SIG Model P239 DAO

The initial point of choice for most purchasers seems to be repeat-strike capability. Many duty/defense pistol users believe it is ludicrous to carry a gun for life-protection if it requires two hands to operate should the trigger need to be pulled a second time in the event of a misfire. (What if the other hand is injured or otherwise engaged with the threat?) Such users also observe that it is a demonstrated fact that fully 80 percent of misfires do indeed fire on the second strike because the first hit served to solve whatever the problem was (a little crud in the firing pin channel, a not fully seated round, etc.).

A misfire in a crisis situation is already a disaster. Why deny yourself an 80-percent chance of solving the problem by a simple second pull of the trigger by requiring you to jack the slide with your other hand and chamber a completely different round? People who think this way will never be happy with a Glock (or similar mechanism), no matter how short and light the trigger pull.

That's one point of view. On the other hand, many pistol trainers believe strongly that proper training in "tap-rack-bang" drills will instill a reflex that is every bit as effective as an instinctive repeat strike (and also will eliminate the problem of the 20 percent of misfires that do not go bang the second hit). Such people are much more likely to value the shorter and lighter aspects of a Glock-type trigger over the longer and heavier pulls of conventional DAO mechanisms--repeat strike or not.

The SIG DAK design is appealing because it provides a mechanism that allows many of these counterpoint perspectives to meet in the middle. Developed by the engineers at Sauer in Germany, the new DAK trigger system delivers a smooth, consistent 6.5-pound full-length trigger pull that is much closer to the weight of a Glock than any conventional DAO but also has complete restrike capability without any pretensioning or prestressing of the internal firing mechanism.

There is nothing magical about the design; everything is accomplished by simple mechanical advantages in the trigger/hammer linkages. The key is that the engineers were able to extend the "leverage arm" of the hammer from the pivot point (like sitting farther from the fulcrum of a seesaw) so that less force is required from the trigger while remaining within the existing dimensions of the P226 and P229 frames.

SPECIFICATIONS - P239 DAO Manufacturer: SIGARMS Model: P239 DAO Operation: Recoil-operated autoloader Caliber: .40 S&W Barrel length: 3.6 in. Overall length: 6.6 in. Weight, empty: 29.8 oz. Safety: Firing pin lock, decocking lever, safety intercept notch, trigger bar disconnector Sights: 3-dot tritium night sights Stocks: Wraparound textured rubber Magazine capacity: 7 rounds Finish: Black stainless steel Price: $779

After initial firing, the shooter can control the trigger reset either to an intermediate point with a shorter pull distance and two-pound heavier weight (the trigger bar intersects the hammer arm closer to the pivot point) or fully reset to the original longer and lighter weight position.

Externally, the only visible difference between a SIG DAK mechanism and a conventional SIG DAO mechanism is that the DAK trigger has a slightly slimmer profile and the DAK hammer sits completely within the frame when at rest, while the DAO hammer protrudes slightly. Other attractive features include the fact that the slide must be locked back and the magazine removed to disassemble, and it can be disassembled without having to pull the trigger.

When these features are combined with the fact that the SIG P226R DAK and P229R DAK pistols came out at the unchallenged top for every facet of the most rigorous and extensive set of U.S government handgun tests ever applied, well, no wonder that SIG's fortunes in the duty-pistol marketplace are taking a remarkable turn for the better.

Rigorous Government Tests
Did I say rigorous? When I read the test standards used for the DHS contract, I was amazed. In addition to all the familiar drop tests, accuracy tests, and durability tests that have long been standard parts of law-enforcement and military procurement procedures, the raw stress and abuse the government today expects modern duty pistols to endure is, well, beyond extreme. Here are just a couple of excerpts from the Department of Homeland Security's Performance Description for a Service Pistol Procurement.