Sneak peek at Para Ordnance GI Expert

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Originally Posted by DudeBro

Also can I choose to put the power extractor and ramped barrel in it after I but it....

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You'd have the same issues with doing this as you'd have with a Kimber or any other normally configured 1911. The frame would need to be machined to accommodate a ramped barrel, and it would be tricky to open up the extractor tunnel to accommodate the Power Extractor.

And I'm afraid that since you're in California, as I recall, you have another road block. This model isn't on the California approved list (http://certguns.doj.ca.gov). I don't think that Para Ordnance will be able to add it, because guns must have a loaded chamber indicator and magazine disconnect to be added to the list after 1 January 2007. (There's a technical exception that I doubt would apply here.)

To keep up with California gun laws, you might want to check out http://www.calguns.net .

Our test gun has arrived at the FFL and we'll begin testing next week. This is the pistol I've been wishing Para would make, so I will move the test along as quickly as I can manage it between two jobs.

FWIW - I believe Para puts a small slit in the top of the barrel hood to serve as a loaded chamber indicator. But ... no magazine safety, so probably no sales to California.

DudeBro:

You can swap the sights - they're dovetailed, which makes it pretty easy, and if Para stayed with their own standards, it'd be an inexpensive upgrade. Forget about the ramped barrel and PXT, though. Just not worth the effort. Para sells a 7.45 in the $600 range that's got all the good stuff (everything but an arched MSH, which is one of my "musts"). The price difference is small enough to justify going that route unless you're really up against it. Looks like: http://i12.tinypic.com/5z1dwjp.jpg
I installed the arched MSH and frontstrap finger grooves. The rest is "stock". This gun's really blue, too! My camera decided to muck with the "white balance" and grey it out a little.

Hawk:

I'm not sure about this gun, but all of my Paras are equipped with the chamber slit. I expect they're doing it here, too, although there's no reason (other than the lawyers) to do so. AFAIK, putting a mag safety into the 1911 may not be easy. I think you could do it to an LDA (the rules are already bent beyond recognition :)), but an SA is another animal.

Regards,

It looks like the PX745E (http://www.para-usa.com/new/product_pistol.php?id=68) is on the California list. MSRP is $899, which is $300 more than the MSRP for the GI Expert. But the PX745E already has a ramped barrel and Power Extractor. It would cost more than $300 to add a ramped barrel and Power Extractor to a GI Expert. And street price for a PX745 may well be less than $899.

DVC

Frank:

The one I posted above (PX745E or EM - can't remember which) was $575 in May of '06. It was on sale at the time, and it was also my 60th birthday.... Couldn't resist. Seems to me that was about $100 off what the dealer normally wanted for that model. Minuses are "plain" furniture (trigger, safety, slide stop) - all just black or blue, and the finish is "paint", which seems to be cheaper to make than any kind of non-paint finish. Para also sold essentially the same gun with stainless or "silver" furniture at a slightly higher price.

I wouldn't count on finding one at that price today. I'm giving serious thought to a Slim Hawg, but finding one at a reasonable price might be more trouble than it's worth for a while. Still thinking....

IAC, the "GI" gun has a great base price, but if you want the other goodies, and can't do 'em yourself, you're going to drop over $100 to pay somebody to buy a beavertail and arched MSH and install it for you. I'm not sure if Para will put night sights on this model for $100 (I'm not sure if that offer still goes for other models anymore either), but if you do that yourself, it'll cost $80+ for just the sights. A beavertail is about $50 before installation.... Give or take, depending on the source, model, etc. Probably just me, but I consider the 745 I posted earlier about as simple as I'd go (or stay). No night sights on that one, but I rarely carry it. My two carry guns are set up about the same way, but with night sights and lasers. One's an LDA and doesn't have a beavertail, although I wouldn't mind it. Maybe someday....

Regards,

Can I remove the Fiber Optic front sight off one of their guns and replace it with a white dot?

Sorry guys, for asking all these tedious noobie questions, I appreciate the info.

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Originally Posted by SMMAssociates

DudeBro:

You can swap the sights - they're dovetailed, which makes it pretty easy, and if Para stayed with their own standards, it'd be an inexpensive upgrade. Forget about the ramped barrel and PXT, though. Just not worth the effort. Para sells a 7.45 in the $600 range that's got all the good stuff (everything but an arched MSH, which is one of my "musts"). The price difference is small enough to justify going that route unless you're really up against it. Looks like: http://i12.tinypic.com/5z1dwjp.jpg
I installed the arched MSH and frontstrap finger grooves. The rest is "stock". This gun's really blue, too! My camera decided to muck with the "white balance" and grey it out a little.

Hawk:

I'm not sure about this gun, but all of my Paras are equipped with the chamber slit. I expect they're doing it here, too, although there's no reason (other than the lawyers) to do so. AFAIK, putting a mag safety into the 1911 may not be easy. I think you could do it to an LDA (the rules are already bent beyond recognition :)), but an SA is another animal.

Regards,

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Is this a single action, and legal in California?

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Originally Posted by Frank

It looks like the PX745E (http://www.para-usa.com/new/product_pistol.php?id=68) is on the California list. MSRP is $899, which is $300 more than the MSRP for the GI Expert. But the PX745E already has a ramped barrel and Power Extractor. It would cost more than $300 to add a ramped barrel and Power Extractor to a GI Expert. And street price for a PX745 may well be less than $899.

DVC

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Does this have the power extractor and single action, it doesn't say on there? And is it legal in California(what do you mean its on the list)?

The GI Expert, as mentioned in the first post in this thread, does not have a Power Extractor, nor a ramped barrel. And it is a single-action pistol. As simple as it gets.

The PX745 is sin'ge action and does have the ramped barrel and Power Extractor. It also looks like it's legal in California (it's on the list of handguns certified for sale in California).

DVC