Pistol Reviews
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Para Anniversary Set
THE COMPLETE BOOK OF THE MODEL 1911 (Visit their website), January 2011
"This is an excellent 1911 by any standard. An affordable, upscale working gun, stylish yet reliable, with just the right features to make it practical and the nuances to make it a salute to Browning himself." - Richard Venola
Gun Test: GI Expert .45ACP
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), August 2009
"The Para USA GI Expert is an improved version of the basic 1911, which is more than suitable for just about any reasonable application... a good fit in anyone's holster for sport, personal protection or for simple casual shooting." - Walt Rauch
The Para USA GI Expert
THE BLUE PRESS (Visit their website), July 2009
"I've paid twice as much for 1911s that didn't shoot half as well." - Peter Caroline
GI Expert: What a Duty 1911 Should Be
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), July 2009
"This Para is fit for dependable service and has what it takes to help obtain an expert badge on qualification day or decisively preserve a life in the line of duty. " - Eric R. Poole
Para USA's Tactical Target Rifle
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (Visit their website), January 2009
"Tough enough for duty, accurate enough for competition!" - Gary Paul Johnston
Super Hawg 1911 boasts superior big-bore firepower!
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), December 2008
"The sights were good. The red fiber-optic was bright and easy to see and the rear sight was superb. The gun looks good. Para USA has a winner on their hands. " - Rich Grassi
Para's Longslide Super Hawg .45
SHOTGUN NEWS (Visit their website), December 2008
"Extended-slide 1911s have been around for years, but Clough says the performance of these two Para pistols may make you reexamine the breed." - Jeremy D. Clough
New Para USA LTC 9mm
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), November 2008
"Best of the breed mini-nine - it's the 1911 Lieutenant Colonel! The new gun from Para USA seems to be made for me. It combines a pair of my favorite elements in a defensive handgun." - Rich Grassi
Carry 9: When Less is More
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (Visit their website), August 2008
"The fact is that John Browning's classic single-action fighting pistol, originally designed around the .45ACP cartridge, lends itself nicely to being scaled down for general self defense, and concealed carry in particular. " - John Higgs
Torture Tested! Para's 1911 SSP
GUN WORLD, June 2008
"In all, this pistol impressed me as a very well-made, rugged, trouble-free gun. After shooting it, I am not unduly surprised that it sailed unfazed through the torture test described at the outset of this article. " - Jan Libourel
Para USA Carry 9: A sweet shootin' mini-9!
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), May 2008
"Once initial take-up has been reached, the Para Carry 9 requires only an additional 6.5 pounds of pressure to release its sear; the break was crisp and quick, much like that found on a good single-action revolver." - Todd Lofgren
Para SSP .45 ACP Gun Rights
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), March 2008
"For each sale of Para's PXT 1911 SSP Gun Rights model, they send $25 to the National Rifle Association, Institute for Legislative Action... Are you buying a gun soon? It seems that buying one that you can enjoy and that can help in the fight to keep our gun rights is a win-win solution." - Rich Grassi
Para Nite-Tac .45ACP: Dominate the Dark
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), December 2007
"Consumers in need of a home defense pistol would also be well served by the Nite-Tac and mounted light. The Nite-Tac stands as a welcome addition to the extensive Para Line. The Coyote Brown Nite-Tac is a lot more than just another pretty face." - Mike Boyle
Para LTC .45 ACP - Bred to be a sureshot!
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), November 2007
"Those who dismiss the Para LTC as just another Commander size 1911 will be doing themselves an injustice. Para's high-tech manufacturing techniques coupled with Szabo's improvements combine to provide shooters with an extremely reliable and accurate pistol. I found the LTC to suit my concealed carry needs perfectly!" - Mike Detty
Carry 9 - Para's Pint-Sized Powerhouse!
GUN WORLD, November 2007
"The Carry 9 really does represent state-of-the-art in 21st century concealed carry pistols. " - Jan Libourel
Para-Ordnance S14 Limited .45ACP
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), September 2007
"For the money, you get quite a bit of gun in terms of a "factory-custom" pistol of this type especially with its sought-after custom features... If you're after a competition gun, a hi-cap for the range or carry gun with 15 rounds of .45ACP or tap, you can't go wrong with Para-Ordnance's S14 .45ACP. " - Matt Berger
Para-Ordnance's Ultimate Defensive LDA!
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), August 2007
"If you're looking for a quality carry pistol firing a potent defensive caliber and like the feel and packing qualities of a single-stacked .45, but find condition one, cocked-and-locked carry, somewhat unnerving, the Black Watch Companion with its LDA trigger system just might be your pistol." - Todd Lofgren
Competition-Ready Todd Jarrett .45
GUN WORLD, June 2007
"I was quite impressed with the Para-Ordnance Todd Jarrett/USPSA Limited Edition .45. When firing the piece, it worked flawlessly, trigger pulls were excellent and accuracy was fine, indeed. This is one of those guns that, as a writer, you hate to send back to the gun company when testing is complete." - Duane Thomas
Para-Ordnance's Carry 9
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), June 2007
"The LDA action gives you the best of both trigger worlds; a long, smooth, action-like stroke with a light, single-action let-off of the factory standard of 5.75 pounds. " - Walt Rauch
Para-Ordnance CWX645G Carry GAP
M1911.ORG (Visit their website), May 2007
"The Para-Ordnance Carry GAP fills this void in the marketplace. Perhaps for the first time, shooters with small hands can have a 1911 that's easy to control, comfortable to shoot, and fires a .45 caliber bullet with the exact same ballistics as the venerable .45 ACP cartridge." - Harwood Loomis
Ultimate Nightstand Home-Defense Pistol!
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), May 2007
"The Nite-Tac is capable of tremendous accuracy. Only one load averaged over 1.50 inches and the aggregate average is just 1.31 inches... The Nite-Tac possesses all of the attributes that I feel are necessary to protect my home." - Mike Detty
Para-Ordnance to the Rescue, Part 2
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (Visit their website), March 2007
"I can name this tune in one paragraph: Each of the three pistols performed flawlessly with a variety of .45 ACP ammunition and produced outstanding accuracy at 25 yards with handheld 5-shot groups of about 2 inches being the norm. " - Gary Paul Johnson
Para-Ordnance Limited P-14 .45ACP
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), March 2007
"I'll say that I met or exceeded my expectations for this pistol. I have the great handling characteristics of a full-sized pistol, plenty of firepower, good accuracy, corrosion resistance, and great sights for low light or otherwise, and above all - unstoppable reliability. This is definitely one to pass down to the grandkids." - Matt Berger
Para-Ordnance PX1445S Gun Rights Pistol
M1911.ORG (Visit their website), February 2007
"All in all I put about 200 rounds of assorted ammunition through this Para-Ordnance, and it never missed a beat. Not only that, but I shot it right out of the box - no preliminary cleaning, lubrication, anointing or anything else. I opened the box, took the gun out, loaded it and shot it." - Frank Ettin
Para-Ordnance To the Rescue, Part 1
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (Visit their website), February 2007
"In 1999, after years of research and development, Para-Ordnance took yet another giant step for shooting mankind in introducing what is arguably the "perfect" double action system for the Model 1911 pistol, when Para-Ordnance's Ted Szabo designed the Light Double Action, a true 21st Century double-action 1911 pistol." - Gary Paul Johnson
Para-Ordnance "Tactical-Duty" SSP .45 Auto
GUN WORLD, January 2007
"Well, the world is full of 5-inch, single-stack 1911s. Many are very good, some not so good. About all I can say is that this Tactical Duty SSP is a very good one indeed, so good that I am left to wonder why some people feel a need to spend three times as much for similar pistols that can't do too much better." - Jan Libourel
Tac-Forty: LDA Made for Concealed Carry
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), December 2006
"It is accurate, well thought-out and nicely executed. It's a compact, 15-shot .40 caliber auto that should be a big seller for concealed carry and police work. " - Rich Grassi
Para-Ordnance Tac-Five 9mm
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), September 2006
"We believe that Para-Ordnance has hit a home run with its LDA pistols in general and with the Tac-Five in particular... In sum, the Tac-Five just about has it all: excellent trigger, maximum magazine capacity, accuracy and reliability. It is hard to ask for anything more." - Charlie Cutshaw
Para Ordnance Slim Hawg .45 ACP Pistol
M1911.ORG (Visit their website), July 2006
"The Para-Ordnance Slim Hawg .45 ACP is a lightweight, very compact pistol intended for concealed carry. In this writer's opinion, it is perfect for the intended task. It is small enough to be easily concealed, light enough to carry for extended periods, very accurate for its diminutive size, and flawlessly reliable. Everyone at the range/gunshop who saw it or handled it fell in love with it." - Harwood Loomis
PXT 1911: Shoots Well, Priced Right!
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (Visit their website), June 2006
"Nice package! While not designed or presented as a "tactical" weapon as it lacks the obligatory front mounting rail, etc., it certainly qualifies as an excellent duty weapon for uniformed or plainclothes carry. " - Jerry Sullivan
Para-Ordnance PXT LTC .45ACP
GUNS AND WEAPONS (Visit their website), April 2006
"In a market rich in 1911 pistols, it's awful tough to put your own spin on this classic, but Para has done it right with the LTC. The new Para Power Extractor represents a milestone in the evolution of the 1911 right up there with the high capacity frame, and the LDA trigger system." - Mike Boyle
Para's High-Firepower 9mm LDA
GUN WORLD, February 2006
"I found this gun a joy to fire. The trigger pulls were easy to manage, once I got used to them. Recoil of even hot Winchester +P+ was eminently controllable in this big, heavy, all-steel pistol. The Para-Ordnance LDA Limited 9 was just a very, very pleasant piece to shoot." - Duane Thomas
Para .45ACP Black Watch Companion
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), August 2005
"As you've probably already gathered, I am impressed with the Para Black Watch Companion. It's easy to carry, has all of the accuracy I need and boasts flawless reliability. I also like the LDA trigger system and find that its extra degree of safety sacrifices neither speed nor accuracy. " - Mike Detty
CCW: A pretty face with a dead-on aim!
COMPLETE BOOK OF AUTOPISTOLS (Visit their website), January 2005
"This is quite a trigger system! And the CCW is quite a pistol. Perfectly sized, yet able to deliver the goods. " - D.K. Pridgen
PXT LTC .45ACP: Reliability and accuracy!
COMBAT HANDGUNS (Visit their website), November 2004
"There is a creep-free, crisp trigger; decent sights, a durable finish and a sharp appearance. Together with a slide/barrel length to my preference, I couldn't find anything I disliked about the LTC. The accuracy is terrific without any after-market tinkering. The reliability is all there. Para-Ordnance has a real winner here!" - Rich Grassi
Para's New SSP
S.W.A.T. (Visit their website), September 2004
"The gun ran just like it was supposed to - flawlessly - right out of the box. One problem I do have is how to justify yet another 1911 to my wife. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated." - Denny Hansen
In Praise of the Para-Ordnance LDA
THE COMPLETE BOOK OF HANDGUNS, January 2004
"The bottom line is simple: whatever LDA stands for, this double-action-only 1911 has proven itself. Gun purchasers are voting for it with their wallets, and for very good reason. As I said in print about five years ago when it first came out, the Para-Ordnance LDA is an idea whose time has come. " - Massad Ayoob
The C6.45 LDA: Major Micro
GUNS & AMMO (Visit their website), August 2001
"This is a serious little carry piece, no doubt about it. It's got Novak-type three-dot combat sights, an ambidextrous safety and nicely fitted checkered walnut grips." - Guns & Ammo Staff
Para-Ordnance Torture Test
HANDGUNS (Visit their website), July 2001
"I'm a believer now! When Para-Ordnance developed the LDA (Light Double Action) for the 1911, I dismissed it as just another gimmick for an excellent gun. An answer to a nonexistent question. After looking at the way it was built, I also didn't think the LDA design would hold up to any amount of extensive use... Well, after 5,000 rounds in three days, I'm a convert." - Walt Rauch
Handgun of the Year: Para-Ordnance LDA
GUNS & AMMO (Visit their website), March 2000
"More than another 1911 clone, Para-Ord's LDA (Light Double Action) has - in a single trigger stroke - dealt with the most commonly perceived draw back to The Greatest Pistol Ever Designed. Namely, how to carry one ready for action without keeping it cocked and locked." - Guns & Ammo Staff
Millennium Light Sabre
HANDGUNS (Visit their website), January 2000
"The sample 14•45 LDA left me with the impression that here is a handgun that takes the best of a revolver and the best of an autoloading pistol and combines them into a handgun that is more than either alone." - Kerby C. Smith
Para-Ordnance Goes Double Action
GUNS & AMMO (Visit their website), December 1998
"Was the trigger really as light as it felt? We continued to empty the magazine, and it was only when we lowered the piece and inspected it that we discovered that all subsequent shots had been double-action also. The pull was so light that it felt like a long SA. We had never experienced anything quite like it." - Garry James and Jeff John
The Shooter's Jury: Para P14 Signature
GUNS & AMMO (Visit their website), January 1998
"The P14 Signature represents a compatible marriage between the accuracy of a target gun and the ruggedness and reliability of a combat piece. It's a great execution of a great design chambered for a great cartridge. What else do you want?" - Guns & Ammo Staff
Para-Ordnance's Super Sub Compact P10
GUNS & AMMO (Visit their website), January 1997
"The P10 is no larger than the typical small-frame .38 "snub" revolver or an average-size .380 auto, yet it should prove a far more effective fighting handgun by virtue of its capacity and power." - Jan Libourel
The Para-Ordnance Saga
GUNS & AMMO (Visit their website), June 1996
"One firm that has definitely made its mark in less than seven years of handgun manufacture is the Canadian firm Para-Ordnance. This is the company that pioneered the high-capacity versions of the 1911 pistol design and is today producing a line of first-quality pistols that have established themselves among the first favorites of many knowledgeable handgunners." - Jan Libourel
First Look: Para-Ordnance P16.40
GUNS & AMMO (Visit their website), March 1995
"This New Single-Action 1911-Style Shooter Is Already Proving To Be A Top Competition Gun And Promises To Be Aces For Defense Work." - Garry James
Para-Ordnance P13.45
GUNS & AMMO (Visit their website), May 1994
"I found the gun's trigger pull to be crisp and relatively takeup and overtravel free, with the poundage coming in at a pleasing five, even." - Garry James