Para-Ordnance 1911's - Red-headed step-child?

[Fun2Shoot]

When the subject of various 1911 style guns comes up, there is plenty of talk about Springfield, Colt, Kimber, Rock Island, Norinco, S&W, Sig and now Taurus.

But the 1911 brand of Para-Ordnance gets little or no mention in the posts that I have been reading

They make a bunch of models in a medium price range, so why are Para-Ord 1911's apparently not in many folks gun safes?

 

[MICHAEL T]

Mine went back to factory and still wasn't 100 relieable and would rust if you looked at it wrong Was a P-10 pre warthog. But soured me enough I sold and no more. I stay with Colts .

 

[wooderson]

Newer, less well-known.

Love my PX745E. Can't imagine buying anything else in the budget range, myself. Seriously considering a P18.9 if I decide to get a 9mm 1911 instead of a .357 revolver after Christmas.

 

[treebeard]

I had a Para (forgot the model but it was single stack) and I had no problems with it. It was 100% reliable for the time I owned it. I really liked it and forgot why I sold it? I guess I had not been bitten by the 1911 bug yet!

 

[wally]

Para single stacks are IMHO not attractively priced. Can get as good or better guns for less. Nothing beyond "made in Canada" to seperate them from the pack as far as I'm concerned.

Para double stacks suffer reliabilty woes because the magaziness: are expensive, come with weak springs that often need replacing within the first 100 rounds, have poor dimentional tolerences insuring problems in some guns, and are prone to dirt/fouling causing the rounds to bind at the double to single stack transition.

I like my Para guns (all double stack) but they are range guns only because of the magazine caused reliablity issues.

The new Para LDA series of guns is a solution to the "cocked and locked is too scary" non-problem that basically offends 1911 purists. If cocked and locked scares you, get a Glock!

So yes, I agree, red-headed-step-child about sums it up.

--wally.

 

[10-Ring]

For me, part of the appeal w/ the 1911 is the versatility & all the aftermarket parts available for it. The prob w/ Para is that w/ their double stack guns, ramped barrels and the LDA versions, you need proprietary parts and it just goes against that versatility trait.

 

[HSMITH]

Back in the early and mid 90's they were extremely well fitted, reliable and ACCURATE. Along comes the '00ish years and quality falls and falls and falls. They rattle like an empty paint can full of rocks, don't run well, and the customers turn away. With the internet, lots of potential customers turn away too.

I was a HUGE fan of Para, have owned around 15 of them over the years, and won't buy a current production gun. They just aren't worth what they cost.

I would buy a low mileage older gun in a flash though, they were built extremely well and were a very good value.

The other downside is that they just don't hold up long term. I lost a couple to frame cracks around 50K rounds, and they ALL loosened up quite a bit by 50K. Still, 50K rounds is a dozen lifetimes or more for 99% of the guns ever made. I found another doublestack 1911 type that is what I want and need in STI. Fitted properly they will last a LOT longer than a Para, and lots of times are comparable in price when you figure the life expectancy and cost. To me STI represents a better value than Para, even though the STI will cost double or more.

 

[robertbank]

I have the SSP, very tight, over 1,000 rds through it with no FTF and extremely accurate. My son's P-14 has over 5,000 rds through it with the same experience. Check out 1911org forum. Para has one of the best service Departments in the industry along with a life time warranty.

 

[1911 guy]

I used to own a Para SSP.

Last spring I bought a Para SSP. Very nice looking pistol, but the MSH and grip safety were plastic. The internals were very flimsy, the disconnector had so little weight to it I actually thought it may have been plastic, too. Couple the extensive use of cheap materials with the fact that it would gag on any ammo I tried, When it finally ran it would run only with Para mags and it became a gun I used to own. The frame to slide fit was a dream, the barrel lockup was exceedingly good and it was very accurate. Shame it was a virtual single shot. I owned it about six months and lost two hundred on it, but good riddance to bad rubish.

 

[JonP]

I have a Para double stack 1911 - the P14.45. I love it, it's been totally reliable, and I wouldn't hesitate to trust it with my life....

 

[SuperNaut]

Love my Nite-Tac.

I've got at least 2000 rounds through mine and it has run flawlessly. I do trust my life to this gun, it is my main HD weapon.

 

[TIMC]

My daily carry gun is a Para C-645, nicely concealable, accurate for a 3" 1911 and very reliable with the right ammo.

 

[halvey]

Newer, less well-known.

What? They've been around since the 90's and have ads in every single gun rag on this planet. They've won all kinds of "awards" for supposedly good guns, but of course those "awards" from the gun mags are just who spent the most $$ on ads.


I've owned quite a few Paras over the years. Exactly two were good, a P16 and a P13. Everything else left something to be desired. Three of them had so many feeding probmlems they had to go back to the factory. One was so bad they even gave me a brand new gun. Unfortunatly, that one wasn't a whole lot better. Some were accurate, then all of a sudden accuracy would fall off. Some were so sensitive a 0.2 gr of powder difference made all the difference as far as accuracy. Some would have uneven wear or a finish that would start to fall off after a few hundred rounds.

They are great guns...if you don't shoot them a bunch. I like the concept, just decided to dump them all. I've owned a number of 1911's from the cheapies up to the custom 1911's, and I've never had the problems with
1911's guys talk about on these forums...except for the Para's.

 

[hso]

I've had a pair of Paras for several years and they've behaved very well and continue to do so after well over a thousand rounds through each (over 3k through my P12).

 

[mljdeckard]

I had a P-12 for a while, and it was great, but I never really put it through all the paces. I decided I wanted a full-size again.

I was pleasantly surprised when I shot an LDA, I never would have guessed that the trigger would be that good, but it is.

 

[DogBonz]

I had a P14

I really liked it. It was a plain Jane version but would shoot better that I am capable. Dead reliable, too. The only thing that I didn't like was that it would bite me. It was the only 1911 that I have ever had problems with in that regard. Also, being pre-sunset, mags were insanely expensive. in the stupidity of youth, I though that any 1911 worth putting ammo through needed a beavertail, guiderod, ambi safety, extended levers, etc, etc, so I sold it for a tricked out Gold Cup that gave me nothing but problems. I should have just keep the Para and instaled a Beavertail. I would buy another one again in a heartbeat.

 

[Nanook]

I have the P14-45 in stainless and love it. The same size as a standard 1911 and 14 round magazines. Gotta love that!

No problems so far, and my shooting buddy has the exact same pistol with the same experience. Maybe we're lucky, but I'd buy another Para in a heartbeat.

The mags are expensive, but as long as they work it's okay. I understand aftermarket mags are available for the P14, but I haven't bought any yet.

 

[wooderson]

I'm at 800+ rounds since Thanksgiving with my entry-level Para 1911, not a problem or malfunction yet. The grip safety doesn't feel like plastic to me.

 

[robertbank]

The grip safety is a polymer of some kind and is lighter than steel and performs the same function. Your experience with your Para mirrors my own with a P-14 and a SSP.

Take Care

Bob

 

[fencer1960]

I've got a Para C745 LDA, had it for about a year and a half. Early on I had feeding problems, which I solved by replacing the Para mags with Chip McCormick Shooting Stars. Since then its been dead reliable, chewing through a couple thousand rounds with no malfunctions. I carry mine daily.

Of course there are better 1911s out there, you get what you pay for, your mileage may vary... did I miss any? Seriously, my Para's a peach. Maybe I just got lucky.

 

[HankB]

Some years ago, I was considering a hicap .45, and looked at Paras. A local gunshop had about half a dozen in stock, so I had a chance to handle them all.

One words summed them up - "Variable." Some were loose, some were tight, some rattled, some barely held the mag in, some had decent trigger, some were remarkably poor, some had stiff safeties, some were already too loose . . . they all had defects of one sort or another.

I passed.

Subsequently, reading these forums reveals that while some Paras perform brilliantly, there's a certain percentage - a rather HIGH percentage - that are, in a word, cr@p.

The way my luck runs, I know what category a Para I'd buy would fall into, so no Paras for me.

 

[Gordon]

I have a early 90's P-13 and a P-14. The P-13 is bone stock and never malfed in a couple k's of ammo . Used to CCW it , but since went to the slightly smaller and lighter S&W 1911PD. Nothing bad to say about it. My P-14 is completely rebuilt with tool steel parts ect. All My P-14 mags are +2 and have Wolfe springs. It runs 100% and I use it on Tactical gear for training and SHTF.

 

[..]

Lot of smiths won't work on them and the one guy that shoots competetion with one is on the payroll. Kind of sums it up right there.

 

[robertbank]

..

"Lot of smiths won't work on them and the one guy that shoots competetion with one is on the payroll. Kind of sums it up right there."

Yea like gunsmiths make so much money they just refuse the business. What an idiotic comment to make. LIke Leathan shoots Springfields cause he likes them. Of course Jarett is sponsored by Para. Sports sponsorship isn't exactly new in the market and from what I have seen Jarett hasn't done all that bad with the Para pistols either. I've heard CZ's win at the World IPSC matches, don't suppose their top shooters are paid to shoot CZ's. Maybe....

Para's are every bit as good as any other Production gun at the price point they sell at and better than some. Take a look at Hunter Custom Guns if you want to see some gun candy and he uses Paras as his canvas.

Take Care

Bob

 

[CrackerJim]

I have a Para CCO (LDA). I can't speak to reliability, as I've only had a few hundred rounds through it (early Christmas present to myself ). My experience in handguns over the years is with Ruger, S&W, Colt, Sig in revolvers and/or pistols. The SS para is at the top of that heap for fit and finish.

For me, it's a very good fit in my hand. Therefore, I shoot it pretty well and carry it a good part of the time. It's dieted on a variety of ammo so far and hasn't blinked.

If it continues to operate with out trouble over the next several months, it will be a candidate for ranking in maybe the top three handguns I've owned.

Jim