Para Warthog
 

I was reading through most of the handgun rags last night sippin' on some FFC (Frozen fag coffee) at the local outlet of the People's Bookstore (BooksAMillion) and came across an article on the Para Warthog .45.

Anyone here have any experience with this little .45? It holds 10+1 in what appears to be a very small package. I am thinking of adding a small frame, @3" barrel .45 to my carry options. :munchin

My understanding is that it is smaller than the officers model or a Kimber Ultra. Would be fun to shoot (once or twice).

I am a Para fan.

It is a renamed Para P-10, which is the only Para I have ever owned that wouldn't run out of the box. Mine went back to Para's US service center twice and to two local gunsmiths at least four times to the tune of several hundred dollars before it would run right. Even now, I don't completely trust it.

Apparently, Para realized that and is now marketing it under a different name to avoid its well-deserved rep.

It is a very small pistol, and once it runs, is about as much firepower as you can get in that sized package.

I would not buy one till I had seen it run for myself, though.

Just my .02, YMMV.

TR

Well, coming from a Para man... that says a lot. Thanks for the info TR. I think I will look elsewhere.

I know two guys who's experience closely mirrors yours. One guy sold his at a loss just to be rid of it and that was after spending and additional $500 with a smith and after Para replaced the original gun. If they could ever work out the kinks it would be an interesting CCW gun until then it is nothing more than a glorified paper weight IMHO.

Well, you asked, so I took a few pics.

Here it is with a fullsized P-14 and a Smith 642 snubbie.

See it beneath the 642?

What would you rather have in roughly the same sized package, 5 rounds of .38 Special, or 10 rounds of .45 ACP?

TR

None of the above. I would take the Glock 29 and have ten rounds of full house 10MM in a small reliable package before I used the warthog or a snubie. I guess if it had to be a 45 and I couldn't used the small glock I would consider the Para if I could assure myself it wouldn't choke at the worst possible moment.

I had a noted 1911 smith tell me that they make their hay on 1911's with barrels under 4 inches. Since the slide is so light and it cycles so fast that your taking a chance on any of the compact 1911's.

Edited to note:

I wanted to make sure I wasn't talking out of my arse on this one so I got the measurements of both the Glock 30 (45) and the P-10 and they are almost identical.

Well, since you seem to want to jump in here with both feet, come on in.

1. Did you read my caveats to buying/carring a P-10/Warthog above? I believe that I made clear that it may, or may not be reliable, and caveat emptor.

2. Your 10mm (Lite) on a good day is about the same potency as a .40 S&W (+P). I'll take the .45 ACP, thanks, especially if I lived in a state where hollow-points were illegal. You ever fired at anyone with those pieces?

3. Your .45ACP Glock has a weak, unsupported chamber, so I could not use the LeMas I prefer for carry ammo. Runs fine in the Paras.

4. My P-12s and above all run fine out of the boxes. The P-10 is the only one I ever had trouble with. My Glock 23 is more reliable than my P-10, but less than my other Paras. Caveat emptor, remember?

5. The Glock slide is significantly bulkier, over .30" wider, and more than an inch longer, which by my carry permit, is a LOT bigger to carry than the P-10. I have fired both, holstered both, and laid them on top of one another to check. You shot or even carried the Para or the Glock much?

You carry what you want, and be happy with it.

Don't knock what you haven't tried, especially when your research is theoretical.

TR

Ah yes, as always with TR's excellent photography - the devil is in the details. Good news folks....Based on what I see, I am predicting a beautiful day tomorrow-it was night when you took that pic and not morning right TR?

ALso, it makes me want to get the clubs out of the car and go hit em' as I feel almost as if I were at the home of American golf.

Great pics TR. I appreciate the size references,etc.

Rubberneck-
thanks for the reply. I can't get a glock or the Team Sergeant will start calling me boy or something degrading like that. LOL I appreciate the suggestions though.

You are able to predict the weather from a gun pic?

Wha' kine voodoo mon you are?

TR

STI/Wilson
 

TR,

I know you're a Para guy, but what do you think about the double stack .45s from STI and Wilson? I usually carry a Baer Stinger, but would switch for the extra four rounds if they were reliable.

Thx.

We have sold several of these guns and I have handled them on multiple occasions. They are not comfortable for me and I do not feel that I would be able to get enough of a grip on them to control them as much as I would like. I personally like the Kahr handguns if I am forced to choose a super compact. With second place going to the glock 26 which doesn't feel much better than the warthog, but fires 9mm which is admittedly lighter recoiling than 45. The 26 could also be carried with one of my 23 round G-17 mags as a reload. The 23 rounder would also act as a grip extension when it was used. Just my .02, Remember, I am just a Gunstore cowboy at this point so take it or leave it.

Never tried their double stacks, only seen them as raceguns.

I played with the STIs at the SHOT last year, and was interested, but with over a half dozen Paras, I have sort of learned my way around them and am kind of set.

This years SHOT, with the AWB lifted, should be a blast! I already have an appointment at the Armalite and Para booths.

TR

TR-
You don't know why I predicted fair weather tomorrow??? Can anyone help my landlocked country boy friend out? :munchin I even gave a hint with the night comment...

'Fraid not.

Please, whip it on me o' expert forecaster/toothboy.

TR