my Brother In Law bought a Para LTC Steel.. when he got it home, the mag release did not work 3/4 of the time.. the release would stick if depressed.. he pulled the release, cleaned it with a rag and put some rem-oil on it, and it would work half the time after that.. then it just stuck and he had a very hard time getting it out of the frame.. he called Para and they sent one out to him for free.. 2 weeks later, and 200 rounds into it, for some reason the thumb safety tab busted off.. it cracked along the bottom of the tab and took a good portion off the rear of the thumb safety.. this was the left side thumb safety.. he called Para, and Para did not warranty it and referred him to Brownell's for a replacement.. his thumb safety was duracoated in the same color as the pistol, Regal Blue.. the only Para-brand thumb safety they had at Brownell's was in bright steel.. this upset him, but he bought it anyway..
i'm amazed that they even sent out a mag release for free.. well, after this info on this thread, i'm amazed that he got someone on the phone at Para..
oh.. and the mag release is an odd size, you can't just get any mag release for it and install it.. and after watching him attempt to install other thumb safeties, the shaft of the Para is a different size, it's smaller..
and on this note, he was thinking of getting a Para HiCap 1911 a couple of days ago.. i think i'll show him the "no warranty" on Para's site.. i think it will be what he needs to finally get the Kimber that he's been talking about for the last year..
and this really makes me happy that i bought an SA-XD 45ACP..