In case you didn’t know who the Freedom Group is, Wiki defines them as an American firearms manufacturer holding company which has acquired notable brands such asBushmaster, DPMS, and Remington Arms. Our own Colonel Smoothbore had a chance to test some of their “goodies.” Here is what he had to say:
Continuing with some first impressions of recently tested guns, let’s look at a couple of offerings from the Freedom Group. First, a quick peek at Remington’s R1 1911, then the really neat Para USA Black Ops 1911.
The Remington R1 is a 1911 style pistol from America’s oldest firearms manufacturer. The R1 is offered in 7 different configurations. I shot the basic R1; it is an entry level 1911 with a suggested retail price of $729.00. The R1 is an all steel gun finished in satin black oxide with a stainless barrel and double diamond walnut grips. The R1 weighs 38.5 ounces, has 3 dot fixed sights dove-tailed into the slide and comes with 2 seven round magazines. I really liked the R1 I tested. It had a very good trigger with little take-up, no over travel, and a crisp, light, clean pull. Fit and finish was really good; all in all, this is a very nice gun.
Para Ordinance was a Canadian company that relocated to the USA a few years ago. The company changed its name to Para USA after the relocation, and the company now resides in Charlotte, NC. Recently, Freedom Group acquired Para USA. Para has been making good and innovative 1911s for years. They have a terrific 1911 with a double action only trigger (labeled the LDA) that is really a treat to shoot. They were one of the first companies to market 1911s with double stack magazines. When I had the opportunity to shoot Para’s Black Ops 14-45, I jumped at it.
The Black Ops 14-45 is a 5 inch barreled, all black, stainless steel, single action 1911 with black G10 composite grips. It comes with two 14 round magazines, Trijicon® Tritium Night sights, and a skeletonized match grade trigger. This is one cool gun. It was the softest shooting 1911 that I have ever shot. I’m sure the extra width of the double stack grip is what makes the perceived recoil seem so much less than a single stack pistol. MSRP is $ 1299.00 and in my opinion, worth every penny.
I recently received NRA Instructor Certification for the 3rd of three NRA Pistol courses. Personal Protection Outside The Home is a comprehensive 2 day course that focuses on carrying a concealed handgun while away from one’s abode. I have added this course to the curriculum of the Smoothbore Shooting School. For more information, just go to www.guncoach.net.
Be safe and good shooting.
Colonel Smoothbore
