Para Ordnance P-14

[jimmyj]

Would like information on a Para Ordnance P-14 .45acp Pistol.
A Model 1911 type pistol with 14 round magazine is interesting.
I understand the company is no longer in business but how is the craftmanship compared to other manufacturers ?

 

[Ameshawki]

Paras were all the rage in my local IDPA circle when they first came out. Every single match I went to at least one of the Paras would choke. A few guys had excellent luck with them, many did not. Enough that I never had any interest in obtaining one. The fact that Para is long gone should be a hint.

 

[Borderboss]

For the most part quality was excellent. When the company started getting batted around by different owners, it started to suffer. The guns, and frames, made in Canada are all excellent. Magazines are available as well.

I carry a Para .38 Super that I built from a frame I bought in about 1990.

 

[kraynky]

I have a Canadian built P-14 that I've had since the Clinton era, and it's alway ran great. It's a heavy beast with 14 + 1 loaded in it, but it's pretty much a range/nightstand gun for me anyway.

I have no knowledge of the Para Ordnance guns built after they left Canada however. But I'm keeping mine.

 

[Grayfox]

I have a SF-45-A which was a special edition of the P-14 offered only to troops serving in the Iraq war. My younger son was there and bought two. He gave me one of them.
Its a well made gun and a good shooter. But as mentioned, its heavy when fully loaded. Speaking of that, its nearly impossible to fully load that magazine without some type of loading tool. Your thumbs alone won't cut it against that heavy spring. I also find the grip to be too wide for comfort. Just feels wrong in my hand. Its also a real PITA to field strip and get back together due to the design of the full length guide rod.
But these are just my opinions, you may feel completely different.
I'll never sell it because my son gave it to me. However, I very rarely shoot it either.

 

[LVSteve]

I think the P-14 mags fit the Sarsilmaz K2-45, a heavily built CZ-97 clone from Turkey.

 

[kraynky]

I think the P-14 mags fit the Sarsilmaz K2-45, a heavily built CZ-97 clone from Turkey.

You're right. I'd forgotten about that. I had one of the K2-45s and if I remember correctly it had a rotating barrel (like Beretta's PX-4).

I know it was a soft shooting full size 45, and I shot it well. But somebody offered me a trade I couldn't refuse at the time and away it went.

I had no complaints about it at all, but already had a Para Ordnance P-14 45 and it seemed redundant at the time.

 

[murphydog]

I have a recollection of a P-14 with an alloy frame. That might make for an interesting carry gun.

I also recall another maker who made a very similar model - the newer Dan Wesson?

 

[dwh]

I had a P14 limited when they first released them. It was factory setup for IPSC limited in the 90’s. It didn’t improve my scores over my tuned commander. During the Sandy hook panic a guy offered me an original Winchester 1895 30/06 with 80% finish and a mirror bore for it. I couldn’t trade fast enough

Sometime in the early 2000’s my friend was working at a stainless steel recycling plant. They received truck loads of the para widebody LDA frames (long double action). The frames were only 80% completed. If I look around I probably still have a couple around.

 

[JayCeeNC]

I had a Para 14 frame built into an IPSC gun by a custom 'smith.
Try to get an older Canadian gun, before they moved to the USA in 2009; better quality.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I worked at an indoor range around 2005. A Para salesman came in one day and offered seven Para pistols in different configurations for our rental guns.

They didn’t last long. All broke within the first few weeks.

 

[S&W Fan]

I have a SF-45-A which was a special edition of the P-14 offered only to troops serving in the Iraq war. My younger son was there and bought two. He gave me one of them.
Its a well made gun and a good shooter. But as mentioned, its heavy when fully loaded. Speaking of that, its nearly impossible to fully load that magazine without some type of loading tool. Your thumbs alone won't cut it against that heavy spring. I also find the grip to be too wide for comfort. Just feels wrong in my hand. Its also a real PITA to field strip and get back together due to the design of the full length guide rod.
But these are just my opinions, you may feel completely different.
I'll never sell it because my son gave it to me. However, I very rarely shoot it either.

My son also has one from a deployment. It too is difficult to load the mags without using a loader, Uplula is what we both use. I agree with everything Grayfox stated. It's serviceable, no less or more accurate than a mid-level 1911, has seen range time but he keeps it in the safe as a momento. Early on it had some feeding issues with hollow point ammo but finally worked itself out.

 

[bobbyd]

Had one…sold it.
Never did measure up to other 1911 style guns in accuracy or reliability.
Still have a few P-14 magazines hanging around if anyone interested.

 

[robvious]

I haven't owned a P14.. best friend collects Canadian Para-ordnance.. has one of each size in 45acp and has a 22lr & 9mm too... he keeps trying to get my P16-40... not for sale... I don't shoot it much anymore, but never an issue with the Canadian made versions... went downhill when Remington got ahold of them.. and we all know what happened to Remington... thankfully my P16-40 uses same magazines as some of the double stack 10mm that came out... they are not Staccato/STI format magazines but the 45acp magazines are out there.. get an old Canadian Para.. and not a LDA.. just my opinion, worth what you paid for it...

 

[dsf]

I have a couple of Canadian Para 1911s - the Commander size and full size, a single stack. Well made guns, but I've found some small parts that should be easily interchangeable with US 1911s aren't quite.

I could not get a mainspring housing to fit - too long and too wide. A mag release made for the wide body 1911s wouldn't drop in. Both parts fit a US 1911 right.

My Paras had plastic triggers, replaced them.

Kind of like Canadians themselves - look like us, just a little different.

But on the main points, well made and nice guns. I kind of like their single stack best.

Stainless dual stack -




Commander dual stack -





Added the extended safety and slide stop for easier reach.

 

[rosewood]

I have owned 5 different Para-Ordnance double stacks over the years. Still own 4 of them. I traded a P14-45 alloy for a P16-40 because I wanted to make it a 10mm. Mine have been flawless. The P16 needed the feed ramp polished when I bought it. I polished it up and ran great. Then dropped in a 10mm barrel and it has been my woods gun for 20+ years. I have a P14-45 stainless. P16-40 that I converted to 9x25 Dillon. P12-45 blued alloy frame. All were Made in Canada.

Never have had anything break on them. Always work. Built like tanks.

The new Rock Island double stacks are virtually identical to the old Para-Ordnance double stacks and use same mags and para/clark ramp cut barrels.

Rosewood

 

[rosewood]

I have a recollection of a P-14 with an alloy frame. That might make for an interesting carry gun.

I also recall another maker who made a very similar model - the newer Dan Wesson?

Yes, it was much nicer to carry than the all steel one. I traded mine for a p16-40 so I could build a 10mm. I was poor back then. Wished I had been able to keep the alloy one.

Rosewood

 

[rosewood]

As for parts. I believe all parts save the trigger, grip and mag catch are standard 1911 parts. It is a P80 series, so it has the hammer block safety. MecGar still makes mags for them (at least still for sale).

Rosewood

 

[jimmyj]

The P-14 I am considering is stamped "Entreprise Arms-Irwindale, Calif"
Good or Bad ?

 

[rosewood]

The P-14 I am considering is stamped "Enterprise Arms-Irwindale, Calif"
Good or Bad ?

Hmm. That makes me think it isn't a Para-Ordnance. Maybe a copy?

Where is that written? On the slide or frame? Could be a custom gun that used a Para slide/frame whichever the case may be.

I have a National Match Colt slide that was given to me that I fit to a Rock Island frame. I call it my Rock Island Colt.

Rosewood