Para-Ordnance P14-45 Two Tone - Western Arms
WA's Para Ordnances are smart, powerful guns with a traditional 1911 style, mated to a double stacker magazine capacity.
I had always liked the look of the green and black two-tone model (no longer in production, as with the other standard P14s) and was especially keen to try one after trying the two tone Wilson Combat CQB.
When one came up on the forums some months ago with missing grip screws I bought it and it took some while to replace the grip screws and then to source a new thumb safety, after I broke the original one whilst adjusting the trigger pull.
It is now restored to full working health and I am able to review it.
In the Box
The Para Ordnance box looks pretty much like most other WA boxes. It's plain tan cardboard with a Para-Ordnance logo on the lid. A sticker on one end of the box indicates whether a black, two-tone (olive drab frame, black slide) or silver P14-45 lies inside.
As this was a used gun, some of the things you would expect were missing from the box. The the allen key for adjusting the Hop-Up, a bushing wrench, tube, rod and hopper loading tool and a manual would be included with a new gun, but none are vital.
First Impressions
The two-tone gun is not everyone's taste, but I think it looks good. The frame is a somewhat pea-green, unlike the Wilson's more military looking olive green, whilst the slide is black.
The Para Ordnance P14-45 is (and I make no apologies for saying it again) a very stylish gun. The smooth, yet bulked out, 1911 shape is more attractive than the Infinity design, to my eye, but more muscular and purposeful than the single stack 1911s, such as the standard 1911A1.
The black grips, sights, hammer, barrel and bushing are low key and the thumb safety (right handed only), grip safety and slide lock are in the green of the frame.
Picking the gun up, you cannot help but be impressed by the weight, especially as this lacks the metal frame of the hi-cap Infinities, such as the 6" Ltd.
Closer Look
The traditional WA PO qualities are all present. Near 1 kilo weight, solid feel, high power and good kick (courtesy of the Magna R system shared with WA's other double stacker 1911, the SV Infinities) and accurate replication.
The frame is sprayed the rather odd, pea-green, whilst the black slide is unpainted in black, Heavyweight material (a mix of ABS and metal dust).
Most of the controls are painted green to match the frame and slide, with the metal slide lock and safeties (grip and right hand only thumb safety) being so finished, although mine has been replaced with a black one. The trigger, a plain flat quarter moon shape, and magazine release button are black and the hammer is polished silver with a plain loop on the top.
This gun has had the curved mainspring cover replaced with a flat one from a Compact carry, just because I could, the standard one looking like the grip on the Silver P14-45 I tested some while ago.
I've yet to see a 1911 style gun with the level of markings some Berettas carry and the Para Ordnance P14-45 is no better or worse in that respect than most. On the right hand side of the slide, there is "P14-45" and on the left there is "PARA ORDNANCE". The right side of the frame (looking forward) bears the marking "PARA ORDNANCE INC."/"FT LAUDERDALE, FL. CANADA" towards the front of the dustcover, with a WA and ASGK mark over the trigger, just like the other Para Ordnances I have reviewed. The left of the frame bears the usual WA/Para Ordnance license text, which is not overly intrusive.
The grip of the Para Ordnance is pretty much all that distinguishes it from a standard 1911. It is swollen to permit the fitting of a double stack magazine (giving 14 round .45 capacity on the real thing, hence the nomenclature, and 24 round capacity in 6mm airsoft form). The standard style 1911 grip panels are black plastic on this gun, which contrasts nicely with the green frame, and they bear the usual Para Ordnance logo on each grip. On the front of the grip are 9 vertical ridges which aid grip, a little. These ridges are repeated on the face of the trigger, albeit in a smaller number.
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The sights are very basic, with an almost flat, completely fixed, blade at the rear with a notch in it, which is aligned with the single blade foresight. In use, the simple sights are pretty good, with white dots making acquisition easy, but there is no scope for fine tuning for target use. The provided 24 round magazine is black and, like all WA magazines, rather plain. The base plate bears the Para Ordnance logo. The bigger 30 round (and very long 52 round) magazines from WA's Infinity range will also fit the Para Ordnances. |
Shooting Impressions
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Carrying out my standard 5m/6 round, off hand test, I was able to produce a best 5 grouping just 3CM (1.25 Inches) across, with the 6th round comfortably on target. All the shots were a little high of the aim point, suggesting someone had set the hop-up fairly aggressively even for .25g BBs.
With the same system as the WA SVIs, you would expect good power from the Para-Ordnance and it did not disappoint.
Over 10 shots, the two-tone P14-45 averaged 274 fps (using Cybergun Winter gas) indoors (at 10C, but with a warmed magazine).
| Shot | FPS |
| 1 | 290.3 |
| 2 | 280.8 |
| 3 | 278.4 |
| 4 | 277.6 |
| 5 | 274.1 |
| 6 | 269.3 |
| 7 | 268.7 |
| 8 | 268.2 |
| 9 | 267.4 |
| 10 | 266.2 |
Experience suggests this would equate to about 300fps at 20C.
Trigger pull was 920g (32 Oz), which is a medium weight pull for a GBB. However, a bit of modification of the 3 blade spring behind
the grip safety enabled me to reduce the pull to an amazing 280g (10 Oz), albeit at the expense of a little play in the hammer at rest.
Somewhere between the two would still be a light pull and probably easier to use.
Take Down
With the magazine out, the slide should be moved back until the slide lock can be pushed out of the frame. The slide and barrel can then be slid off of the front of the frame.
The barrel bushing should be rotated 45 degrees anti-clockwise, it can then be removed. The recoil bushing will pop out, with the spring.
The outer barrel and chamber can then be drawn out through the front of the slide.
Conclusions
Overall, the two tone P14-45 is a good, solid, powerful performer.
Whether you like or loathe the green finish is a personal and subjective matter, but it would certainly make a low key skirmish sidearm.
As these guns are no longer available, you'll have to scour the classifieds (or maybe some of the Hong Kong retailers for old stock) to find one, but the latest SCW Para Ordnance HRTs are even better if you're after a gun with most of the features, but are not specific about exactly which model you require.
Weight : 980g
Realism : ****
Quality : *****
Power : *****
Accuracy : ****
Real Steel link at World Guns
Para Ordnance's website
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