I dont want this to be a bash Para/defend Para thread. I just want you guys to know about what I am going through with my Para-Ordnance 16-40 Limited .40cal.
In April of 09, I bought my first 1911 to shoot STD class IPSC. I decided on a common 1911 in the competitive circles, and it was a Para-Ordnance 16-40 Limited in .40S&W.
stock image from google images
I outfitted myself out with a new CR Speed holster, competition belt, mag holders, mags, blocks, mag well, new range bag, fibre optic front sight, electronic muffs... the full meal deal to get more fully involved int he sport I love. Dropped nearly $3000 on my entrance into STD Class.
After my first test firings with my new Para 16-40, one of the grip screw fell out of the frame. I thought it unscrewed, so I took out my hex keys, and went to replace it. The screw itself only contained threads on two sides of the screw which was odd, and when I went to replace, it slid right in to the head...stripped. The bushing was stripped, as a new screw I tried slid in as well.
Being brand new, I was hesitant to do any smithing myself, so I opted to send it in for warranty work, and was assured it would only take 2 weeks. In the mean time, I borrowed a 16-40 .40cal from my gun range and did my practice shoots and training with their range gun.
June came along fast, and I started to get concerned, so I called Para-Ordnance, and spoke with their gun smith. At this time, Para had not yet moved to the states, and was still on Ontario. He informed me all repairs were complete, and he would be sending the weapon back soon to avoid it getting lost in the move Para was about to make to the USA.
The gun never came. It got lost in the move. It took many calls, and a couple more months before the gun finally surfaced, and upon it being found, it was returned to me. I received the gun back in August......UNREPAIRED!!!! They didnt do anything. They just moved it around, lost it, found, it and sent it back unrepaired. August. September. October. Many calls in between.
I am promised by George Wedge from Para that the paper work is complete for a complete frame replacement under warranty. All he needs is the import docs from North Sylva, the canadian warranty gun smith. North Sylva says the docs are complete, Para says he doesnt have them and will call North Sylva, and a week later the story changes, and awek later the story changes again and so on and so on.
December. I start to make noise on POA forum, and 1911 forum. A Para rep contacts me, and George Wedge from Para okays a complete firearm warranty replacement.
North Sylva has the firearm, but wont release it until Para gives a written go ahead. They got that go ahead in late Feb, and I got the new fire arm in March of this year.
I missed an entire season of IPSC STD shooting.
Went to the range to test fire, work in some oil and break in the gun.
Malfunctions in thew first clip. Failure to eject was the issue, and upon scrutiny, it appeared my Ejector was broken off at the tip. Mag contact? Sent that way from factory? Who knows. Either way, I am pissed.
Okay, so I call North Sylva, and they send me out a new ejector. Two weeks to receive, but it did come.
I replaced the ejector, but after removal of old, the stud was also broken off in the frame, so after drilling and filing, I was good to go.
The safety felt sloppy on the new firearm, and will not stay in a fully depressed disengaged position.
Test fired yesterday.
Every round or two will leave the brass behind.
There is a mark on the odd piece of brass from the extractor, and after clearing the mag, the brass falls out loose.
After scrutiny, it appears the power extractor is loose and sloppy.
I am having North Sylva send me a new extractor today (mar 26) so we will see how long it takes. In the mean time, I am going to adjust the spring on the power extractor to see if it takes.
We are now at a year with no functioning Para 16-40 Limited .40 cal.
PS. Ambidextrous safety has a deformed spring in the safety lock plunger, so that contributed to the sloppy safety, so I put in an STI spring, and it is much tighter. BUT.... BUT!..... the safety itself has a machined divit to accept the plunger, and this divot is too low, causing the safety to rise after disengagement. The safety rises just enough to make the trigger pull about 20 pounds on random shots. The only way to effectively fire the weapon (barring failure to eject) is to have your thumb on the safety holding it down. I am going to machine in an elongated divot into the safety to allow the plunger to hold it down instead of pop it up.
I suppose I want to enlighten everyone on the downward spiral Para-ordnance's quality has seen, and at this time, I would avoid new Para purchases.
There are thousands of high quality Para guns out there, so I am not saying it is all bad, but the new stuff? Be careful.
In April of 09, I bought my first 1911 to shoot STD class IPSC. I decided on a common 1911 in the competitive circles, and it was a Para-Ordnance 16-40 Limited in .40S&W.
stock image from google images
I outfitted myself out with a new CR Speed holster, competition belt, mag holders, mags, blocks, mag well, new range bag, fibre optic front sight, electronic muffs... the full meal deal to get more fully involved int he sport I love. Dropped nearly $3000 on my entrance into STD Class.
After my first test firings with my new Para 16-40, one of the grip screw fell out of the frame. I thought it unscrewed, so I took out my hex keys, and went to replace it. The screw itself only contained threads on two sides of the screw which was odd, and when I went to replace, it slid right in to the head...stripped. The bushing was stripped, as a new screw I tried slid in as well.
Being brand new, I was hesitant to do any smithing myself, so I opted to send it in for warranty work, and was assured it would only take 2 weeks. In the mean time, I borrowed a 16-40 .40cal from my gun range and did my practice shoots and training with their range gun.
June came along fast, and I started to get concerned, so I called Para-Ordnance, and spoke with their gun smith. At this time, Para had not yet moved to the states, and was still on Ontario. He informed me all repairs were complete, and he would be sending the weapon back soon to avoid it getting lost in the move Para was about to make to the USA.
The gun never came. It got lost in the move. It took many calls, and a couple more months before the gun finally surfaced, and upon it being found, it was returned to me. I received the gun back in August......UNREPAIRED!!!! They didnt do anything. They just moved it around, lost it, found, it and sent it back unrepaired. August. September. October. Many calls in between.
I am promised by George Wedge from Para that the paper work is complete for a complete frame replacement under warranty. All he needs is the import docs from North Sylva, the canadian warranty gun smith. North Sylva says the docs are complete, Para says he doesnt have them and will call North Sylva, and a week later the story changes, and awek later the story changes again and so on and so on.
December. I start to make noise on POA forum, and 1911 forum. A Para rep contacts me, and George Wedge from Para okays a complete firearm warranty replacement.
North Sylva has the firearm, but wont release it until Para gives a written go ahead. They got that go ahead in late Feb, and I got the new fire arm in March of this year.
I missed an entire season of IPSC STD shooting.
Went to the range to test fire, work in some oil and break in the gun.
Malfunctions in thew first clip. Failure to eject was the issue, and upon scrutiny, it appeared my Ejector was broken off at the tip. Mag contact? Sent that way from factory? Who knows. Either way, I am pissed.
Okay, so I call North Sylva, and they send me out a new ejector. Two weeks to receive, but it did come.
I replaced the ejector, but after removal of old, the stud was also broken off in the frame, so after drilling and filing, I was good to go.
The safety felt sloppy on the new firearm, and will not stay in a fully depressed disengaged position.
Test fired yesterday.
Every round or two will leave the brass behind.
There is a mark on the odd piece of brass from the extractor, and after clearing the mag, the brass falls out loose.
After scrutiny, it appears the power extractor is loose and sloppy.
I am having North Sylva send me a new extractor today (mar 26) so we will see how long it takes. In the mean time, I am going to adjust the spring on the power extractor to see if it takes.
We are now at a year with no functioning Para 16-40 Limited .40 cal.
PS. Ambidextrous safety has a deformed spring in the safety lock plunger, so that contributed to the sloppy safety, so I put in an STI spring, and it is much tighter. BUT.... BUT!..... the safety itself has a machined divit to accept the plunger, and this divot is too low, causing the safety to rise after disengagement. The safety rises just enough to make the trigger pull about 20 pounds on random shots. The only way to effectively fire the weapon (barring failure to eject) is to have your thumb on the safety holding it down. I am going to machine in an elongated divot into the safety to allow the plunger to hold it down instead of pop it up.
I suppose I want to enlighten everyone on the downward spiral Para-ordnance's quality has seen, and at this time, I would avoid new Para purchases.
There are thousands of high quality Para guns out there, so I am not saying it is all bad, but the new stuff? Be careful.
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