[1][better source needed] Para-Ordnance was founded in Canada in 1985 by two childhood friends, Ted Szabo and Thanos Polyzos.

The company's first product was a plastic paintball gun, the Model 85 "Dye Marking Tactical Machine Pistol", designed for police and military training purposes.

[5] In January 2009, it was announced that the U.S. headquarters for Para-Ordnance's U.S. subsidiary (Para USA) would be set up in Pineville, North Carolina.

[6] In January 2012, Para USA was acquired to become a part of the Freedom Group, a consortium of firearms manufacturers owned by Cerberus Capital Management, a New York private equity investment firm.

[8] In 2014, the six subsidiary companies that would relocate and consolidate into Remington Arms's new state-of-the-art non-union production facility in Huntsville, Alabama were: Advanced Armament Corp, Lawrenceville, Georgia; Montana Rifleman, Kalispell, Montana; TAPCO, Kennesaw, Georgia; LAR Manufacturing, West Jordan, Utah; DPMS Panther Arms, St.

Para pistols have found a variety of uses, including competition, law enforcement, concealed carry, and general shooting.