[DanR7985]

I have the LDA version with a rail on it and it is great. I had a couple problems with the magazine feed lips. They were too wide and were catching on the walls of the magazine. I sanded the sides down and it works great now. IMO for the price of those magazines they better work correct from the box. With the magazine issues fixed it has been a great reliable gun that I would trust my life on in a heartbeat.

 

[old guy]

I have a VERY early model and love it It has never failed fofeed, fire, eject, etc Rapid fire will make Bruce Willis jeolous!

 

[bacash]

The finish wears very easily.

 

[skpotamus]

I have had 5 para ordnance guns. 2 1445's, (one a LDA, one SA), a 745 LDA and a Carry 9 LDA (for my wife). I still own the 1445 SA, and I love it. It's been my favorite 1911. I've never had a malfunction with any of my paras and I shoot them quite a bit. The current one I've had for over 6 years. I've sold all my other 1911s, but this one will never leave.

They're the racegun platform of choice for the local USPSA group. Especially in 40 cal. So the guys that shoot a ridiculous number of rounds a year (one guy says he shoots upwards of 20K a year) seem to not have any problems with them.

 

[Gort]

I owned an early version and modded it up over the years, it was very reliable and accurate. Look for the 'Limited' model, you won't have to do anything to that one.....but shoot it!

If you're looking for a hi-cap 1911, the Para is a good choice.

 

[AKpredator]

I have a lot of experience with Para's and they are running machines if one pays the money for a simple reliability tune-up on them. Novak and Cylinder & Slide are well known plumbers for the Para. Your magazines need to be tuned up and the springs replaced now and again. A close friend of mine runs two P18's and they have been flawless for 3 years now. He averages about 5k a year through each of them. He carries one and shoots the other in IDPA, USPSA and 3 Gun matches.

Common problems with them are magazine and extractor related. A reliability package performed by a good smith will adress the extractor, ejector, firing pin hole, ejection port, hammer/sear engagement, barrel link, bushing fit, feed ramp and barrel throat. They charge a few bucks each to tune your magazines as well. I would also suggest a good trigger job. I can especially reccomend Cylinder & slide. They were the first house to do mods on them in the early 90's.

www.cylinder-slide.com

 

[Semper Fi 0311]

I have two, P-13 .45ACP SA, and a P-16 .40S&W SA, they are a nice 1911, with capacity.

 

[Gort]

Just a bit more info....if you have relatively large hands you should have no problems with a Para P14, but if your hands are smaller than average the grip is going to seem large and might be a problem.

I had mine for about 20 years, then sold it to my nephew and bought a single stack 1911 (Dan Wesson Valor). Now when I pick up my old Para it feels weird because I've gotten used to the single stack 1911s.

I recommend you go to a gun store and handle one before buying one just to make sure you're comfortable with the grip size.

 

[ryan6864]

I have a VERY early model and love it It has never failed fofeed, fire, eject, etc Rapid fire will make Bruce Willis jeolous!

Since moving production quality has gone way down

 

[Grotius]

Just a bit more info....if you have relatively large hands you should have no problems with a Para P14, but if your hands are smaller than average the grip is going to seem large and might be a problem.

I had mine for about 20 years, then sold it to my nephew and bought a single stack 1911 (Dan Wesson Valor). Now when I pick up my old Para it feels weird because I've gotten used to the single stack 1911s.

I recommend you go to a gun store and handle one before buying one just to make sure you're comfortable with the grip size.

This.

I have owned two P14.45s since 1990 or so, and they are as reliable as anything else I've ever owned. I've also fired a friend's Glock 21.

Bottom line is that any time you have a doublestack magazine filled with .45 rounds, the grip of that pistol is going to be slightly hefty compared to a single stack mag with the same rounds.

I like my P14s, but they definitely have larger grips. You'd be well advised to rent or borrow one and shoot it before buying one, to see if its going to work for you.

 

[Yehudi]

As it turns out, the P14-45 fits my hand better than any pistol I have handled except a Sig P229.

 

[skpotamus]

Well, I have to disagree with the perceived notion that a 1445 has larger grips. I used to take a 1445 and any 1911 with standard grips and hold them bottom to bottom at my old gunshop to prove the point to people. The standard 1911 grips are the same width as a para. The only real difference is the para's front strap isn't rounded like a standard 1911 is and the grip panels are straight instead of rounded. It does feel different because it is more square than round, but there's no difference in actual width.

Here's a fun fact:
Gunblast.com has three articles where they measure a ruger 1911, a ATI and a para ordnance. The single stack 1911's max grip width is the same as the para and actually bigger than the other double stack 45.
http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-SR1911.htm
http://www.gunblast.com/WBell_Para-Tac5.htm
http://www.gunblast.com/ATI-FX45.htm

 

[mrduke]

ive owned a p 14 for about 10 years now, and i don,t put 5000 rounds a year throw it, but ive put probaly 10.000 rounds in it,s lifetime, it,s never failed me, i don,t shoot it much anymore, i shoot my browning hi power more there days , but my para,s there just the same if i ever need it,

 

[sky walker]

Iv had one since I was 13. When I started shooting handguns it was my second one(the first was a 357 model 19 and I have killed more feral hogs with my para than most people see in a lifetime... iwould and still enjoy shooting it and would trust my life with it..... That being said I now carry a glock for the lighter weight.. I have not countet the rounds that I fired through it but a teenage. Farmhand hom lived in the middle of nowhere is one of the worst torturer test known to man and it always goes bang with a pleasure

 

[Ryan316]

I have 6 Paras. 3 14:45 LDA's, 1 12:45 LDA, 1 P18:9 LDA Hi Cap Limited (I think that's what it's called?) and 1 Carry 9 LDA. I love 'em all! Sadly the newer ones don't measure up to the quality of the older ones. Also, the finish on all 4 of my 45 frames went to crap, they're much older than the 9mms though. My gunsmith painted one (my favorite) with "something" (I have no idea what) about a year ago & whatever he used, it's holding the shine very well. Granted, he charged me about $190 but it was well worth it to me. Taking the 12:45 to him in about a week.