I have a Para Ordnance 9mm Commander 80 Series with the following issue.

I have tried 5 different type of ammo so ammo is not the issue because they shoot okay in my Springfield and my S&W Pro Series 1911’s without any problem and I’m also using the same magazines.

Every time I load a magazine with 6 or 7 rounds and I press the hammer, the round might go bang or might not, if I pull the hammer back and press the trigger once more; the round might go bang or might not. I have read somewhere in the 1911 forum that this might be an issue with the Firing Pin Plunger on the slide not being pressed by the Firing Pin Plunger Lever on the frame.

If I remove the Firing Pin Plunger to test this theory, do I also need to remove the Firing Pin Plunger Lever?

***** I also did the pencil test, sometimes the pencil goes flying and sometimes it doesn't move at all *****

This message has been edited. Last edited by: aguilar64,

Have you pulled out a round after it didn’t go off? Does it show a light hit from the firing pin?

If it were mine, I’d start by taking the slide components out, replace the firing pin, firing pin spring, check for burrs anywhere, doing the same for the firing pin block.

Have you looked at the primers on rounds that don't fire? Do they have an indent, or not? If they have an indent then I don't see how your firing pin safety is at fault. Have you or a previous owner changed the mainspring?

Yes, the indent are very light, it looked like a light scratch, when I compared them to the fired cases, they were "normal" indents.

I'm the original owner, same mainspring, I have put no more than 50 rounds.

quote:

Originally posted by beltfed21:
Have you pulled out a round after it didn’t go off? Does it show a light hit from the firing pin?

If it were mine, I’d start by taking the slide components out, replace the firing pin, firing pin spring, check for burrs anywhere, doing the same for the firing pin block.

I stripped the slide, cleaned everything, I also stripped the frame, cleaned and oiled it.

Manually check the firing pin protrusion through the breech face. That should give you an indication of how deep the primer indent should be. Also try dry firing a pencil in the air to see if you are getting a good strike.

As I stated, change the firing pin spring and have a new fitting pin on hand.

The ones in the pistol were probably farmed out to someone else to produce, so who knows what the tolerance’s were from them.

My SIG GSR 1911 did the same thing.
When I got it back from the factory, they had replaced the series 80 lever with the proper size.
After that, it pushed the FP block completely out of the way and hasn't been a problem since.

ETA: Don't buy a bunch of parts and fiddle with it if it's new. As a buyer, that's not your job. You did your part paying for it.
Send it back to Para.

Start with the basics.

Rack the slide on the empty 1911. Put a new pencil in the barrel point to the ceiling and pull the trigger. How high does it go? Try it a number of times.

With the barrel out of slide put a loaded round in the chamber see what head space looks like.

Do you have tools to measure firing pin protrusion? If so how much?

I say this with all seriousness and respect, when your done spending all that time diagnosing, fixing, fiddling etc.., Get yourself a Beretta 92, a Glock G17 (Gen 5), or a Sig P226 load it up and shoot all the trouble free 9mm you want. Great guns when they are working, but I got out of the 1911 game a long time ago because of exactly what your experiencing.

I LOVE 1911s but over the years I have sold off all of mine for lighter, more capacity, platforms. You STILL cannot beat a good 1911 trigger though!

Para is not a quality pistol, sorry. I work on a lot of different pistols, but I won't work on a Para. Send it back. After it's been back three times for repair (and still doesn't work), they may buy it back from you for what you paid (if you bought it new).

1911's are my favorite pistol, my daily carry and I've never had issues that some others in this thread are alluding to. That being said, all pistol designs have had occasional issues (including Glock, SIG, S&W, etc.).

quote:

Originally posted by longjohn:
I say this with all seriousness and respect, when your done spending all that time diagnosing, fixing, fiddling etc.., Get yourself a Beretta 92, a Glock G17 (Gen 5), or a Sig P226 load it up and shoot all the trouble free 9mm you want. Great guns when they are working, but I got out of the 1911 game a long time ago because of exactly what your experiencing.

Nothing wrong with a 9mm 1911. I have many rounds through my SA Loaded 9mm 1911. Only had issues in the beginning and after I switched to Wilson Combat mags no issues since. One of my favorite pistols.

And I have to agree with Mr Orndorff Para's are not a quality pistol. My 1911 Para 9mm is the only pistol I ever regret purchasing(Before I knew better.).

quote:

ETA: Don't buy a bunch of parts and fiddle with it if it's new. As a buyer, that's not your job. You did your part paying for it.
Send it back to Para.

Very good advice...

...... Boycott NFL.. American against the NFL...and so's this...

Rod

You might try replacing the mainspring. Make sure you get the correct strength for 9mm. I had this same issue develops after about 8000 rounds through a 9mm STI and replacing the spring got me back up and running 100%.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris Orndorff:
Para is not a quality pistol, sorry. I work on a lot of different pistols, but I won't work on a Para. Send it back. After it's been back three times for repair (and still doesn't work), they may buy it back from you for what you paid (if you bought it new).

1911's are my favorite pistol, my daily carry and I've never had issues that some others in this thread are alluding to. That being said, all pistol designs have had occasional issues (including Glock, SIG, S&W, etc.).

This right here, unfortunately. Para Ord are just not something I'd recommend to anyone, certainly no one I considered a friend.