Para Ordnance P-14

[coloradokevin]

1911 Help! Para Ordnance P-14

Anyone have some familiarity with this make of 1911's, their quality, and prices?

I've been considering a 1911 for some time, just to add more "class" to my Glock-based pistol collection

Anyway, my department has come up with a "limited edition" offer for us to buy Para Ordnance 1911's for the officers, if we are so inclined (special engraving and all).

I have no familiarity with this company, or their products/retail prices. The gun they are offering us is the full-frame double-stack (14+1) variant, with a light rail, in the "sterling finish" (appears to be a two-tone stainless deal). The information I was given said that it had a "spurred competition trigger", "5 inch barrel, match, with guide rod", and a "medium length match grade trigger", though I'm not sure if these are upgrades or standard features on these guns!

I think our price is coming out in the mid $700 range.

Does this sound like a fair deal, a screaming deal, a bad deal??? Would you do it if you were in my shoes? Or is this a sub-standard 1911, or a sub-standard price?

(the model number they told us is not one that I could find on Para's web site: PRX1445SterB)


I know someone on here is surely something of an expert on these guns!


THANKS!!!

 

[critter]

No expert here! However, I own both a P-14 and a P-16 in .40 cal. Both of mine are the older (non LDA) models. Both are VERY reliable and VERY accurate. I like them a lot.

I believe the price you quote is quite good considering what options you list.

 

[Killermonkey21]

You too, huh? Para is offering the same thing to my Brigade, over here. Same everything you said. We order it over here and pick it up in Fayetteville, NC when we get back. It ain't too bad a deal, I guess. But I was wondering the same thing. I couldn't find many reviews for them on the web. Hmmm...interesting. I'll probably pick one up, though. The offer says 5 total magazines as well.

Let me know how it turns out if you order one.

 

[1911 guy]

Quote:
Anyone have some familiarity with this make of 1911's, their quality, and prices?


Yep. Short and honest, I'll never own another and would advise you to spend your money on a handgun, not a pretty looking excrement sandwich.

Quote:
Or is this a sub-standard 1911, or a sub-standard price?

Both. If it's worthless, five bucks is too much. Buy nearly any other brand, Colt, Springfield, Kimber, whatever.

 

[wally]

I'm with 1911guy. Para P14 is fine range toy but I'd never trust any double stack .45 based on the Para mag tubes for carry. The issue is the magazines. Rounds tend to bind at the double to single transition causing all manner of feed failures. Stronger Wolff mag springs help, as does keeping the mags scrupulously clean, and using lighter bullets (200gr or less).

I guess if you somehow got good mags it could be great but I've pre-1994 thru 2006 dated code mags and all have needed work to even be range reliable.

--wally.

 

[1KPerDay]

I have a P14-45 limited and haven't had any problems with it, apart from a very old 15-rd mag that needed a new spring after a few years. I also had a stainless standard P14-45 and had no problems with it either. YMMV, of course.

If they're offering you the "limited" upgrades, that's not a horrible price. 1911 guy will beg to differ.

 

[coloradokevin]

You too, huh? Para is offering the same thing to my Brigade, over here. Same everything you said. We order it over here and pick it up in Fayetteville, NC when we get back. It ain't too bad a deal, I guess. But I was wondering the same thing. I couldn't find many reviews for them on the web. Hmmm...interesting. I'll probably pick one up, though. The offer says 5 total magazines as well.

Let me know how it turns out if you order one.

Yeah, sounds like the same deal... They are giving 5 mags with ours too, and I think tritium night sights. Sounds like there is a tactical light purchase option on it too, but I wasn't really looking into that as much!

Yep. Short and honest, I'll never own another and would advise you to spend your money on a handgun, not a pretty looking excrement sandwich.

Quote:
Or is this a sub-standard 1911, or a sub-standard price?

Both. If it's worthless, five bucks is too much. Buy nearly any other brand, Colt, Springfield, Kimber, whatever.

Well, I appreciate you being straight forward about that. Certainly gives me something to think about!

In some ways this is a tempting offer, particularly since they are doing some custom engraving for us... But, at the same time, I have this thing with not liking to buy unreliable firearms!

 

[Beagle-zebub]

Well, even if the ones they are selling you are the regular P14, ~$750 would be about right. The spurred hammer is stock, as I think is the match barrel. The Sterling finish seems to be an upgrade, but that's not entirely clear.

The engraving is obviously not standard, and the light-rail almost never is, either. Five mags?!? Sounds like they expect you to use these things. They normally come with two mags, so that saves you 3 x $23 + S&H over CDNN Mec-Gars, or 3 x $30 + S&H over Para factory mags from CDNN.

Would you also be charged for some FFL fee? That might be another $25 you save over a place like Bud's.

Seems like a good deal to me, although I'm fairly interested in a P14 anyway.

 

[Bob R]

I have owned a P14-45 (standard with alloy frame) since 1997. I can't even begin to estimate the amount of ammo that has been through it. It came with 10 round mags, I bought 14 round mags. I haven't had any problem with any of them feeding. I use Wolff extra power mag springs that I change out every 6-8 months.

The gun has been dead reliable. It was my carry gun for many years, up until about 2 years ago when I had a Delta Elite worked over by Ted Yost. Whenever I don't carry the 10mm, I always opt for the P14.

bob

 

[coloradokevin]

Would you also be charged for some FFL fee? That might be another $25 you save over a place like Bud's.

Fortunately no FFL/shipping fees or anything like that.


This was an intriguing offer, but I am getting a bit concerned by the 50/50 split I am seeing on these... Seems like someone either has a great experience, or has a jam-prone gun that can't be fixed!

I certainly don't want to plunk down $750 for something that won't work the way "nature" intended. But, otherwise this might be a good deal!

 

[Gordon]

On my 'war belt' I carry these left and right in Kydex holsters with 4 extra mags. Mine are 1994 versions and just have night sights. Oh they do have all GI surplus fire control parts extractors and Wolfe springs set up by a good smith. What I would want to be carrying to introduce hadjis to ahhlaah!
Out of 13 mags I've had 2 were stinkers. The gun responds to tweaking like any good 1911 IMHO.

 

[Hoppy590]

mine has worked flawlessly and eats everything you feed it.

heavy and not an ideal carry gun. but a great target and defense gun to me.

 

[Babalouie]

I think that's great deal and its probably a fine firearm. I shot a Para P16 in Limited class for 2 years in ipsc competition. I put at least 10k rounds down that gun and I bought it used from another club member! It never malfunctioned and is currently being shot by another member. I don't know much about the P14 but Para is a good manufacturer and supports uspsa (action shooting) and stands by their guns. And again, that's a great deal.

 

[Bob R]

This was an intriguing offer, but I am getting a bit concerned by the 50/50 split I am seeing on these

Well, let's sort out how many of the nay sayers actually have a Para that they use and shoot on a regular basis.

I have one and like it.

bob

 

[LoadedDrum]

I have a P1445. It has been 100% reliable. No problems with the factory mags. No problems with the Mecgars either.

 

[1911 guy]

Quote:
Well, let's sort out how many of the nay sayers actually have a Para that they use and shoot on a regular basis.

Completely fair. Chalk me up as one. Rather, I TRIED to shoot it a lot. I spent the majority of my time chasing a hammer follow problem and clearing misfeeds.

The real question, in my opinion, is how many of you who have great Paras have bought them new and relatively recently? Within the last four years, let's say. Para used to crank out a very nice handgun, but QC lately has been shoddy and service abysmal.

GI surplus fire control parts

On a Series 80 pistol?

 

[HMMurdock]

People are either adamantly for or against Para (like any other brand). I am adamantly for and here is why.

I have had experience with the P-14. Their older models had some issues with crappy finishes, mags, etc. They have since fixed these problems and then some.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the new models have ramped barrels that fix any failure to feed issues and a new PXT (power extractor) that magnifcently fixes any failure to ejects. I have found them to point naturally and be accurate as any match grade 1911 with the reliability of any honest service grade weapon.

I am considering purchasing one of these for my department as well. It looks to be a variant of the Nite-Tac series. If you've never felt their LDA (light double action) trigger it is a dream come true.

I am an honest Para Ordnance fan and you can't do any better. Not only would I trust my life to it, I plan on it.

 

[1KPerDay]

The real question, in my opinion, is how many of you who have great Paras have bought them new and relatively recently? Within the last four years, let's say.

Both of mine were bought in the mid-to-late 90s...

 

[coloradokevin]

Thanks for all of the replies everyone!

I am leaning towards doing this purchase at this point, based on what I've heard here, read elsewhere, and discussed with some of our 1911 fans at work.

Our range guys aren't big fans of the 1911's, but as a rule they generally prefer "simple" modern guns like the glocks, sigs, XD's, etc. I can't blame them for recommending those to the average shooter, but that doesn't necessarily invalidate the 1911's place in history.

If nothing else, I think this purchase could make a nice collector piece for me, as they are engraving it with department name, badge, etc... to commemorate a significant dept anniversary!

The other thing is that the free .45 ACP ammo at work will allow me to get used to the gun before deciding if/when to carry it. I carry Glocks now, and don't have any problems with them. I don't know that I would change my carry gun, even with this purchase, but at least I can shoot it for free if I decide I want to!

 

[littlegator]

I think you are holding back 1991 guy. Why don't you just get to the point.

I don't know about the double stack, but I've shot a new gun rights .45 and liked it.

 

[Hoppy590]

The real question, in my opinion, is how many of you who have great Paras have bought them new and relatively recently? Within the last four years, let's say. Para used to crank out a very nice handgun, but QC lately has been shoddy and service abysmal.

mine was back in july, probibly close to 900-1k rounds so far. no problems yet.

 

[BlindJustice]

I have fired a friend's Para-14 - it is reliable and accurate
but the finish isn't up to the finish on my S&W 1911. I have
long hands so I don't mind the double stack width of the grip
but I don't like the flat'ish shape of the front of the grip - the
friend makes a big deal about the ambi-safety but it looks like it
has a black speckle polymer coating. I noticed on gunbroker
Para-Ordnance in general don't retain resale as well as some other
makes of comparable msrp as Paras.

my .02

 

[highrider]

I have a Para C7.45. Bought it used about 4 - 5 years ago. Every indication seemed to point to a gun that was very close to new and fired very little. The first problem was with the slide not locking back after the last round. Para sent me a new slide stop, and that actually fixed the problem. So now I was shooting it a little more and was having at least two FTE's in every 50 round box of ammo. I really liked the gun for its size and its accuracy was excellent, so I refused to give up on the gun. Replaced all the springs, got a Wilson Combat Mag and just kept putting rounds through it. After about 400 rounds the gun was finally firing flawlessly. Haven't had any malfunctions in the last 600 rounds. I'm really glad that I was patient with this gun because I really enjoy shooting it. If I go through another 300 - 400 rounds with no malfunctions I will be carrying it.

 

[JasperST5]

I had a Para P-10 (3") for maybe 10 years. Didn't shoot it much but it was accurate and reliable. One day cleaning after the range I noticed a small area on the back of the slide was missing in action. It just broke off. I got a decent trade in because Para has a lifetime warranty.

 

[safetyjoe]

I had a 99 vintage P14 that was very reliable and the action was as smooth as a hot knife through butter. But when I wanted to "personalize" it for me I found the proprietary parts made it more expensive than I really wanted. It was comforting to have 15 rounds at one time but those same 15 rounds made it a bear to carry comfortably. The price of $750 doesn’t sound like that great of a deal to me as you can find some nice 1911’s in that price range (of course there wont be a lot of the personalization you are getting, but it seems like a pretty standard offering). I suppose the bottom line for me is this, if I found a Para in the $400 –$500 price range I might be interested, but for $700 + I’d say no thank you (unless the department were going ½ on it for me).