Why I buy 1.5" Baer 1911's.

[Peter M. Eick]

I recently picked up this package from CJ's at 1911 Heaven.



If you are not familiar with Baer, he offers a 1.5" 50 yard 8 shot guarantee. If they gun won't do it, send it back and he will fix it until it does. If you are curious, his actual group is the following:





So I took it to the range.

My normal is 50 shots per target so here they are in order.








These are the first 300 shots out of the gun. Not a single bobble, misfeed, failure to extract or anything. Just slam mags and caress the trigger. My next 50 shots were chasing rocks in the berm for fun. Contrary to the belief on the web, 1.5" guns are not tight, they are just exceptionally well fitted and extremely smooth.

So when someone asks me why I buy Baer's with the 1.5" guarantee, I will show them these as just representative of what a Baer can do. This is my third 1.5" Baer in a row and after the fun I just had, I will be on the phone monday ordering a 1.5" Heavyweight Monolith in 38 super from 1911 Heaven. Great place, they got me this gun in 6 days from the phone call to gun in hand.

 

[SteampunkQueen]

Beautiful!!!

So whats your thoughts on the .38 Super? Ive always wanted a 1911 chambered in it ala John Dillenger.

 

[EddieNFL]

Almost like cheatin', Peter.

I bought my first Baer about six months ago. I've fired five to six thousand cast loads through it cleaning every 500-600 rounds. It's gets so dirty, lesser guns would return to battery only because they are so much looser.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

The Super is great. I load my reloads to 1300 FPS with a 130 to 135 grn bullet. These were all 135's. The Super is accurate, easy to shoot, recoils less than a 45 and is more fun with more of a "bark" to the gun.

Next to 10mm it is my favorite round and just a hair more interesting than the 357 Sig.

I now have 3 Supers and am going to get a fourth soon!

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I agree it was like cheating. I was watching folks shoot around me and they were putting up shotgun patterns and I was clearing out a single hole. Either a lot of folks are bad shots or most guns are really not that accurate. I know both are true but sometimes I wonder if it is the equipment more than the shooter.

 

[PabloJ]

Most folks are bad shots and using cheapest ammo does little to tighten "patterns".

 

[The M]

I agree it was like cheating. I was watching folks shoot around me and they were putting up shotgun patterns and I was clearing out a single hole. Either a lot of folks are bad shots or most guns are really not that accurate. I know both are true but sometimes I wonder if it is the equipment more than the shooter.

From what I've been seeing, it's the shooter for sure.

 

[JohnBT]

"this package"

Look at all of that free target material they give you. Did it come in a cardboard box? I miss the days of using cardboard gun boxes for targets.

Seriously, that's an impressive gun.

John

 

[Sauer Grapes]

That gun would be useless to me, I can't even see 50yds!.....LOL
You know, on a serious note, you could hand that gun to the average shooter and they wouldn't fair any better. If you can't shoot, the best gun on the planet won't do much to improve your skills.
I wasn't kidding either, I couldn't do what you did with that gun. My eyes just don't go that far without a scope.
Nice shooting.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Your targets may not be quite 1.5" but that's still some darn good shooting for 50 yards.

 

[1KPerDay]

Your targets may not be quite 1.5" but that's still some darn good shooting for 50 yards.

Did you understand that he shot 50 shots per target? Those are frickin' amazing groups.

 

[esheato]

Awesome!

Do you have a link for 1911 Heaven?

 

[CDW4ME]

Good shooting.
Were the sights set to hit POA as received, because the POI is right on.
This is your 3rd Baer, what are the other two, what caliber?
Is this just a range gun or will you use for carry too?

 

[snakeman]

so when are you going to hunt prairie dogs?!

 

[ATLDave]

Awesome guns with the rare shooter that can shoot as well as they can! Amazing!

 

[M2 Carbine]

Did you understand that he shot 50 shots per target? Those are frickin' amazing groups.

Yes they are. I don't think I've ever seen anyone that can shoot a pistol that good.

50 yards is a long way.

 

[Waldo Pepper]

I have a new Dan Wesson RZ10 that will do that at 50 yards, but for me to do it with the gun I'd need to be 30 to 40 years younger.

 

[Baba Louie]

Peter, Were you using a 6 o'clock hold? (single holes lowest on your 6 targets) And... you must have excellent vision and steady hands.

As my dear old departed Daddy would say "That old boy can shoot a little" which was pretty high praise from him. A good gun coupled with a good shooter... fun times. Nice report.

 

[critter]

I have a LB without the 1.5" guarantee and it will STILL outshoot me! Wonderfully fitted guns. Just SWEET is all I can say. I love the thing.

I also have an older Colt in .38 Super that I got not too long ago. Very interesting caliber and gun. Really comfortable to shoot. Just getting used to it but so far, I like the caliber AND the sweet, old Colt.

 

[BigSteve57]

Peter - in your origial post: what ammo were you using?
Thanks.

 

[tuj]

Awesome post. I have a Les Baer PII 1.5G that I love as well.

 

[Ankeny]

Yes they are. I don't think I've ever seen anyone that can shoot a pistol that good.

Neither Have I. Six consecutive fifty shot groups like that at 50 yards is some world class marksmanship skills. Maybe they were off of a bench?

 

[[email protected]]

I don't think he ever said he shot them at 50 yds. It looks more like 25 yds
from a rest. I shoot in competition and nobody shoots like that at 50 yds.
Actually they don't shoot that good at 25 yds either.

 

[Bozwell]

I suspect he's just verifying the accuracy guarantee using a rest. That's still a great shooting gun.

 

[Ankeny]

By gosh you are right, the yardage wasn't indicated.

I had a 1.5 Baer PII in hard chrome that went about 15,000 rounds before the link pin area cracked and broke. Had the barrel replaced and it went for thousands of rounds more before I sold the pistol in a moment of weakness. The gun was also phenomenally reliable. The only malfs I had were a few rounds that were the product of lousy hand loading, like the primer seated backwards. Sure wish I would have kept the pistol.