bigblue677 Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I'm curious if an STI magazine will run reliably in my Para P16 .40. The para mags are hard to come by and I'm sure the STI mags will last a little longer. Any advice is welcomed. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
furyalecto Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Mine will run reliably, but the mag release won't let them go easily. I think it depends on your gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGus Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Mine will run reliably, but the mag release won't let them go easily. I think it depends on your gun. That's good info to know. I recently bought a used STI Tactical 5.0 .40s&w and picked up a really inexpensive Para P16-40 Limited at an estate auction. I was told it hadn't even been fired, and I believe it as everything was still packaged in original box and plastic. I didn't realize the STI Mags could be used in the Para. That will save me some $$$. Dirk, I'll see you tomorrow in Havana. Haven't made many shoots this summer with kids activities, but planning on making Havana tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaGunner Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I've heard you can modify the mag catch to run STI mags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anopsis Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Unmodified STI mags will run in a P1640 without mods, but they may indeed not drop free. Bigblue, if you make a trade on that Para I told you about it now has four Para mags with red Dawson bases and ISMI springs, and they're tuned and run perfectly loaded with 20+1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmca Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 I had Rich at Canyon Creek modify a magazine catch for me, so I could use STI mags. I never did use it, since I have enough factory para mags. I think it was about $40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigblue677 Posted August 22, 2012 Author Share Posted August 22, 2012 Anopsis I talked to Jon at your shop the past couple of days and we finally made a deal. It was a little more of a hassle since I live in georgia and wanted to trade. But a few 5 pictures and a couple emails later, we got it done. The only issue I had was that he kept telling about all these upgrades it has done to it but he couldn't tell me what they were. As in he didn't know what they were. Could you by any chance tell what had been done to it aside from the mag well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anopsis Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Doesn't surprise me about John. I asked him about a Commander-length Para he has that's bobtailed, and he told me "it's custom". Then I told him I was the one that bobtailed it for a former customer when my store was still open! No one at that shop is technical. I refer sales to them and they refer repair work to me. On to your question. I'll try my best to remember everything. I haven't torn it down so I don't know about the sear and disconnector. It's a got a Dawson fiber front and Bomar style rear, Dawson non-ICE magwell, STI square hammer, Dlask medium length ultralight trigger (magnesium shoe and titanium bow), Gun Craft mag catch with a threaded oversize button, and skate tape on the front of the frame. If I remember anything else I'll let ya know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGus Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 I've now only been running STI mags (for my STI Tactical .40s&w) in my Para P16-40 Limited and its been great. I've got 8 STI mags, and on half the slide will lock back after the last round, and on the other half it won't. But no big deal. Haven't had any issues at all. Also haven't had any problems with mags dropping free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olivers_AR Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 (edited) Would the right STI mags work for a P14-45? Edited September 24, 2012 by Olivers_AR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastphil Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 what had to be done to your pistol to run STI mags? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmca Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 what had to be done to your pistol to run STI mags? See posts 3,4,5 & 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastphil Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Thanks I read the thread, I wasn't sure if anything else is involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmca Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 I hope I didn't come off sounding condescending All that's required is a little welding and filing on the mag catch, sometimes even that isn't required, the "stock" mag catch will work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimberacp Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 (edited) I have a SV gun and Para gun that use the same magazines. When I got the Para I didnt want to spend more money on getting different mags. I just had a muffler shop welder, weld a bead on the ledge of the catch. Went home filed the bead flat to match the slot of the SV mags, when you insert them, you can see where top of slot is, in relation to the slot of the frame. You can also file the Para mag. slot higher to match the mag catch. Para mags with the Dawson basepad will hold one more round than the SVs. So, I can use both mags. thanks Edited December 6, 2012 by kimberacp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 (edited) Wow - I haven't really looked for Para mags for a while. They were always easy to come by - even during the mag ban. How times have changed (and this was posted prior to the current round of panic-buying.) Once upon a time, STI used to make mags specifically for the Para, as seen in the magwell of this relic of a race-gun. But the STI stopped making them quite some time ago, so they're going to be harder to find than Para mags. You can tell them, by the square notch at the rear of the mag, rather than the U-notch found on the standard STI mags. When the gun pictured above finally died, I converted them for an STI by modifying the notch in the mag bodies. To go the other way, you would either have to modify the catch in your gun, or weld up and re-cut the notch in the mag bodies. I thought at one time you could get a different mag catch for the Para that was cut for STI mags. And as noted, some people have been able to get their STI mags to run in their Paras with no mods. I think I've got an STI .40 mag around here somewhere. I might have to try it out in the Para now just to see. Edited December 30, 2012 by Garrett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sschultz Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Does the same thing apply to the 9mm STI mags fitting the Para. Schultz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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