Palmetto State Armory (PSA) is known for providing quality firearms at reasonable prices. I’ve been lucky enough to test several PSA firearms over the years and had good experiences with all. 

The Dagger is essentially PSA’s take on a Glock, at almost half the price. Now, you may be wondering, “How good can a Glock clone be that is almost half the price of the real thing?” I was wondering the same thing but kept in the back of my mind the previous solid experiences I’ve had with PSA. 

So, let’s look at the PSA Dagger and hopefully help you decide if one of these is worth the price tag of a few hundred dollars or better used as a paperweight. 
 

Table of Contents

First Impressions
Features
Specifications
Range Report
Pros & Cons
Final Thoughts

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Given that this is one of the base Dagger models, there aren’t many bells and whistles to admire right out of the box. 
 

The first thing I noticed, though, was that the Sniper Green finish was darn near perfect. At this price point, I would have expected the Cerakoted slide to have some pretty noticeable imperfections, but there were none besides a few small pinhead-sized marks near the slide serrations. 
 

It feels nice in hand, as it’s well-balanced and the laser-etched stippling is comfortable. It’s almost on the verge of being too slick for my taste, but there is just enough texture that I won’t complain. 

Overall, the Dagger made a welcoming impression. 
 

FEATURES

This model may not have the optics-ready slide, ported barrel, and suppressor-height sights, but everything it does have is functional and gets the job done. 
 

Starting up top, it has a standard-height three-dot night sight setup. If they aren’t up to your standards, you can pick from a plethora of aftermarket sights. 

Working our way down the slide, you’ll notice serrations in the front and rear. For those of us who press check often, the front serrations are appreciated. What you may not have noticed right away is the unique “Extreme Carry Cuts” around the front, rear, and edges of the slide to reduce snagging and make holstering even easier. Double points for PSA here. 
 

The attention to detail dribbles down to the frame, as PSA included an undercut trigger guard, laser-etched stippling, and a notch in the magwell to make grabbing the magazine easier while reloading. Of course, there is also an accessory rail if you want to add your favorite light. 

I didn’t expect to find ambidextrous controls or a fantastic trigger, so I wasn’t disappointed, but they have room for improvement. The mag release is nice, as it protrudes more than the average and makes dropping the mag out very easy. 
 

What I can say about the trigger is that it’s consistent. The break is clean, and the reset isn’t the quickest, but they are repeatable. It makes for a fine shooting experience. Overall, given the price point, PSA makes it very hard to complain about much of anything here. 
 

SPECIFICATIONS

• Caliber: 9mm
• Capacity: 15+1
• Barrel Length: 3.9 inches
• Overall Length: 7.15 inches
• Width: 1.28 inches
• Height: 4.78 inches (without mag)
• Weight: 22.4 ounces (unloaded)
   

RANGE REPORT

A gun can have all the features in the world and still shoot poorly, or have barely any upgraded features and shoot like a dream. I try not to judge a firearm (at least not too harshly) until I get the chance to shoot it myself. 

Once the Dagger got delivered, I wasted no time packing it and a few hundred rounds into my range bag. Throughout the next three range sessions, I put exactly 250 rounds through it. 
 

Over those 250 rounds, I experienced three malfunctions. Three stovepipes interrupted my shooting, all of which occurred using an OEM Glock mag and 115-grain Range Dynamics FMJs.

I started my shooting with that OEM Glock mag because I expected it to be the most reliable. Much to my surprise, after I switched over and started using the supplied Magpul PMAG and one of my Amend2 Glock mags, I didn’t have a single issue. Go figure. 
 

From an accuracy perspective, the Dagger does what you need it to do. Within defensive distances between 5 and 10 yards, I had no issues placing my shots into groupings of about 2 inches while shooting quickly. I was able to maintain consistent groupings around specific body parts of the silhouette target out to 20 yards.
 

PROS & CONS

Pros: 

• Very affordable
• Tons of aftermarket support (many Glock accessories are compatible)
• Extreme Carry Cuts reduce snagging potential
• Comfortable grip
• Many configurations available
• Undercut trigger guard
• Forward slide serrations
   

Cons:

• Lack of ambidextrous controls
• Trigger leaves a bit to be desired
• No optic cut (other Dagger models do offer them)
   

FINAL THOUGHTS

I know this is a review of the Palmetto State Armory Dagger, so I don’t want to talk about Glocks too much, but it’s hard not to compare when they are so similar. 

At the end of the day, would I replace my Glock 19 with a Dagger? No, I would not. Would I hesitate to add a Dagger to my collection or carry it every now and then? No, I would not. 

Especially if you’re working within a tight budget, the Dagger seems to be a great option for either a concealed carry or a home defense gun. The fact that you can use so many of the same accessories made for Glocks – even down to the same holsters in some instances, from what I’ve read – makes it even more appealing. 

It’s great to see quality guns at such an affordable price, given our economic and political environments lately. I look forward to seeing what’s next from Palmetto State Armory.