Opinions on a Para Ordinance P14 Canadian made

I'm waiting to be impressed with mine. The ambi safety is less than stellar. I would highly advise you get new mag springs from Wolff. Very stiff, sort of balky, trigger. Any other 1911 I've got can shoot circles around my Para 1911. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have probably bought something else. And, OH, SNAP! Para is out of business!(again)

I’ve had two Canadian P14-45s and both were great. I still have my “Limited.” IMO if it’s in good shape it’s worth that price. But I like them.

here’s mine

my thought was that it had its place when it was the only double stack 1911 out there, but also that Remington buying them wasn't going to hurt their quality because Remington quality was pretty much what they were from the beginning.

I had two P13's many moons ago; circa 1994'ish.
Spent a lot of money to get them to the point where they were reliable some of the time.
The gunsmith I employed had nothing nice to say about the magazines.
In my opinion Para-Ord was a great idea, for that point in time, that suffered from poor execution.
I wanted really, really, to like them.
This is 2021. There must be better options available.
.You couldn't pay me to buy another Para-Ord.

Read my post again.

I have a P14 Signature and it's an excellent gun. It would seem they are hit or miss from the internet lore. I think some of this comes from Para selling bare frames and kitchen table builds.
I'll also say that the mecgar mags are fantastic.

Ive also had a couple of P13s. At the time, I thought my first one was pretty neat. It was the first pistol I ever bought and it was 2004 about. It was reliable and pointed well and I could hit my target. The grip was fat but that was acceptable since it was a double stack 45. I sold it to move on to the next thing and bought another at a gun show for a ridiculously low price. I think it was $250 in 2012. Same thing. Reliable, accurate. It just wasnt "nice". I had experience with a few other pistols at that point. Mainly, Beretta 92s, Sigs, and Glocks and I couldnt warm up to the P13. It just lacked something. I was less enamored with 45 at that point too.

I have owned three of them, all from the ‘90s. I bought a P16 new for USPSA Limited Division, which I still have. It’s mostly retired, bit I still have it and it runs well.

Another was a P14 that was built from the frame up. It was excellent, although the frame and maybe the trigger were the only Para parts on it. I ended up selling it to fund some other toy.

The third was also built from a Para frame as a USPSA Open gun in .38 Super. It went through tens of thousands of rounds of 180 PF rounds. It finally gave up with multiple frame cracks. A forged frame may have lasted longer, but maybe not.

Keep in mind with the comments about loose fit or poor triggers. Aside from the fat grip, it’s still a 1911-pattern gun. You can work on it just like any other 1911 and end up with an excellent gun.

As noted, the mag springs need to get changed out every so often. Check them first if reliability begins to drop off.

As for price, I think I paid $550 for my new P16 around 25 years ago. So with inflation, getting one for the same price today isn’t terrible.

Ive owned a C7.45LDA for 15+ years. Canadian made and supplied with a wilson combat mag. Functions great. Shoots great. But keep in mind that it is not a high end colt or similar.

The tritium has long since fizzled out of the sights.

550 doesnt seem too outrageous. Guns like mine seem to go for 450 or so

I purchased a canadian made stainless steel P14 about 2004. Shot it very little and not at all for some years. Only negative was that the grip was too wide. I have since moved on to glocks

I have a Canadian P12-45 that's been great. I love that gun.

Less than $600 is a pretty decent price for almost any 1911-type arm, right now. RIA 1911 are running $625-650 right now.

As to opinions, they run hot and cold on the Paras. Some of that will be warranted, some will be sour grapes. I never warmed up to any of the paras I was around, but that's totally objective, and only applies to my experience.

I have had 2 P14s, early 90s Canadian made, One was nicer overall than the other and I kept it. I decided to make it a primary defense weapon and replaced almost all the Para small parts that would take Gi 1911a1 parts wit AMU surplus parts including the hammer which I fit and fit myself . The ramped Para barrel was a good one on this gun. I had Heine Slant 8 sights put on it . I have 8 Canadian factory mags with Arreddondo + 2 base pad extensions and springs . I also put thin Navidrex grips on it and a custom grip safety with a bump . The guns shot 3" at 25 yards when I was in my 60s with good ball ammo. It is very reliable . I also have a nice , almost stock early P 13 that is very reliable with just an extractor changed and new Wolffe springs. My Newest Para from 10 years back is an LDA .45 P12 which I did struggle to get it reliable with barrel and springing/guide rod modifacations , but seems to work well now and takes (as does the P13) the longer mags.
I think $550 is a good deal for the gun, ask if you can shoot a couple mags of factory FMJ ammo from it by offering cash on the barrel head if it is possible. You will know after two mags of good factory ball ammo if you want it !

Here is the P 14 before I had Heine sights and the thin grips on it. I Used it to go thru many advanced pistol courses


Here is it late 90s with the P13 brother . These fit 1911/commander holster,s even moulded Kydex , which is very handy