Review: Para Ordnance Expert GI45 1911

[rubberneck]

We really know how to eat our own on this site don't we?!?

If making empty statements about a products value without any empirical data to support that statement is "eating our own" than I expect more posters to dig in. It's not like the expectation bar is set that high to begin with. If I read a thread extolling the virtues of a firearm than I think I have the reasonable expectation that the person reviewing the product, has at the very least, tried it. If not I might as well stop reading here and spend my time doing something else. I don't know about you but I don't particularly enjoy mental masturbation.

[markm]

Slide is Forged and the frame is cast every other part other than the barrel is MIM, Para's QC sucks so MIM and poor QC = Fail.

But it's "GI"

$453 dealer cost for a cast framed 1911? I'm going to vote NO!

[rob_s]

I agree with bigun, cast alone doesn't bother me but cast AND Para would give me great pause.

[VooDoo6Actual]

BTDT WOTTS, not interested in ANY gun that is CAST for serious duty use.

Forged only for me.

[MarshallDodge]

If making empty statements about a products value without any empirical data to support that statement is "eating our own" than I expect more posters to dig in. It's not like the expectation bar is set that high to begin with. If I read a thread extolling the virtues of a firearm than I think I have the reasonable expectation that the person reviewing the product, has at the very least, tried it. If not I might as well stop reading here and spend my time doing something else. I don't know about you but I don't particularly enjoy mental masturbation.

Post 1. OnPointFirearms(Evan) posted that this was the best 1911 for the money.

Post 6: Todd G questioned his review, and rightfully so.

Post 19: OnPointFirearms(Evan) posted that he agreed that if his reviews were not up to spec then he would not post them anymore.

Post 20 and beyond had some good points but some were just piling on in my opinion and that is what my post was directed at. One of those posts has been edited since I made my last post and I actually liked what markm had to say:

...I'd guess that many of us would like to hear how it gobbles up 200-500 rounds.

(p.s. ... don't be butt hurt. it's not sexy. Man up, blast the pistol, and report back.)

From the looks of the gun it's another Phillipine made 1911 with a cast frame and mediocre parts , fit, and finish. Probably a good shooter but not something I would necessarily stake my life on.

[Littlelebowski]

I'm sorry. The day I received the first unit into stock, I quickly snapped these photos, examined the weapon, and posted up my review of the fit and finish. I guess I would call that a review, albeit a brief one. I mistakenly assumed that this small amount of info would be well received. Better to have some info out than none at all, right? A full range trip would take time.

Rest assured, all the big gun magazines will be reviewing this model in detail in the future, so check your local news stand. Sorry the pics and small write up weren't up to the standards of this forum.

God bless,
Evan

Dude, just shoot the heck out of it, post some groups and your impressions. I see where you're coming from here but surely you see (don't have to agree wtih) our point however crudely made. You'd probably sell a few here if you have a detailed review of a good product at a decent price.

[R Moran]

In my experience 1911s will eventually choke on anything. For a new 1911 to go through 500 rounds of ball ammo without a hickup it pretty significant.

One only has to take a 1911 operator course or gunsmith course from Vickers, or hell just ask him, and you'll see that with a 1911, reliable at 500 or 1000 rounds does not equal reliable at 5000 rounds.
If parts are not properly fitted, the gun may run, but, even with proper maintenance and spring changes, the improperly fitted parts will begin to beat each other up, and voila, "its never done that before".

Cast like MIM does not automatically equal bad, Caspian's are considered some of the best frames on the market, and they are cast.
I have a 1911 build on an Essex frame, it was done by the original armorer for LAV's unit, you would think he just grabbed any part out of a trash can to build it, but it runs and is accurate. I asked him about cast frames, he didn't seem to care, as long as it was a good quality part and in spec, and even then some of the out of spec stuff, could be corrected.

Bob

[R Moran]

We need to get over the romance of shooting a WWII era pistol, and get onto the business of shooting smelly bad guys in the face with a modern pistol design!

Oh, the pain I've experienced with a statement akin to that, and I like 1911's.

Bob

[Littlelebowski]

My brother just had to have his P14 refinished. Said the finish was falling off.