TSW DAO trigger question

[demkofour]

I recently picked up a 3953TSW and got the opportunity to ring it out a bit the other day. I put a total of 250 flawless rounds of 115gr. ball thorough it with no malfunctions or burps. But there was one thing that caught my attention and is the subject of this thread. As a matter of reference, my agency's issued pistols are the GLOCK 19 and 26 with the NY-1 trigger and the vast majority of my shooting experience over the past 20 years is with this system. But I do routinely shoot a SW 342Ti and a KAHR PM9, my primary BUGs.
What I found with the 3953TSW was that after firing a round and resetting the trigger for a follow-up shot, there were TWO distinct points (or clicks) in the stroke before the trigger re-set for the next shot. This caused me to "short-stroke" many times during my shooting session. I would find myself trying to fire the next round, pressing after the first "click", only to realize I was short-stroking the action.
The reality is that my finger is "trained" for the short re-set of the GLOCK system, but I do wonder if this is situation with the 3953TSW is normal and is something I just need to learn. I've experienced a similar situation while firing SW revolvers DA (meaning short-stroking the trigger) but certainly not with other DA pistols I've shot to include KAHR's, Sigs, Berettas and others.
Any thoughts?

 

[KurtC]

It seems to be a relatively common problem nowadays.

My normal response is..."you need to learn how to shoot a handgun "

It is unfortunate, but when someone shoots a short trigger on a consistent, but isolated basis, there muscle memory has a hard time adapting to other forms of trigger pulls. When teaching a new shooter, I like to use a revolver or a Beretta D model to get them used to moving their trigger finger all the way forward after each shot. I won't let them even consider a glock, 1911 or anything DA/SA until after they've mastered that.

 

[FirebirdV8]

The DAO S&W semi-auto's are really more of a half cock only trigger mechanism. The slide will reset the hammer to a half cock position which means you have to allow the trigger to fully reset to be able to control the hammer again. This is just something to get used to. I usually shoot a DA/SA S&W, which when it resets to SA has a short trigger reset. Switching to a DAO just requires some practice to remember that the short trigger reset isn't available.

You just added a nice, reliable, S&W semi-auto to your collection. I hope you enjoy your new gun.

 

[mlk18]

I was just out doing T&E with a Sig P226 DAK and was suprised to find how much the trigger reminded me of a DAO Smith. There seems to be two schools of thought on the DAO (or DAO like) trigger; really short with a short reset or "similar to the DA pull on a revolver" with a longer reset. The first is easier to shoot well but is less safe, the second can perform well with practice / skill and is safer. The S&W DAO's fit into the second category and was originally developed to replace revolvers in PD holsters.

I have been carrying at shooting DAO Smiths for almost a decade and prefer them to pretty much everything else available. Congrats on the new 3953TSW.

 

[demkofour]

It seems to be a relatively common problem nowadays.

My normal response is..."you need to learn how to shoot a handgun "

It is unfortunate, but when someone shoots a short trigger on a consistent, but isolated basis, there muscle memory has a hard time adapting to other forms of trigger pulls. When teaching a new shooter, I like to use a revolver or a Beretta D model to get them used to moving their trigger finger all the way forward after each shot. I won't let them even consider a glock, 1911 or anything DA/SA until after they've mastered that.

Thanks for the responses so far, but what I don't have a problem with is the long trigger pull. No problem at all. My KAHR's have long trigger pulls. What I don't like, or I guess, understand, is the TWO distinct "clicks" before the trigger is re-set for the next and subsequent shots. The first click is annoying at best and a distraction at worst. Is there a mechanical function for it? Why not just one long DAO pull that has a single distinctive reset point?