The big difference with the Smith & Wesson Model 990L is that it features a partially cocked striker that is more than halfway "cocked." The exact percentage remains in doubt, but the S&W factory representatives with whom I spoke agree that the striker on the Model 990L is more than halfway back. This creates a definition dilemma because in no way does this condition resemble anything experienced with the traditional DA revolver.

As the trigger is pulled, the striker assembly is moved to the rear and will start to protrude from the witness hole at the rear of the slide. Shown here, the striker has reached its most rearward movement just before the trigger trips the sear for firing the pistol.

Therefore, I believe it is an error in terminology to call this action a DAO. But then the 990L is not alone; it now joins a select group of products like the previously mentioned Glocks, HK's L.E.M. pistols, the Para-Ordnance LDA series (which features a totally and completely cocked mainspring assembly) and the Springfield Armory XD series of pistols, which feature a striker assembly that is 95 to 99 percent precocked.

Para-Ordnance uses the original British definition of "trigger cocking" to classify the LDA system as a double action and does not refer to it as a double-action-only. This definition is based on the fact that the system must cock the hammer prior to releasing the energy stored in the mainspring. The two actions used in this definition are the movement of the hammer coupled with the release of the energy stored in the system. The movement of the trigger is "light" in comparison to other systems, hence the moniker "Light Double Action" for the LDA line of pistols.

None of these pistols can fire a round through the action of a long-travel trigger pull if the mainspring is inert and devoid of any stored energy. This should not be interpreted as a good or bad thing; it is merely an observation of the increasing "definition creep" and how confused many of us are, both inside and outside the industry, as to how these things work.

The 990L has a trigger pull that is relatively short and in no way resembles anything originally experienced with the SW99 or the previous Walther P99. The total travel in terms of measurement of the trigger is approximately half an inch. This is a measurement using an ordinary straight-edge ruler, a technique used in a recent field trial by a federal agency.

Using the ruler as a guide, the bottom of the trigger on the Model 990L moves approximately one-half inch in its total travel and then resets after approximately .314 inch of forward movement. A competitor's design won because it reset its trigger after only .25 inch of forward movement after the first shot had been fired.

The end of the striker is not visible after the trigger is pulled on an empty chamber. The striker assembly is fully forward, and the trigger is incapable of recocking the mechanism. To recock the striker, the slide must be recycled.

Because the striker on the 990L is more than halfway cocked, the trigger pull only moves the striker a short distance before the gun fires. The Smith & Wesson people felt the striker moves a total distance of approximately 1/8 inch. I feel that measurement is overly generous and believe it is shorter. Nonetheless, the striker moves a very short distance before the gun fires. The resistance of the trigger scaled between 91⁄2 and 10 pounds on my trigger-pull scale.

On the firing range this relatively short trigger travel took some familiarization on my part. I'm used to the Walther P99 and SW99 long-travel first-shot trigger as I've worked with both designs since the initial introductions. I had to relearn the old rule about watching your front sight as I had trouble during the group accuracy tests with the front sight wandering left during the completion of the trigger pull. Early on I experienced difficulty with unexpected let-off during the pull because I was anticipating a longer pull and the front sight was not where it was supposed to be.

Throughout all the testing of several hundred rounds, the sample Smith & Wesson Model 990L performed flawlessly. It has many of the same features found on the SW99, like the interchangeable and optional backstrap pieces so the consumer can fit the grip to his particular hand size. This is an excellent design feature. The sample Model 990L also came with different-height front-sight inserts so the pistol's point of aim can be adjusted to the point of impact of the customer's ammunition.

Smith & Wesson has been the distributor of Walther products in the U.S. since 2002. This relationship has led to several joint-effort designs between the two manufacturers, and the 990L is the latest example. The frame is marked "Walther patented" while the rollmark on the slide reads "Smith & Wesson."

To summarize, the 990L is not, in my mind, a DAO semiauto--but then neither are a number of the other designs I've mentioned. The 990L features the Qwik Action firing system, and, as such, it joins those pistols already on the market featuring partially cocked striker assemblies or fully cocked mainsprings. It is a solid design, and from indications experienced during our testing, it is both accurate and reliable and will serve both law enforcement and civilian markets quite well.