Para LDA

[MONTEGOD7SS]

Anybody got one, shot one, any experience with one? Got a buddy looking to offload his maybe, and a double stack .45 kinda talks to me in a certain way. My P220 ain't going anywhere, this would be a stable mate. Trigger was nice I thought, and even though it was long it was light.

[BigSlick]

Yup, shot one 3-400 rnds a couple years ago.

Nice gun for what it is. Accurate as hell with the right load. Lotta folks like the LDA, but, it never suited me personally. That's mainly because I like cocked and locked SA, and the internals are a little more complex than I can get used to in my mind for a detail strip.

That doesn't mean the gun isn't great, I'm just set in my ways.

I will say the DA pull is pretty nice compared to a lotta others I've tried. Smooth all the way right outta the box. Not worked over Smith revolver nice, but a damn site better than stock Beretta or most others.

An old school P220 has a better (different) DA in my mind, but the LDA is something I imagine anyone can get used to with a little practice. It ain't bad at all, just different.

As far as overall quality, all the Para's I've owned or seen have been as good as anything else out there. Never a problem one from any of em that I am aware of.

The double stack 14-45 thing sounds better than it is, for daily carry anyway. 15 rnds of ACP gets heavy in a hurry. For anything else, ya can't go wrong and it is comforting to have a couple mags worth of love ready to go if ya need it.

I'd consider one for a house gun, definitely a range gun or for a base to use in ninja games.

I don't know what kind of price your bud is talkin, but the last 2-3 I've seen used that looked to be in good or better shape were runnin $700+ and went quick.

I'd say shoot it a bit more and compare it to the P220, and see what ya think side by side.

ETA: I wouldn't trade an old school P220 for an LDA, but I'd do it in a heartbeat with a current (Exheter or later) version, but, that's just me.

[4eyes]

Nice gun for what it is. Accurate as hell with the right load. Lotta folks like the LDA, but, it never suited me personally. That's mainly because I like cocked and locked SA, and the internals are a little more complex than I can get used to in my mind for a detail strip.

Concur. Lots of fat handle Paras in the gun games. Durable. Like holding a 2X4. Easy trigger to learn to shoot fast. Is it worth $2-300 more than a G21? The buy is a no brainer if you like to experiment.

[mbradst]

I had one of their SA guns. More accurate than any auto I have shot. I have shot a few of their LDA's and really liked them. The trigger is probably the best DAO I have ever shot. It is a real interesting action to shoot if you have never tried one. If you can get it cheap go for it. You will have no problem selling it if you end up not liking it.

[Brass Nazi]

I hate the LDA personally. I did consider buying a Para double stack that a local shop had marked down a few years ago. It had the commader sized slide, if it were a government slide I probably would have bought it. The grip on the double stack Paras feel great in my hand. Paras are not a great 1911 imitation but they are a decent pistol nonetheless.

[MONTEGOD7SS]

This is a black, double stack 14.45, and the trigger was NICE to me. My P220 ain't got the greatest trigger in the World, but I am considering sending it to Grayguns for the RRCDP upgrade. On Gunbroker the LDAs seem to either be $500 or $800, so we'll have to see where he's leaning. He is selling it because he just switched to a P220 for duty, and with the G21 in backup now he doesn't really need the LDA. My mindset is leaning more and more to defense weapons that are on me everywhere I go, so a PF-9 might be first on the list.

I do like the idea of gun games with a .45, that's balla. :)

[mbradst]

14 rounds of .45 is pretty balla.

[BigSlick]

Let me be da first to offer a lil tidbit... check mag prices and availability before ya jump. I seem em all over da map from $40 up, an I do mean UP.

If ya can score a few, Para will sell ya replacement springs an such ta keep ya happy for a long time... cheap too.

[MONTEGOD7SS]

He has two high caps and a 10rd'er with it. That'd be all I'd ever need I imagine, seeing as I still have one of my factory 7rd P220 mags in plastic. I really want a 1911 style kinda gun, but this LDA ain't enough 1911 to make me not want a real one later on. We will see what kinda money he's talking bout for it.

[BigSlick]

Check out the barrel cut/ramp, it's a good design for load workups. Runs just about anything you can feed it flawlessly.

Watch the trigger/transfer bar thingy, they're plastic, and if ya ever mangle, bend or warp one, you'll be waiting on parts as nowhere I've found in the US stocks em. That may have changed since last time I was lookin though. Gun Scrubber chews em up pretty good.

The barrel fit on all the Para's I've seen has been perfect, the slide to frame fit is tight enough not to rattle, but loose enough to run well.

Hogue makes a finger groove grip for em dat is da bomb, grip angle is OK and the internals seem to be of good quality, except the plastics. They don't seem to be prone to premature wear or anything like that, but...

[MONTEGOD7SS]

Heck I rarely even shoot, so wear shouldn't be a problem. My P220 in 12yrs might have 500rd through it, but probably not that much. Yes, I know I need to set up my 550 that's been sitting in a box for 2yrs and get to shooting.

[BigSlick]

P220 12 years old wit 500 rnds :yikes2:

Mine is 23+ years old and got no tellin how many rounds thru it, holdin up like a champ too ;)

Para factory in Canada seems pretty easy ta work with the maybe twice I ever contacted them. Real nice folks from what I can remember.

The 14-45 I had was SA, one a my buds shoots the LDA version and he just loves it. Says it's the perfect gun. I've heard similar comments from others here an there about em, I just cain't retrain my old arse to handle a DA 1911 (or close facsimile).

It would be hella nice to run a Commander sized SA with the what 13 rounds they offer in the 4" version frame ?

Lotta 1911 stuff interchanges, but they been around long enough that Para LDA specific stuff is available now, plus, I think Para has some sort of a Custom Shop setup or an authorized repair center type thing here in the US now.

[MONTEGOD7SS]

I don't know anything bout Sigs and stamped vs. milled, but Dan says mine is a stamped one FWIW. Someday I'll have me a P210 hopefully. Price is gonna be the biggie on this LDA, cuz I ain't got a whole lot floating around that isn't reserved for un-fun stuff like bills.

[BigSlick]

Stamped is the ONLY way to go IMO.

I know I have at leat 15k thru it, prolly a bit more. I used ta shoot 2-3 times a week and I almost always too the P220 out. Since I been travelin, I ain't shot it much, but, oh man, when I get home for real I'm gonna wear it out