Para Ordinance 1911 13-shot Magazines

Charlie Martinez said:

I assume they fit any 1911 not just those made by Para Ordinance but I could be wrong.

Click to expand...

Well, not just any 1911. It needs to be a double stack 1911, which aren't that common, and, I believe, it has to be the makers that use the Para-style double stack mags. I don't know who uses what, but the big player in double stack 1911's is STI, and I don't think they use the same mags.

I'm sure there are bunches of Para users on the forum that love their Para double stacks, but in general, Para never had a great reputation, and their double stacks weren't that great. It's probably the reason they aren't in business any more.

Personally I love my PARA GI Expert. Great firearm and very accurate. Even if it is a safe queen. There isn't another double stack 1911 I know of that uses the same notch pattern, unless you feel like making one. If you have a double stacked Para I would say load up. If not, buy some up and sell them at a slight mark up. Remington bought Para a few years back so there likely won't be many Para double stacks floating around to get magazines for.

Weren't the 13 round mags for the shorter gripped para... I forget the name.

I thought you the full sized one used a 14 round mag, at least I use those for my Remington R1 double stack

For some reason the Para P14 came with a 14 round mag and the P13 whichnis the Commander length got a 13 round.

I owned both at the same time years ago and IIRC, they were not compatible with each other which is counterintuitive to 1911s in general as the Government and Commander grip lengths are the same. I dont remember if my P14 and P13 had identical grip lengths or not but I can only assume no. It seems like I vaguely remember putting the 14 round in the P13 and it was too long.

Back then P13 mags cost $40.

JR24 said:

Weren't the 13 round mags for the shorter gripped para... I forget the name.

Click to expand...

They made multiple double stack 1911s before they were bought by Remington. I believe you are thinking of the Hawg, which were short grip. They also had the newer Black Ops double stacks.

Remington has a double stack now too probably based on the Para, but they probably won’t fit them either since the Remington has a higher capacity. Those mags probably have few uses hence the cheap close out price.

sabbfan said:

Remington has a double stack now too probably based on the Para, but they probably won’t fit them either since the Remington has a higher capacity. Those mags probably have few uses hence the cheap close out price.

Click to expand...

I can say that the Para 14.45 mags, and especially the much cheaper Mec Gar mags (for the para 14.45) fit and function flawlessly in my R1 double stack. Work better than the factory ones, IMO

If I,m not mistaken the P13 is slightly shorter in the grip than the P14. So the P13 mags won't work in the P14 (or RIA1911-A2 P14 clone, a gun I recommend by the way) They will work in the P12 if you don't mind the gap (or can find a spacer) between the bottom of the mag and frame.

In theory they should work in the P10 (with and even bigger gap) but I've found my P10 cycles so fast that only P10 mags can work as the larger mags (P12, P13, P14) can't get the round into position fast enough to avoid bolt over base feed failures, unless you download the mags to 10 rounds which kid of defeats the purpose.

I also +1 to the MecGar mags in the P14 and RIA 1911-A2.