bobtail a hi-cap? LDA thoughts?

[dbotos]

Any reason you couldn't bob-tail a hi-cap Para? I wasn't sure if they used the same mainspring housings as a single stack or if there was anything else preventing the bobtail mod. I held one a while back at a shop and remember it being comfy and wondering if bobtailing one was possible to make it a little more carry-able.

On a related note, anyone shot any of their LDA pistols? Whadja think?

[AdamN]

With enough effort and resources anything is possible. I dont know enough about the Para's to know how easy or difficult the change would be.

On the Bobtail guns do they use a shorter mainspring???

[freakshow10mm]

Yes, they use an officer size MS.

I wanted to bobtail my Para 10mm. I spoke with Bob Hunter of Hunter Customs about. He said it probably wouldn't work because of the profile of the mag well. He said he would do it and see how it turns out if I wanted it, but didn't guarentee any work. Something else caught my eye and I sold it before I could get it done.

The Para uses a GM MSH so it will certainly fit the slots.

[dbotos]

Cool. I have a single stack now that I've got a bobtail MSH for (yet to be installed), so I guess if I picked up a double-stack, I could slide that in and see how it fits/looks.

Freak, do you know what Bob meant about the profile of the mag well on the double-stacks?

Oh well, just thoughts for the future. I need to finish polishing up the frame and slide on this SS single stack (dirt and grime just stuck to the blasted finish and made it look bad), do the bobtail mod to it, and put in a Para/Clark ramped barrel (along with the required frame milling).

[copdills]

Cool Idea, let us know how it goes

[dbotos]

I'm probably going to be selling my motorcycle, so if I don't spend all the money a bunch of other stuff, one of these may come home with me:

http://www.impactguns.com/store/media/para/para_lda_strl.jpg

[Anvil]

I had an LDA and I got rid of mine... 40 double stack. Great shooting gun, just not what I'd call a real fun shooter.

[dbotos]

I had an LDA and I got rid of mine... 40 double stack. Great shooting gun, just not what I'd call a real fun shooter.

What didn't you like about it? Trigger or other stuff?

[BigSlick]

Tagged for reference.

I would really like to see a wide body bobtailed.

I like the idea of that bigtime.

Just not at a point where I'm able/ready to do one of mine.

I've got a couple of single stacks bobtailed, and the difference when carrying in like night and day. Absolutely the best comfort mod you can make for a carry 1911 IMO.

[djw]

Slick;
Who did you have do the bobtail? Have been thinking of doing it to a commander I like to carry but don't want to have to ship it across the country or out of Tx. for that matter.
DJW

[BigSlick]

I had Cylinder and Slide do one an had the other done by a semi-local guy named Gene Williams in Trenton, Texas.

Both come out real nice. C&S took three months an charged me $225, Gene took four days an charged me $113 an I supplied da MSH, so about da same price when ya figure sales tax in vs shipping.

I got a DW 10mm CBOB dat (finally) run like a top too. I wouldn't buy another because in my opinion, DW is so screwed up it ain't funny. Extractor fit/adjustment was crap, FP stop fit was crap, slide stop fitted by a baboon on crack, barrel was egged out, one dot in da night site was dim an a host a other crap. I replaced da barrel an got da other stuff fitted right, now it run like a dream. Sweet shootin as hell now. Cost me way more than it shoulda in da long run, but I luv it now, so dat pain a ease up a lil bit as some time pass.

Some people claim all they need is a breakin, well I thank dat is crap. I put 3500 rnds thru mine an erry mag was a friggin disaster, still wouldn't run a full mag wit any ammo, any mag, any load etc..

Now, it a eat anythang I put thru it from mild ta wild an da brass come out perfect too.

[Anvil]

What didn't you like about it? Trigger or other stuff?

Well I bought the gun when I heard Memphis Police were going to change guns. I got the LDA since in my mind it was the best POLICE gun out there since it was a proven 1911 design plus it was DAO and had a safety.

The problem came in that I have big hands but the inside of my hands are big too so I can't handle a double stack much bigger than a Browning Hi Power. It was awkward trying to get my hand wrapped around that gun well.

It was a great gun and the biggest problem for me was the grip.

I'd been better off with a single stack 45 LDA.

[Anvil]

I'm kinda hankering for a .45 single stack commander LDA now.. TAC-S. Couldn't you just slide in an Ed Brown Kobra Carry mainspring housing from brownells and have your smith grind down the frame to match the mainspring? VZ grips makes bobtail grips that look sexy as hell.
http://www.vzgrips.com/Images/bob01BIG.jpg
http://www.brownells.com/Images/Products/087816132.jpg

[freakshow10mm]

Freak, do you know what Bob meant about the profile of the mag well on the double-stacks?

Sorry I didn't get a chance to respond earlier. Was out of state.

The mag well on the Paras aren't squared up like the single stacks. I wish I kept my pics of my Para that I had. Had a nice mag well shot.

Going from memory, the rear of the mag well is stepped a bit. Next time you run into a Para, look at the mag well.

I do know of a single Para double stack that was bobtailed. It was from the 1911forum but the guy posted a few times and hasn't been back. Never got details on it.

[dbotos]

I will have to peep one next time I'm at a shop or show.

[io_joe]

I just sold off my Para LDA last month. I bought it back in 2004 and never really got used to it. The grip is relatively big, but not larger than a G20/21. I just didn't like the feel of it. I think that the trigger was my biggest issue. It was really good for a DA pull, but the trigger reset is REALLY LONG. I guess that I got used to the short reset of Glock triggers. I replaced the Para with a 4.25" Smith Scandium and shot the Smith better out of the box that I ever shot the Para.

BTW, I have 5 or 6 Para 14 round mags sitting in the basement right now.

[kimberguy2004]

There's just something about a DA trigger on a 1911 that seems un-american. I bet JMB is flippin' in his grave..

[Flexmoney]

There's just something about a DA trigger on a 1911 that seems un-american. I bet JMB is flippin' in his grave..

Almost...Canadian!
:patriot: