New to 1911 scene. Colt Upper and Para lwr?

[hawkass13]

So I'm new to the whole 1911 style. I've been lurking here and learning alot of very interesting things but yesterday i saw something odd to me. My dad and i were at a gunshow when i stumbled on to a Colt series 80 slide on a Para-Ordnance frame. So i guess my question is, how common is this? I can definitely see the benefit in the 13+1 mag. But is this an abomintaion or common practice. Any info is greatly appreciated.
-G

 

[Jim Watson]

The very first P-O firearm product was a receiver only, meant for you to transplant your Colt parts to so as to gain magazine capacity at the lowest cost. Only later did they start building complete guns. So you saw nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[MICHAEL T]

definitely see the benefit in the 13+1 mag

not me I will keep my 7 round mag I have never had a double stack 45 that feed as reliable as a single stack and that includes the Para I had.I now just walk past the double stack 45's at gun shows or dealers

 

[wditto]

any manufacturer can be improved.....

 

[Gunfighter123]

The very first P-O firearm product was a receiver only, meant for you to transplant your Colt parts to so as to gain magazine capacity at the lowest cost. Only later did they start building complete guns. So you saw nothing out of the ordinary.

That info is 100% correct --- and the original PO frames were alloy only.

 

[Jim Watson]

That, too.
One big time centerfold gunsmith built some 10mms on those aluminum P-O receivers. He had the magazine lips bent just right and they shot fine.
Problem was, he had to come back later and report that they only lasted about 2000 rounds, which pretty much finished off that line of work.

 

[hawkass13]

Thanks guys. I guess now i need to research which lowers are compatible with the colt slide... Unless i could find colt lowers. I'd really like to put the pistol back to the single stack configuration if I can pick it up for a decent price.

 

[mljdeckard]

There is a wide variety of lowers you can get. I'm not aware of any Colt lowers for sale new. What you MIGHT find, is someone who, many years ago, scrapped their Colt Lower to say......PUT THE SLIDE ON A PARA FRAME, and still has their old frame lying around. Talk to your gunsmiths in the area or look on gunbroker.

Go to brownells.com, and order their free 1911 catalog. You will see frames from manufacturers like Caspian, a lot of options. I PERSONALLY am not at all loyal to Colt in particular. I have owned them, I saw nothing special in them compared to other 1911 mfrs. The thing is, you won't stop at one. If you put that slide back on the single-stack frame, you will have that wide frame lying around, and since you have converted one, you will now see that it's not that big of a deal to convert another. Then you will want a frame to put a .22 conversion kit on. Now you're in trouble. It never ends.

I have had a Para, at the time I thought the higher capacity was nice, but as I learned to shoot more, I realized that in reality, the likelihood of needing all 13 rounds without a pause is small indeed. It is also bordering into trying to make a pistol do a rifle's job. I now carry a single-stack .45 and I don't miss any of the staggered mag guns I used to carry at all. Even if you DO have the higher capacity, you still need to train to change mags on the fly either because of a malfunction or for a tactical reload, (Changing mags when you CAN, rather than when you HAVE to,) and the higher capacity loses relevance.