gun. There are also a lot of compatibility issues with the holsters cause the Dagger doesn’t fit the holsters made for Glocks. That said, value-wise it’s tough to beat. 

PSA Dagger Pros and Cons 

PSA Dagger – FAQs

What is the price range of the PSA Dagger?

The PSA Dagger typically ranges from $300 to $350, depending on the model and additional features like tritium sights.

Is the PSA Dagger compatible with Glock magazines and parts?

Yes, the PSA Dagger is designed to work with Glock magazines and shares compatibility with certain Glock internal parts.

Does the PSA Dagger have ambidextrous controls?

No, the PSA Dagger does not feature ambidextrous controls. Some controls, like the magazine release, are designed for right-handed us

Is the PSA Dagger’s locking block compatible with Glock parts?

Despite the Dagger being designed to be compatible with many standard Glock parts, the hybrid locking block/front rail and rear rail are exceptions.

PSA Dagger Ammo

PSA Dagger Starter Pack

So what’s next? Well, if you decide to get the Dagger , you’re going to need to pick up some must-have basics. Here’s our recommendation for what you need to get started.

• Gun Cleaning Kit: Otis All Caliber Elite Range Box on Amazon or build your own personalized cleaning kit with premium components.
• Shooting Glasses: All it takes is one piece of rogue hot brass, and you’ll learn the importance of shooting glasses. But not all glasses are built the same. See our recommendations for the Best Shooting Glasses.
• Hearing Protection: Firing a gun without wearing proper ear pro can be very dangerous and detrimental to your hearing. Find out the best hearing protection for you in our full length review.
• Storage: Check our our article on the Best Biometric Gun Safes
• Targets – If you’re wanting a great resource for shooting practice or zeroing your optics on your optics rifle or pistol, download our FREE Sighting in Targets below.

With the basics outta the way, let’s jump into some cool accessories you might want to consider when purchasing your Dagger

PSA Dagger Upgrades and Accessories

There’s a bunch of different options available to accessorize the PSA Dagger. However, if we had to choose only a few options… Here’s our picks.

PSA Dagger Accessories

1. Streamlight TLR-7 Weapon Light		White LED produces 500 lumens IPX7 Waterproof Low Profile	Check Amazon
2. Pineworld Biometric Gun Safe		Reliable Biometric Scanner Sturdy and Well Built Cheaper Than Most Biometrics	Check Amazon
3. Decibullz Custom Molded Earplugs		Great In-Ear option Custom molded – super easy and comfortable NRR: 31	Check Amazon
4. NERD IWB PSA Dagger Holster		Robust .80 thick Kydex construction Audible “click” trigger guard retention Adjustable 15-degree cant	Check Price

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR PSA Dagger

Not only do you need to keep your firearms safe and secure, you’re also going to need to know how to take care of it. While scouring the internet, we came across this excellent video;.

Important Links And Manuals For Your PSA Dagger

For more info regarding the PSA Dagger, check out the following resources:

• PSA Dagger
• Warranty Request Form