Les Bear?

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Shell Shucker

Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2006
Messages
189
I've never owned a 1911. Someday, maybe not to far off, I'd like to own a really nice 1911. Would a Les Bear fill the bill? My dilemma is that I've read way to many posts about faulty Kimbers, Springers, ext. I've heard good things about S&W but I want a traditional 1911; no external extractor. I want something that is nicely finished, works, and is accurate W/O multiple trips to a gunsmith. My primary use will be at the range.
 
I bought a used Baer PII with 1.5" guarantee about a year ago. Best pistol I own and I have a Brown Exec. Target. I've enjoyed it so much I just bought a PII in 9mm. It's not as accurate, only 3" at 50 yards guaranteed. I'm OK with that. I didn't go Baer until I'd bought a SA Loaded and a S&W Commander. If you know you will like the 1911 the Baer is a great gun.
 
I have owned a Concept V and a Premier II and both were flawless. They are extremely tight when new though so make room in the budget for 500 rounds of ammo to break it in correctly.

The problem with mass produced 1911's is that many are out of spec from the factory and/or use substandard parts. You won't find that problem with the Les...enjoy!
 
I have heard from several baer owners that they arent fun putting them back together after a cleaning is there any truth to that?
 
Les Baer guns are famous for being tightly-fitted. While this aids accuracy, it does make it a bit harder to take-down & reassemble. Once you are used to it, it is no trouble.

Les Baer has a stellar reputation for high-quality M1911s.
 
I think you will have a tough time finding a better 1911 for the money than the Baers. They are still priced close to the high end production guns with the performance that matches 1911s costing a grand more.
 
Best 1911's I ever handled! I absolutely love mine. For the money they cost, they are the very best available. You will NOT be sorry you picked up a LB!
 
Speaking as a Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special owner myself, I must
say these weapons are just plain awesome~! :cool: Yes, the chambers are
tight; but that makes for better accuracy. The TRS is a "tool"; and as
such, a carry gun. When the chips are down, and you need a firearm
to equal the odds; this firearm is for you~! ;) :D
 
Baers are excellent guns. I have a Concept II. Despite being tight (it feels like a single piece of steel), it has been reliable and I haven't experienced a single malfunction. It's extremely accurate too.
 
I have a Les Baer Premier II Super Tac, and if I had to get it rid of every pistol I own except one, that would be the one I'd keep. It feeds everything I've ever run through it with 100% reliability, and it's super accurate. Granted, you can't take it apart without a bushing wrench, and the thing is so tight, I'm not sure how well it would do if it got sand, mud, or other crud in it, but it never has, and never will, and that's not the sort of thing the average civilian gun owner ever has to worry about anyway.

The other thing I like about Baers is that they are built after you order them, so you can request certain features and Baer will happily oblige you. On mine, for example, I asked for and got a short trigger, since I have short fingers, and I also asked to have the front slide serrations left off. I hate the way they look, and I'm in agreement with Massad Ayoob -- I don't generally care for the idea of manipulating the slide of an autoloader from the muzzle end, even just to check the chamber, so I never use them anyway.

They're pricey, but no more so than other high end 1911s, and as far as I'm concerned, they're worth every penny. Basically, they're 1911s built as well or better than SIG P210s, but costing less.
 
Shell Shucker,

You'll be looking in the ballpark of $1450ish for a PII and $1650 for a Custom Carry or TRS.

Baers are tremendous value for the money. And, I hate to use the word "value" implying that they're not on the same league as the other semi-custom makers such as EB, NH, WC, etc..

Thing is, Baers are all about the pistol. It's a no frills, use and come back for more type of pistol. Even the gun comes in a cardboard box. The gun is at the same price range as the higher priced "top level" production gun, but it just completely blows those out of the water. Les Baer pistols will come out of the box bankvault tight. A press on the recoil plug will unlock the action until about 800 rounds before it starts to smooth out.

They follow the 500 round breakin procedure also. Takes 500 rounds for the pistol parts to mate together, after a few thousand rounds the guns are unbelieveably smooth. Picking them up, you can feel the quality of the pistol. Kamagong stated it best, it feels like "one solid piece of steel."

Don't worry about reliability and durability because of the tight fit. It can handle it. I've ran 1300 rounds through a 3 day course without cleaning and it worked like a champ. All that was done through the course was a field strip to lube the rails and recoil lug.

Last thing to mention, what makes the gun such a fine shooter (especially for high thumb shooters) is the undercut trigger guard you'll find on all Baers. You can get a very high hold on the pistol, and the pistol will shoot noticeably softer than the run of the mill production pistols.

You can't go wrong. Get one. Heck get a few. I have a backup pistol, just in case mine ever fails, if it ever fails..
 
I had a Kimber Ultra CDP. Not a bad firearm. Matter of fact it was a dreat little gun, but now have this
100_1819.jpg And it is a realy great gun wouldn't give it up for anything.

I pulled it apart right out of the box. Didn't have a problem getting it back together with the exception of the bushing not comeing off the barrel.

crtter
You will NOT be sorry you picked up a LB!
Click to expand...

critter lies you will be sorry cause you'll want another and another and well you get my point.
 
big_baers.jpg


Here are two of mine. On the top is a one of a kind 10mm HWML that I had made up for me and my run of the mill PII 45. My 38 super PII is on loan right now so that makes me a three time Baer fan.

hwml_grips3.jpg


I think that the whole gun looks better with the Baer logo grips.


Baer makes tight guns. No doubt about it. That is what you are buying is that tight setup. If you don't want tight, but a Wilson if you want semi custom or buy a Kimber if you want production accuracy. The key point on the Baer's tightness in my mind is future wear. Lets face it, 1911's don't wear tight, they wear loose. So do you want to buy a gun that is loose and wear it looser or do you want to buy tight and wear to loose?

I know that many folks would disagree with that line of logic, but then again, they probably don't buy Baer's.

I have had great luck with my 3 and were I to buy another 1911 it would be a Baer (unless as a collector I pick up a 38 special NM colt for safe keeping).
 
I have the Les Baer Premier 2 and really love it...no problems whatsoever...
also have a SIG Platinum Carry and a NightHawk Talon 2 and no problems with these either....also have Kimber Ultra Compact and no problems at all.
But bought a Wilson Combat Sentinel with the 3.6 inch barrel and am having some ftf and frb problems but have only just fired 20 rounds through it...so it is not even broken in yet...but must admit was a bit surprised. My most accurate gun and the one I carry most is the Les Baer...
 
Bought a Kimber, it's alright.

Just ordered a Les Baer SRP. Looked at all the options. I am in CA so my options are limited or I would have ordered a custom.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
  • Locked
Went to the gun store and...
Replies
18
Views
920
jackg
J
B
  • Locked
Les Baer
Replies
10
Views
819
backline
B
R
  • Locked
Dan Wesson 1911
2
Replies
31
Views
3K
Covey Rise
C
K
  • Locked
I am considering a Les Baer 1911 but I have had trouble with 1911s in the past...
2
Replies
29
Views
2K
Chuck R.
Chuck R.
D
  • Locked
1911 suggestions?
Replies
21
Views
964
Glockfan.45
G
Back
Top