The Last Custom Para

[Hunter Customs]

In January of 2013 a client commissioned me to build him a custom Para-Ordnance from a frame he furnished.
The pistol is a P-14 with many custom features and top shelf parts.
The finish on the pistol is satin finish hardchrome.
This Para has the distinction of being the last custom Para to leave Hunter Customs shop.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

[Jim Watson]

Looks good.
You're not working on POs any more?
How come?

[madmo44mag]

Very nice!
I love my Para's.
Many folks don't care for them but mine have run flawlessly and extremely accurate guns

[Hunter Customs]

Jim Watson and madmo44mag, thanks for the kind words about the gun, the gentleman that owns it seemed very pleased when he picked it up.

To answer your questions Jim, the main reason I'm no longer building any custom Para guns is that the vendors that used to make custom parts specific to Para double stack pistols no longer produce those parts.

As for working on Para's I treat them as any complete pistol, if it can be hand delivered to the shop in person by the owner, I'll certainly consider working on them, however I will not take anymore complete frame up builds

I'm getting much closer to full retirement.

madmo44mag, I shot Para guns for years in competition and built some nice custom guns from them using them as a base to build from, I have no issues with them.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

[g.willikers]

When they made about the only high capacity versions of the 1911, it seemed like everyone who wanted one had a Para.
But now, with all the other choices, especially SVI and STI, Para has lost the advantage.
Time marches on.
Do you think the Para high caps will ever have collector value?

[KyJim]

Good looking pistol. The specific way you used the golf ball stippling is really nice.

[madmo44mag]

The LDA is an awesome pistol.
Most people never shoot one enough to get a feel for the trigger pull.
Once you get use to the pull you have a DA that can't be beat.
I own other 45 acp pistols and find myself shooting my LDA more than the rest.
Not a gun I would ever consider carrying or any double stack for that matter but as a range gun or comp gun I love it.

[WVsig]

Have always loved the work you have posted here. Once again nice job.

[Hunter Customs]

g.willikers, when I was shooting competition with double stack guns I could have built myself anything I wanted to build, however I never cared for the flex I felt in the double stack polymer lowers.
To my understanding STI is now offering an all steel double stack lower, go figure.
At the time I built my competition guns I had two choices in double stack steel lowers Para or Caspian, Para worked for me.

As for collector value of Para double stack guns, I don't really have an answer to that question.
I can say the gentleman that purchased my own personal custom switch top Para told me he had no intention of shooting it, he just wanted to own one of my custom Para guns especially one that belonged to me.


KyJim, thanks for the kind words.
As for the speed grip scallops on the front of the frame that's something I came up with years ago (97 or 98) when I had to give up hand checkering, they actually look like rows of hexagons.
It gives every bit as good of gripping texture as sharp 20LPI checkering, I know this from shooting with both.


madmo44mag, I too like the LDA trigger, they are really sweet when you dial them in at a 1.5 lb pull weight.
I still have a 9mm LDA with a 1.5 lb trigger pull weight that I competed with setting in my gun safe.
It's the best choice in my opinion for production division of USPSA matches, great for steel matches too.


WVsig, thank you for the kind words about my work.
I still have a few single stack builds to complete, one will be a special build as it will be for my oldest grandsons 21st birthday.
When they are done I'm thinking about doing a Spartan package on that new Springfield Mil-Spec I have in the shop.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

[1stmar]

Sorry to hear that as well. So few quality gunsmiths that like to work on paras. You really seemed to have spealized in it. I too never liked the feel of the polymer high caps, too blocky for my hands. Felt like you were holding a 2x4. The p14 fits my hands better then a standard 1911. I really like the grip, I have short fingers, with a short trigger nothing feels better. Is sti shipping that steel lower? If para parts fit it that may bring some parts manufacturers back in the game. The new paras are very good quality IMO. I don't believe the make the gunsmith frame any longer.

[Hunter Customs]

1stmar, we all have to quit some time and full retirement for me is near.

I agree the Para guns do fit smaller hands better then some.
My oldest grandson starting shooting pistol competition with me at the age of 8 years old and was shooting double stack (Para) open division race guns at the age of 9 years old, he did not have large hands yet he had no problem gripping my custom Para's and shooting them well.

As for STI shipping the steel frames I don't have an answer for that as I quit building open division raceguns many years back so I've not had a need to order one.
I'm pretty sure the STI steel lower will not take Para parts, I know their polymer lower would not.

As for Para still offering the gunsmith fit frame I believe you are correct they do not.
I know the gentleman that owns the custom built Para in the picture told me he had the frame used to build his gun for many years before he decided to do something with it.
He told me he did a search for pistolsmiths to build his Para and my name kept popping up.

As luck would have it I was with in a couple of hours drive from him and he could hand deliver the frame to the shop other wise I would not even have considered the build.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com