UncleBuck wrote:Hey Doc, just how much fatter is the grip on your para compared to a single stack 1911?
Ysabel Kid wrote:I love Para's 1911's. I have long fingers so the extra girth on the grip doesn't bother me one iota. Was considering a Commander-length 1911, and looking at a Para. Will be one for sure now!
What YK said. I wear size 7 or 7-1/2 gloves ('surgical' ones) and 'large' ones from the hardware store, and would say my fingers are long and skinny. I need the extra (upper) girth of a Bisley on a single action Ruger to keep the gun from hitting my knuckles with the trigger guard, and all I know is:
When I first picked up a P-14 (which I still have 25 years or so later), I assumed it was a 1911 (looks just like one) that was in 9mm (since it had a double stack magazine, and all the single-stacks I'd seen were 45 acp and all the full-size 9mms were double-stack). The guy at the gun show said "no, it's a 45 ACP", and my jaw dropped. For MY hands, a regular 1911 grip is too flat and too small - feels like I'm holding a deck of cards or something, yet the P-14 grip is perfect.
Quite honestly, even if they were only 7 shot firearms, I'd prefer the larger grip. . . having twice the capacity just makes it all the mo-betta...
My P-14 (older model, aluminum frame, black 'painted' slide, only modification an extended thumb safety) functions VERY reliably with Remington Golden Sabre JHP's, whether using the older 14 round magazines, the newer 15 round ones (thicker buttplate), or the 1-1/2" protruding 20-rounders.
Now I just have to practice so I can hit the broad side of the barn at least half the time...
I also have a P-12 (not made any more, but 'Officer Model' in a double-stack) that I like, but seldom need a more concealable firearm than the fullsize P-14), and it seems reliable but hasn't had as many rounds through it (maybe 800 vs. 4,000). It is of course lighter and more compact.
The third 'double-stack 45' is a Rock Island Armory P-14 clone, and it too seems reliable, but I've probably only put a couple hundred rounds through it; I just bought it as a 'spare' because it was used and I couldn't pass it up at the low price being asked. It is STEEL framed, though, and loaded with 15 rounds it is VERY heavy (kicks less, but the aluminum frame version is pretty tame anyway, and I think the aluminum one weighs in about the same loaded with 15 as the single-stack steel ones do loaded with 7).
They change offerings periodically due to fluctuating demand, but they make a variety of frame sizes and materials. I really like their black-finished-stainless models they now have... < drool > ...but have to wait awhile before any new toys (might get paid next month though, so things could be on the mend
).
I used to have (wish I'd kept it) a stainless P-14 "LDA" which is their 'light double action', and boy did it have a SWEET trigger. I got it to see if I liked carrying hammer-down but chambered, and I admit I liked that better, and that model has the SAME trigger pull (DA) every time, so was easy to get used to. Back then they had spur hammers, so you could cock them, and I think you weren't supposed to, because I notice now they are flat non-manually-cockable ones. I sold it because I needed the money, and found I preferred the simplicity of the 1911 SA design.
Having said that, I also sold a Glock 22 for the same reason - so many sheet-metal parts inside, vs the beefy ones of a 1911.
However, since then I've seen that Glocks kinda keep shooting no matter what, so the design must work, and that they may be less finniky about ammo than 1911's [
]. Maybe the LDA's were similar in reliability and mine sure was pretty and fun to shoot, but they no longer make the LDA in fullsize configuration that I can see, and used ones in nice shape run a grand or more.
So my next 'gun' may just be spoiling my good old P-14 with a fancy finish from 7.62 Precision's shop. It deserves it.
