Poll: Para Cañada vs Para USA

[AK0perator47]

Ok I have been wanting to see what you all think. I have been thinking about if either are worth it ? The idea of a double stack 1911 in 45 ACP has long been appealing to me. There's both the Canadian and the American ones currently sold in here. So, I implore you to make your point of which one to get? Is one better than the other? Opportunity to get extra mags for one?

Should I just say the heck with a double stack 1911? If so, then what would you suggest and why? I have 45 ACP, 40, 357 Sig, 9mm, 10mm and already have 3 1911's!



@Andy54Hawken @Stomper @Kruel J @Flopsweat

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[Nosferatu]

as long as it's not the LDA trigger, I don't think it matters much.

I have a single stack Para that has worked well for me. I believe it was an import from hockeyland.

 

[trevi]

I thought the company went bankrupt.

I used to own a Canuck made PARA, found it to be better fit and finish, similar to the Beretta USA Vs Italy made.

 

[Nosferatu]

I thought the company went bankrupt.

I used to own a Canuck made PARA, found it to be better fit and finish, similar to the Beretta USA Vs Italy made.

I think the group that owns Thompson and Kahr bought them.

 

[trevi]

I think the group that owns Thompson and Kahr bought them.

I have not seen anything new from Kahr and PARA in YEARS!!! Surprised Kahr has not gone the way of GLOCK.

 

[AK0perator47]

Para was bought by Remington and when Freedom group bought Remington it was moved from NC to Alabama

 

[Hatman1793]

Para-Ordnance kinda pioneered the double-stack 1911 auto at their plant near Toronto. Para -O found it better/friendlier to operate in the US & set up shop in Florida. A little while later they got bought by Remington & basically closed production.

Para's Canadian production autos were pretty good & kinda set the standard for widebody 1911's. Their LDA trigger 1911's was groundbreaking but never really caught on, unfortunately.

 

[bill bentler]

I bought a Canuck P-14 in 1995, or 96, one of the first offered, I used it for job carry, then proceeded to shoot it a lot over the past 25 years. The recoil follower was plastic and broke early, but otherwise, it has been great, accurate, reliable, and the finish shows no wear whatsoever A great 1911.

 

[cigars]

I have not seen anything new from Kahr and PARA in YEARS!!! Surprised Kahr has not gone the way of GLOCK.

Kahr still has some self respect.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

Maybe consider a Remington R1 limited double stack 1911. IIRC, theyre made on Para tooling and i believe they use Para mags.

 

[billdeserthills]

Looks like Sarco bought a lot of Para parts

Para Ordnance, Pistol Parts - SARCO, Inc

www.sarcoinc.com

 

[Boss]

As another said, Para was one of the first, if not the first, double-stack 1911 mainstream platform around (along with STI). IIRC, they started out selling frame kits and then grew to full size guns. They got Todd Jarrett on board and made some decent pistols, like their Signature Series. The P-13 had a lot going for it. They also got some notoriety as they were somewhat considered as a chassis/platform for customization for a certain fed. agency via Les Baer if memory serves. But like most double stack 1911's, small sized hands need not apply. Some questioned the cast frames, but don't recall any wide spread failures. IIRC, there was some concern with the cast/integrated plunger tubes (bung that up and you have serious problems).

Their LDA was probably a bit ahead of its time, but quite honestly goes in the opposite direction most people get into the 1911: the SA trigger.

All things considered, probably not much of a discernable difference between CAN and USA variants. Like most all 'off-the-shelf' 1911's in that price range, you were getting what you paid for...meaning mostly decent but some lemons.

If you can find a decent example at a fair price, you probably worth picking up in either the P-13 or P-14 (full size) versions.

$.02 worth
Boss

For those not wandering over into the Legal Section: 2021 AWB has been introduced:

 

[Crazyeye24]

I can't say which one is better but I use to own an early Canadia P15-40 that was extremely accurate and to this day I regret trading it off. I've also own'ed 2 ParaUSA Experts. Sold the government model and regretted that too so I bought an Expert commander model that I'll never sell. All of the Paras have shot any and everything I've put through them. All are very accurate but that P15-40 doublestack holds a place in my heart. Plus, you can use the P16-40 mags for it. That's if you can even find a P15-40 anywhere. I think if you buy a Para post Remington purchase, the quality may have gone down hill but I'm not sure about that.

 

[bbbass]

I've owned 2 Para P14.45 Canadian made models. They were both great production line guns of good quality. I had 8 14rd mags and put base pads on 4 of them for USPSA limited. That gave me 16rd and 18rd mags depending on which brand of base pad. I used one later in IDPA and one for winter carry. Very dependable with 230gr ball ammo. Passed them down to my kids, and they are still shooting them and taking carry class with one.

My understanding is that when Para USA was first in N.C. the new production line had quality control problems. For quite awhile you couldn't even give away a Para much less sell one on Gunbroker. But I also understand that later models were just fine. A lot of people like the Expert series from what I'm told.

Original P14 mags go for a premium if you can find them, but the off brand ones are plentiful and seem to work.

I bought several P18 mags in anticipation of turning my P14 into a 9mm P18, which never happened. I'd give my left testicle to have a P18. But when my kids visit and we get to go shooting I insist that they bring the P14s so that I can experience a really fine trigger again after shooting Glocks for 10yrs.

 

[OcelotZ3]

Spare parts may be an issue with an LDA, regardless of origin.