Where do they get DAO?

[MythBuster]

Where do they get DAO?

Why are the S&W M&P pistols marketed as DAO when they are a 100% precocked single action pistol?

Even some so called intelligent gun writers refer to them as DAO.

How can Any 100% precocked pistol possibly be considered DAO? Can anyone explain the logic of this to me?

 

[BanditSRT8]

Why make up another term to confuse the masses?

You already have SA, DA, DAO, and "Safe-Action" which is a proprietary moniker for Glock. Since you can't call it Safe-Action, you'd have to make up a new name.

Besides... i thought the M&P worked differently from a Glock? I didn't realize it was partially cocked like a Glock was.

 

[MythBuster]

"Besides... i thought the M&P worked differently from a Glock? I didn't realize it was partially cocked like a Glock was"

The M&P is 100% FULLY COCKED. Where are they getting DAO?

 

[carguychris]

S&W's technical literature doesn't call it DAO- they call it "Striker Fire Action". Who's calling it DAO?

 

[45_Shooter]

The M&P is 100% FULLY COCKED. Where are they getting DAO?

You sure about that? from what I understand IDPA considers the M&P to be in the same class as Glock (SSP), but the XD is not. The XD is a true single action, and that's the reasoning I was given for it's classification (ESP). It would seem the M&P would be in the same class as an XD if it was truly single action. Admittedly though, I'm far from an expert on the workings of polymer guns, so there might be something I'm missing.

 

[MythBuster]

"Who's calling it DAO"

It is listed as DAO in wholesalers catalogs. It is called DAO by Guns and Ammo Magazine and by other gun writers.

 

[MythBuster]

You sure about that?

Yes. I have one right beside me.

When a round is chambered the striker is 100% cocked. The sear just drops straight down when you pull the trigger.

At least that is how it works on MY full size 9mm.

 

[45_Shooter]

When a round is chambered the striker is 100% cocked. The sear just drops straight down when you pull the trigger.

At least that is how it works on MY full size 9mm.

Interesting. Since you can get a thumb safety on the .45 I wonder if you can dump the trigger safety and run it like a 1911? That would be a sweet little gun!

 

[Keltyke]

You already have SA, DA, DAO, and "Safe-Action" which is a proprietary moniker for Glock.

You forgot SAO and DA/SA.

The one I like is PAB - Pull And BANG!

 

[Sidetracked]

There was an article talking about the "DAO" and "Striker-Fired" designations, a few years back.

The author pretty much just concluded that people are lazy, and prefer to read/say DAO than explain the particular action in question. And, of course, DAO is shorter than Striker-Fired, so it wins the battle most often.

 

[RsqVet]

Actually I think that much of this confusion comes from our good friend at ATF; who for what ever needs they have classified the "glock safe action" as DAO way back when it first hit our shores.

Hence all the pre-cocked (part or full) striker fired guns get the name DAO.

 

[KyJim]

The M&P is not 100% pre-cocked. Neither is it true double action:

As the M&P slide goes forward, the tail of the striker remains in a partially cocked position. The M&P uses a double-action-only (DAO) trigger that provides a 6.5-pound trigger stroke of 0.30 inches, which completely retracts the striker before tripping the sear. The trigger pull is exactly the same for each shot, providing the legendary consistency and accuracy of the double-action revolver.

http://www.shootingtimes.com/handgun_reviews/mp_080806/index2.html

ATF requires a pistol to be classified as traditional DA (single action after first shot), DAO, or SAO. Since the striker on the M&P is only partially cocked, it is listed as DAO. This is also an advantage in sales to some law enforcement agencies which require DAO.

 

[MythBuster]

Whoever wrote the ST article is an idiot. Anyone with access to one of these pistols can easily see it is 100% FULLY COCKED.

 

[KyJim]

The next time I have one of mine out, I'll see if I can tell. I've never really paid that much attention to it before. I've read somewhere other than the article I noted that the SW is about 3/4 cocked compared to Glock at 1/2 cocked.

 

[MythBuster]

It is no problem to see how it works. Pull the slide off and watch the action of the sear as you pull the trigger.

 

[easyG]

Who cares?
It still feels like a DAO when I fire it.

 

[ImDisaster]

Who cares?
It still feels like a DAO when I fire it.

I disagree. It feels nothing like a conventional DAO semi-auto or revolver. A conventional DAO has a long heavy pull as you cock and release the hammer or striker. Some people regard this as safer because a person has to deliberately pull through this long travel and it isn't likely to discharge from an accidental bump. Further, if the trigger pressure is released the trigger and hammer/striker returns to it's original location...requiring another long, heavy trigger pull.

The Glock uses a system of partly cocking the striker so the pull is lightened. Taurus uses a long pull on their Millenium Pros to yield lower efforts.

On the other hand the M&P pull is short and not to different feeling from most SA pulls...except that it is about twice as heavy as your typical handgun SA pull.

I carry one so I'm obviously comfortable with the concept...but I would not be comfortable with the same system, without a safety, with a lighter pull weight.

Personally, I'd prefer a true DAO type system, like in the Sig P250 or the older Taurus Millenium Pros, but I decided for the M&P because it was the best value in the available pistols, that shot well for me.

I do not like most of the DA/SA pistols DA pull. It feels more like a revolver and changes too much from first to second shot. If I was going in that direction I'd prefer an SA with a safety.

 

[MythBuster]

I can't see how anyone could think the M&P trigger "feels" like a DAO.