On Saturday Oleg and I went to the Franklin Gun Shop (TN). It was my first time in there, and the atmosphere was quite pleasant and friendly. In one other gun shop I went to before (which has since gone out of business), nobody wanted to help me and they treated me like I stepped in by accident and meant to walk into the nail salon.
Anyhow, I had always wanted to get my hands on the new Para Ordnance 6-45 LDA, a nice 1911-ish model which was released in November. I wanted to “upgrade” into a .45, but most are bulky and the small, all stainless, bobbed-off beavertail Para really appealed to me. The shop happened to have one in stock! And it felt good in my hands. It’s about the same size as my Kahr K40, holding 6 rounds in the single-stack magazine (the 6-45 LLDA does not use standard mags), very slim grips, and wonderfully smooth trigger. This particulare does not have the ambidextrous safety, but that’s fine with me.
In doing my research, there was very little information or user reports on that particular model on the web, since it’s relatively new. I like to try to stay safe and buy something that is known to be reliable, but I decided to take the chance. After all, I knew that if I didn’t the bug would keep itching me and I’d have little Para Ordnances dancing around in my head every night until I gave in. I had a not-so-instant background check; the TBI was experiencing technical difficulties and didn’t clear anybody for purchase until 4 hours later. There went my Christmas bonus! (“Hey, boss, thanks for the new new gun!” Boss looks at me blankly: “Wha?”)
The next day we went to the gun show and I brought my new Para with me. I wanted a nice paddle holster, but there weren’t any that fit it perfectly, and I didn’t want all the extra empty barrel space in a holster meant for a fuller size 1911. A Fobus would work just fine, but a black leather paddle holster with thumb break would be even better. I ended up buying some buckshot for my Remington 870 Wingmaster that my brother/dad got me for Christmas (“Get the S&B, they’re clear and’ll look good in pictures”, Oleg said), and a rubber-coated wire pistol rack for the gunsafe.
When Oleg and I were scanning the tables at the show, this short little seedy-looking guy asks Oleg, while pointing to MY box under MY arm and asks, “Your Para Ordnance for sale?” Oleg hadn’t been paying attention and didn’t quite hear the guy, but he also sensed the guy’s seedy vibes, so in wanting him to go away, he shook his head.
Say what? Oleg’s gun? I guess because I’m the “girl” and I’m attached to Oleg’s arm, I must be the “unfortunate girlfriend who got dragged along to the gunshow and ends up carrying whatever the boyfriend buys”. Humph. How viley insulting. We walked off and I just left it at that.
I haven’t gotten to shoot my new .45 yet - the closest available time will be this weekend. I’ll file an update with everyone then.
