Did I buy a unicorn 16.40 some help

[DEADEYE]

I had a 16.40 limited follow me home (impulse buy) from a local gun shop yesterday. I'm a sucker for 1911 platform guns...

 

Where does one get spare mags, mag base plates and maybe a mag well I did see mags on gunparts.Com. My first 40 cal what grain coated cast bulletts I have unique and 700x on hand is there other powder choices I should have..I shot SS a few years back then life and kids got in the way of me shooting I recently moved to the twin cities and want to get going again and didn't want to beat up my dads old 1911 anymore...questions recapped below..

 

 

 

• mags.
• magwell
• coated cast bullets weight
• powder choices
• brass sources

[Steve RA]

Well, you can't shoot it in SS, if that is what you are planning.

[DEADEYE]

Well, you can't shoot it in SS, if that is what you are planning.

I know that..

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

[Steve RA]

Good.

 

[RJH]

dawson, shooters connection, mbx, that is where i would start

[Anopsis]

There's not many resources left for those of us still shooting 16.40s from Ye Olden Times. I'm hoping that 3rd party manufacturers will support the new Remington doublestacks, since they are essentially Paras. I know they take the same mags.

[DEADEYE]

There's not many resources left for those of us still shooting 16.40s from Ye Olden Times. I'm hoping that 3rd party manufacturers will support the new Remington doublestacks, since they are essentially Paras. I know they take the same mags.

Did I buy a [emoji882] here out if date piece of crap with no support available?

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

[promtcy]

You may have bought a unicorn but there are plenty of resources available. I'm assuming it's an old limited and not a newer Pro Custom. For a magwell you could check with Dawson and Cheeley Custom Gun works. For mags the MBX should work, STI might work and SPS probably will work. I bought 140mm SPS from Spain with the plastic base and then bought TTI 7G base pads. But I have the Pro Custom and I'm not sure if the mag catch is the same height as yours. As far as I know everything else is pretty much 1911 except for the trigger itself. 

 

Bullet weight probably 180 or 200. I use 180 grain Blue Bullets, 4.6 grains of Alliant Sport Pistol or N320 loaded to 1.18 OAL. I can load to 1.2 if I want. 17lb main spring, 14lb recoil spring.

 

I use range brass. I had a bunch from before I started reloading and haven't had to buy any yet. There are some sources here and there's one really good source on GunBroker.  

[DEADEYE]

You may have bought a unicorn but there are plenty of resources available. I'm assuming it's an old limited and not a newer Pro Custom. For a magwell you could check with Dawson and Cheeley Custom Gun works. For mags the MBX should work, STI might work and SPS probably will work. I bought 140mm SPS from Spain with the plastic base and then bought TTI 7G base pads. But I have the Pro Custom and I'm not sure if the mag catch is the same height as yours. As far as I know everything else is pretty much 1911 except for the trigger itself. 
 
Bullet weight probably 180 or 200. I use 180 grain Blue Bullets, 4.6 grains of Alliant Sport Pistol or N320 loaded to 1.18 OAL. I can load to 1.2 if I want. 17lb main spring, 14lb recoil spring.
 
I use range brass. I had a bunch from before I started reloading and haven't had to buy any yet. There are some sources here and there's one really good source on GunBroker.  

I can see 30 bucks for mags I ain't spending 100.00+ for mags no way in hell. It's a limited.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

[Joe4d]

.SO where can you get ready to go 20 round 140mm mags for $30 ?
Be careful on your mags. Mecgars are a hair shorter than Para mags and wont work with a bolt on mag funnel like the Dawson Ice. You would need to machine the frame a bit shorter and use a funnel by Taylor free lance or S&A.  
Best setup is Factory tubes and followers, Wolff +10% springs and Dawson pads and funnel, IF you can find them. Which all said and dun would run you $100 plus per mag, which isnt bad for mags. Actually the MBX's ready to go at $130 are a decent deal as your only other problem would be finding a Dawson funnel, and you wouldnt have to pay to modify anything.

[Anopsis]

Be aware that pistol is the PXT (Power eXTractor) series. It has Para's own design of extractor. If you have trouble with it, I think EGW still has their replacement extractor - but a standard 1911 extractor won't fit. The tunnel is oversized in the slide.

[DEADEYE]

Thanks I was looking in the manual and saw a multi piece extractor..

 

[Joe4d]

12 hours ago, Anopsis said:

Be aware that pistol is the PXT (Power eXTractor) series. It has Para's own design of extractor. If you have trouble with it, I think EGW still has their replacement extractor - but a standard 1911 extractor won't fit. The tunnel is oversized in the slide.

yeh but that is a 45,,, you will have to go the tube insert route, again. IF you can find it...  Brownells still has them, buy it now while you can... Dont do like I have with my Caspian project and waited so long now I cant get a magazine without paying off someones mortgage to get a piece of gear they probably have collecting dust.
I'm gonna dig for some parts for you I MAY have a dawson funnel and extended pads that wil lwork with older Para tubes if you can find them. My 16/40 was converted to a Smith and alexander funnel to fit the IDPA box. So not sure if I sold the dawson funnel or not.
Looks like the EGW extractor says it will fit a 40, but needs work, 
http://www.egwguns.com/1911-parts/1911-egw-hd-extractor-oversized-for-use-with-pxt-hole/

https://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/action-parts/extractor-parts/extractor-sleeves/1911-para-ordnance-extractor-sleeve-prod41021.aspx

Edited July 6, 2019 by Joe4d

[DEADEYE]

yeh but that is a 45,,, you will have to go the tube insert route, again. IF you can find it...  Brownells still has them, buy it now while you can... Dont do like I have with my Caspian project and waited so long now I cant get a magazine without paying off someones mortgage to get a piece of gear they probably have collecting dust.
I'm gonna dig for some parts for you I MAY have a dawson funnel and extended pads that wil lwork with older Para tubes if you can find them. My 16/40 was converted to a Smith and alexander funnel to fit the IDPA box. So not sure if I sold the dawson funnel or not.
Looks like the EGW extractor says it will fit a 40, but needs work, 
http://www.egwguns.com/1911-parts/1911-egw-hd-extractor-oversized-for-use-with-pxt-hole/
https://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/action-parts/extractor-parts/extractor-sleeves/1911-para-ordnance-extractor-sleeve-prod41021.aspx

Thanks let me know..

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

[DEADEYE]

Thanks let me know..

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

Mags are another issue do you have a source I ain't spending 120.00 for. Mag.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

[Joe4d]

Then you wont be equipment competitive with that platform. Simple as that.
U can probably find 15 round Mecgar or Mecgar style mags for the Remington or Armscor clones, they will work, but are too short for mag funnels, and no idea if you can find the guts and extended pads to get capacity up over 15-16 rounds.
 

[DEADEYE]

6 hours ago, Joe4d said:

yeh but that is a 45,,, you will have to go the tube insert route, again. IF you can find it...  Brownells still has them, buy it now while you can... Dont do like I have with my Caspian project and waited so long now I cant get a magazine without paying off someones mortgage to get a piece of gear they probably have collecting dust.
I'm gonna dig for some parts for you I MAY have a dawson funnel and extended pads that wil lwork with older Para tubes if you can find them. My 16/40 was converted to a Smith and alexander funnel to fit the IDPA box. So not sure if I sold the dawson funnel or not.
Looks like the EGW extractor says it will fit a 40, but needs work, 
http://www.egwguns.com/1911-parts/1911-egw-hd-extractor-oversized-for-use-with-pxt-hole/

https://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/action-parts/extractor-parts/extractor-sleeves/1911-para-ordnance-extractor-sleeve-prod41021.aspx

Joe4d let me know if you you come up with the, mag well, etc as a starting point..

[Joe4d]

found the funnel  and 2 factory Para + 2' pads looking for the MSH it attaches too, its held on to a MSH that is drilled and tapped at the bottom

 

[DEADEYE]

Just now, Joe4d said:

found the funnel  and 2 factory Para + 2' pads looking for the MSH it attaches too, its held on to a MSH that is drilled and tapped at the bottom

 

MSH ? You lost me..

[Joe4d]

Mainspring housing.

[DEADEYE]

Mainspring housing.

Ah

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

[Joe4d]

Posted it in the classified section.  Happy to sell it to you,,,  however, you probably would be better served by getting it fit for taylor freelance products and or those MBX mags.
 

 

[HCH]

Go find somebody with a .40 STI and see if their mags will work. There also used to be a mag catch to be sure STI mags would work. 

 

2 out of the 3 Paras I have had will run STI mags. 

[ChuckS]

Because the S_I mag catch notch is a bit higher than the top of the Para notch, the mag will sit about 1/8" lower than the Para mags. From there, it all depends on the condition of the mag*, feed ramp geometry, bullet profile and OAL of your round. I used an un-modified SVI 170 mag in my Para open gun without issue. I know of others that had great luck with STI.  One thing to keep in mind: due to the shorter taper you can usually get one more round in a Para mag than a S_I mag of the same length. Another fix is to weld a bit of material to the top of the mag catch to lift the mag a tad.

 

 

* Load your mag and look between the top round and the next to the top round. If you see any gap, the mag needs to be tuned in the transition area when it goes from double stage to single stack.

[Bakerjd]

Ok I have a good bit of experience with paras and what's happened in the last 2 years. First, for magwell Cheely still makes them. I do believe he even has them in stock right now. You want the one with the delrin insert. Mags, the Taylor Freelance setup DOES NOT work on para mags. It will get you 19 reloadable on the mags from rock island. Dawson no longer makes ANYTHING that is para specific. Stopped about a year ago and I bought the last 5 mag extensions they had. But the good news. I ran 2 different para 16-40 guns for 2 years and ran para and STI mags with no issues. The guy I sold one of my guns to now runs the same STI mags fpr his 2011 and para. My mags were setup with STI tube, grams guts and TTI base pads. If you buy that setup its 110 at ben stoeger pro shop. Nobody makes and extended mag release for the para or a aftermarket trigger for them either anymore. 

 

To be honest I sold both mine and all the mags to buy a used STI Edge because the aftermarket is GONE. I had thought it would come back because of rock island and remington but it hasnt.