Para-Ordnance Disassembly

[BigG]

I have acquired a P16-40 Limited, which I think I'll like very much for IPSC, however, it has a full length guide rod, which is a new wrinkle to me.

I've used regular 1911s for years and am familiar with take down and reassembly, but how do I take apart this beast? The rod protrudes thru the spring plug during recoil. In battery, the rod is about 1/8" below the level of the exit hole in the spring plug. Can anybody help?

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We don't have a chaplain here, but I don't view that as any major problem... You can rest assured that you will not go in that bag until I've said a few appropriate words over you
R. Lee Ermy as Sgt Major Haffner, from The Siege of Firebase Gloria

 

[JoeHatley]

BigG,

If your guide rod has a small hole drilled through it(laterally), that is intended to have a small pin (paper clip) stuck through. This holds the tension while you pop out the slide release.

The way I do it:

Lock the slide back.
Grab the front of the pistol holding the slide and dust cover of the frame tightly with my left hand.
Then with my right hand, I release the slide, and allow the slide to move forward(under control of my left hand) until the take down cut out is lined up with the slide release.
While keeping the slide in the proper position, just take the slide stop all the way out, and proceed as normal from that point.

Hope that helps. It's one of those things that easy to show someone, but kinda hard to explain.

Good Luck...

Joe

PS: It helps to have a left hand with a vise like grip if you have a heavy recoil spring.




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Go NRA

 

[Mikey]

BigG,

If you normally disassemble your Colt by depressing the spring plug, turning the bushing and releasing the plug carefully by hand (to release the spring tension) before moving the slide to the disassembly notch (whew!)...then you do the same thing with the guide rod model except you use a bushing wrench to make depressing the open ended plug easier. It helps to engage the thumb safety so the slide cant move to the rear while using the bushing wrench, which would cause the guide rod to protrude and prevent disassembly.

Actually I only use the wrench to turn the bushing enough to clear the protruding section of the plug and let the edge of the bushing catch the edge of the plug. Then I depress the plug with my finger and finish turning the bushing by hand, just like any other 1911.

Once the slide is off, you will have to pull the spring off the guide rod from the muzzle end and lift the guide rod out toward the rear. The rest is pure 1911!

Joe's method works but it's too labor intensive for me. I like to have the spring tension outta there before I start fooling with the slide stop. Besides, you have to get the guide rod and spring out sooner or later, I opt for sooner.

 

[TaxPhd]

BigG,

The little hole at the end of the guide rod is for an allen wrench. Use the wrench to remove the front portion of the two piece guide rod, then disassemble as normal.

 

[Mikey]

BigG,

As you can see there are different methods of disassembly depending on personal preference and actual equipment differences. Since you have indicated an unfamiliarity with the full length guide rod, you should know that they come in one-piece and two-piece designs. The disassembly instructions I posted above were for the one-piece design, which is what I believe comes in the Para Limited. You can recognize the one-piece rod by the fact that the muzzle end of the rod is somewhat recessed in the spring plug when the gun is in battery and the muzzle end of the rod is solid (no hex shaped hole in the end).

The two-piece design is usually flush (or close to flush) with the plug end and the rod has a hex shaped hole in it for insertion of the allen wrench as described by TaxPhd above. If you have one of these in the gun, follow his instructions.

Mikey

 

[BigG]

Thanks, guys! Mikey is correct on this one. It has a one piece guide rod and needs a bushing wrench to depress the spring plug and to turn the bushing. Otherwise it comes apart like a typical 1911. I'm ready to go now!

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We don't have a chaplain here, but I don't view that as any major problem... You can rest assured that you will not go in that bag until I've said a few appropriate words over you
R. Lee Ermy as Sgt Major Haffner, from The Siege of Firebase Gloria

 

[a_diamondback]

The Para Limiteds (P16-40 & P14-45) are equipped from the factory with a one piece guide rod that only requires the bushing to be turned to be able to remove the plug & ease off the tension on the spring. Assuming it's a new gun, disassembly is the same as a Colt or any other 1911. The newer Limiteds have made a slight change so that the rod screws onto the base instead of it all being one piece. There have been reports of the rod unscrewing and seperating from the base. Again assuming it to be a new & recent Para, it would be a good idea to unscrew, degrease & medium strength (blue) Loc-Tite the 2 pieces together.

 

[BigG]

Thanks, A-diamondback!

I noticed a seam where the base of the spring guide and rod were assembled. Assumed it was swaged together. Did not really look too hard. I was just gratified it looked like actual steel instead of black plastic like some new guns I've seen!

However, do not, repeat, do not want that thing to self-disassemble!

Will check and do the loctite thing. Thanks for the tip!

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We don't have a chaplain here, but I don't view that as any major problem... You can rest assured that you will not go in that bag until I've said a few appropriate words over you
R. Lee Ermy as Sgt Major Haffner, from The Siege of Firebase Gloria