# Custom Unit Pistols



## Teufel (Jul 13, 2010)

I apologize in advance if this has already been covered but I did a search and came up empty.  Has anyone ordered any custom engraved pistols for their unit?  I know para-ordnance has a program, does anyone know of any other company?


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## Frank S. (Jul 13, 2010)

Clock this:
http://www.shadowspear.com/vb/showthread.php?18113-Let-s-see-that-shooter&p=374042#post374042

Post #274 by Marauder06. I think others have also placed custom orders. But read the follow up posts by Mara, he had issues with the sights (I haven't re-read the whole thing). The pistols were Kimber.


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## Teufel (Jul 13, 2010)

Thanks that is what I was looking for.  I am going to try to get a quote from Springfield too.


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## AWP (Jul 13, 2010)

Run FAR away from Para-Ordnance. Their pistols are junk and customer service is abyssmal.


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## FNULNU (Jul 13, 2010)

Springfield makes good customs. I'd go with them over para.


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## x SF med (Jul 13, 2010)

Glock has done it too.  Expensive though.


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## 8'Duece (Jul 13, 2010)

FNULNU said:


> Springfield makes good customs. I'd go with them over para.




Ding,ding, ding ding !!!

X10


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## Marauder06 (Jul 15, 2010)

My last time in Afghanistan we had some .45's made by Kimber.  I think I posted a picture of the way they turned out somewhere on the site.


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## Frank S. (Jul 15, 2010)

Did you end up doing anything about the sights? They were plastic, weren't they?


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## Centermass (Jul 16, 2010)

Free, 

Just a flip side, never had any problems with my old LDA .40 compact or with customer service or known anyone with a Para to have problems with either.......and ever since they relocated from the Great White North and set up shop here within 10 min driving time of my house, everything is even better. 

Just curious as to what you experienced.


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## AWP (Jul 16, 2010)

Centermass said:


> Free,
> 
> Just a flip side, never had any problems with my old LDA .40 compact or with customer service or known anyone with a Para to have problems with either.......and ever since they relocated from the Great White North and set up shop here within 10 min driving time of my house, everything is even better.
> 
> Just curious as to what you experienced.



Personally? No experience. Friends of mine back home and numerous forums are reporting the same issues: broken extractors or broken slides. Customer service is then either: freaking awesome or absolutely horrible. The pistols are fixed and returned within days or months goes by before it is resolved. A few anecdotes that I've read have had Para's CS tell the owner to go buy a new extractor at Brownell's if they don't want to wait 6-8 weeks to have the factory fix it. 

Looking to buy a new pistol or two I've done a lot of digging. I've seen the odd complaint about S&W M&P's rusting (the factory owned up to a problem and had it fixed promptly) and nothing that I recall about Glock or Springfield. My buddies back home have P16-40's purchased over the years; the one from Canada runs like a champ, the two after the move to the states had broken extractors. A number of IPSC guys are buying Para's and then upgrading a lot of the components with Caspian parts; they aren't reporting any issues.

I see Para as too much of a risk to spend any money with them. If yours is running, that is truly great, but you are one of the few I've seen with a positive experience over the last 2 years.


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## Marauder06 (Jul 16, 2010)

Frank S. said:


> Did you end up doing anything about the sights? They were plastic, weren't they?


 
I think they're actually metal, they just "look" like cheap-POS-plastic sights.  I'm going to buy some better ones once I get settled in up in D.C.


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## 8'Duece (Jul 19, 2010)

Freefalling said:


> A few anecdotes that I've read have had Para's CS tell the owner to go buy a new extractor at Brownell's if they don't want to wait 6-8 weeks to have the factory fix it.



Bong !!!


If your not a 1911 super gunsmith then this might be a problem.  Not like you can just buy an extactor and just _drop_ it into place in the slide. 

Fitting and tuning an extractor is best left to a competent gunsmith.  I've taken them out before, but I've never attempted to try to tune it, which involves actually slightly bending the extractor at the rear.  I've seen it done, but not in my hammer happy hands. 

That's a no-go from Para.


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## Teufel (Jul 19, 2010)

I appreciate all the input guys, I didn't know all the drama behind Para, explains why they are so much cheaper.


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## CBTech (Jul 19, 2010)

My unit is getting Sig Sauer pistols. It is quite a bit cheaper than MSRP and you get the engraving to boot. I don't have a link but a google of Sig Sauer Commemorative Pistol Program should get you there. The guys name is Rado Szvlinsky (or something close). There shouldn't be too many dudes at Sig named Rado so if you call and ask for him you should be GTG that way as well. We were looking at the Tactical 1911's but decided on another semi-auto.


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## Viking_Sauce (Jul 28, 2010)

My unit ended up doing Sigs, they ended up running a pretty decent deal. **Edit** Duh, What CBTech said**


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