What is the difference.....

[tundraman]

What is the difference between Auto and SA/DA? Which is preferable or advantages/disadvantages over each other?

[bu-bye]

SA= single action

DA= double action

When you put them together that means that the gun can fire in both modes. If the hammer is down that means its in DA and requires a long and heavy trigger pull. If the hammer is cocked its in single action and only requires a light short trigger pull. Pistols that are marked SA/DA can fire in both modes.

Auto I think just means that it's a semi-auto pistol

[leelaw]

AUTO? As in fully automatic? DA/SA is a trigger type, so I'll assume you mean something else...

Assuming you mean with semiautomatic pistols:

SA/DA: Long first trigger pull. All future pulls are single-action, as the hammer is already locked back for you.

SA: One short trigger pull that only drops the hammer. Each pull is equal for every single shot. Does not allow for a second strike (like on a misfire)

DAO: One long trigger pull that pulls back and releases the hammer, usually the DA trigger pull on DAOs feel better than those on DA/SA triggers.

[ohsmily]

The above posters have done an admirable job trying to explain single action, double action, and SA/DA, and DAO, but it will become more clear to you when you actually go out and get some experience and shoot guns in those varying configurations. Get some trigger time.

[socalguns]

Auto generally stands for AutoLOADing aka self-loading