atblis
Member
Yeah
To get some reliable insight, dealers who've sold Paras are usually pretty funny about what they have to say.
Para-Ordnance Warthawg - Range Report & Warning
- Thread starter stevemis
- Start date
- Status
Same thing with me, Para = Poor
I owned the same gun but black.
I will never own another Para product period.
The finish, the malfunctions, the customer service..... the list goes on. bad memories associated with that pistol and company in general.
it wasnt cheap either.
I owned the same gun but black.
I will never own another Para product period.
The finish, the malfunctions, the customer service..... the list goes on. bad memories associated with that pistol and company in general.
it wasnt cheap either.
"Warranty" has a specific legal meaning that brings with it a host of issues for manufacturers. If you offer a warranty, it must comply with federal and state law. Many manufacturers have no express warranties but will absolutely service the weapon and perform any repairs. That provides protection for the consumer while the manufacturer avoids legal entaglements.
Yep. They can offer a "repair policy" and basically tell you to "go stick it" when their crap product doesn't work right out of the box... and all you can do about it is piss and moan on the internet. Hey, they got my ~ $1000 and I got a ~ $1000 paperweight.. my bad.
Won't happen again... ever.
Para Warthog Finish
I purchased a Warthog about a month ago, and already the "regal" finish has started to wear off the slide. I should have bought it in SS rather than the alloy model. So far, the gun preforms flawlessly (it feeds everything from Fed. Hydro Shoks to crappy Wolf). I guess only time will tell if I've bought a POS carry gun!
I purchased a Warthog about a month ago, and already the "regal" finish has started to wear off the slide. I should have bought it in SS rather than the alloy model. So far, the gun preforms flawlessly (it feeds everything from Fed. Hydro Shoks to crappy Wolf). I guess only time will tell if I've bought a POS carry gun!
I've had a couple of agencies inquire regarding the Warthog and my experiences with Para in general. It seems the folks at Para are courting some police and federal departments. I still own the gun, and would be happy to send it out for an agency to look over. Send me a PM and we'll arrange shipping.
Aguila Blanca
Member
I just looked on their web site. Here's what I found:stevemis said:
Here's the link: http://www.para-usa.com/new/whypara.phpPara-USA said:
I think you are misinterpreting legalese. They aren't saying they don't stand behind their product. They are choosing (for God only knows what reason) to call it a "service policy" rather than a "warranty." Doesn't matter to me what they call it. They'll fix any defects in the gun for as long as I own it, that's all I care about.
Para's repair 'smiths, BTW, do a very good job.
well from this horror story i want be buying a para anytime soon and after the articles i have read about them in very popular gun magazines i question if those guys are taking bribes. I was always a Smith and Wesson Guy anyways i think ill stick with them and i wont be letting Para anything touch my smiths
Para carry 9
Oh did I want one bad. Finally broke down over a year ago and bught a new carry 9. Taking it out of the box, it looked awsome. end of story.
It went back to Para 3 times, the finish on the frame began flaking immeidately after the first range trip. Numerous malfunctions caused it to go back to tenn. The service dept never got it right, only once did Para reimburse me for postage back and then I had to submit a receipt etc and wait. I loved the lda trigger system, it was awsome. It was a super accurate handgun. It just never worked reliably for me and the finish on it look 100 years old. I seriously could not recommend a Para. Can't figure out yet how Todd Jarrett can keep his going as great as it does.. Course maybe the true 1911 45 versions made by para are OK but when they try to sub miniature a gun like the warthogs and carry 9 etc, I think they run into real issues, so it seems. It was an experience that I will never forget and my wqallet took a big hit when I traded it off.
Oh did I want one bad. Finally broke down over a year ago and bught a new carry 9. Taking it out of the box, it looked awsome. end of story.
It went back to Para 3 times, the finish on the frame began flaking immeidately after the first range trip. Numerous malfunctions caused it to go back to tenn. The service dept never got it right, only once did Para reimburse me for postage back and then I had to submit a receipt etc and wait. I loved the lda trigger system, it was awsome. It was a super accurate handgun. It just never worked reliably for me and the finish on it look 100 years old. I seriously could not recommend a Para. Can't figure out yet how Todd Jarrett can keep his going as great as it does.. Course maybe the true 1911 45 versions made by para are OK but when they try to sub miniature a gun like the warthogs and carry 9 etc, I think they run into real issues, so it seems. It was an experience that I will never forget and my wqallet took a big hit when I traded it off.
loop
Member
Please excuse me, but I've never run into a reliability issue in any 1911 that could not be overcome with minor effort.
And, yes, that includes Paras.
If the frame, slide or barrel are not broken (ie: visible cracks), the weapon can be fixed with a minimal amount of effort.
If your only hope at making your personal gun reliable is to send it back to the manufacturer, buy a revolver.
I, honestly, grow weary of hearing people whine about factory service. I never bought a gun in my life I expected the factory to make right before I shot it.
I've always expected to have to do something to make it right.
My personal carry gun is a Para. It would not feed three rounds out of it without a jam when I got it. It now has fed close to 1,000 rounds without a failure.
The bottom line is: Fix the doggone gun and quit whining. It isn't that hard. You have what, maybe 51 parts? One of them is not working.
The best buys I've ever had on the gun market are guns that jam. I'll take it. Because it just needs some minor tuning.
Because it is a Para I can tell you a couple things offhand. It has never been properly cleaned and lubed. The mags have never been properly cleaned and lubed. The person shooting it is not shooting mil-spec ammo.
You don't need a college degree to make a gun go bang, bang,bang...
And, yes, that includes Paras.
If the frame, slide or barrel are not broken (ie: visible cracks), the weapon can be fixed with a minimal amount of effort.
If your only hope at making your personal gun reliable is to send it back to the manufacturer, buy a revolver.
I, honestly, grow weary of hearing people whine about factory service. I never bought a gun in my life I expected the factory to make right before I shot it.
I've always expected to have to do something to make it right.
My personal carry gun is a Para. It would not feed three rounds out of it without a jam when I got it. It now has fed close to 1,000 rounds without a failure.
The bottom line is: Fix the doggone gun and quit whining. It isn't that hard. You have what, maybe 51 parts? One of them is not working.
The best buys I've ever had on the gun market are guns that jam. I'll take it. Because it just needs some minor tuning.
Because it is a Para I can tell you a couple things offhand. It has never been properly cleaned and lubed. The mags have never been properly cleaned and lubed. The person shooting it is not shooting mil-spec ammo.
You don't need a college degree to make a gun go bang, bang,bang...
atblis
Member
You know
When I buy a new gun from a "reputable" manufacturer, I expect the darn thing to work straight out of the box. I don't consider Para a reputable manufacturer, hence the reason I've never had a 1911 that required "tuning".
There are too many gun makers out there that make quality products (including 1911s) to piss around with fixing things that shouldn't be broken in the first place.
Seriously???
When I buy a new gun from a "reputable" manufacturer, I expect the darn thing to work straight out of the box. I don't consider Para a reputable manufacturer, hence the reason I've never had a 1911 that required "tuning".
There are too many gun makers out there that make quality products (including 1911s) to piss around with fixing things that shouldn't be broken in the first place.
All my guns eat milspec ammo just fine.
I would also "hazard" a guess that the odds that a short barreled, double stack, ramped 45 auto, proprietary extractor system 1911 actually working are 'slim'. No matter how well executed, and that's not something that Para has a "reputation" for.
Notice, I wrote "reputation", because I don't own a Para so it's just what I read and what I'm "told". Could be wrong!
Notice, I wrote "reputation", because I don't own a Para so it's just what I read and what I'm "told". Could be wrong!
Aguila Blanca
Member
I absolutely concur. "Reputable" or not, people buy guns so they can shoot them. Not everyone who buys a gun has a safe full of others to use while they "tinker" with the one that doesn't work. Some people can only afford to buy one gun, and they may need that gun like RIGHT NOW.
Which is why I think the attitude of some "name" brand manufacturers such as Kimber and Les Baer, for example, turn me off. They won't even discuss a problem unless you have run 500 to 1000 "break-in" rounds through the gun. That's unacceptable.
As to Para, I have owned a couple and tested several more. A very early LDA model was a bit balky at feeding during the first 100 or maybe 200 rounds, and since then it hasn't missed a beat. I tested one of their first .45 GAP pistols and it was terrible. They swapped it out for a different pistol and the second one was flawless through several hundred rounds. A Slim Hawg in .45 ACP was flawless from the first round when tested. The P14.45 I sometimes shoot in competitions was flawless from the first round and hasn't hiccuped yet.
Are all Para pistols perfect? Nope, and I won't claim they are. I will state, though, that their track record is no worse than that of Kimber (which is more or less in the same price range) and that of several makers whose guns cost a lot more.
Really. Have you read their ads?
I would like to see an honest disclaimer, like what comes with a pack of cigarettes.
"Warning: This firearm might not function properly new and require tuning or service to perform as stated."
I bet they would sell a lot less pistols with that statement.
MICHAEL T
Member
I pay close to a 1000 dollars for a pistol I expect it to work Right from box. My Colts worked, Dan Wesson worked, Kimber Worked . $400 American classic works great . Para nope never . Llama copy of Para warthog . Worked better than Para.
As for compact 1911 I have a old Detonics Colt Defender and New Colt Agent . They all work perfect. Guess Para just likes to sell unrelieable pistols. with bad finish.
My Para also had the terrible finish. and would rust overnight .
On a still night you can hear a Para Ord rust
As for compact 1911 I have a old Detonics Colt Defender and New Colt Agent . They all work perfect. Guess Para just likes to sell unrelieable pistols. with bad finish.
My Para also had the terrible finish. and would rust overnight .
On a still night you can hear a Para Ord rust
I have a friend who bought a high cap Para 9mm 1911 for competition and he practically had to reshape the magazines in a vice just to get them to function. I'd be really pissed if that happened to a new $1000+ gun when a $500 Glock functions flawlessly out the box. I'm not so sure Para guns are as good as they seem to be.
trust me
trust me here guys. I sold guns for a living for 40 years and all my customers expected their guns to work perfect out of the box. I ain't buyin the kel-tec mentality that you buy a gun and expect to have to bend, drill, file, heat, glue, sand etc to make it work...Para's might just be a great gun. I can only say from experience my Para Carry 9 did not work and was sent back 3 times, and being a compact 9mm single stack, might possably been the reason. I think I have stated that more than likely the 1911 45 para's work OK, they certainly make a ton of different models. I love the LDA trigger system of the Paras. none better. Other reliability issues just prevented me for keeping it. I am alittle gun savvy from being in business and the issues that i was having, I was unsecure in experimenting with fixing a NEW gun.
trust me here guys. I sold guns for a living for 40 years and all my customers expected their guns to work perfect out of the box. I ain't buyin the kel-tec mentality that you buy a gun and expect to have to bend, drill, file, heat, glue, sand etc to make it work...Para's might just be a great gun. I can only say from experience my Para Carry 9 did not work and was sent back 3 times, and being a compact 9mm single stack, might possably been the reason. I think I have stated that more than likely the 1911 45 para's work OK, they certainly make a ton of different models. I love the LDA trigger system of the Paras. none better. Other reliability issues just prevented me for keeping it. I am alittle gun savvy from being in business and the issues that i was having, I was unsecure in experimenting with fixing a NEW gun.
Absolute nonsense. A patron who spends ~$1000 on a semiauto handgun has a right to expect it to function properly.
The OP's gun was defective from the beginning and only got worse.
Not all gunowners are master machinists. Nor should we have to be.
If I were a mechanic, I could say the same thing if you complained about your car. If you spent ~$40k on a convertible, but the top leaked, the brakes squeaked, and the air conditioner didn't work, would you be happy?
Gun owners have the same right to expect decent service.
To the OP: you need to chronicle your problems on every gun forum possible. Sigforum, Glocktalk, Smith&Wesson, TFL, etc. Para needs to have pressure brought upon them to clean up their act or else shut down.
I've always fancied one of their semis. I'm glad I read this thread.
Another big THANK YOU for beating Para out of my thousand dollars. I was about to take the plunge. It should at least make you feel a little better that you have changed the minds of a few possible buyers. I can only hope that Para and all other companies are listening!!!
Indy_Guy_77
Member
Too bad you're not able to file some kind of "lemon law" claim... sheesh.
-j-
-j-
- Status
