The new GI Expert is a significant departure from the norm for ParaUSA. It is a basic, no frills, full-size 1911 pistol aimed squarely at the entry-level market. As such, we expect to see it compared to the Springfield Armory GI, the Auto-Ordnance GI, and the Rock Island Armory GI. With a suggested list price of $599 and street prices well below that, the GI Expert is price competitive with the other brands’ “GI” pistols. Our task in this review was to wring out the pistol to find out if it is competitive in performance. As the evaluation unfolded, we were favorably impressed and, frankly, even a bit surprised by this new model’s performance.
The GI Expert is nothing more nor less than a back-to-basics 1911 pistol in the standard format of a 5” barrel on a single stack frame. A few years ago, the mere fact of Para offering a single stack 1911 was front page news of itself. Today, the company offers a wide range of 1911 pistols in both single stack and double stack configurations. What’s the big deal about one more 1911 from a company that offers over thirty models? For starters, the price. ParaUSA (formerly Para-Ordnance) is not known for selling “cheap” pistols. Most Para models sell for around $1,000 and up. With a suggested retail price of only $599, the new GI Expert offers shooters on restricted budgets a way to own a Para pistol without breaking the bank or taking out a second mortgage.
Secondly, although (as will be discussed below) the GI Expert is not an especially faithful rendition of the original M1911 or of an M1911A1 in a visual sense, mechanically and functionally it comes far closer to the original than any previous ParaUSA offering. In the process, it incorporates several steps back in time for ParaUSA.
The GI Expert ships in Para’s standard plastic box, with two 8-round magazines, an instruction book, a cable lock, a polymer bushing wrench, a small starter package of “Mil-Comm TW-25B” lubricant, and a warranty card. It does not appear significantly different from other ParaUSA pistols.
