SurvivalBloggers:
I normally don’t respond to criticisms of my articles, we are all entitled to our opinions on guns. However, I would like to point out that the letter G.N. sent to SurvivalBlog about my Para USA P-14 articles needs some clarification.
First of all, I can only report on the guns that I have personally tested – period! I’m sure some folks might have had problems with their Para Power Extractor – then again, regular extractors break as well. I have owned several Para 1911s over the years, some with the Power Extractor, and some without – and I had zero problems with neither extractor system.
I’m not one who believes everything I read in gun forums on the ‘net. If you were to believe everything or even half of what you read, you’d believe that no one makes a good gun, especially a good 1911. And, I’m not only talking about 1911s – if you believe what you read on many web sites about guns, every gun made is “junk” according to most people who post blogs or their opinions. If all these guns were junk, how can any gun company stay in business? And, if G.N. believes that Para USA makes junk guns, then why are they growing, year-after-year, and with more and more models? I don’t think Para could build guns with no one buying them.
As for the Mec-Gar magazines that were supplied with my P-14, I’ve found that Mec-Gar makes some of the best magazines in the world. In fact, they supply magazines to nearly 50 gun companies. If Mec-Gar is making such bad magazines, then why do so many gun companies use their magazines? If G.N. can manufacture better magazines than Mec-Gar does, then he should do so, and not criticize someone else’s products!
As to the Serpa holster from Blackhawk! Products. Once again, I believe that G.N. is nit-picking here. It would seem that G.N. has his preferences, just as we all do, and he reports, without providing any facts, that there has been numerous accidents with people drawing their handguns from a Serpa holster and the gun going off. Well, if people simply followed the rules, and kept their finger off the trigger until the sights are on the target, they wouldn’t have any problems. I’m not personally aware of any such incidents involving the Serpa holsters. I’m not saying it can’t happen, but I’m not aware of it, You can have an accident using any type of holster – period!
The Para P-14 I tested had their new Generation II Para Kote on it – perhaps G.N. failed to read this, or research this on his own. Once again, it would appear to me that, G.N .is just nit-picking my review on the P-14, the magazines and the Serpa holster.
Look, I give an honest review on all the products I test for SurvivalBlog, as well as the magazines that I write for. I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and I’ve been involved in shooting for about 45 years. If I didn’t know what I was talking about, then I wouldn’t earn a paycheck from the gun magazines I write for. I would like to suggest that G.N. do his own review of Para USA products, I don’t claim to be any sort of “expert” in anything. If there was something negative to report in a gun, knife, holster, ammo or any other products I test and evaluate for SurvivalBlog, I’d report my findings. I’m not under contract to any company to give their products favorable reviews – I call ’em the way I see ’em. – Pat Cascio
JWR,
I purchased a Para-USA GI Expert .45 ACP two years ago. I broke one of the magazine followers the first night (my fault) and called Para the next day. The friendly voice in parts said he’d send me a new one free! When they arrived, they’d sent two of them so I’d have a spare. They have great customer service!
At the range I had two stove-pipe jams with cheap steel-case ammo, but all else (FMJ and hollowpoints) fed and ejected fine. After the first 200 rounds there were no jams, even the steel-case crap. It now has about 1,000 rounds though it, with zero problems. Talk about accurate? For this being their bottom priced model, it has a match barrel that shoots tighter groups than I can hold.
Yes, the black finish is wearing where it contacts the holster. I bought this pistol to shoot, not stare at. I use a black Sharpie to cover worn areas, and used bright orange paint to cover the rear of the front sight. I recently added Crimson Trace laser grips for after dark. It’s a great pistol for CCW and home defense.
Also, I use Serpa holsters daily with various Glocks, SIGs, and the 1911. I’ve never had any problems – ever. Never been to a range where my Serpa holsters were considered a problem, either.
Stay low, – GeoMonkey
Mr. Rawles,
Another problem with the Blackhawk Serpa holsters in when you use them hard in the dirt. We train Close Quarters Battle (CQB) and hand-to-hand in a pit. The dirt clogs up the release and you cannot get the handgun out of the holster. – N.H. Hillbilly
Jim:
I have been using Serpa holsters for several years with Glocks and a M9 during a mobilization to Iraq. The release for Glocks and M9’s positions the trigger finger alongside the frame above the trigger. To press the trigger the shooter has to curl his/her trigger finger and drop it down to enter the trigger guard. As long as the shooter keeps the finger straight it is virtually impossible (unless one has extremely short fingers) to hit the trigger even if you drop the finger down in line with the trigger. All you will do is touch the front of the trigger guard. The problem occurs when a shooter curls his finger to hit the release and then gets sloppy about not keeping the trigger finger touching the frame until the sights come on target. Bottom line is, KEEP YOUR FINGER STRAIGHT and outside of the triggerguard unless your weapon is aimed at the target. (Safety Rule #2). People shouldn’t blame equipment for sloppy gun handling. – Bill N.