First look at the new Para LTC

I was able to pick up the Para LTC from my brother today and get some first impressions of it. I didn't get to shoot it but plan to do that tomorrow.

First, the pistol looks really good. The finish is very dark, a blue so deep it's black. The edges are crisp and the finish on the parts I examined was good. I field-stripped it and gave it a quick look, found nothing to be unhappy about and put it back together.

The trigger is very nice. It has very little take-up and lets off crisply, with almost zero overtravel. You wouldn't guess that it has the series 80-type trigger safety in it just from the feel. I've handled some guns in which you could feel every millimeter of travel of the parts in the trigger mechanism, but not with this one. The first impression the gun gives you is that it's solid and well made. The stocks have a good figure and are properly checkered. I do wish that the front strap was as well. The mainspring housing is very crisply checkered and gives you something to sink your skin into.

The two magazines that come with it have that same look of being properly constructed and finished. They're brightly polished, have extended base pads, hold nine rounds and slide in and out of the pistol smoothly.

The gun came in a very nice locking plastic box. The gun makers all seem to be putting more care into the packaging of their guns now, which is good because it makes them easier to store and protect. It was packed with a bushing wrench and two Allen keys for adjusting the sights and other hex head screws on the gun. They included a lock, of course, and it's going to stay in the bag it's in. There's a basic manual which I'll read at greater length later. It appears that it has a picture tutorial by Todd Jarett in it - nice touch.

The first impression is of a well-made, well thought-out pistol and package. Let's hope that it shoots as well as it looks.