[Mr45]

Has anyone done this? I have two different style frames, one that uses the ramped barrel and one that uses non-ramped Colt barrels, it's built up with parts from a 1991A1. Which would be the better candidate for the conversion?

TIA

 

[Guest]

I have done this a few times as the P16 makes a good 10mm gun.
I have used both, although some gunsmiths have opined that a ramped barrel is less than optimal in 10mm and .45.
I am not a gunsmith, so I don't know.
Also one conversion has a stock Para barrel reamed to 10mm and the other has an Ed Brown non-ramped 10mm match barrel with early Briley bushing.

I have found that a 22lb recoil spring runs optimally with most loads in the Para 10mm.

 

[viesczy]

I have a P16.10mm also. I used an Ed Brown ramped barrel and all has been fine.

With concerns of the cast frame's strength I'm using a Wolff 24lb spring (I do have a 22lb and a 26lb) and I have replaced the mag springs with Wolff's +10%s.

I will say one thing about the P16.10mm, the Clark/Para ramp is hard on certain ammo. Namely Georgia Arms loads. The trip over the feed ramp with the 26lb spring caused EXTREME cart shrinkage! The jhps were really getting jammed back into case.

Consequently CorBon ammo has done this in my P12 converted 400 CB and in my Witness in .38 S. CorBon's ammo did not hold its seat well.

But the P16 was an easy conversion. Now to get a .357 Sig conversion for my HP!

Derek

 

[Gunnar Christensen]

The conversion would work on both types, ramped and unramped. I've done it a couple of times for customers on Stainless P16's to use here in the Canadian wilds as a Bear gun. 22lb recoil spring, a shock buffer, and shortening the magazine feed lips, in addition to reaming the barrel to 10mm. The shortened feed lips proved necessary because the mags are proportioned to feed a shorter round. By the way, this might help the suddenly shorter rounds experienced by some 10mm shooters in this gun. With stock .40 mags these guns feed real "rough" with the longer OAL of the 10mm as well as the long-seated .40's we sometimes use in IPSC.

Hope this helps,

Gunnar Christensen

 

[Gunnar Christensen]

The conversion would work on both types, ramped and unramped. I've done it a couple of times for customers on Stainless P16's to use here in the Canadian wilds as a Bear gun. 22lb recoil spring, a shock buffer, and shortening the magazine feed lips, in addition to reaming the barrel to 10mm. The shortened feed lips proved necessary because the mags are proportioned to feed a shorter round. By the way, this might help the suddenly shorter rounds experienced by some 10mm shooters in this gun. With stock .40 mags these guns feed real "rough" with the longer OAL of the 10mm as well as the long-seated .40's we sometimes use in IPSC.

Hope this helps,

Gunnar Christensen

 

[10mm]

Gunnar (or anyone else),

Can you use SVI/STI mags in the Para pistols? I have a Heckler & Koch USP40 that I converted to 10mm and I'm using Para P-16 rounds but the rounds must be loaded to about 1.240"-1.245" to all fit in the magazine. I need to know if the SVI or STI mags will fit in the Para because if they do they will fit in my USP. The mag catch notch is no big deal as I need to cut a new one on the Para mags anyway.

 

[Gunnar Christensen]

SVI and some STI mags fit and work in the newer style Para's. We weld up and remachine the mag catch pads (Ed Brown steel ones) to raise the mags a little. They work OK as is but don't lock the slide back unless this is done.
Hope this helps
Gunnar