I LIKE It Up The Butt!

[The Rabbi]

The method of feeding the pistol I mean.

As happens, slowly the idea of a super-compact .45 carry gun took over my mind, looking to be something that darn well might save my life. OK, so it wont necessarily save my life any better than my current carry, but it sounded good.

So I looked around. It came down to the Glock 36 and the Para-Ordnance PDA. Big difference in price. I've shot the Glock and it was pretty good. One or two quibbles but nothing terrible.

But something told me to go with the Para and I did. Got in today. So I took it out to shoot.

Now, for a carry gun I look for certain things. First is reliability. The gun better work well out of the box. No excuse in my book for one that won't.

The Para got mixed magazines of S&B ("Skiller and Beller" according to one well-known HCP trainer in town) and Remington Golden Sabre. Function was flawless. That is the mark of a quality pistol: if it won't feed certain kinds of ammo then it isn't high quality, it's merely over-priced.

Second is "shootability." That's hard to define. I can tell you the Glock 23 (compact .40) doesn't have it. It was a hard gun to shoot for me, with follow up shots very difficult. The Glock 36 was OK but had a lot of muzzle flip, as did the Smith 457 (another gun I considered). I expected the Para to have as much muzzle flip as the others, figuring it came with the territory of a 3" barrel. I was pleasantly wrong. Recoil and flip were mild for a 30 oz short-barreled gun. Follow ups were easy to do.

The trigger was interesting. This is an LDA (light double action). I owned a big double stack Para many years ago. Either they've gotten better or I have. All those years with a revolver maybe. Trigger feels like a 2-stage with a take up and break. Very easy to shoot once I got used to it.

I also shot the gun one handed point shooting style. I had it down at my side and rapidly brought it up and fired without sighting, from about 8-10 feet away. Hits on the IDPA target were very satisfactory: the gun points well. I also shot rapidly, trying to induce malfunction. No such luck--ran like a champ.

In all I am VERY pleased with this gun. I wont sell my revolvers, or stop carrying them, but the Para is a worthy addition to my carry gun stable.

(And psst: I have another one available. MSRP on the gun is over $1100)

[strickj]

:D:puke:

You really know how to pick tittles dontya

[Guest canynracer]

[KahrMan]

The end must be near if Rabbi is going to carry an auto...

[Guest dotsun]

Those finger grooves on the grip are freaky, like they're tailor made for aliens with 10 fingers or something.

[The Rabbi]

Those finger grooves on the grip are freaky, like they're tailor made for aliens with 10 fingers or something.

I thought so too when I saw it.

It's funny: fondling a gun in the shop and even dry firing it really doesnt give you a real sense of how it will shoot.

The finger grooves were fine. I didnt really notice them while shooting.

[Guest jackdog]

Rabbi , you owe me a keyboard.

[Guest CleanSeries80]

i've heard good things about the LDA's, but i'm too much of a purist to stray i guess. great buy though!

[Mark@Sea]

Okay, who in Hades are you, and what've you done with the Rabbi?

[PaiMei]

I had a Para....someone talked me into the Kimber instead....boy do I regret getting rid of that Para. They were all the rage in California, and yet, not many people out here seem to have them at all. I may have to go buy one again..I'll come see you if I do.

[Guest Halfpint]

Congrats on joining the rest of us who carry a magazine-fed means of defense!

. . . and am I the only one who thought of Rodney Carrington when I saw the thread title?

[Mike.357]

someplace very hot must have just froze over.

So where does the cylinder go on that piece?

Oy

[The Rabbi]

someplace very hot must have just froze over.

So where does the cylinder go on that piece?

Oy

No, Mike. There is no cylinder. I've stepped across the plate (temporarily) to the rest of you "guys" where you like to shove it up your pistol's butt.

[Guest Old goat]

A friend of mine bought one a month or so ago, had to have me try it out, very sweet. The LDA was kind of scary at first, very light. Would love to have one, just a bit more $$$$ than I can go right now.

[xd shooter]

I was affaid to click on this post, but I figured a post from you is usually pretty good. Congrats on stepping out to new technology LOL. That is a nice peice. Maybe one day I could have something like that.

[dcloudy777]

Not only is it an auto, but it's most of a 1911.... whooda thunk it?

DanO

[Guest Grout]

Good choice,BTW a Para P14 Limited is the only auto pistol I have ever owned that worked 100% of the time every time.And I have owned all the major brands over the years.

[VERO1]

I have the same gun in stainless. CCO model I think? My experiences have been the same with anything I feed it. I added a set of Hogue wrap around rubber grips because I really didn't care for the factory slabs. Colt officer model grips fit perfectly. Not sure I am going to leave them on because they make it a bit harder to conceal easily.

[The Rabbi]

I have the same gun in stainless. CCO model I think? My experiences have been the same with anything I feed it. I added a set of Hogue wrap around rubber grips because I really didn't care for the factory slabs. Colt officer model grips fit perfectly. Not sure I am going to leave them on because they make it a bit harder to conceal easily.

Aha! That was a question I had. I dont care for the grips and want something dressier. So I wondered if standard 1911 grips would fit. Thanks.

[Mike.357]

I've stepped across the plate (temporarily) to the rest of you "guys"

And I have been carrying a .357 revolver to be more like you.

Now I am just confused.

[The Rabbi]

And I have been carrying a .357 revolver to be more like you.

Now I am just confused.

Mike. its called balance. I've been carrying a revolver for 3years or so and now it's time to sample life's pleasures from the other side. You've been carrying a semi so now you need to come home to Jesus.

[musicman]

Rabbi, my faith has been severely shaken!!

Just kiddin.... I been thinking about something like that for awhile. I know it's a goofy lookin' thing, but I've always had a soft spot for the Para Warthog. 10rds of 45 in something that small is just crazy!

Currently, I have no guns that take it up the butt, butt that may change! I'd like to get into IDPA or some such competitive sport, and I hear it's all the rage to take it up the butt in those sports. Guess I'll just have to change my preferences!

[Magiccarpetrides]

I decree that titles such as these are no longer allowed.

[VERO1]

Rabbi, Standard 1911 slabs won't fit. You have to use the grips for the compact models, I think mine were for the officer model. If I can find the package I'll tell you the hogue part number.

[Rightwinger]

Rabbi,

I hope you got a good one....or I hope I only had a bad one:mad:

I got the Para Light Hawg about a year and a half ago and loved the look, the feel and the compact size. The only thing I couldn't love about it was it wouldn't shoot reliably! ! I mean higher than 30% FTE and FTFs with that thing. I lubed, shot everything from Wolf to Hornady TAP through it and it still didn't like anything. 4 different mags which I had added the Pearce Grip extenders to (recommended). Ended up trading it for the Kimber Compact Stainless II.

Also recommend the Hogue grips. The little things are sporty and you want all the grip you can get.

Here she was, in all her 40+/- days of glory with me.

Original configuration

add ons Pearce Grip extenders, Hogue grips, Insight X2 light/laser (piece of crap) along with the Streamlight Streetfighter hand held (very nice light) and a Gerber.