From the Back of the Safe

I'm almost running out of neat stuff to show my readers!

What could be better than a highly accurate handgun that fits my hand like John Moses Browning's Model 1911, but packs 16 rounds of major-power-factor ammunition? How about something I can actually find magazines for? How about magazines you need not tune constantly to keep the bullet nose from clanking into the feed ramp and stopping? This, my friends, is the Para-Ordnance P16-40, a gun I love that is a tad ambivalent about returning the affection. Story of my life. This was the second time I threw gobs of money at the Canadian Firearms Industry (I have a P14-45 too) and I was expecting the same well-made Canuck Engineering that made my other Para so enjoyable. What I got was a really nice gun, a ten-round "PC" magazine, and a coupon allowing me to buy two high-capacity (now "full capacity" after the ban sunset) mags through the mail for $50 each. Even after I discovered and addressed the tuning problem, I realized that even though one can compete in a match with only two 16-rounders and one 10-rounder mag, it doesn't mean it's a good idea. Double-stack magazines fail when they collect enough dirt (not much) on the insides, and mags get dropped a lot during IPSC matches! US ground troops want to go back to a single-stack .45--wonder why?

My trouble was that Para mags were as rare as sushi during the ban and commensurately expensive. Now that the ban is gone, I better cruise the gun shows this month (I think Tucson has two this month, right down the road at the Fairgrounds!) and stock up on enough to shoot at least two stages without having to brush out and load mags. Competing with the Para next year on 1st Sundays ought to complement my 4th Sunday single-stack shooting with a similar-feeling 1911. Running the revolver this year was fun, but the competition never showed up. I might bring the Glock out once or twice, just for variety, but 2006 is going to be the year of the shiny 1911!

More Gunly Goodness at this week's Carnival of Cordite!