First of all, a few details. The Paras marked Expert Commander are all 2013 production. These feature forged stainless slides, along with forged aluminum frames. The barrels are advertised as match stainless (ooh, ah) and appear nicely made, with a good match to the ramp.

The slides have been produced with a blackened finish. Apparently the first xxx of production had a coating of some sort, which sounds similar to Duracoat from some unhappy reports by end users. It was/is not a great quality finish, and has been replaced by a Nitride finish that has also been referred to as an ion-bond process. Frankly, it is too soon for me to tell what is on my piece, but a couple of hundred presentations should make that clear. The old coated finish had a poor rep for durability, so I'm obviously hoping for mine to be nitrided. We shall see.

Fit and finish is to a very high level. The slide shows no side to side or up and down movement, it is tight. In fact, when charging it seems to feel as though it is a hydraulic pump. Please don't construe that to mean it sucks!

The trigger is just ok. It has some grittiness and a hesitation that did not go away with a good cleaning. It has a plastic shoe, with an odd pattern of slots and sports an adjustment screw as well. Since I am going to replace it with a solid aluminum trigger, the current state doesn't concern me too much, but it is livable as is, just not optimal.

The rear sight is similar to the older Colt high profile sights, essentially a standard GI sight that is taller. Mine has white dots, which I don't particularly care for, so it will be replaced with an actual Colt sight matching the above description but lacking dots.

The front sight is a bit of a quandary for me. It is a green fiber optic, which I see very well in my dotage. However it is, like the majority of FO sights, extremely fragile looking. I simply cannot trust it. And of course Para has taken the low road here, and uses an oddball dovetail size that means replacement sights can only be found from them, and one or two aftermarket providers. Looks as though I will either get a solid patridge blade or a tritium dot. Shame really, as these shoot to point of aim for me. But the rear dots are too distracting, and the front is an accident waiting to happen sooner than later.

Plastic mainspring housing, which stays until the unlikely day it breaks. Plastic grips, that are like fat versions of the GI grips, only better quality and with a border and Para logo. These will go, this pistola is built to a price so the slabs are only place holders anyway. I would keep them if they were slender, as they are clean and crisp. Grips are personal preference anyway, and I think the replacement 1911 grip market probably keeps thousands of families fed around the world!

Safety function, both grip and thumb is perfect and crisp. No wiggles, bobbles, or surprises. The mag well is mildly beveled at best. It will live that way for the rest of time. The barrel bushing is tight. I needed the provided wrench which was a decent polymer product. The recoil spring guide is as JMB and G*d intended, not extended.

The perceived fit proved to hold true in testing. It shoots as good as my skill level will admit, which means I can keep it inside a coffee can lid at 15 yards. Time spent with practice and a better trigger may tighten that up, but I am satisfied for the moment.

Both mags provided are 8-round. Not sure who made these, the finish is a strange high gloss that showed wear between the mag catch slot and the top lips immediately. Plastic floor plates that are sort of extended wedges. One works well, the other seems to not want to feed the last round at times. Magazines are like grips, so I have quite a few time-tested Metalform 7-rounders that showed no such tendencies. I have a few Wilson 47 whatever's to try, but didn't break those out.

In the first 100 rounds, which is all I've had time for, there were several failures to feed the last round, traced to one mag. I also had two failures to go completely into battery in the first two mags, never to be duplicated again thus far. On both of those I just bumped the rear of the slide and we were good to go. Recoil is a bit quicker(?) than a 5" steel slabside, but not detrimentally so. It doesn't offend, annoy, or alarm me, so all is well in that department.

I figure I need to see another 4 or 500 rounds through it to call it good, but I am pleased. If the finish wears I probably won't care in the long run, as this is intended as an everyday pistol. I still intend to fit a Colt grip safety and hammer for a retro look, along with an ambi-safety due to my wronghandedness. Best of all, it is light, which means I will drag it around.

Gaston beware, I believe I have been cured.

Otony