Para 18.9 Lda In Production

[coog]

It seems to be a good platform. Why don't I see more people shooting it?

[Danva]

I plan to shoot mine alot more this year. I also think it is an exellent platform.

A little trigger work and it's good to go

[Jaxshooter]

I am going to give mine a try in Production also. You probably don't see alot due to the cost vs Glock, Springfield XD etc.

[Sean Gaines]

I believe Todd Jarret uses an LDA for production. Actually I am positive, just don't know which model

[sargenv]

I was under the impression that he uses the 18.9. It was one reason I bought it. Problem is, I shoot my 229 better, lol.

Vince

[eerw]

We had a couple of guys shoot them in our club...good shooting gun...you could get pretty good triggers on them too..

for me..the trigger reset was pretty long...compared to the Glocks and XDs.

[Wildman]

Shot one at Area III last year, and as noted above, the reset takes some getting used to. Mags intermittently hang-up in the mag well, from the top round getting shoved forward by the slide. Polishing the slide helped some, but not completely. A couple calls to Para have not resolve the problem.

[Merlin Orr]

Put thousands of rounds through my P18 LDA without a single malfunction of any kind.

[SRT Driver]

I believe Todd Jarret uses an LDA for production. Actually I am positive, just don't know which model

Not 100% sure but, I think TJ shot a 16-40 LDA last time he won Production.

I used to have a P18-9 LTD LDA and it shot pretty well but the "cheap" in me didn't like it.

[38superman]

I have a P18.9 that I bought for production.

It had a serious accuracy problem out of the box.

It has taken some time to get that sorted out so I haven't shot it in competition yet.

However, I will be taking it to some matches this year for sure.

Tls

[Jaxshooter]

Suprised you had an accuracy problem with a Para. I have had several including my current LDA 18/9 that shoot as well as my SVs and STIs. Must have just been unlucky.

[Bullzeye]

I love my Para 18.9 limited. It was dead on accurate out of the box and is probably one of the most accurate 1911's I own. As far as reliability goes, I have never had a malfunction and that includes running it for 2000 rounds before cleaning it. I have not shot production but if I started it would be the gun I would use.

[38superman]

jaxshooter,

I was surprised too, but the problem was pretty severe.

The first time I took it to the range it was spraying ammo all over the paper.

I'm talking groups more than 6 inches off sandbags at 25 yds.

I tried 3 different kinds of factory ammo and got the same results.

I immediately made arrangements to send the gun back to Para for repair.

I later spoke directly to the technician that worked on it.

He told me he put a new barrel in it and test fired it.

He said his test firing produced an excellent group and the gun was being returned.

When I got the gun back I took it to the range expecting great things.

I was very disappointed to get exactly the same result as before.

I was completely disillusioned with Para so I sent the gun to Rusty Kidd in Atlanta to be repaired and fitted with a new Schuemann barrel.

Upon inspection Rusty found that the gun's timing was way off.

He thinks it was coming out of battery before the bullet was clearing the barrel.

That would certainly explain the ammo spraying.

I've only shot three groups with it since I got it back, but accuracy was close to what I get from my SVI and my Edge.

Tls

Edited January 31, 2006 by tlshores

[Singlestack]

I'm kinda suprised Rusty even worked on it.

[38superman]

Why would that surprise you?

Tls

[spd522]

I too am surprised at the accuracy problem you mention. The P18 LDAs I have shot were quite accurate. My own P18 SA is very accurate also and not just with one or two brands of ammo. I also have not experienced the mags not dropping out with any of my Paras. Now my Glocks are just the opposite.............

[Singlestack]

Why would that surprise you?

Tls

I asked Rusty about 5 yrs ago how much he would charge to build me a Limited gun on a Para frame. He replied, "I would ask you to take your business elsewhere". Due to Para's quality control, he said he would rather not work on them.

[38superman]

I too am surprised at the accuracy problem you mention. The P18 LDAs I have shot were quite accurate. My own P18 SA is very accurate also and not just with one or two brands of ammo. I also have not experienced the mags not dropping out with any of my Paras. Now my Glocks are just the opposite.............

I don't think what I experienced is representative of that make and model.

Mine clearly came out of the factory with a timing issue and a corresponding accuracy problem.

Any manufacturer can have something like that go by unnoticed.

What surprised me was that they told me they corrected it when in fact they had not.

It was spraying lead like a shotgun when I sent it for repair, and doing the same when I got it back.

Yet they claim they repaired and tested it.

I don't see any way to reconcile that with the facts.

I'm sure there are legions of Para fans out there who have had nothing but good experiences with Para's support.

Unfortunately I did not.

However, I would not presume to judge any company too harshly on the basis of one sour incedent.

I'm sure it was as jaxshooter said. Just bad luck.

Anyway it seems fine now and I'm looking forward to seeing how it performs in competition.

Thanks to Rusty.

Tls

Edited January 31, 2006 by tlshores

[kevin c]

I like my 16/40 LDA shooting 40 Minor, but it does have a long reset that I have to get used to to avoid double clutching (I don't shoot much production).

I have three Paras. They have been durable and had no more than their fair share of wear and tear for the amount of shooting I do. It is also true, though, that one was custom, the second semicustom and the third, a factory gun, was extensively reworked before I shot even a hundred rounds through it. Para's QC on stock guns, at least on this forum, doesn't have the greatest rep.