Justinsaneok Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Well it all started when I thought it would be a good Idea to by a Para P14-45 from a guy on armslist It was advertised as having the front strap checkered, Ed Brown internals and 7 mags for $825 I asked if everything worked and he said yes he sent it off to have a gunsmith to do all the work and everything works fine. He sent me poor quality pics when I asked for more. The gun seems okay. It seem to have a different trigger everything else looks factory it still has the 80 series parts in minus the plunger. It also had a extended mag release. I'm really confused about all the mags I have for it. The only one that would work was the Mec Gar mag. It's the only one that would load to capacity and fully seat and lock into the frame. Only other mag that would seat was the 10 rd para mag that someone hacked all up my guess with a dremel. It came with another 10 rd mag that wouldn't seat. I didn't want to hack up every mag I get and it works with the one good mag so I looked at the mag release catch and noticed it seemed like it could be filed flat and slightly beveled so it would let the mags seat and lock in. They all at least seat in the gun now. The 1st one is a black para mag. It wouldn't seat and lock in the frame. Now it seats and kind of works but doesn't feed very well.marked made in Canada holds 14 rds. 2nd is a MEC-GAR design and mfg P14-45 Made in Italy has windows in the back indicating capacity at 4, 7, 10, 12, 14, It holds the 14 and seems like the best one I have. Para marked base. Seated and loaded and feed from the start looked brand new. 3rd 4th 5th are all marked Made in Canada on body and base. I think they are nickle? Will load about half before I dent the brass trying to load more. They will not feed. The bullets will rattle around and not feed up the mag. The follower I noticed was catching in the catch cutout beveled the follower and solved that problem but there is still something else from letting them load all the way. The spring. If I take and swap the good mag spring the mags will load to closer to capacity 10 or 11 but will not feed. with either spring. I need to pound them on ,my knee to get the next round to the top. They will all rattle around in there. Kind of bummed. Any advice on what my next move should be? I might get some extended basepads one day when I can afford them. I would trade AK mags for some working mags for the P 14. Buying new mags to try is not an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justinsaneok Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 Pics didn't show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justinsaneok Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 I forgot to add that the Mec Gar mag and the 3 nickel or stainless para mags were brand new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3gungeezer Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I have the exact same issue and I think it is wide spread. Almost all p-14s you see have a bunch of mags and I think it is because they plain just don't work. I am trying to figure it out if I do I will let you know. I love the gun it is a custom build and shoots well when I can get a couple rounds to feed, so I will work on the issue but my time is limited and it will take time. Good luck let me know if you find a solution that works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee blackman Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 One of my buddies that shoots with me locally has x2 para's. 9mm, and 40. Both of them had the exact same problems. He sent one to that gunsmith down in Galveston, TX. I think Benny Hill is his name. He retrofitted STI mags, and the gun runs like a champ now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justinsaneok Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 So the issue is with para mags? Has para ever said anything about it, or better yet done something about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3gungeezer Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 (edited) Well, they are in the process of redesigning their mags,if that tells you something. Benny Hill lives just up the street from me in Corpus Christi. Edited February 8, 2013 by 3gungeezer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justinsaneok Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 Mac Gar mag seems fine from the start. Anyone else find this to be true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justinsaneok Posted February 9, 2013 Author Share Posted February 9, 2013 so I guess thats it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justinsaneok Posted February 9, 2013 Author Share Posted February 9, 2013 I was told to get a STI. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagdad45 Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I have never had a problem with para mags, but both my para's are older Canadian built. All the mags are para factory with extended base pads. I don't have a problem getting 17/18 rounds in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elynch2007 Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 My 1640's work very very well. Reliability is around one failure to load every 1000 rounds over several years. Para mags have not been a big issue in the past. Has someone put a STI style mag release in the gun? I would try a EGW extended mag release to see if that would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3gungeezer Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 I have never had a problem with para mags, but both my para's are older Canadian built. All the mags are para factory with extended base pads. I don't have a problem getting 17/18 rounds in them. My 1640's work very very well. Reliability is around one failure to load every 1000 rounds over several years. Para mags have not been a big issue in the past. Has someone put a STI style mag release in the gun? I would try a EGW extended mag release to see if that would help. We are talking .45 mags, They are different animal from the .40s I have a bunch of P18 .38 super mags that work fine as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagdad45 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I have never had a problem with para mags, but both my para's are older Canadian built. All the mags are para factory with extended base pads. I don't have a problem getting 17/18 rounds in them. My 1640's work very very well. Reliability is around one failure to load every 1000 rounds over several years. Para mags have not been a big issue in the past. Has someone put a STI style mag release in the gun? I would try a EGW extended mag release to see if that would help. We are talking .45 mags, They are different animal from the .40s I have a bunch of P18 .38 super mags that work fine as well. All my para's are 45, 18 rounds loaded. If I was running 40 would want to be getting 20 or 21 in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul gilman Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 I have p14 45 and all of the mags I have work reliably and some are stock and some have extended base pads. Also same with my P16 40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee blackman Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 3gungeezer, yup thats the guy, Corpus, not Galveston. My buddy told me Galveston, but he said Benny Hill. Its kinda a hard name to forget if you like comedy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaGunner Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 My P14 -45 works great. I used to use it in competition shooting before I got my P-16 limited. Try getting some ISMI Para 140mm mag springs and some Arrendondo followers. With this setup and DP mag extensions I was getting 18+1 in my P-14 and it was very reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 This wouldn't be a short old vs. longer new factory Para mag tube issue, would it? The shorter old tubes won't seat with aftermkt base pads, unless the frame and magwell are modified specifically for them. The newer tubes are longer, and don't have this particular issue. If you check Dawson's site, they mention the difference when buying their base pads for Para. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spd522 Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Never had mag problems with any of my Paras. Are you sure it isn't a gun issue since it has been 'smithed on before you got it? Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I have a bunch of P14 mags (2 or 3 different gens.) and most required tuning to be 100%. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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