Where have all the DAO Pistols gone?

There are still options on the market, but there has definitely been a shift in recent years towards "safe-action" striker fired pistols in preference to DAO hammer-fired pistols, notably so in law enforcement (hence that article). SIG P250, SIG P series with the DAK trigger, Beretta has some options in the PX4 line, HK still has the LEM line of pistols, and of course there are plenty of DAO S&W 3rd Gens still floating around (and some still in use by departments). The manufacturers are simply going toward where the greater demand and money is to be found.
 
It's a bit of a rare bird, but there's the Lionheart version of the South Korean service pistol.
 
The article was actually about DA/SA, not DAO.

The problem with DA pistols in LE is that it takes more training to teach officers how to shoot in DA; it's a lot easier to teach someone to keep their fingers off the trigger of a striker gun than to keep the weapon steady through the trigger pull.

Sadly, even that minimum level of training seems to be too difficult to implement.
 
Boy I guess I need to look at the article next time and not just respond to the OP :o. First off this article is two years old. Secondly, it basically answers the OP's question. Lastly, it has some notable mistakes:

At the present time, only a few agencies still issue Beretta or S&W double-action pistols. A few large federal agencies such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection, including the Border Patrol, have opted for a frame-mounted de-cocking lever. They maintain that the double-action semi-auto is safer for their agents. Last time I checked, the Border Patrol was issuing H&K P2000 series handguns.
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The version of the P2000 that CBP is using is LEM, Law Enforcement Modification. It is a DAO type trigger. It does not have a dedicated decocker. For the matter, the P series pistols from HK that do have decockers have them located at the rear of the slide, to the bottom left of the hammer. The lever connects directly to the sear and protrudes through the slide with a slight cutout in the frame. They're not really what I would think most people would call "frame mounted".
 
Concerning DAO's, I have been buying them all up hahahahahahahaha!

Not really, but I do have a preference for traditional, true DAO and have had several throughout the years to include several in my current inventory consisting of a pair of CZ 100's (my EDC), an HK P2000 LEM, and my PX4 D.

Previously owned were a Beretta 96D Centurion and 8000 D Cougar, a Sig P229 DAK, as well as a P250 Compact and Subcompact, LEM Variants of HK's P30, P2000, & P2000SK, and an old Ruger P95 DAO. Several of these will be re-acquired in the future!

A few that I would buy in a heartbeat if the price were right, and add to my carry rotation, would be the CZ-made Colt Z40, FN's FNP9-M compact, and Walther's P99 DAO and P99Q (though it, the Q, will never see importation)....
 
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A lot can be said for ease of use, and I think that is the driving force with the shift from DA/SA to striker fired pistols. In many cases training seems like an afterthought, and people tend to simply go through the motions. It is much easier to learn a Glock trigger than it is to transition from DA to SA (for the majority of novice shooters). Add to that being a LEO or Military is not a dead giveaway for a well trained shooter. Also, guns have evolved, and the more popular striker fired pistols are as reliable as their hammer fired counterparts.

I still have love for the hammers, but in a DA/SA configuration as opposed to the DAO type. If I've fired one shot I will certainly be prepared to fire a few more... I don't need 10 (or more) pounds of pull with a long reset each time. Everyone is different though.
 
The lc9 (not lc9s) is DAO. I had one and traded it because the trigger was not so great. That may be the fundamental reason for the change.DAO guns are generally small carry pieces because DAO is relatively safe. But the striker fired design is about the same in saftey and the trigger pull is generally better (not always). Plus I believe striker fired are cheaper to manufacture than hammer fired. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
 
old LC9, Sccy, Taurus 24/7, Kel-Tec pf9-pf11,p3at Sig P226 DAK, Smith & Wesson 6946 and others. not popuar, but most every manufacture has a few, i don't care for them, but not enough experience to make a blanket statement that they are worse, i shot a little pocket sig that was really smooth and DAO.

i remember now, the Sig P250 has a really nice DAO, but had little time with it,
 
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My wife and I shoot 9mm 1911s, but I recently bought a 9mm H&K P2000 V2 (LEM) for SD/HD. I really like the trigger and appreciate being able to control the hammer with my thumb when reholstering. I would think this sort of action would be well suited to LE, but even with the reduced pricing the H&Ks are probably too expensive for LE agencies.
 
I prefer DAO for concealed carry, just because I feel more at ease with that long trigger pull. I know all the arguments in favor of the striker, but I still prefer having that little bit of extra margin of stupidity that comes with the DA. With practice, shooting DA inside of 15 yards is not difficult.

I own a PM9 (I know it's a striker, but I consider it a DA), which edged out the 290RS for me. I'm considering the KelTec P-11, but I'm just not sold not its quality. I'm very satisfied with the PM9, but it has its quirks which still bug me, but not enough for me to replace it with something else.
 
Hammer fired dao handguns are far more expensive to produce. People will, in probably 90 percent of the time choose a cheaper striker fired gun, both because they can get a reasonably inexpensive gun with strong brand name, and also because it just doesn't matter to them what mechanism it uses.
 
My wife and I shoot 9mm 1911s, but I recently bought a 9mm H&K P2000 V2 (LEM) for SD/HD. I really like the trigger and appreciate being able to control the hammer with my thumb when reholstering. I would think this sort of action would be well suited to LE, but even with the reduced pricing the H&Ks are probably too expensive for LE agencies.
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Actually that very pistol is the largest non-military purchase in US history by a single agency.

http://hk-usa.com/heckler-koch-defense-awarded-largest-pistol-contract-law-enforcement-history/

Hammer fired dao handguns are far more expensive to produce. People will, in probably 90 percent of the time choose a cheaper striker fired gun, both because they can get a reasonably inexpensive gun with strong brand name, and also because it just doesn't matter to them what mechanism it uses.
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Yes and no. They're often not dramatically more expensive (PX4, P2000 prices dropped a lot lately) and some like the P250 are even cheaper. I do agree in general with what you said.
 
.......In many cases training seems like an afterthought, and people tend to simply go through the motions. It is much easier to learn a Glock trigger than it is to transition from DA to SA (for the majority of novice shooters). Add to that being a LEO or Military is not a dead giveaway for a well trained shooter.........
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This is the key here to average people weapons systems. We give people ammo and the best training and they still half a$$ things as important as weapons training. That needs to be considered when putting a gun in your own hand or in the hand of any adult.

IMO, DAO and many striker guns do this well.
 
Nathan said:
This is the key here to average people weapons systems. We give people ammo and the best training and they still half a$$ things as important as weapons training. That needs to be considered when putting a gun in your own hand or in the hand of any adult.



IMO, DAO and many striker guns do this well.
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I assume you mean LEO since most civilians aren't given ammo and training. Having taken courses with officers of various career lengths and from departments in different states I can tell you that none of those officers received money for those courses. They paid for them out of their own pockets, as well as the ammo for the course. Besides yearly qualification the departments rarely pay for additional training. It's not in the budget. Police are one of those things that people love to have but are reluctant to pay for. The move to strikers isn't solely due to the "half ass" nature of the officers.
 
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