Gun gurus...

[freeform911]

What would a value be on a Para 1911 ducks unlimited be?
Gun has been fired about 5 times...
It's in excellent condition, no scratches or wear of any sort..

I don't really know anything about guns...just purchased my first(S&W M&P shield m2.0)about a week ago and I'm addicted...

Fired a PSA 1911 last night n fell in love..

Thanks for any advice...
Steve

[Rot 911]

Well I’m looking to get a ballpark idea of the value of a gun I tend to go over to gunbroker.com and see what a similar gun is going for.

[craigster59]

I'm thinking it would be worth what any Para 1911 is worth. The only Ducks Unlimited guns I've seen are usually shotguns.

[berettafan]

it's probably not relevant but DU tends to be a negative impact in shotgun values.

[Jeff Higgins]

I see Para-Ordnance 1911's selling on the auction sites in the $700-$1,000 range. Prices seem to be based more upon the features included in any given model than any sort of "collector" status. In other words, their many "special editions" do not seem to command a premium. What does drive the price up is the quality of the sights, addition of a "beavertail" grip safety, extended thumb safety and slide release, and that sort of thing.

You would find, if you dared to dive into these waters, that 1911 platform pistols are endlessly customizable. Many, many manufacturers produce variants of this pistol, from the basic "mil spec" (as issued to our troops in two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, etc.) to some pretty wild customs, and everything in between.

The whole thing has kind of rattled down into a few specific upgrades that most expect (or like) to see on our "civilian" pistols. The mil-spec guns are the starting point, but are very basic and crude in comparison to the ones most manufacturers sell today. They have tiny little sights that can be very difficult to see, small controls like the thumb safety and slide release, and a hammer and grip safety setup that tends to "bite" the web of most folk's hands when the hammer is cocked by the cycling slide.

As a result, civilian guns almost always have better sights. Some are fixed, some are adjustable, some have glow in the dark inserts, and on and on. Same for the controls on the left side - many guns have enlarged, easier to use thumb safeties and slide releases. To eliminate the hammer "bite", many have "beavertail" grip safeties that effectively keep the web of your hand from rolling over the top of the safety where the hammer can bite it.

In the end, it is the presence of these upgraded features in some combination that drives the price of mass produced guns like the Para. It's just like ordering options on your car - every one you add to the list adds to the cost. In this world, with mid priced guns like the Para, it's not much, with the difference between their base mode "mil spec" and their fully optioned, top of the line model being maybe a couple hundred bucks. And that, in the end, is what drives their value, at this price point, anyway.

Oh, and welcome aboard. This is a truly fun and rewarding hobby. You will find there is as much to learn here as there is with any similar hobby, so don't be afraid to ask questions. Shooters love to share...

[KFC911]

You are looking at .45acp over 9mm.....yes?

[freeform911]

@jeff...
So it looks like it's not a true para ordnance made 1911...the company was bought by Remington and continued to produce the gun..I talked with guys from my local range and they all agree it worth about $500...as you said the DU brings nothing to the value...if it were build by para ordnance of Canada and not Para usa the gun would be worth more..

@kc...
Really want to stick to a 9mm...but with consider a 45 if priced right...
I did shot a PSA 1911 45 and loved how it felt, but don't want to pay the premium for rounds...(I'm cheap)

[Jeff Higgins]

Ugh... bought by Remington - the death knell of too many fine gun manufacturers. Actually, to be fair, Remington suffered the same fate. I know, I know, how can Remington have been "bought by Remington"? It's a little more complicated than that. Remington was just the first to fall, having been purchased by a company called "The Leisure Group" (or something like that), who went on to purchase a number of firearms manufacturers, most notably Marlin. They have gutted each and every one of them, and somehow, Remington gets the blame. It really isn't their fault...

Well, rats - the Canadian Paras were pretty nifty guns. They were the first to "double stack" the .45 ACP in a 1911 frame. The first ones felt like you were holding the wrong end of a baseball bat, but they kept getting better. Even their standard single stack guns were highly respected.

As far as I know, there really isn't much of a price difference between the 9mm and .45 ACP ammo, if we are looking at cheap plinking fodder. I reload, and haven't bought factory ammo in decades, so maybe I'm out of touch on that. Seems that the "bulk" stuff is close to a wash, though, from what I have gathered just walking around at the gun shows.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by freeform911

Really want to stick to a 9mm...but with consider a 45 if priced right...
I did shot a PSA 1911 45 and loved how it felt, but don't want to pay the premium for rounds...(I'm cheap)

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

As far as I know, there really isn't much of a price difference between the 9mm and .45 ACP ammo, if we are looking at cheap plinking fodder. I reload, and haven't bought factory ammo in decades, so maybe I'm out of touch on that. Seems that the "bulk" stuff is close to a wash, though, from what I have gathered just walking around at the gun shows.

That's been my experience. The last time that I bought 9mm and 45 at Walmart, they were about the same price for the cheap stuff. It's the other calibers where you really start to see big differences in price.

[freeform911]

Well...I have great news😁
Called Remington to run the serial # turns out the Para was made in 2013 and NOT made by Remington..
It was still being produced by Para ordnance...I gave a $500 offer and the seller accepted...the Para is a very nice 1911...Although not necessarily my style(a little to country)

While at palmetto state armory (local gun store/range) I ended up purchasing a SIG p210... wow what beautiful gun..everything is put together so well..

My wife just purchased a Canik tp9 elite combat... great looking gun and as soon as she held it she knew that she wanted it...

We are only a few weeks into range shooting, but let me tell ya....
I think we're addicted....

As far as price between 9mm n 45...
45s are about $100 more for bulk 1000...I guess at the end of the day it's a drop in the bucket...

Thanks everyone for the great advice and input...
Really looking forward to becoming part of our local shooting community..

As a side...
Both my wife and I were Marines...
We never really liked shooting at the range while in, (I was only a sharpshooter..while she was an expert, so I have a reason for not enjoying it...haha) so it seems strange how additive this has become in such a sort time

[freeform911]

[regency]

My remembrance of any thing "Ducks Unlimited", reminds me that my uncle, "fixed" the drawing results so that his friends & cronies would win the drawings. Year after year, all his friends won the drawings for the guns. All of us regular folks just got used.

[berettafan]

Higgy:https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/05/01/magazine/remington-guns-jobs-huntsville.html

[Jim Bremner]

Well one could swap the grips to reduce the "country" look.

[911boost]

I have a double stack Para .45 that is a commemorative gun for an Air Force friend after one of his tours in the sand box.

The sights were waaaay off from the factory.

[Jim Bremner]

It looks like a single stack 1911. If so buy tons of mags. In California if you get a CCW in orange county it's 72 rounds to qualify on one gun 20 rounds if you add any others per gun.

I have more 45 acp in storage than 9mm. 9 magazines to run 72 rounds I have 20 or so magazines for 1911s mag dump on target, reaching for the next mag as the slide is locking back. It makes quick work.

My Glock would have been two 19 rounders one 15 and two 10s

My CZ would have been four 20's stopping quickly into the fourth

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by berettafan

Higgy:https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/05/01/magazine/remington-guns-jobs-huntsville.html

Rats - requires a subscription. Can you give us a brief summary? I really don't want to subscribe to the NYT...

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I see Para-Ordnance 1911's selling on the auction sites in the $700-$1,000 range. Prices seem to be based more upon the features included in any given model than any sort of "collector" status. In other words, their many "special editions" do not seem to command a premium. What does drive the price up is the quality of the sights, addition of a "beavertail" grip safety, extended thumb safety and slide release, and that sort of thing.

You would find, if you dared to dive into these waters, that 1911 platform pistols are endlessly customizable. Many, many manufacturers produce variants of this pistol, from the basic "mil spec" (as issued to our troops in two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, etc.) to some pretty wild customs, and everything in between.

The whole thing has kind of rattled down into a few specific upgrades that most expect (or like) to see on our "civilian" pistols. The mil-spec guns are the starting point, but are very basic and crude in comparison to the ones most manufacturers sell today. They have tiny little sights that can be very difficult to see, small controls like the thumb safety and slide release, and a hammer and grip safety setup that tends to "bite" the web of most folk's hands when the hammer is cocked by the cycling slide.

As a result, civilian guns almost always have better sights. Some are fixed, some are adjustable, some have glow in the dark inserts, and on and on. Same for the controls on the left side - many guns have enlarged, easier to use thumb safeties and slide releases. To eliminate the hammer "bite", many have "beavertail" grip safeties that effectively keep the web of your hand from rolling over the top of the safety where the hammer can bite it.

In the end, it is the presence of these upgraded features in some combination that drives the price of mass produced guns like the Para. It's just like ordering options on your car - every one you add to the list adds to the cost. In this world, with mid priced guns like the Para, it's not much, with the difference between their base mode "mil spec" and their fully optioned, top of the line model being maybe a couple hundred bucks. And that, in the end, is what drives their value, at this price point, anyway.

Oh, and welcome aboard. This is a truly fun and rewarding hobby. You will find there is as much to learn here as there is with any similar hobby, so don't be afraid to ask questions. Shooters love to share...

Yeah, I have the triple tacticool rail system with a 26x reverse parabolic on top and a holographic on the right 45* and..oops, wrong forum!

Seriously though, they are like a Chevy small block as far as support, price and options.

[berettafan]

Private equity firm Cerberus bought Remington and several other gun co's. They cheaped out on everything in the name of consolidating processes across brands, borrowed a few hundred mil, pulled it out (essentially getting their money back) then essentially passed the debt to Remington to pay.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by berettafan

Private equity firm Cerberus bought Remington and several other gun co's. They cheaped out on everything in the name of consolidating processes across brands, borrowed a few hundred mil, pulled it out (essentially getting their money back) then essentially passed the debt to Remington to pay.

Thank you. The name I remembered was "The Leisure Group", but I also remember "Cerberus" coming up. One and the same? Pretty shady regardless of name. It appears that Remington and Marlin may be finally digging themselves out, but boy do they have a long ways to go.

Ever hear of Kenny Jarrett, the father of the "beanfield rifle"? Multi-time benchrest champion and gunsmith extraordinaire, he espoused super-accurate, long range hunting rifles for use out of tree stands across the vast bean fields of the South. Made quite a name for himself building these rifles on M700 actions. Finally gave up about a decade ago when Remington could no longer supply straight enough actions. Literally too crooked and out of concentric too be tuned up by Kenny. He now produces his own actions, a far more costly endeavor. He will bend your ear for hours about all that went wrong at Remington...