Para Ordnance 1911 "wide body"?

[brsims]

So I'm looking for an affordable "starter" 1911 and make mention of such to my local gun guy. Apparently, he's got another customer who's trading in a Para Ordnance 1911 .45 "wide body" (I guess that would be considered "high capacity" for a 1911...) for a Smith & Wesson M&P plus carry kit (belt and mags and holster and whatnot).

The reviews I've read on Para Ordnance look really good, and he's got a standard capacity Para 1911 under the glass that I've handled and fallen into instant hand love with (there's an image for your dirty lil' minds, eh?).

Basically, I'm looking for personal experience with the "wide body" Para's if anybody owns one and would like to share their feelings. I can already see how 1911's breed....I'm also planning on buying the regular on in my gun guy's counter as soon as my budget can handle it, even thought it's blued and I have a strong preference for stainless....

Also, are there any personal experiences with Llama's type IX-A Government model 1911?

[FLICK]

Just to muddy the waters, Rock Island Armory makes a double stack 2011 in 9mm and 45 in the $700 range. I have nothing to add about the para.....

[DClan]

I've owned 2 Para wide bodies ( a P12 carry, and a P14 ), the P12 was stainless with the LDA trigger, and the P14 was blued with a SA trigger. Both guns were reliable and reasonably accurate. I wish I still had the P12.

[phill]

We have 2 Paras a LDA 18/9 and a Para PXT 18/9. Both are reliable and the fat grip makes the recoil feel like .22's. We did have a P-12 but during the clinton awb it got to be valuable and we sold.
My wife and I are both fans so take what I said with a grain of salt.

[1911-6sn7]

I have a P-12 and a P-14 (the one you are looking at). My P-14 started as a frame kit I bought in the late 80's right after they came out. It has seen duty as a 10mm, a 45 with officers slide and barrel and finally with a Kart barrel and full length fitted slide. I have very large hands so I really appreciate the slightly bigger grip, now with Hogue rubber finger grips. It is so accurate and pleasant to shoot it's beyond a dream! And with the current state of Para cust service I don't see how you could go wrong.

[Pagoda240]

I just sold one and regret it everyday. I am a 1911 fan boy to the bone. grip angle , 15 round of 45 acp with a single action trigger can not be beat.

[brsims]

Thanks to everybody who has thus far weighed in. The Rep Leperchaun may visit you all...

An additional question for y'all: In perusing Para-Ordnance's website, I noticed that the LDA's were all compacts. According to my gun guy, this one he wants to sell me (I haven't seen it yet, as the trade hasn't yet taken place. He's gonna call me when the weapon arrives so I can actually see it and hold it before final decisions are made) is an LDA but also has a 4.75" (or a 4.25", I don't quite remember) barrel as well as the double stack magazine. Is this possible?

Bear in mind, my gun guy hasn't actually seen the weapon either, and isn't really up on Para-Ordnance products as he maybe should be. He generally prefers Rock Island's for starters and Remingtons for more experienced and demanding 1911 fans.

Also, I've seen that the LDA's don't have much of an external hammer. However, given how 1911's seem to just hand themselves over for fun and modification (kinda like old muscle cars, really), is it possible to outfit one with a skeletonized external hammer without screwing up the LDA function? Or to convert an LDA to a more traditional SA? It's not a function thing for me, as long as the LDA works as advertised, it's more an appearance issue. If not, no big deal as I will just go on the hunt for a stainless traditional SA instead to add.....

And before my budget completely melts down...is it possible to outfit any 1911's I get with condoms to cut down on the breeding?

[phill]

Our LDA is a full size 5". My much missed dead friend/gunsmith when he sold me the LDA said that if I felt the need to look inside, just send it back to Para. He was one of the best 1911 smiths around as he had been through the USAF marksmanship 1911 school at Lackland. Taking him at his word ours has never been opened.

[bigdawgbeav]

Not that I've had experience with Para's (disclaimer), but I'm in the same boat. Right now I have my XDM for competition and love it. But the 1911 still calls my name (actually the double stacked are really 2011's, but whatever).

I have been looking at the Para Pro Custom 14.45... it's a sweet looking gun. Unfortunately completely unrealistic for a carry piece as it's 2.5+ pounds. Competition, no problem.

Para does make some good guns, but I have heard gripes about magazines. I think that can be solved with after-market Mec-Gar's.

Good luck and we will expect pictures.

[DClan]

Concerning the LDA trigger system and the bobbed hammer, Para did this for a reason. The reason is that the LDA system is essentially a precocked, ultrasmooth, double action only trigger system. The system basically has one internal and one external hammer, with the internal one cocking when you chamber a round ( think of it like a spring loaded cam attached to the external hammer, the external hammer is always down). When you pull the trigger, the external hammer moves with the trigger draw until reaching the point of release, releasing the preloaded cam and forcefully pulling the external hammer foward to impact the firing pin. When the round fires, the slide moves backward which moves the external hammer back and recocks the internal cam. As the slide moves foward chambering a cartridge , the unloaded external hammer moves foward with it (always in a down position) . The reason the draw is so light is because your only moving the mass of the drawbar and hammer, friction of the cam system, and the resistance of a very light hammer rebound spring. Since the system cannot be cocked via the external hammer, with some incidents of damage early in production from such, going to a bobbed hammer solved the issue ( can't thumb what isn't there ). This is my understanding of how the system works, I am not an expert or gunsmith, so keep that in mind.