Any words on Para-Ordnance 1911?

OutL4w

OutL4w

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Good day everyone,

I'm looking for some CGN'ers words on the line of 1911 Pistols from Para-Ordnance.

I bought about a year ago a Norinco .45 (basic model) to try out if I'd like shooting the .45, which I do now. The fact is that although my Norinco shoots "ok", I really don't like the sights and I'm starting to think about replacing it for something with a bit more overall quality and better sights. I'm not much interested into tweaking the Norc so I'm looking for a replacement.

I started looking at the Para-Ordnance line of 1911 pistols. Especially the GI Express Stainless.

Anyone own one of those and can give me some words on it. How are the sights and the overall quality of the firearm. Will I see a difference (probably)
with the Norc?

I don't want to break my piggy bank for a 1911 over 1000$ since it's not my main shooter, but I'm open to other brands of 1911 models that you could recommend under that price.

Thanks!
 
around here, Para gets bad press, and STI gets good press. both can be had for sub-1000. taurus is somewhere in between as far as press, and in-line with price.

Para has the edge when it comes to capacity, since they offer a double-stack 1911 which almost nobody else makes.

i have ZERO shooting experience with Para stuff, though. one guy at the club has a Canadian P14-45 that feels very nice. who knows, maybe i can try it sometime.
 
I had a GI expert recently. Overall it was alright but nothing special.

The sights were rather basic. The grips are very cheap plastic. The finish was very thin.

I think for just slightly more than the SS GI, you are right in the price territory of much better 1911's- ie. Kimber customII, STI etc.

I went another step above that even by picking up a Colt Combat, which I absolutely love. As with most things in life (to a certain extent) you do get what you pay for.

I can't comment on norc's as I have never and will never own one.

Happy 1911 shopping.
 
This thing is almost as accurate as my Shadow, which makes no sense but nevertheless true. I love it, especially for the price:
 
Going from a Norc to a Para (IMHO) isn't a step up, more of a side step. The Paras look good when new, but after a few trips to the range and a few thousand rounds they start to look bad, also they've had issues with the slide stop notch peening, and poor customer service. By all accounts the STI Spartan is a terrific pistol, it would be my choice in a full size 45 - get it from Armco and it'll have a sweet trigger when it arrives.
 
Not many will agree with me, but I don't care for STI. I had a Spartan, and it had a few issues. I traded it off almost immediately. I think it's made in the same factory as the Para, anyway. If the spartan is so great, why has every dealer had to drop the price by $100?

I've seen some good deals on a couple of decent models. I saw a Colt at Pro Line in Calgary for less than $1000. You can't go wrong with a Colt.
 
Any words on Para-Ordnance 1911?
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That's a rather "loaded" question, around here - esp. considering some of the threads about customer service...:yingyang:

And it's weird, b/c I really, really want to the of the Para-Ord as one of the better 1911's....:redface:
 
i own a para tlc 45. single stack, it works. nothing fancy, just works. extracter chucks brass far. no stopages, so far nock on wood. peening of rail comes from weak mag springs, and cheap mags. had that problem with kimber 8 rounders, changed weak springs with wolff no more problems. i now use chip mccormick 10 rounders, and never any signs of choking. just like rifles keep it lubed and clean when you can and it shouldn't let you down. if you looking for accuracy and bling don't buy a para. if you what to put rounds on target from reasonable distance and ain't pickin' up your brass, or are worried to loose a few, go with something esle.
 
It's my understanding that all the 1911 entry level guns that are Made in Brazil (Imbil) are coming out of the same plant. (Springfield, Para, Taurus etc) Ive owned and have friends that own them, and they are cast frames. Some people argue that this is the best process, but frankly I doubt that any of them will do better than the Norinco (also cast) as they are made to generous Military specs. My STI was full of slag so I returned it to the dealer and got my money back. I just sold my Colt and it is twice the gun that my STI was, All the S&W's, Sigs etc are made by Caspian, and are good quality, I love my Sig because its unique and runs flawlessly. However If I could do it all over again, Idd buy a Kimber with a factory Bull Barrel, or a 2011 frame'd sti.

Theres great 1911 based webpages, join one and ask there.
 
The customer service has a need for improvement. I have a Para SSP that works just fine ..... now. It had the 'slide peen' issue but Para, after some prodding, fixed it up. I have put through, probably a thousand or two rounds since the repair and no sign of peening. My Para shoots a heck of a lot better than I do ..... now. I suppose any firearm can have some 'growing pains' ......
 
"...haven't seen any new Canadian made ones..." Para went Stateside to be close to their market. They've ignored Canadian shooters for years. For example, any of the contests they ran were/are for Americans only. Even when they were still in Markham, Ontario.
 
enefgee said:
The Paras look good when new, but after a few trips to the range and a few thousand rounds they start to look bad, also they've had issues with the slide stop notch peening, and poor customer service.
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Most of the Paras I see have some sort of issues. The IPSC guys have had a number of issues with them, mostly cracked frames and/or slides, peening the slide stop is quite common as is losing the sights.

I had one that was losing both front and back sights at the same time as well as just starting to peen the slide stop cut on the slide. This was with a very low round count.
 
ViktorF said:
It's my understanding that all the 1911 entry level guns that are Made in Brazil (Imbil) are coming out of the same plant. (Springfield, Para, Taurus etc) Ive owned and have friends that own them, and they are cast frames. Some people argue that this is the best process, but frankly I doubt that any of them will do better than the Norinco (also cast) as they are made to generous Military specs.
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Springfield's lower end guns are made by Imbel and are cast, Taurus makes it's own frames (forged, according to them - Taurus and Imbel are direct competitors neither would use any of the others components) I have no idea where Para gets it's major components, but I am 100% dead certain that Norinco frames and slides are forged, from 5100 series tool steel (they have been tested). The STI Spartan is made by Armscor in the Phillipines and it's frame is cast. The other STI guns use US made major components. If I had to guess about the slide stop notch issue I'd say it has more to do with either a failure to properly stress relieve the notch, and or inconsistant heat treatment - I doubt weak mag springs is the issue, the slide should be stronger than the stop, as it is with every other manufacturer.
 
The Norc's are forged for sure.

Para makes their own cast frames (which is how Para started, making cast double stack frames and not complete pistols).
 
BTW, I had a Para LTC.

Beautiful looking gun! Also reliable and accurate.

Sold it when it became apparent the finish was sub-par.
 
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Hell, my Norc 1911 could kill someone when it ejects the casings. They fly like rockets.

I think the Spartan is starting to interest me more and more.
 
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