We test Para Ordnance PXT SSP

[John]

Gentlemen,

You may read our first pistol test, in the "Products Tests" section, in the "Parts Bin".

Our own Jim V. is putting the Para Ordnance PTX SSP through its paces.

I would like to thank Kerby Smith and Thanos Polyzos, for giving us the opportunity to make this test a reality. I would also like to thank Jim for his help and Bruce McArthur, of Flint & Frizzen Gun Shop, whose services were used to get the pistol from PO to Jim, for this test.

Enjoy!

[kotonk]

the sept issume of combat hanguns has a couple columns and a bunch of pictures of the PO PXT.

-kotonk

[power-strings.com]

The new issue of Shooting Times reviews the SSP.

I've but over 1000 rounds through and haven't had any problems. I used some colt mags and other as well we've no hangups. Only problems is sometimes they don't release, but they were cheap mags.

I do want to a stainless recoil plug and barrel busing as well as adjustable sights.

[jetsiphon]

I've got a LTC and love it. I've only had a few FTF while trying to chamber a round using the slide release. No problems other wise and that problem was easy to over come.

What a lovely pistol it is.
http://aftermath-gaming.net/cpg132/albums/userpics/10003/Lukes-Para2a%7E0.jpg

[Chuck S]

If this is going to be a "Sticky" at least edit the title to PXT :p .
http://www.hunt101.com/img/208032.jpg (http://www.hunt101.com/?p=208032&c=500&z=1)
-- Chuck

[seamus]

Just got my LTC a few days ago and have put about 200 rounds through it without any hangups, misfires , or problem of any kind. I really like this pistol! :D

[Mark P]

Got my newly manufactured P18.9, first 50 rounds were OK. Then to the first plate shoot and it failed to extract over and over and over again and yes, it was cleaned and cared for carefully :mad: Its back to the Para with it and then maybe Trade it.

I have Glocks, Sigs and H&K no issues, no failures, this is my first 1911 are all 1911's like this? do they all require smithing from the factory?

[binary]

I bought the Para PXT SSP 5" when it first came out in california. The most reliable 1911 I have ever fired or owned. The power extractor makes a huge difference, the ramped barrel is awesome and feeds anything, and the finish is superb. I love it so much it's what I carry, until I get a warthog or similar compact version.

[skpp108]

So, are they accurate? I'm thinking about one for my son. Thanks-

[arty155mm]

I have owned my SSP now for just a couple months, I am not having the luck with my pistol that I read the rest of you are having. When I use eight round magazines and drop the slide, the hammer falls, firing the gun with no finger on the trigger. A very dangerous problem to have, luckily I was on the range and had the gun pointed in a safe direction. And on the last round of the magazine, the weapon will not fire unless you give the gun a tap under the magazine to reset the sear... It will be going to the para shop soon!!!!!

[John]

I am kind of puzzled here. When you use 8-round mags, and release the slide, the hammer falls? Does that mean that if you use 7-rounders and release the slide the hammer does not fall? Or it still falls but does not fire? And on the last round you need to hit the gun to reset the sear?

[Joni Lynn]

I find accuracy to be a matter of perspective. I know a man that has an accurized 1911, a Clark gun. All he shoots with it is tin cans. But it never misses a beat. Some guns will shoot 3" at 10 yards or 25 yards or even 50 yards. A superb gun will be capable of 1.5" at 50 yards. (that is match ammo in Ransom rest of course) I find that if the gun is more accurate than I am capable of shooting it leaves room for learning on my part.

[Hawkmoon]

I find accuracy to be a function of my physical condition. The last time at the range, I couldn't come close to duplicating the results from when I shot a 25-yard qualifying target to apply for a RI carry permit.

I'm concerned about the Para that fires when you close the slide. Sounds like a magazine problem, though. The Para mags are 7-round, correct? So whose 8-round mag is it, and does it do the same thing with all 8-round magazines, only one brand, or only one particular magazine? What does it do with 7-round mags -- both Para and after-market?

[arty155mm]

John,
I know, sounds strange, but only when I use my 8 round mags will the hammer follow the slide and discharge the gun, and only when I use the 8's will, on the last round in the magazine not fire. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer stays to the rear, there's no movement in the trigger. If I hit the magazine well, I hear a small click, and then I can fire the gun.. I have been shooting 1911's for quite some time now and have never expeirienced anything like this. Honesltly, I can't figure out why or how it is happening..
I have probably ran about 500 rounds through the gun up to this point, and in the begining this wasn't an issue, just failure to feeds on ever last round of the magazine, that seemed to work itself out, now I have this problem.

Mike

[John]

John,
I know, sounds strange, but only when I use my 8 round mags will the hammer follow the slide and discharge the gun, and only when I use the 8's will, on the last round in the magazine not fire. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer stays to the rear, there's no movement in the trigger. If I hit the magazine well, I hear a small click, and then I can fire the gun.. I have been shooting 1911's for quite some time now and have never expeirienced anything like this. Honesltly, I can't figure out why or how it is happening..
I have probably ran about 500 rounds through the gun up to this point, and in the begining this wasn't an issue, just failure to feeds on ever last round of the magazine, that seemed to work itself out, now I have this problem.

Mike
Are you sure that the sear/hammer/sear spring etc, are all assembled in the proper way. Somehow I think that there lies your problem.

Where is Tuner when one needs him?

Rgds

[Hawkmoon]

I think if it were mine either it would be on the way back to Para's repair shop, or I would limit myself to using 7-round magazines.

[robertbank]

Removed by writer

[bill may]

Just got my first Para. Found it used at a local shop for a great price, and the owner had the graciousness to have nite-sites installed (Ashley Big Dot).
Accurate but I was using cheap 230 gr. lead ammo that would not feed in the Para or in a Sig P220 .45. Will stay away from the 3-D ammo, even if it cheap to shoot it is not worth the hassle. 100 rounds and the 3-D ammo failed to feed almost every time with every mag (Wilson's and Metal Form, along with factory magazines). Other ammo worked without a hitch (FMJ and JHP). I am int he process of taking it down for a thorough cleaning. Anyone else had a problem with a Para and cheap ammo? I know - I should have known better! LOL Pistol seems to be well-made and fit and finish seem above average.

[Hawkmoon]

Anyone else had a problem with a Para and cheap ammo? I know - I should have known better! LOL Pistol seems to be well-made and fit and finish seem above average.
Yes. I had some Ammerican Ammunition 230 grain ball ammo that would not feed reliably in either my LDA12 or P13. When I tried the same ammo in a new 1911 clone I just built it wouldn't feed at all. Winchester white box fed perfectly in the same pistol.

I read somewhere that American Ammunition uses out-of-spec brass. I will not be using that brand again.

[maxpress]

wow, glad you guys are having good luck with your pxt's. first and last gun i bought from para was a ssp pxt. would shoot half dollar groups all day. most of the time it would not chamber the first round on a slide release and the last round would jam into the top of the barrel hood so i had to drop the mag to chamber/eject the round. the rim of the case just wouldnt go into the extracter cause it was to tight a fit.
went to trade the pistol in for somthing that didnt have the pxt but they dropped there good extracters from there line so i dropped para.
lots of used ssp and ltc's in the gun store when i go in now and some of the dealers just dont want them on there shelfs at all.

[robertbank]

So what are they selling those junk Paras for? There is a company up here who I can use to import handguns out of the States.

Take Care

Bob

[John]

So Max...you had issues using Remington ammunition, and that prompted you to sell the gun? As I recall, you stated that Remington was not working well for you, but Winchester was going through the gun "Like corn through a goose", and your groups were small, and exactly where you were aiming. In fact, you stated

"ok here's an update.. any complaints i originally had are now moot. winchester feeds like corn through a goose and is a dollar a box cheaper than remington anyway. silvertips in the 185gr. had no malfunction and shot about 1.5inch groups. the pistol will shoot 2inch or smaller with all ammo ive tried. would i like a pistol that will shoot anything.......sure but im not giving up this para. wilson combat 7rounders with bumper pad really brought out the charm by the way."

So.....what am I missing here?

And in reference to your mentions of dealers having issues with SSP's and LTC, I find it a little hard to swallow that they will open up to you about this, but not notify the manufacturer.

[auto45]

The Para's have a series 80 FP safety which, in proper working order, would prevent an AD if the hammer follows the slide. Did you remove the series 80 system? Installed correctly?

Tuner will know on the 8 round mag problem, but I'll guess your particular 8 round mag is hitting the disconnector when it's in the mag well.
However, even recently, I usually guess wrong on troubleshooting. :o

[robertbank]

If the mag is hitting the disconnector when the mag is in the magwell it definitely will cause the slide to fall. I replaced my disconnector on my son's P-14 shortly after I bought the gun back in '03. The disconnector has a little to much metal in the wrong place.

Take Care

Bob

[maxpress]

yeah john i did have one good range day with the para and came right home and wrote about it. but that was the last good day that pistol ever gave me even after having it looked over.
not saying paras are bad guns, i just got a bummer.
as far as ammo ive put everything on the shelf at the gun store through it. some fed bad some fed horrible.
its to bad cause i really like the feel of the ltc. light weight.
again im not trashing para. they probably do have alot of good guns. im just not going to try again with them

[John]

Did you try contacting Para to have your problems fixed? And if yes what was the result? If no, don't you think that you should use that lifetime warranty that Para gives with every gun?

[maxpress]

dealing with there help desk was a deciding factor to just get rid of the pistol.
i think i would give them another chance if i could find a new para with a regular extracter.
all the problems i had with that pistol were cause from the extracter claw being to narrow for the rim of the shell. but of course i got it when they just hit the market to. might have fix em by now.

[John]

You ain't answering my question: Did you call Para and told them that you had problems? What did they say? Your pistol is covered by a lifetime warranty, what did they say? If it was such a simple thing, why didn't you return the pistol to Para to have it fixed?

And the extractor claw of the PXT extractor is almost twice the width of the regular one. How can it be too narrow? Maybe you mean "too shallow"?

[robertbank]

I agree with John you haven't answered his question. Seems to me if you had an extractor with to narrow of a cut the repair is quite easy, you simply replace the extractor. To answer your obsevaton the new extractors are a significant improvement over the original design and do work. Yours is the first I have heard that had to narrow of a cut for the rim of the case. Coil spring extractors work. FN has been using them in the Hi-Power since the sixties. As for the claw, well it is huge, ,more likely a marketing decision over what was really required but none the less an improvement. I say that only because few, if any make the old extractor out of spring steel and the old design does have a propensity to break if you drop the slide on a chambered round.

Take care

Bob

[maxpress]

yes the extractor was to narrow. which seemed to be the only problem with the gun. the rim of the case would not seat sometimes which caused a stove pipe.
it would have been an easy fix but after going round and round with there repair dept. i just traded it off. lifetime warranty dosnt mean anything if my dealer cant get them to look at the pistol.
i know it is supposed to be an improvment and like i said i probably just got the 1 in a thousand that was a bummer.
think kimber did a fine job just by going to the glock extracter if you want to upgrade a 1911
its no big deal now cause i got a good trade on a smith mountain gun so im happy.
just got the bummer of the pile.
yes i did call para and they just said to find different ammo. i had already shot about 5 brands through the thing.
anyway like i said im sure there a good company i just had a bad run with them.
hope this helps

[robertbank]

Man lets not get going on about the Kimber External extractor. Kimber has all but dropped the external extractors from their line after having all kinds of problems with it. S&W is about the only company I heard of that got the external extractor right the first time. Your experiences with Para's service department does not mirror most of the reports but I guess somebody may have been having a bad day.

Take Care

Bob

[John]

think kimber did a fine job just by going to the glock extracter if you want to upgrade a 1911

Yeap, that's why they are replacing the slides on all malfunctioning pistols, with new ones with internal extractors. And why their new pistols have internal extractors again. Gimme a break will you! :)

[maxpress]

didnt know that john, well thats a shame but thanks for the info.

yeah bob like i said im sure there a fine company or they would be out of buissness or selling guns at auto ord prices. just got a bad one.

[robertbank]

Ummm. FIrst you have a great day at the range with your Para and write about it, then you have all kinds of problems with it because the extractor claw was to narrow to grasp the rims of the .45acp cases. Presumably it shrank after the first day since you said it worked fine the first day.

Then you post, "think kimber did a fine job just by going to the glock extracter if you want to upgrade a 1911" That, when the Kimber external extractors problems are bordering on lengendary. The fact the KImber extractor never was a Glock extractor suggests to me that we have a number of posts indicating very little knowledge of firearms. Aside from replacing the entire slide on a 1911 I know of no way of installing an external extractor on an existing internal extractor based slide. Not saying it can't be done, just have no idea how it could be done. That observation combined with your last comment about Para Pistols selling for the same amount as Auto Ordnance (I think you will find AO was bought out sometime ago by Kahr (sp)) indicates that you may just be trolling here.

I have been known to be wrong and if I am I apologise. Frankly, though not much of what you have posted makes much sense to me and your comments about Para service flies in the face of most experiences on this forum.

Take Care

Bob

[maxpress]

only shot 2 kimbers and they ran better than any other 1911 i shot so no i dont have a BIG knowledge of kimber. i said the extractor was a glock extracter simply cause they look/operate the same.

never said i thoght you could replace an internal with an extrernal extracter. on one slide. they would have to re tool at the plant.

i said about price that if paras were less than a good company. then there pistol would sell for what a/o sells for and no i havnt shot an a/o since kahr bought the place. but i used to see em around for $300

i only wanted to state that i got a bad pistol once. and they were reluctant to look at it.

my knowledge of guns run towards crew serve. besides glock and alot of revolvers. im not a big 1911 guy. although i enjoyed the ones i shot

if my quest for knowledge bugs you guys then ill go away. sorry.

my good range day (which i never said was the first one) was with one lot of winchester that miked a little thinner than my other stuff on the rim. hardly think my extrater shrunk.

chris out

[John]

OK cut it off, both of you.