Is Para USA Still in business?

I examined a camo 6" 10mm para elite hunter at my LGS about a year ago--I don't have any 1911's--but if I did it would be exactly like it. they wanted $1200 and that was just too far out of my range--but likely well worth it. Bummer remmie has absorbed it--the shop told me remie was going to continue making them, my response would be "looks good, you go first." : )
 
I gained the same info about Remington sending Para to the dirt hotel, unfortunately that starts the Rem bashing all over by mostly those who have not invested in a Remington product in years. I happen to have a couple of R1's, one early cast frame and one later forged frame..both shoot flawlessly, also recently bought a RM 380 for a truck gun and several hundred punnishing rounds later (not a soft shooter) it too has passed without a malfunction of any kind.
So my experience with Remington in the past few years is with their pistols which are nicely made and reliable ( but what is that ugly RM 380 finish?).
 
Curious to know of those bashing para, how many actually own(ed) one.
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I have never owned one but will fully admit that I have always been one to steer people away from them. Para has always used marginal quality parts to the point where I've read that many smiths don't want to work on them. :confused:
 
rinspeed said:
I have never owned one but will fully admit that I have always been one to steer people away from them. Para has always used marginal quality parts to the point where I've read that many smiths don't want to work on them.
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Please document the basis for your statement that Para "has always used marginal quality parts." I have owned several Para pistols over the years, and I have toured the factory (the original factory, in Canada). Based on my first-hand experience as well as having seen the manufacturing process in action, I'd say your statement is completely incorrect, and without basis.
 
Please document the basis for your statement that Para "has always used marginal quality parts." I have owned several Para pistols over the years, and I have toured the factory (the original factory, in Canada). Based on my first-hand experience as well as having seen the manufacturing process in action, I'd say your statement is completely incorrect, and without basis.
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I don't care if you've "toured the factory" or used own the company. :confused: Para has always struggled for hard usage, in my opinion, and that of many of the top 1911 smiths for a lot of reasons. I have several friends that have owned them over the years, some of them worked good, some of them not so much. You don't have to agree with me, that's OK. ;)



Para.jpg
 
I've seen the statement that many smiths won't work on them before, but frankly had never run into one. Can't say I spoke to all the top smiths. But I've seen a bunch with pictures on their site of paras, I've competed with many who have paras built by top smiths (including Todd Jarret) 1 of my paras has les Baer's name on it and is by far my best and favorite handgun, and I have 2 others that top smiths have worked on.
I agree para went through some rough periods, the pxt models had extractor issues and the transition to the us was rocky. Though my last 2 paras are from North Carolina and I had no issues with them, I believe many had feeding issues and para had to modify the frame with a ramp. Which they did for free, including shipping and then modified their manufacturing process.
In some cases they were a victim of their own innovations, but that is the same innovation that changed the field and separated them from others. IMO it's a loss, I like their product line, their handguns feel like no other in my hand and they were innovators. Ever hold an sti? Like holding a 2x4, very blocky. Great gun but I couldn't adjust to the feel. Been 20 years maybe they've changed.
Lastly I've seen that pic before, is that your pic or someone else's?
 
1stmar, That is exactly why i made my post about so many complainers that " found it on the net" or "my buddy told me" and have never owned the product. Why it is necessary for some to make totally unsubstantiated comments is beyond me. By the way I have never owned a Para, but do have three Remington pistols that work just fine and i do not think i am the only one who enjoy's a item made by Remington in recent years. I do also acknowledge some have received "lemons" attributed to the attitude of new ownership and those persons speak with a degree of fact.
Hopefully Remington, and others in the same situation will work to regain consumer confidence.
 
I've got a whopping 50 rounds down my Para GI Expert. I got it in basically new condition for a very reasonable price IMO.

So far, so good.
 
I was not aware of this, but it explains why I've seen a lot of really good prices on Para 1911s over the last few months. I personally am not a fan, but it is still sad to see a company go.
 
1stmar, That is exactly why i made my post about so many complainers that " found it on the net" or "my buddy told me" and have never owned the product. Why it is necessary for some to make totally unsubstantiated comments is beyond me.
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I've owned 1911s for 25 years and am merely stating my opinion so I'm not sure where you're seeing these all these "complainers" in this thread. As I mentioned to Aguila Blanca you don't have to agree with me, that's why it's called an opinion. My opinion is based on having shot a bunch of them and having friends that have owned them as well. I own a couple Kimbers, lord knows they are all junk by the opinion of many on the errornet.
 
Para Elite LS Hunter 10mm

Enjoy mine. Bought it for under $900, a couple of years ago, during their rebate offer. Took the rebate and stocked up on mags too. Good thing, magazines are not as easily found now. Don't get to shoot it as often as I'd like, under 1k rounds. I've shot Civil Defense 60gr up to Underwood 200gr XTP, but mostly PPU 180gr jhp. No problems to report, knock wood.
 
I've got a whopping 50 rounds down my Para GI Expert.
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They had some great rebates on the GI a couple years ago. One of my friends that has two or three Paras thinks the GI is the best value out of all of them.
 
Rinspeed said:
I've owned 1911s for 25 years and am merely stating my opinion so I'm not sure where you're seeing these all these "complainers" in this thread. As I mentioned to Aguila Blanca you don't have to agree with me, that's why it's called an opinion.
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Your post that I originally took exception to was not stated as an opinion. There was no "I think ..." involved. You wrote:

Rinspeed said:
I have never owned one but will fully admit that I have always been one to steer people away from them. Para has always used marginal quality parts to the point where I've read that many smiths don't want to work on them.
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So NOW that you've been called, you decided that your flat-out, blanket statement (based on NOT owning one) was really only an opinion. Yes, you are certainly entitled to your opinion, and you don't even have to change it based on what people who have owned and shot Paras for years say. But ... when expressing an opinion, it is customary to acknowledge that it's an opinion rather improperly than stating it as a fact.
 
So NOW that you've been called, you decided that your flat-out, blanket statement (based on NOT owning one) was really only an opinion.
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No, that's a bunch of crap, I didn't get "called", whatever the hell that is, and I didn't misspeak either. I might have had a little more clarity in the way I said it but that changes nothing in what I said or the facts from where my "opinion" has been formed from over the last 20 or 25 years shooting 1911s. Whether you take exception to any of my posts or not means nothing to me, my opinion is my opinion.
 
The only comment I will make rinspeed is posting that picture without commentary is misleading. It implies it was your gun and therefore your experience. Since it was not, your post perpetuates gossip which is what my post was about. Do not take this as an attack. But for every 100 posts I see about how bad para is, I bet there is less than 1 person who owned a para and had a bad experience. Then more people propagate the misinformation. Your opinion is your opinion certainly entitled to it just as we all are.
 
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Rinspeed said:
No, that's a bunch of crap, I didn't get "called", whatever the hell that is, and I didn't misspeak either. I might have had a little more clarity in the way I said it but that changes nothing in what I said or the facts from where my "opinion" has been formed from over the last 20 or 25 years shooting 1911s. Whether you take exception to any of my posts or not means nothing to me, my opinion is my opinion.
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But so far you have not stated a single substantiated fact. All you have posted is opinion in the guise of fact.

This is getting like all those posts over the years stating that "everyone knows" Colt has been out of business since 1980. Someone reads that, then they repeat it, and suddenly it's all over the Internet.
 
Sorry i will make one other general comment not directed at any specific post(er). People lump all guns made by para into "junk", yet very few if any problems I have read about existed with the single stacks. All 4 of mine are wide bodies. No experience with their single columns. Para, like many others used some mim parts which people also generalize about. But they also, in some cases, used products from egw, trijicon, Vz, ionbond finishes and forged frames and slides. Ionbond is the best finish I have used hands down. Very durable and great lubricity. Looks good too.
 
When we lived in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. We were 1/2 a mile from the Para factory.

My involvement with them, being hired by the Crown Attorney of Brampton Ontario. One of their workers, stole 3 of the frames, prior to the serial numbers being affixed there too. But the frame was totally finished, that practice was stopped after this murder inquiry, and the serial #s were stamped on, just after the frame was cast (I believe) this recent Immigrant from Rumania, was not that skillful, and one of the firing pins he stole, was manufactured specifically for Gun Shows and the like and was too short to reach the primer.

The Crown Attorney was one of my Students and was not happy with the Detectives report from the crime scene (a house, shared by two Family's) as I worked for the Crown, and not the PD, it made for a somewhat tense relationship!

As the Police Officer who led the case, he had not much experience with any Semi-Auto pistols, they carried Revolvers, he needed help. It worked out in the end.

All for nothing, the insanity plea placed the accused into Penatangmachine, a home for the criminally insane. Not sure of the spelling of the town.

These were single stack pistols, the only ammunition available to be stolen, was proof loads. All in all an interesting case.

It came out he, the accused, was an ex-Secret Police Officer! One really nasty person.

He got into Canada no problem, so the Americans who say they are going North if Trump wins? Should have no problems.

This Englishman is staying put!
 
It came out he, the accused, was an ex-Secret Police Officer! One really nasty person.
He got into Canada no problem, so the Americans who say they are going North if Trump wins? Should have no problems.

This Englishman is staying put!
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But he has no problems sending this thread to irrelevance.
 
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