[joleary223]

I finally found an older Para P16 .40 to convert to 10mm. I still want to be able to shoot .40 so I went with an additional barrel for the conversion.
This is the project gun.

I have ordered mostly Ed Brown parts for this project... Slide Stop, Tactical Safety, Flat mainspring housing, Extended beavertail, .40 barrel that I will have reamed to 10mm and Wolf 20# recoil spring.


Am I missing anything? If anyone has experience with this conversion I would appreciate some info.

I will of course post pics of the project as it moves along.

 

[El Pistolero]

I have no experience with it but I am interrested in how it goes, looks like a nice project.

 

[joleary223]

Things are moving along. I decided to get a little more involved than I was comfortable doing myself so I took the gun to T&F Firearms in Thomasville Ga. ( my local smith and Class III dealer) Here is the progress as of Tuesday. Pay no attention to the date stamp on the pics.


All the parts finally came in. The lower barrel is the Ed Brown I'm having reamed to 10mm (It almost didn't need fitting)

Since I'm having an Ed Brown beaver tail fitted I will have to get the gun refinished. I'm thinking two tone Black over O.D. Green.

So far so good, this is going to make this gun much more comfortable to shoot.

That's it for now, more in the days to come.

 

[joleary223]

Final fitting of the beavertail is done, now ready for paint. :biggrin:

 

[joleary223]

Here is the finished project. I didn't get much interest in this gun but I like to finish what I start so here she is.
The Ed Brown barrel needed just a little fitting but it came with instructions an after just a few passes with a file it locked up perfect. The only other issue I had was the gun didn't feed properly so we shaved a little metal off the top of the factory mags and everything just came together.
This project may not be everyone's cup of tea but I have really enjoyed seeing the gun come together. The gun shoots like a dream and seems to be very accurate, but I was shooting steel not paper so I'm not sure yet just how accurate it is.

 

[AutoMag]

Joleary223, I love it!!!! I have always wanted to do one and now I just might have to. Well as soon as I get some money!!!! If you get the time can you give me a breakdown on the needed parts!!!

 

[El Pistolero]

Pretty sweet, fistfull of firepower. mmmm good name for bobs widebody.

 

[joleary223]

Joleary223, I love it!!!! I have always wanted to do one and now I just might have to. Well as soon as I get some money!!!! If you get the time can you give me a breakdown on the needed parts!!!

For starters you need an older Para Ordnance P-16. I have been told their "Power extractor" doesn't work as well for the 10mm conversion.
LDA triggered guns are another that won't work due to the design, apparently part of the gun is cut away for the LDA trigger system and that make it a little thin for full power 10mm.

Then all you need is a 10mm barrel with Para's ramp or a finish reamer to use the original barrel or both if like me you can't find a 10mm barrel. I snagged one of the last Ed Brown .40 barrels and reamed it out. ( I was told that for the forceable future Ed Brown are going to strictly make .45 barrels due to demand)

The recoil spring is 20 lbs

Slide stop is Ed Brown

I didn't like the Para beaver tail so I had an Ed Brown memory groove installed.

Last came the GunKote.

Still to come are night sights full length guide rod and a new tactical safety to replace the one I screwed up trying to fit.

Once I put those finishing touches on the gun it will be both a range and carry piece, I can even change calibers to suit my needs.

 

[AutoMag]

Thank you for the info sir!!!

 

[slamfire45]

Very cool gun...... Hi cap 10mm is awesome. Maybe I'll have to look into building one of these.

 

[icecold]

thanks for the info i too am building one of these i have been told that 45 acp mags work slightly better as they release the round sooner.

i'm hopefully going to have mine done by fall for some hog hunting
pete

 

[Para45]

I went your route a few years back but kept the original top end in 40, changed the sights to Novaks. Purchased a Les Baer 5 inch slide, and sent off for a Bar-Sto 10mm barrel. one of the most accurate 10mm guns, next to my Nighthawk 10mm Talon.
enjoy your pistol, they are even more fun if you reload. cheers.

 

[mongo308]

I am working on a similar project. I wanted SO badly to use the hi cap Para frame but I was scared away from using a cast frame with the fire breathing loads that I love in 10mm. I ended up with a Les Baer forged frame (I have been less then happy with this POS). Are you using any kind of shock buffering tricks on yours? I went with a long slide Fusion frame to dampen recoil a bit. I would be curious how your frame holds up. It may force me to start a second 10mm project.

Charlie