amd6547
Member
I was going to buy a Rock Island Tactical, when I stopped in a gun shop and saw they had the Para USA GI Expert on sale for $449. I wasn't aware of this model, so I went home and did some research, finding that most who owned them liked them.
Having just sold a pistol to finance this purchase, I went back to the shop and bought the Para.
I liked the combination of features...high, visible fixed sights, standard recoil spring and guide rod, no front slide grasping grooves. I also liked the tight fit of slide/barrel/bushing/frame, and the stainless barrel.
Yesterday was my first chance to get to the range. I shot about 150rds of ammo through it, using Federal and Aguila 230gn FMJ, and Winchester 230gn JHP and 185gn silvertip JHP.
I used the two Para mags, and several random mags I had.
The GI Expert shot great...only three jams, one each in the two Para mags (which have a bad rep), and one in an old Colt mag.
I wasn't able to shoot for paper accuracy, just spent my time shooting at the 10" steel plates my club has at 40yds...no problem hitting them when I did my part. Some strings of rapid fire were no problem either. The trigger was great.
Overall, I am very pleased with this pistol and it's performance on it's first range trip...a very good start. For a brand new pistol out of the box (I did clean and lube it) it did great. Now, to buy some mags. The Para did great with an 8rd Shooting Star mag, and a Novak 8rd mag I had...I am leaning toward the Checkmate hybrid lip mags.
Having just sold a pistol to finance this purchase, I went back to the shop and bought the Para.
I liked the combination of features...high, visible fixed sights, standard recoil spring and guide rod, no front slide grasping grooves. I also liked the tight fit of slide/barrel/bushing/frame, and the stainless barrel.
Yesterday was my first chance to get to the range. I shot about 150rds of ammo through it, using Federal and Aguila 230gn FMJ, and Winchester 230gn JHP and 185gn silvertip JHP.
I used the two Para mags, and several random mags I had.
The GI Expert shot great...only three jams, one each in the two Para mags (which have a bad rep), and one in an old Colt mag.
I wasn't able to shoot for paper accuracy, just spent my time shooting at the 10" steel plates my club has at 40yds...no problem hitting them when I did my part. Some strings of rapid fire were no problem either. The trigger was great.
Overall, I am very pleased with this pistol and it's performance on it's first range trip...a very good start. For a brand new pistol out of the box (I did clean and lube it) it did great. Now, to buy some mags. The Para did great with an 8rd Shooting Star mag, and a Novak 8rd mag I had...I am leaning toward the Checkmate hybrid lip mags.