[ELI_the_ICE_man]

A few questions for those who have them... I have not been able to get my hands on one yet to answer my own questions, so...
1. Do they put thin grip panels on to make the grip closer to the original single stack width? Or is the grip just massive?
2. Does the increased thickness seem to interfere with standard 1911 holsters? Esp. the custom-ish ones like Milt-sparks or Alessi?

The idea of carrying 14 rounds of 45auto makes me forget about buying a CZ... after all, I am a 1911 fan... just wanted more capacity. This looks good, but is it?

-ELI

 

[ZZToplc]

The grips are thinner than regular 1911 grips. As for interfering with the holsters you mentioned I don't own any of those. The holsters I have the grip area is outside of the holster, the single stack and the Parascan be used in the same holster. Hope this helps.

 

[Chuck S]

The grip is the size of a loaf of white bread! Even with painted on grips. (These are very thin wood.) And in all steel the pistol is very heavy. I found my alloy frame P14-45 never got carried because of weight and bulk. Nor did my Glock 21. Lugging an all steel model around all day would drag my pants too far down.

As noted these all fit in standard holsters as the only thick part is the magazine well area.

-- Chuck

 

[AGE]

The P-14 is an awful big gun. I normally carry a S&W 3914 in 9 mm--never know it's there (I'm 5'10", 250#). BUT, if I ever heard shooting in the neighborhood and went to check on it, the P-14 would be on my belt, and maybe a Colt Commander in a shoulder holster also. Might also take the AR-15 (I'm gonna need some strength training).

 

[JCM298]

I have the Carry 12 which is the size of an Officers Model. I bought a set of wood grips from www.hogueauction.com that made the gun thicker. I like a thick grip. The grips for the double stacks are different from standard 1911's. Mine has a lip at the rear of the grip that fills in the area between the mag funnel and the rear of the frame. Standard 1911 grips don't have the lip.

I have a number of holsters for my two Para's. They all fit standard 1911's because the differenece in size is in the grip area, not in the rest of the frame. I can use the same holsters for my Officers Model as I do for the Carry 12 and my C6.45. Of course, there is a difference in barrel and slide lengths,

John

 

[My_Name]

I love my P14 and P12!! They are my two favorite guns period. As has been mentioned, the grips are pretty thin and there are limited choices on aftermarket ones. Overall width is very, very close to a single stack 1911. I actually measured it for another thread and this is what I found:

The width is 1 5/16" from outside of the grip to outside of the grip. Using a piece of paper wrapped around the grip at its widest point (the swell of the depressed grip safety) measures out to 5 5/8" for circumference.

The grip is the size of a loaf of white bread! Even with painted on grips. (These are very thin wood.) And in all steel the pistol is very heavy. I found my alloy frame P14-45 never got carried because of weight and bulk. Nor did my Glock 21. Lugging an all steel model around all day would drag my pants too far down.

As noted these all fit in standard holsters as the only thick part is the magazine well area.

-- Chuck

Of course everything depends on what feels good in the shooters hand, but I couldn't help but notice the Para you have pictured is one of the first generation models.

Since that version they (around 1993) radiused the corners and made it feel much smaller and smoother. Here is a pic of mine from the next generation.

EDIT: forgot to add... holsters for 1911s fit Para's of the same barrel length w/o any problem. And I carried my P14 for years when it was the only gun I owned. It is steel framed and can be quite heavy, but with the right holster it can be done quite comfortably.

 

[SMMAssociates]

Just to add....

I've got an all-steel Colt Combat Commander and a Para Tac-Four, which is the LDA version of the P1345, and essentially a double-stack Commander. The P13 grip frame is short ("Officer's" length), but the chubby base pad on the magazine makes up the difference.

Loaded 10+1 (don't ask ) the Tac-Four and the Commander (7+1) are about exactly the same weight, and can share all the leather I have for either one.

The shorter grip frame seems to make up the difference in weight. Loaded 13+1, it's a tad heavier.

What I've found is that the Tac-Four's grip frame resembles a 2x4 while the Commander's is more like an axe handle - more "oval". The overall width is the same, more or less, and the front-to-back dimensions are about the same, but the Para's very much rectangular....

That results in a printing problem in some cases - the straight lines are more visible - but if you're careful, it's not a problem.

All of the double-stack Para .45's share this characteristic - it takes a HUGE magazine, and a large grip frame....

The stock Para grips (and the aftermarket ones I'm using from Pearce) are quite thin to keep things sane, but look OK, and work adequately. While YMMV because of the size of the grip frame (gives a whole new meaning to "fill your hand"), it's not hard to deal with.

My very petite daughter (not quite 20) finds the Para too big v.s. the Commander or a similar-sized S&W M39-2 (that she really likes). My regular range buddy has slightly below average sized hands and has no problems with the Para, but finds it a little more than he really wants. My hands seem to be big enough that it's a non-problem. My late father was a dentist. Now, he had BIG hands.... (I think he'd have complained about the Para being too small.... :biglaugh: )

Regards,

 

[sbc350gearhead]

I have a p-12 and a p-14. My p-12 is my standard carry piece, and it usually resides in an alessi belt slide holster which fits great. The grip is larger than a standard 1911, and if you have small hands, it may be uncomfortable. I have hogue rubber wraparound grips on mine, which makes it a little thicker than stock, and it fits my hand perfect...........but I have rather large hands.

 

[Tac Four]

The double stack isn't much wider, but the shape is significantly different. Look at them from the perspective of the magwell. A single stack with standard grips has an oval shape cross-section. The double stack pistols have a more rectangular cross-section.

 

[SMMAssociates]

Here's a bottom view of a Colt Combat Commander and a Para Tac-Four (double-stacker). Both have aftermarket grips - the Colt's got Pachmayr "Signature" grips, and the Para's are from Pearce. The Para's also got an arched MSH which isn't stock.

For reference, the slide widths are essentially the same, and the overall thickness of the MSH is exactly the same.

Regards,