Anyone seen one of these in person? Looks like a lot of gun for the buck. Michael Bane had one for review and was quite impressed, especially with the out of the box trigger and accuracy. Suggested retail is $599 which it puts it going head to head with the Taurus and the Springfield 1911's entry level pistols. Para has moved its' main manufacturing to Charlotte, NC which is only about 90 miles from my house, and this model is assembled at this facility. Here is link to Para website to look at photo and specs. Very interesting......zorro49 http://www.paraord.com/new/product_pistol.php?id=73

Anyone seen one of these in person? Looks like a lot of gun for the buck. Michael Bane had one for review and was quite impressed, especially with the out of the box trigger and accuracy. Suggested retail is $599 which it puts it going head to head with the Taurus and the Springfield 1911's entry level pistols. Para has moved its' main manufacturing to Charlotte, NC which is only about 90 miles from my house, and this model is assembled at this facility. Here is link to Para website to look at photo and specs. Very interesting......zorro49 http://www.paraord.com/new/product_pistol.php?id=73

No experience with that particular model but Para makes a good gun. That's about the price you'd pay for an entry Springfield so probably worth looking at if you're looking for a GI model 1911.

Thanks for the reply, mcholak, and yes I have heard some Para owners state they are pleased with their purchase. I recently bought a mid size MP45 and like it quite a bit, but almost went for the Taurus PT1911 because of price and features, but felt like might be rolling the dice with some Taurus products, this included. Just might like to actually hold one of these in the near future, and may just have to go the factory to do so. Like all new products, at first seems like there are only a few released to the dealers, so it is tough to get to see one in person, aka LCP....don't think it will be that difficult..zorro49

If it actually is G.I. parts compatible, and the internals look good, it's about as good a price as you could expect these days.

I'm suprised they are calling it a "GI", since it has a firing pin safety.

I saw it at the SHOT Show. It looked fine, but not particularly better than the S&W or Colt or any other reputable make.

Is it out yet? I am interested in it as well but haven't been able to find it anywhere. I know the msrp is $599 but does anyone know what they are going for?

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SW99 9mm Sigma VE 40
M&P 15

From what I have heard and I am waiting for a reply you cannot swap out the internals of the Para with any 1911 stuff. It has to be Para only. In that case I am rethinking getting one of these.

The unique to Para internals are usually referring to their hi-cap model 1911s (the parts that have to accommodate the larger grip frame). The internals of there single stack are largely interchangeable. An exception may be their "power extractor" since it is larger than standard.

+1

I have a p-12 45, high cap, I've swapped a bunch of parts with over the counter stuff, eliminated the firing pin safety, and even got a nice trigger from kings.

Parts interchange on the Expert. Great!!!

The only parts problem I have had with a Para was with a P-13 Limited. I tried to do a trigger job on mine and found out that the sear/hammer hooks interface is not standard. The interface is not perpendicular to the base of the hooks. It is parallel to the direction the sear moves, that is, perpendicular to the radial line from the sear pin to the engagement surface. In theory, this makes for a smoother pull - in practice, you don't have a reference for the hooks angle. Stoning is a matter of cut and try, and you can remove a lot of hardened surface trying to get it right. After four tries, I ripped out the factory parts and put in a Nowlin set.

Buck

Has anyone seen the expert in the stores yet? None of the shops around me have them.

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SW99 9mm Sigma VE 40
M&P 15

Guess I learned something tonight! I always thought the Para 1911 stuff was "para only" compatible as well.. Thanks for the lesson!

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Mick

I have owned a Para P13.45 for 12 years. It is very accurate and 100% reliable to shoot. Only problem was that it tended to fling the empties in my face. This was cured by relieving excess extractor tension. If this new model has the Para integral feed ramp like mine does, it should feed everything well. I would not disable any of the safety features. The stock gun is safe to carry cocked and locked because it has both a secondary sear notch and a firing pin block, so no way it can discharge unless the trigger is deliberately pulled.

The firing pin safety on Para's and Colts works off the trigger and is fundamentally different from those with Schwartz safeties that work off the grip safety. The trigger based FPS can affect trigger pull, but that can be easily fixed so as to be non-observable. The one thing the Colt/Para safety can do is stop a runaway, say from a broken sear. If the gun goes to full auto, just release the trigger, and it stops. That doesn't work with a grip safety based FPS.

Buck

I replaced just the hammer in mine, made for an easy job and 3.5lb pull, with the hammer of my preference. The sear seems about normal, but yeah, sure didnt have normal hooks.

I ordered one from Howell's in Gray and am now playing the waiting game. Howell said he has me on 3-4 backorder lists with his largest wholesalers. Crazy you have to wait three-four weeks in this day and age to pick up a firearm. Looking forward to my first 1911 and will certainly get some pics up once I have it.....

gwnorth23, please post your initial impressions of the GI expert when you get a chance to try it out at the range along with photos. My local shop/range has had one and sold it very quickly, so did not get to actually hold one person. thanks, zorro49

zorro, will do as soon as I have it in my hands and now the hunt for Ammo continues. Been trying to find some round nose FMJ to break it in with and I would be more likely to find a bag with a hundred grand in it these days. Whirlwind tour of 8 ammo retailers, 2 boxes of cowboy 45's that were 30plus per box was all I could find so I guess I will need to backorder some of the "shootin size" from Cabela's. Range report as soon as I get the weapon in my hands and to the range.....

Picked it up on Monday and will be heading to the range on Friday afternoon so I will try and post some pics and info up after that.

Seems well built, has great sights and I am really looking forward to putting some rounds down range.

gwnorth23, thanks for the update, and I know you are biting at the bit to hammer some lead down the range soon. Let us know how it feels,feeds,and accuracy of this pistol. Shot today myself, MP9 and 4006TSW, 100 rounds of each caliber. Did find some 45 Blazer brass at WalMart on last visit, bought all 6 boxes, but didn't shoot the MP45. zorro49

Alright, finally got to the range yesterday with the new GI Expert. Put 63 (don't ask me why) rounds through it and another 40 through the Woodsman. Had to bring the Woodsman as my confidence booster. That particular gun basically aims itself so it's a nice friend to bring to the range.

*****Sorry about the double pictures, no idea why it did that?*****

Here are the contestants:
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http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z171/odonalone/DSC06521.jpg[/img] ]

I fired a quick 20 rds through the woodsman and then proceeded to the GI Expert. It took the first 50 rounds, all 230 gr WWB FMJ, well. The only hiccup was on one rack of the slide, it failed to fly all the way forward on the round. So I racked the slide again, and the second round seated fine?

As you can see from the targets below, I am no marksman but feel that for my first time ever shooting a 45 ACP I did okay. I seem to be favoring the left side of the target and am not sure how to correct that.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z171/odonalone/DSC06516.jpg[/img] ]
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z171/odonalone/DSC06517.jpg[/img] ]

After the WWB Ammo I went to some factory reloads which were fine, other than the one time the slide failed to seat the first round of the magazine. I re-racked the slide and the second round went in fine, again, not sure what the problem was. Overall I am extremely pleased and look forward to many rounds through it....

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z171/odonalone/DSC06520.jpg[/img] ]
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z171/odonalone/DSC06521.jpg[/img] ]
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z171/odonalone/DSC06522.jpg[/img] ]

gwnorth23, Both the handgun and the target look good to me. First time out with 45 and a new to you gun, you did well. By the way, what was the distance to target you were shooting at? Thanks for the update and it looks like you will certainly improve your accuracy with time. zorro49

I handled one up here today.

Seemed like a good gun. $745 CDN which is a good price for a 1911 up here.

zorro49, meant to put my distance in the post, my bad. I was @ 7/10/15 yds at an outdoor range. Put a few more downrange today and did have one jam, I think the "american ammo" reloads are not the best rounds. Will try and locate some more WWB 230 gr stuff, seems harder to find ammo than the gun itself......

last November, my dealer had a sale on SW1911's. I picked up my 101282 for $649 plus fees. I thought it to be a smokin deal!

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Life is about recoil

That is a great deal. I looked real hard at a S&W 1911 that was used for $689 but for $550 out the door for a brand new GI Expert I couldn't resist....