I've getting a new-to-me 5946TSW (my first DAO) and I'm wondering if it is broken or malfunctioning.

Here's the problem???

Rack the slide with the mag in and it works just fine. Pull the trigger and the hammer goes back and goes bang.

But if I pull the trigger again, without re-racking the slide (as if I were trying to get a second strike) the trigger goes back but nothing happens, it's as if I didn't have the mag in.

Rack the slide again and it works just fine.

My conclusion is that it would work fine with ammo. Rack and load from the mag for the first time, shoot and the slide will go back, reload, and then when the trigger was pulled it would work fine.

But I'm curious if there's something wrong, in that it won't fire unless the slide is racked back whether it happens when the gun fires or I manually rerack the slide.

As mentioned it's my first Smith DAO so I'm a bit in the dark about how it should work.

thanks in advance

Short answer is that is normal operation as the 5946 does not have second strike capability.

That's normal , goes bang and recocks good to go .

It sounds like a gun I wouldn't want to own. You can't get a second strike if you are shooting ammo with a hard primers?

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Bill

That is how the S&W DAO pistols work, no second strike capability.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Second strike capability is over-rated.

If the cartridge doesn't fire, clear it and get another one in the chamber muy pronto!!

Randy

Relatively few semi-auto pistols (especially those that are striker-fired) have this feature - not brand G, brand S nor the M & P line. Guns with hammers do, most of the time but I suspect this is why "tap-rack-re-engage" (formerly "bang") training came into being as a universal solution.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

The Walther P99AS does have 2nd strike capability. It's the only striker fired pistol I know of that has this.

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BTDT, Got The T-Shirt

If you won't own a gun without 2nd strike capability then you are eliminating the majority of modern automatic pistols including Glocks and the much loved 1911 (not so modern). In my experience it is rare for a centerfire cartridge to fail and when it does it is just as likely the firearm and not the ammo. Yes, it can happen but like I said it's rare. This has been my experience and maybe not yours. Years of hand loading and I have yet to see a significant difference among primers for standard ammo when considering light strikes. We are talking about light strikes, yes? Reliable feed and eject is far more important to me as that is where most problems occur. The "bang" part is statistically the most reliable part of the operation.

I'm not interested in telling others what to own and shoot but 2nd strike capability is not even close to a deal breaker for me. YMMV.

It does seem odd that a SA/DA 6906 or 4006 would have second strike on double action, and S&W DAO don't.

It's not odd, it's a design choice. If you wanted the same trigger pull as the DA on a DA/SA you could have SSC. The 3rd gen DAOs are designed to precock the system most of the way when cycling to reduce the trigger pull.

None of the S&W DAO's Ive owned had second strike capability and it was never an issue for me.

Smith builds good weapons and the springs were typically strong enough against the hardest primers.

Ive never thought much about second strike anyway, if it doesnt g off, jack that round out, put another in and keep going. No sense in playing with the trigger.

Actually, the NYPD 3914DAO does feature double strike capability. Not that its needed or preferable. But it is there. Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

One of the Taurus striker pistols has second strike capability also - the G2 or G3?

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Also the DAO Chiefs Specials. (CS9D, CS40D, CS45D)

John

I don't know about the Chief's Specials but isn't the 3914 DAO basically a DA/SA gun with the SA removed? Whereas what we consider the "regular" DAO models (numbered as such) were a dedicated design).

Yes. Some of the 457s made for Chicago PD were the same, but later ones were "real" DAO pistols.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

No different than a M&P, GLOCK, XD, VP9, P320, etc... the vast majority of the striker fired guns don't have a second strike ability.

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GOA FL Dir. & Nat. Spokesman

Much like the 3914DAO, the semi-auto Chiefs Specials (no possessive apostrophe before the s in Chiefs) were/are DA/SA pistols with the elimination of the single action notch on the hammer.

These DO have the "second strike" capability.

The "regular" DAO models, with a "4" or "8" as the third digit in the 4 digit numbering scheme, were/are a dedicated series and have NO "second strike" capability.

John

Many thanks for the info on the 5946...and I like how the tread expanded. Good stuff.
I gotta wait the required 10 Washington State days for the paperwork to make its way through the Sheriff's dept. So no range report for a bit.

I never knew the 6906 4006 had double strike capability - never needed it so never knew.

??? ......ALL the TDA models have "second strike", unless they fire and the slide cocks the hammer.

I just checked my daily safe and the CS9, CS45, 457 and 3914NL will fire in DA all day, without a live round in the chamber.

Only the DAO pistols, with the exception of the 3914DAO, will not. Unless you reset the trigger by racking the slide.

I think my friend JohnHL was referring to the CS9D and CS45D, DAO models when he mentioned the Chiefs Special models. Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

I'll make one more comment on 2nd strike. It is true that when a light strike occurs it will likely fire if you hit it again. But if a gun is experiencing light strikes then it is my opinion that hitting it again is not the long term solution. On the range this is no big deal but any gun that displayed this problem would not be a defense gun until I confidently solved the light strike issue. Outside of rimfire I don't remember my last fail to fire due to light strike in a semi auto.

Revolver shooters on the other hand sometimes like to back of the mainspring screw a bit to lighten the trigger and that will cause light strikes. (At least that's what I've heard...)

Here is more wild speculation. The second strike feature on the 3914DAO only happened because NYPD wanted a relatively inexpensive back up option. Taking a 3914, as opposed to a 3913, and shaving off the SA notch was probably cheaper than a 3953.

After all, the NYPD 5946s don't have second strike.

Again, wild speculation and we'll never know.

No matter, because the 3914DAO is a nice firearm.

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Can open, worms everywhere.