Para-Ordnance: Should I Buy?

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I saw a para-ordnance (P13-45 Limited) that I liked and want to buy. But, I read that the hammer and sears are made of relatively soft metal. (1)Is this true? (2)Has anyone had any experience or known of any problems associated with this? (3)Any idea of the life of the gun? (4)Opinions on buying it?

Appreciate the information.
 
I love mine...

Got a P-13 standard several years ago. I've had some minor feeding issues (related to magazines, I think) and it's a bit bulky for me to carry concealed. But as a shooter, it's my favorite pistol.

SA Scott
 
Ront:

I have a P14-45 that I bought several years ago. After only a few thousand rounds, the hammer started following the slide down. The gunsmith that I went to said that the hammer and sear needed to be replaced. (And no, I didn't make it a habit of dropping the slide on an empty chamber.)

My P14 sits hidden in the safe. My Kimbers I take the range and carry concealed. YMMV

M1911
 
I have owned my P12 and P13 forever, well since last century! :D I have plenty of rounds through both of 'em in the past 5 years and I have not had a complaint (outside of the springs in the mags loosing some umph). Even in 400 CorBon the P12 has worked great after about 150 rounds to break in the tight BarSto barrel.

The only problematic Para I owned was the little P10, that thing was a jam-a-matic. I was limp wristing it and by the time I got the Pearce grip for the P10, I had lost faith in the pistol. I traded it for a Delta Elite and then the Delta for a 375H&H Remington Classic. I still have that rifle and it is my fave rifle!

I have enough faith in regular sized Paras that I have purchased a P16 and had it converted to 10mm!

Derek
 
My general disclaimer is that others I have spoken with re: P13s have had favorable opinions on them. In fact, the majority (3 out of 5) did like them, but one of them bought used and had a smith work on it.

I do not like them.

The P13 (standard, not limited) was the first pistol I bought and to my dismay it would literally malfunction on each magazine. Stovepipes on live rounds, failures to feed, failures to eject, you name it, it did it. Was still doing it when I traded it after over 1K rounds.All three magazines were NEW.

Within 200 rounds, the rear sight fell off. The bluing was also flaking near the ejection port about the size of a dime.

Many a night was spent that I would pull out my first pistol and look at it with remorse. I knew I had to trade it. My opinion? The 13 round magazines are EXPENSIVE and a second person already has supported the idea that they are unreliable. If you are just going to stick with the 10round magazines, I would just go for a 7 or 8 round single stack. Additionally, the thin frame is one of the reasons why a 1911 is easy to conceal... you lose this with a double stacked Para. I would avoid these pistols.

Again, this is ONLY 1 person's experience. I'm sure that I got a lemon (3 times over) but one encounter with this was enough for me. No more Paras for this fellow.

If you are stuck on wanting this pistol, I'm sure that between the Para warranty center and a good smith, it will be running like a champ... IF it needs it. You could very well get a great pistol. Good luck.
 
I had a P10 Limited and it was a jam-o-matic from day 1 and after repeated trips to smith's and the factory. Eventually the slided cracked and I got rid of it. Never shot +P through it either. I think I just had the proverbial lemon and don't think it truly reflects their quality and reliability.

Someday I will get another Para - most likely it will be the P14 LDA Limited. I still have a couple 14 round magazines that also fit the P10.
 
I have had several Para Ordnance pistols and have had no problems. I have a P-16 Limited and it is a very accurate pistol. I also have a P-12 that I am selling just to buy a P-12 Limited and I just got a P-13 Two-Tone that I have about 200 rounds through and it looks like another winner. I must be living right because I have been blessed with no lemons..........I like the high capacity Para's very much
 
My P12.45...

...was the most feed-reliable 1911-pattern I've owned out of the box. Even MagTech 185gr +P JHP's and Speer 200gr JHP's fed reliably with the 10-rounder, although the 12-round mag would occasionally choke on a MagTech towards the end of a magazine (probably couldn't lift that last round up fast enough sometimes, as the 12-rounder was a well-used mag).
 
Mine's a stainless standard P13.45. I love it. Very reliable, gorgeous, nice trigger, accurate, etc. I have 6 hi-caps for it, and carry it in a Galco Concealable holster (which I highly recommend).

My only complaints are some marks on top of the slide. They are tiny, look like rust spots, but have not grown at all. Also, some of the paint is coming off the dot in the front sight. Other than that, I love it. You've gotta love 13+1 rounds of .45 in a midsized pistol.
 
reliability

I bought a P12-45 ~1 year ago. I have put ~1000 rounds through it. I cannot get through a session without it jamming. I have used UMC and PMC FMJ round ball and Winchester FMJ flat nose. I have experienced jams while using all listed ammunition and with new factory 10rnd mags and a used factory 12rnd mag. I have had a couple of stovepipes on the spent shell, but mostly on the round feeding in. Recently, the slide stop has started locking the slide back when there is still 1 round left in the mag. I am meticulous about cleaning and properly lubricating it and my mags. I personally polished the feed ramp before I first shot it, and have sent it back to the factory where they did some work on the gun. The tech I have talked to is absolutely useless. He claims the gun is fine and that my grip or mags must be responsible. Grip is not the problem. I have had other stronger people shoot it, and it jammed on them also. I am currently keeping track of the types of malfunctions that occur with each mag. I have uniquely marked all the mags I use. If it is the mags, should I be relieved? Are their mags that unreliable. I have had jams on just about every mag I use. I talked to a county sheriff about a month ago. He used to be an armorer. He said he knows many people who got rid of their P-10's and P-12's because they jammed frequently. I want to dump mine. I have a bunch of factory sealed 12 round mags I will probably be selling soon. I wish I had never bought this gun, and will never buy another Para product as long as I live.
 
I have a P16 Limited that I use strictly for a competition gun. Out of the box, it had the worst trigger that I have ever seen. The trigger bow rubbed in the frame and rubbed on the magazines. Pull was variable, but averaged about six pounds. Took it apart and found that the sear, disconnector , hammer and the series 80 safety parts are all cast and poorly finished. No amount of stoning could get the casting voids out of the disconnector and sear. Bought a C&S trigger group and a STI light weight trigger. Had the sear and hammer professionally installed. Wonderful trigger!

After approximately 600 rounds the barrel lugs started to peen. Of to the professional gunsmith to have that fixed.

On the upside, the gun has never failed to feed or extract and is very accurate. After all of the above, I am now happy with the gun. However, if I had it to do over, I would probably buy somthing else. At a list price of $900 for the Limited you should get better quality internals and better fitting from the factory.

I personally know four other people who have P16s. One had the plug retaining ears break off the barrel bushing. Two have had the front sights fall off and one has had the rear sight come off. One has sent his gun back to the factory twice.

Caveat Emptor!
 
Don't do it!

I bought a Para-Ord. P-13.45 shortly after I turned 21. Dropped $600 of my hard earned cash plus $100 for two hi-cap mags. I am STILL kicking myself in the arse for putting too much faith in gun magazines and what other "experts" thought.

First off the gun was a total jam-o-matic. It came to me brand new with a bum extractor. Could not get through one mag without stove-pipes, FTF, or other potentially life threatening problems. The place I bought the pistol replaced the extractor for me and then it was fine...sort of.

Everyone loves to have many rounds at their disposal, but unless you have seriously *big* hands, this pistol is not going to be your best bet. I have small-ish hands and long fingers and I could not hit *anything* with the Para-Ord. Regardless of range, I was just not able to put shots on target with my new, overly expensive purchase.

In the end, I sold the pistol...at a slight loss. I took the money I got and bought my pride and joy, my (now) constant companion: my Ruger KGP-141 .357 Magnum.

Be careful...don't believe the hype!
Mntneer357
 
My late-model P14-45...

Was a pure jam-o-matic, too. Would not feed anything, through either new 10 or 14-round magazines, reliably. Choked on 230gr FMJ, let alone any hollowpoint. Would literally cave in the front end of a Hydra-Shok like it was hit with a ball-peen hammer. For a $600+ gun that was insane. I sold the thing to somebody, suggesting they use it "for scrap," and got a Kimber. The Kimber actually works. Oh, and their customer service was utterly clueless. Para-Ordinance can kiss my butt. 'Nuff said.

C.B.
 
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