Para Lda

[ShortEd]

Looked at a Para LDA today. Nice action......Anyone using one in Production? Pros and Cons about Para's for competition.

[stingerjg]

Their are a few ppl in my local club that do really well w/ a LDA. They have all had trigger work done to them. Jim Anglin of Sailors Custom can do wonders on a LDA trigger. A friend shoots a LDA w/ the trigger about 1.5lbs.

[Harmon]

con 50 dollar mags

Pro, 1911 grip angle(if thats what you like)

con, the gun is a pain in the ass to reload

Pro, it weighs alot...9mms are like 22s.

con. its an LDA, trigger is not as good as my glock.

con, trigger reset.

i think the glock is the best off the shelf production pistol.

probably one of the most boring guns to own as very few things go wrong with them.

[GuildSF4]

If you like a 1911 style the LDA can be good. I have one and the trigger is sweet from the factory (it is and LTD model).

I don't even notice the reset difference on it Vs my STI edge .40. The only thing I don't like is the front sight but that is personal.

(PS: some of the Cons above only apply to the widebody.)

[SRT Driver]

Shot a P18-9 LTD in Production for a while.

Hated the thumb safeties.

Mags are expensive. The 10 rnd mags break the extensions often.

Front dovetail needs work to fit another sight.

Fed pretty much anything.

Trigger is not bad.

decent accuracy.

The new ones seem nicer. Get the fixed sight model and fit some Bomars and a good front sight instead of the Ltd model.

[Jasonub]

with the long reset. you may not be able to shoot a swinger at 10 yards when its on the end of its arc?

or can one do so?

[BSeevers]

Guy named Todd Jarrett shoots one fairly well.

I didn't like the reloading effort/difficulty required, especially in Production where all you do is reload. Triggers can be made sweet

[Jasonub]

thanks ill consider it for my production gun in ipsc where we can use the full 18 round mag

[ShortEd]

Thanks for the info......I've been shooting a Glock 35, and was just thinking about trying something different, a CZ , Para or Beretta. My Glock is very reliable and I had Charlie Vanek do the trigger (great trigger),............. so it will probably be smart to stay with the Glock.

[LPatterson]

I have heard the XD is the up and comer for Production especially it you get the Rob Leatham special. Or maybe the CZ SP01 if it stays on the list.

The XD & Glock trigger have about the same feel and both have good trigger gunsmiths, the only problem is the XD is not legal for IPSC competition just USPSA.

[diehli]

the XD is not legal for IPSC competition

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wrong. It's (back) on the list.

[eric nielsen]

Harmongreer covered it pretty well.

Shot an LDA last Sunday - pretty nice, not as nice as a Vanek Glock. Takes a very deliberate effort to do a mag change.

Shot a single-action Para with a Ceiner .22 top end last Thursday. Similar story. I like my AA/Glock .22 conversion better.

[Jasonub]

how is the accuracy of the xd compared to the para lda? I know that the lda can be made more accurate be replacing the bushing. the range officers will never know

[spd522]

Quote- con, the gun is a pain in the ass to reload

And the Glock isn't a PITA??????? Guess it's what you get used to. I rather prefer the mags to drop without having to shake the gun.

I've shot both a P18-9mm and P16-40 in the LDA models and didn't have any problems. The P18 had a Dawson front sight and a lighter hammer spring for the only mods. I shot a steel stage and didn't shoot it much slower than with my P18 single action.

The P16 LDA had a trigger job done on it and it was very slick. Of course the 40 cal recoiled more but still was very quick and accurate.

I didn't find the longer reset a problem.

[kevin c]

I've shot both a 40 LDA and a G35 in Production (I usually shoot Para's in 40 for Limited). The LDA is a Limited model, the Glock is stock except for respringing, polishing the trigger group, and a THE full length Ti guide rod.

For me, compared to a single action, they both take about the same amount of getting used to, and both are nearly equivalent PITA's to reload (I'm better with the LDA because it matches the grip angle of the other 1911 pattern guns I shoot).

Kevin C.

[bountyhunter]

Looked at a Para LDA today.  Nice action......Anyone using one in Production?  Pros and Cons about Para's for competition.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Some guy named Todd Jarrett shoots one. He does pretty well.

Pros on LDA: they are a blast to shoot when they work right.

Cons on LDA: with respect to complexity of design, they are the space shuttle and the standard 1911 is a paper airplane.

[Jasonub]

how about durability of the mim parts? We in the Philippines do not have a warranty so if it breaks then thats it.

[tfs]

Yup, Jasonub. Warranty is a non-existent word when it comes to firearms in the Philippines. I used to own a Glock 17 in the 90's and I had a problem with the gun firing three round bursts (all the shots hit the target, though). I contacted the "supposed" distributor of Glocks in the Philippines, but couldn't offer any solutions. I had to fax Glock Hong Kong about my problem which provided me with replacement parts.

For production division, I'd recommend a Glock 17. One could never go wrong using it. I'm having some reservations with using 9mm on a 1911 receiver. The .45 ACP and the .38 Super almost have the same OAL, and almost always feed perfectly from 1911 receivers. 9mm rounds are a little bit shorter than the two, and feeding problems often occur in 1911 pistols with 9mm bullets. A friend of mine even changed caliber on his Springfield 9mm. After he changed the barrel of the 9mm to a 38 Super, he became a happy guy.

[Jasonub]

i decided not to get a para lda since there were a lot of breakages in our country. and warranty is non existent. as for the glock i dont think i can use it since its ugly . kidding aside i may get a cz instead

[mike.45]

I've noticed a few people are saying they are not good to reload, what exactly do you guys mean, dropping the mag, inserting a fresh mag ???

Why are they a pain or is this just the LDA models and not your standard single action Paras.

I have just bought a P14 ltd and will only get to see it in 2 weeks time hence my nervous questions !!

[GuildSF4]

I've noticed a few people are saying they are not good to reload, what exactly do you guys mean, dropping the mag, inserting a fresh mag ???

Why are they a pain or is this just the LDA models and not your standard single action Paras.

I have just bought a P14 ltd and will only get to see it in 2 weeks time hence my nervous questions !!   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just takes practice like anthing else (more practice than S_I's), it is a smaller opening compared to the mag than an S_I, with practice it still can be done rapidly.

[eric nielsen]

Difficult to load a new mag quickly into a Para with no magwell - and magwells are not allowed in Production. In Limited you can & should add a magwell; the S&A is good.

Amazingly, Todd Jarrett won the 1991 Nationals [there were no divisions, everything was Open] using a Para P18 and the S&A magwell from a singlestack 1911 with its sides cut off. Kinda like a Glock plug - there were no Para magwells then. There were quite a few guys with sweet magwells on a Springfield P9 or TZ but they couldn't touch him that match.

[mike.45]

OK cheers guys that reassures me, my LTD has a big old magwell on there, I figured by the comments there was mechanical problems with ejecting mags sticking, new mags binding up, etc - I am relieved now !!

[mcoliver]

The problem with reloading a Para with no magwell comes from the stock Para tube. Unlike the STI for Para tube which is a tapered tip, the stock ones are a bit squarish at the tip. Inserting one with a little bit of twist and you end up binding the whole insertion.

[sandankenpo]

A little practice and they are no problem reloading