Para-Ordnance .45 ACP Pistols

     Notes: These pistols are derived from the M-1911A1 design.  They are basically an M-1911A1 with a widened grip to accept a two-column staggered magazine of roughly double the capacity of the M-1911A1.  Several variants are available, for varying levels of concealments needs, and all versions can be found in blue steel, stainless, or duotone finishes.  These weapons are reportedly popular with US and NATO special operations troops, usually in a modified and tweaked form. 

     The Nite-TAC is essentially a modernized and modified version of the steel-framed P-14-45.  In its Nite-TAC incarnation, the P-14-45 has an LDA action, is finished completely in non-reflective Para-Kote Covert Black (except for the grip plates, which are made from matte black plastic), a chamber-loaded indicator, a spurless hammer, coarser cocking serrations, Para-Ordnance’s patented Power Extractor, and a squared dust cover with an integral light rail.  (The drawback of the shaping of this rail is the requirement for a special holster, even if no light or optic is mounted.)  The Nite-TAC has an extended slide lock and manual safety, and a grip safety with increased mass to help ensure safety engagement.  Since the Nite-TAC is also available to civilians, it can be ordered with a stainless steel finish if desired; however, the grip plates will still be black.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Nite-TAC is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline as a manufactured product, though similar versions of the P-x-45 series were modified to similar specifications by either the units using them or Para-Ordnance itself.

Para-Ordnance .40SW Pistols

     Notes: This is a Para-Ordinance .45 ACP pistol in .40 Smith & Wesson caliber.  It is the same weapon, with different magazine capacities and different calibers.  They were made especially for the American export market, where the .40SW caliber had become popular in the years before.  They are all steel-framed, which was also popular with US civilians.

Para-Ordnance C-6-45 LDA

     Notes:  This is described as the “world’s smallest DAO M-1911.”  It is s subcompact version of the C-x-45 series, small in stature but heavy for its size to allow better control of the powerful .45 ACP cartridge.  The bobbed grip safety and hammerless design make it more concealable. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Para-Ordnance C-7-45 LDA

     Notes:  Also known as the Companion, the C-7-45 LDA is a compact version of the P-7-45 LDA below.  Aside from the smaller size, the Companion has a spurless hammer and a bobbed grip safety to further reduce its profile.  The only real problem with the Companion is that its grip is so narrow that those with large hands have problems holding it.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Para-Ordnance Colonel

     Notes: This pistol, new for 2005, is a continuation of Para-Ordnance’s LDA line.  It is a high-capacity, mid-sized .45 ACP pistol with a match-quality ramped barrel with a guide rod and a spurred competition hammer.  The sights are fixed and of the three-dot variety (with white dots), and low-mounted and dovetailed into the slide so they can be removed and replaced if desired.  The Colonel is largely made from steel, and finished in what Para-Ordnance calls “Spec Ops” green slide, green frame, black grip panels, black controls, matte metal trigger.  Of course, it has the improvements that the LDA features bring to the pistol.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This pistol in not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Para-Ordnance P-7-45 LDA

     Notes:  The LDA (Light Duty Automatic) version of the P-x-45 series of pistols is designed to be a compact version of those pistols.  The modifications consist of a narrower grip and stronger materials.  It is also tweaked for more reliable operation.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Para-Ordnance Black Watch Companion

     Notes: This variant of the LDA series uses the same Light Double Action (LDA) trigger system.  The LDA trigger has a strong, smooth pull for about 13 millimeters of its travel, and then breaks at a light touch of 4.5 pounds thereafter.  This makes the trigger pull, and therefore shots, very consistent (once you get used to it).  The Black Watch Companion incorporates a number of safety features over the standard 1911-type pistol, from a grip safety which locks both the hammer and slide (meaning it’s practically impossible for it to fire if dropped or bumped), an inertia firing pin, a firing pin lock, a spring-loaded firing pin which is slightly shorter than its tunnel (something John Browning actually included in his first design for the M-1911, but dropped as too complicated), and the standard manual safety and slide lock.  Construction is largely of stainless steel with a shiny ParaKote finish (black for the slide and controls, dark gray for the frame).  The grip plates are a deep red-brown.  The barrel is coned instead of using a bushing. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This pistol does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Para-Ordnance OPS

     Notes: This compact .45 ACP pistol is slightly larger than the Warthog, but still quite a small package, with only a 3.5-inch barrel.  It normally uses an Officers Model-size magazine (6 rounds), but can also use a special 7-round magazine designed for it.  The OPS has the now-standard Para-Ordnance Power Extractor for more reliable extraction and case ejection.  The frame is of stainless steel, finished in a brushed metal style and having a slightly “frosted” appearance.  The sights are very low-profile, snagless, and of the three-dot type, small yet functional.  The ejection port is flared and enlarged to further increase reliability.  The slide cocking grips are of the “Griptor” style, a type of scalloped surface developed by Para-Ordnance for small pistols.  The barrel is heavy, coned, and needs no bushing.  The trigger is black and skeletonized.  The grip panels are very thin plastic with a cocobolo surface.  The hammer is a loop hammer of the “Commander” type, and the grip safety is designed for a positive grip and engagement. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This pistol is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Para-Ordnance Para Carry

      Notes: This is a mid-sized .45 ACP pistol, based on the M-1911, but featuring Para-Ordnance’s new Para-Power extractor for greater reliability.  The Para Carry is built almost entirely of stainless steel, which makes for an attractive weapon as well as increasing the weight (and therefore reducing barrel jump).  Instead of front strap checkering (which can scrape the fingers after a long day of firing), the Para Carry has a ribbed “finger groove” front strap surface that provides a good grip.  The Para Carry is sold with its own 6-round magazines, but can use any 1911-type single-stack magazine.  Barrels are 3 inches long.

     More often known simply as the CCO, the Companion Carry Option is a slightly larger version of the Para Carry, with an LDA (Light Double-Action) trigger system and their patented Power Extractor (PXT).  The LDA system means that a lighter touch is needed for the first (double-action) shot than is normal for double-action pistols.  The CCO has a grip safety, thumb safety, and slide lock.  The frontstrap has Para-Ordnance’s Griptor ribbed finish, and the backstrap is checkered at 20 lpi.  Sharp edges are largely dehorned, and the beavertail is practically nonexistent.  Construction is almost entirely of stainless steel.  Grip panels are made from a synthetic material that Para-Ordnance calls Para Laminate.  The sights are fixed, but dovetailed, and are of the three-dot type.  The barrel is a bull barrel 3.5 inches long.  Despite the small size, the CCO’s weight makes recoil manageable. 

     In early 2006, Para-Ordnance began offering versions of the Para Carry and CCO chambered for .45 GAP cartridge, which is growing in popularity.  The Para Carry GAP is essentially the same in construction as the standard Para Carry, but is finished in Covert Black Para Kote, which is a deep non-reflective finish with anticorrosion properties.  The Companion Carry GAP (CCG) is the .45 GAP counterpart of the CCO, and also uses the Covert Black Para Kote finish.  Of course, there are some differences – mainly in the size (due to the shorter .45 GAP cartridge) and the mechanics of firing the .45 GAP round, as well as changes to the sights due to the somewhat different ballistics.

      Twilight 2000 Notes: These pistols do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Para-Ordnance PXT LTC

     Notes: This weapon is one of Para-Ordnance’s versions of the “Commander” concept, being a smaller version of their M-1911 clones, with the new Power Extractor that makes the pistol much more reliable by making extraction more reliable.  The PXT LTC is built entirely of steel, with the Para Kote Regal finish that is highly resistant to corrosion and is also gives the pistol a very attractive matte black finish.  The controls are in stainless steel and make a nice contrast as well as making them easy to find.  The Cocobolo grip plates are held in place by hex screws, which are also finished in stainless steel.  Sights are of the 3-dot pattern.  The barrel is match grade and ramped, as well as having a solid bushing. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Para-Ordnance PXT SA Long Slide Limited

     Notes: This limited-edition version of the .45 ACP version of the PXT Single-Action is distinguished by its 6-inch match-quality barrel, along with the extended slide to house the barrel.  Designed for handgun hunting, the Long Slide has a bright fiberoptic front sight coupled with a micrometer-adjustable rear sight.  The hammer is a loop hammer, but textured for easy thumb-cocking.  The magazine well is flared for easy reloading, and the issue magazine extends below the end of the butt as to form a finger stop.  Construction is almost entirely of stainless steel, with the front of the dust cover, front and rear cocking grooves, skeletonized trigger, and backstrap being finished in black; in addition, the polymer grip plates are also black, as is the rear sight and the post for the front sight.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Long slide does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Para-Ordnance SSP

     Notes: The SSP goes full circle for Para-Ordnance – they started making copies of the M-1911A1, then went to high-capacity versions of the M-1911A1 and versions in different calibers, and the SSP is a highly-improved version of the M-1911A1 with single-action and a single-column magazine.  The SSP features Para-Ordnance’s new Para-Power extractor, which is a far-more reliable version of the extractor on the M-1911A1 and many other pistols.  This extractor greatly reduces the chance of feed failures and extraction failures such as stovepipes.  Of course, the SSP also has the standard 3-red-dot sights and Commander-type hammer.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Para-Ordnance Stealth Carry

     Notes: This is part of the LDA series; it is a small, lightweight .45 ACP pistol very well suited for concealed carry and backup shooting, with its short, coned barrel, stainless steel frame finished in a black finish which Para-Ordnance calls “Stealth,” adjustable Novak Extreme Duty rear sight and white-dot front sight dovetailed into the slide, “hammerless” design, and virtually no grip safety spur.  In fact, there are virtually no protruding surfaces on the Stealth Carry, except for the sights and the vestigial grip safety spur.  The grip safety has a bump on it to make sure it engages properly due to its short length.  The grips are checkered polymer, and the frontstrap has a ribbed surface called “Griptor” by Para-Ordnance.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Stealth Carry does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Para-Ordnance TAC-S LDA

     Notes: A further improvement of the LDA series, the TAC-S LDA features all the improvements of the LDA series, such as a one-piece feed ramp, the multiple safeties, double-action operation, improved extraction, etc.  The TAC-S LDA also has an extended thumb safety, special combat sights, a larger grip safety, a lowered and flared ejection port to improve extraction, and a beveled magazine well to facilitate quick reloading.  The hammer is bobbed to such a point that it almost appears concealed.  The TAC-S LDA is also equipped with the Para-Power Extractor, further improving extraction.  The TAC-S LDA has what Para-Ordnance calls the “Spec Ops” finish – an olive-drab version of the Para-Kote.  The TAC-S LDA comes with black checkered plastic grips, but one bought from the factory also comes with an alternate set of brown cocobolo grips with a gold-plated Para-Ordnance seal. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This pistol does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Para-Ordnance TAC-Five LDA

     Notes: One of the latest members of Para-Ordnance’s LDA series, The TAC-Five has all the features and improvements of the LDA-type pistols.  The TAC-Five is intended to be a tactical pistol for military and police entry teams and the like (but available to civilians).  It is a pistol with a very-high capacity magazine, higher than most pistols you will find these days, and yet it still fits entirely within the grip since it sits high inside the weapon when it is loaded.  Like all Para-Ordnance pistols, the TAC-Five is a highly-modified 1911-type pistol, and has the inherent reliability of the M-1911A1 and Para-Ordnance pistols.  The TAC-Five has cocking serration grips at the back and front of the slide, which are wide and easier to grip than those of most 1911-type pistols.  The grip safety is of the bobtail type, instead of being a long and wide beavertail; this does dehorn the weapon to a large extent, but also means that a positive grip by the shooter is essential.  The hammer is likewise bobbed, projecting only when the weapon is cocked, and it can be difficult to cock the hammer manually, but it does make “hammer bite” virtually impossible and further dehorns the TAC-Five.  The magazine well is beveled using a wide magazine funnel, and inserting a magazine is easy even in the dark or without looking.  This funnel also acts as a grip extension.  The front strap has vertical serrations to aid in gripping the weapon (as the grip is rather wide).  The backstrap has fine checkering as 30 lpi.  The TAC-Five’s barrel is of stainless steel and the bore is chromed; the feed ramp is integral to the barrel breech, is also of stainless steel, and is highly-polished.  The barrel is 5 inches long and crowned; it is not coned, but it is flared somewhat.  In addition to a manual safety and the grip safety, the TAC-Five also has a visual and tactile chamber-loaded indicator.  Finish is matte black.  The rear sight is a Novak Extreme Duty adjustable sight, and the front sight has a white dot to aid in aiming.

      Twilight 2000 Notes: The TAC-Five is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Para-Ordnance Hawg Series

      Notes: The first member of this series, the Warthog, is billed by Para-Ordnance as the “world’s smallest high-capacity .45 ACP pistol,” and is does manage to stuff a pretty good amount of rounds into a rather small package.  The Warthog is a small black-finished pistol can be a bit difficult to shoot, particularly to those with large hands.  The magazine has a flare at the bottom front to curl the little finger around to help stabilize the weapon.  The Warthog also has the new Para-Power Extractor that gives the pistol more positive extraction.  Most of the pistol is made of aluminum alloy and is very light.  At its heart, though, the Warthog is a tiny version of its M-1911 ancestor.  A variant of the Warthog, the Nite Hawg (also known as the Stealth Hawg) is finished completely in non-reflective black, to include the magazines. A further variant of the Nite Hawg, the Lite Hawg, is equipped with a short MIL-STD-1913 rail under the dust cover and luminous 3-dot sights.  It is otherwise identical to the Warthog, except for a slight cost difference.  Another version, the Slim Hawg, uses a single-stack magazine to further reduce size and make it easier to conceal.  For game purposes, the Slim Hawg is otherwise identical to the Warthog.

     The Hawg-9 is a modified form of the Warthog, designed to fire 9mm Parabellum instead of .45 ACP.  It retains the same basic shape and construction of the Warthog, with appropriate changes necessary to fire 9mm Parabellum.  Since the “Hawg” series was originally designed for .45 ACP, the Hawg-9 is capable of firing even the most powerful 9mm Parabellum rounds, such as +P and ++P loads. 

     The Super Hawg sort of turns the original Hawg concept around – it’s a longslide pistol, rather than the compact pistol the rest of the Hawg series is.  It’s essentially a different pistol, though I have included it here since Para-Ordnance regards it as part of the Hawg series.  The Super Hawg uses a 6-inch barrel, with a stainless steel frame and slide.  It uses the same PXT extractor (virtually all Para-Ordnance pistols these days do), but the trigger guard is not squared off, and the trigger is skeletonized.  The rear sight is a target adjustable sight, and the front sight has a fiberoptic inlay.  The frontstrap and the cocobolo grip plates are finely checkered.  High-capacity and single-stack versions are available.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.