Posted: 9/15/2004 5:46:00 PM EDT
|
Anyone hear whether Para will be firing up the machinery to make more high cap mags? I want to pick up some P13 and P12 mags as well as some P14 mags for my brother and dad for gifts. I hope the prices come down. I just bought "high" cap Sig mags for $19 that were untouchable during the ban for under $50. Here's hoping. TIA jim |
|
Well, Para responded to my email by telling me to check out their paraproshop.com site... All high caps are $49.00 each. I want them... but for half that! Anyone hear of any options? Distributors that might have them for less? |
|
Even before the ban Para hi-caps were expensive. If I recall correctly they were in the lower $40s. I would not expect them to come down to much. Also look at what they sell there 10 rounders for and that will give you an idea of what they will charge for hi-caps. It probably costs the same to produce either style. The one and only 10 round I bout was around $35-40 many years ago. Paraord16 |
| See, this is what really pisses me off about Para. Selling mags at $49 just because they can. There's no reason why those cost $49, except pure greed and profit generation. There mags are nowhere near the quality of Wilson mags, and Para's usually need a spring-change to become semi-reliable. This is the one HUGE reason which keeps me from purchasing a P14 style .45 from them. |
| CDNN has them for $39.99 now. cdnninvestments.com/paraordnance.html |
|
Hey! Watch Cheaper Than Dirt for any "specials" on mags. I bought mine (14.45) a while back for $39.00 each. I see they are up to $49.00 each now at CTD. Seems they went up after the AWB expired. I figured the dealers would do this to take advantage of the "feeding frenzy" after the ban expired. I bought my PO LDA 14.45 last November. They had the coupon for the Hi-Cap mag for only $60.00 each...I don't think so! Wait a while. After the buying dies down the prices should come down too. |
and seemed to come up with a bunch of 'em for that .40 limited which wasn't in production but for about 15 minutes before the ban 
|
|
Para mags have always been expensive, thats just the way it is, if you want to enjoy the 14 rnds in a mag then ya need to pony up to the bar...as far as reliability goes I have 7 mags that I have used for over 13 years and have never had a single problem with any of them (nor have I even heard of anyone having problems). Midway sold aftermarket 10 rounders for the para for around $25, I would assume that they will start producing full cap's shortly.
|
I've never had a problem with factory mags either, but I've got three Mecgar's that suck. I have two factory high caps that have reliably handled probably a thousand rounds each. I haven't even used any but those two thus far (I have another 14 new factory mags). I guess I'll have to test the rest of them now that they're available" again. Luckily I got them at a good price even during the ban. |
|
dalove, I agree, I haven't had any problems with mine either. In fact, the extractors were the only thing that gave us fits (poor heat treat)... Those got replaced with Wilson immediately thereafter. We've discovered the factory mags work well when taken apart, slightly deburr the follower, and spray the inside with teflon. Buttery smooth. |
|
I'm waiting for some cheaper (or aftermarket) 18-9 (9mm) mags. The 40, I might get at some point, if I pick up a LDA 40, but I'm really interested in the 9mm mags. I emailed them about production of them (well, the old 38 Super mags really) and they said they will start. I'm just waiting..... |
I'll let you know, Just ordered 4 off the site for $26.15 each in Blue for my new SX16-40. The nickel plated ones are BO'd right now so I ordered what was in stock. Shipping is $6 for up to 20 mags. Was told that the design was the same as the factory units, so Para aftermarket mag parts should work with them. Also, the 45 coupon for two free mags extends to the new pistols in 9 and 40 as well per lisa @ Para customer service (ends 10-30-04). So adding the two new ones that they are sending me, should be able to do some side by side testing (also will see how well the factory nickel plated mags hold up during free drops) . For that price, as long as the bodies are decent, even with longer springs, new followers, and exstended base plates, I'm at the same price as the factory Mags. P.S. Have a fire sale going on two new 40 ten rounders if anyone is interested. Don't shoot limited 10, so they will be collecting dust in the safe. |
|
OOOF, I'm way out of my league with that question. I'd heard about them on the 1911 forum I'd go to (1911forum.com IIRC) and they had (at the time) followers they'd developed to improve the performance of the mags. Now that I go to the actual Grams website (www.gramsengineering.com/) they only have "Mag tuning" listed. I don't know what to think there. I was going to pick up followers and basepads but if all they have is tuning and basepads that increase capacity... I don't think I'll go for it. Unless I put Para followers in a Mec-Gar mag with a Grams basepad and spring... Now that could get pricey! |
|
Just got the Mec-gar mags. On the positive note, the mags are built solid and just as thick as the factory mags with the finish shinny thick black and clean. The springs are also stronger than the factory units (just under Wolff extra power before cutting). Now the negative side, the bottoms on the mags is the thin sheet metal type. Since the mags bottom out on the bottom lip against the mag well in the pistol, the retention bends/lips are .050 higher than the Para mags (Gus's photo above, second from the right). Just dropping on Para bottoms will not happen without modifying the bottoms top edge to allow the mag to lock home. Had Mecgar built the mags for plastic bottoms instead of the thin metal type, This mag would be great. Now, my idea of buying the mags was to use the bodies, and any other thing that was savable off them. Turns all I need to do was just take the new extended bases, knock .050 off the tops and viola, 18 round mags for less than the price of a new factory mag. Should be able to get the mags to 19, but want to make sure they run before trimming one wind off the spring to get the extra room needed for ome more round (want to let the springs take a set before I start clipping anything). Had a chance to hand cycle them, but I should be able to get out in the next couple of days to see how they do under live fire (just snow here, and don't want to try to play "Hide and seach" with brass in the snow). Note: With Arredondo base pads, the mags are 139.2 long. P.S. If anyone what to host a few photo's, I can take a few shots and E-mail them off to be hosted. |
The mag second from the right in my pic is an OLD (very old) factory Para mag. In fact, both mags with purple followers are old factory mags. Perhaps Para used Mecgar as a vendor early in production? Even the old mags say "made in Canada" on the forward side. My Mecgars were unmarked (I sold them long ago so I don't have one to compare the base tabs). |
|
Just got back from shooting this weekend, the mags ran great. One word of advice, get a KNS mag loader to load the exstended mags. The last round in the mag is a bitch without the device. The bottom round has to climb past the bottom plastic retaining sleave on the exstended bottoms, and without the loader, it a real bitch driving the 17 round down to get the last one in by hand. |
|
A question for you guys... I have had my Para P-13?, for several years. It was from one of their kits. I haven't shot it much in the last five years or so, because the last time I did shoot it, the mags wouldn't feed reliably. I have 2 round aluminum extentions on most of them. Can someone recommend a specific spring to correct this. I bought some extra long springs sometime back, but I still couldn't make the feed correctly. after ruining more than one. Or if you know of an extention kit thats more +2. Thanks in advance! Johnny C! |
|
Johnny, In regards to the Para pistol, feeding problems are less mag related, but due to the feed ramp and the slide face being not correctly polished or tuned. If you have already added extra tension springs then I would rule out the mags (especially if they are the factory units). You need to either send the pistol back to Para as a warranty item to be corrected, or to find a local 1911 smith to tune the action. |
|
Too funny that you bring this up now, I was down in Charlotte about 6 months ago and could have spent the day doing an action job on your pistol. It's nothing more than just tuning the barrel ramp/feed point, and cleaning up all the milling burs. The factory action jobs leave a lot to be desired. Just finished going threw my new SX1640 and what a mess it was. Out of the box, the thing had tons of sharp edges and left over milling burs. The feed ramp was kind of ramped, just was not completely channeled to the entry point of the chamber. Also, the New Extractor is a mixed blessing, but works great once you get it and the ejector tuned correctly (pistol now make a single pile behind me @ 4' back and 3' over my right shoulder). Bottom line is the Wide body Para's are a good guns, but If you want something great, then you need to step up to the STI edge for limited class for an out of the box ready pistol. Don't get me wrong, my SX16-40 run's great now, just took me tearing the thing apart and polishing/de-burring/tuning it to make it happen. Note: Replace the main spring, trigger, sear, disconnector, hammer, barrel bushing, and added a S/A feed well from the start. These old items are at best suspect due to being plastic or chrome plated. The mag catch on the pistol is SS (not plastic), so it cleaned up nicely. Just need to find a Wilson extended button or STI extended button to add to the factory catch to achieve mag releases without having to change hand position on the pistol (need something that exstends straight back and not just a larger round button that I will tag when shooting weak hand). As of now, I'm a little over the $1000 mark, and with the Edge running at the $1800 mark, the added weight on the end of frame/barrel/ and tungsten rod of the Edge is not enough to justify the difference in price for a shiny limited gun. |
|
Hello I found a guy selling para mags at a gun show for $35, or 3 for $100. so I picked up 3. havetight and just jams the first round into the bottom of the feed ramp. I figure that I just need to work these some more to get the springs softened up but you guys might know if it is something else. On the two 14s that came with the pistol something binds up when I have them fully loaded and I have to tap them some to get the rounds to come out. I have tried smoothing up the edges but the welds in these mags look like a 3rd grader stuck a line of boogers down the inside. I cleaned on them some but I don't want to take too much off and have the mag come appart. I'm thinking about just ordering some new springs. How much cleaning on these things can I do before they pop? |
|
Unless the follower is getting chewed up, I really wouldn't go buck wild on knocking all the welding off. As for first round jams with the factory mags, could be that the mags need to be tuned, or that the pistol needs to be cleaned up (action job). Best bet would be to find a smith to look it over, or just send it and the Para mags back to Para to be repaired/replaced. |