Les Baer's - #1 contender for the "best bang for your buck" custom 1911 debate?

BenL

BenL

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Les Baer's - #1 contender for the "best bang for your buck" custom 1911 debate?

I've looked these up on the board and could count a handfull of threads on Les Baer's 1911s. Granted the reason for this would be the price point they sale at, but thought I would have seen more.

I've been thumbling the idea of adding a high quality 1911s to my collection of handguns and Les Baer seem to be the best bang for your buck in the custom 1911 field (flame suit ON..cuz you just never know 'round here).

So to those who own them, I'm looking for actual user's feedback, positive and negative are all welcome. I already know that they are very tight outta box and will smooth out after 500 rounds, so no need to cover that aspect:)

I'm not prepared at dropping $4k on one (not everyone can spend $10k/month like Caramel) so I'd be looking for a used Les Baer in the middle-of-the-pack offering, something like his Thunder Ranch Special model.

Have at it boys!
 
Entering the world of restricteds, should not take away my addiction for NR thus extra expenses, and correction a Wilson 45 acp 1911 X-Tac is more 3K than 4K... JP.
 
Best of luck finding a Les Baer on the used market - most owners are happy to keep theirs.

Food for though - take a look at Dlask, Jo makes excellent 1911's that are amazingly accurate, they don't show up on the used market much either.
 
there was a thunder ranch selling two days ago for 1600 i think. Also, I have one it is amazing it hits where you point and, I got the 1.5 inch package and my 50 yard target with 10 rounds could be covered by a loonie, just insane. And yes tight, took me a bit to rack the slide first time, now it is smooth.
 
Very tight. You've summed them up pretty well - mid level parts, well fitted. Hard fit barrel etc makes for an extremely tight gun.

Depending on the round count, a TRS for $1600 would be nice in this country.

Definitely if you want a semi-custom or limited production 1911, the Baer is the best bang for the buck. The Baer shop has turned out TONS of 1911s over the years and it was Baer who got the Springfield Custom Shop rolling and who defined the process for building, among other guns, the Springfield Pro.

They are a big step up from any Dlask I've ever seen. I would put them somewhere around the level of the Springfield TRP, but a tighter fit. Similar to the TRP for parts quality - there's cast parts etc but it's all quality stuff, no Kimber bits in there.

Honestly I think they're overly tight and there isn't a specific need for that kind of hard fitting but it doesn't seem to generate a problem and it's Baer's method so I'm hardly going to argue with the guy. It works for him and his shop.

Easy to pull one off Gunbroker for $1700 and get it up here for $2000, but if you're patient Wanstalls brings them in for very little more and then you have warranty support from a local outfit.
 
If Gary get some Baer, i make pick one up and compare it to my Wilson, there nothing better than comparing them side by side and this way determine a clear winner... JP.
 
sbe said:
there was a thunder ranch selling two days ago for 1600 i think. Also, I have one it is amazing it hits where you point and, I got the 1.5 inch package and my 50 yard target with 10 rounds could be covered by a loonie, just insane. And yes tight, took me a bit to rack the slide first time, now it is smooth.
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Yup - that's why I started this thread. Looks like it sold and I was too late to the party it seems :)
 
misanthropist said:
Very tight. You've summed them up pretty well - mid level parts, well fitted. Hard fit barrel etc makes for an extremely tight gun.

Depending on the round count, a TRS for $1600 would be nice in this country.

Definitely if you want a semi-custom or limited production 1911, the Baer is the best bang for the buck. The Baer shop has turned out TONS of 1911s over the years and it was Baer who got the Springfield Custom Shop rolling and who defined the process for building, among other guns, the Springfield Pro.

They are a big step up from any Dlask I've ever seen. I would put them somewhere around the level of the Springfield TRP, but a tighter fit. Similar to the TRP for parts quality - there's cast parts etc but it's all quality stuff, no Kimber bits in there.

Honestly I think they're overly tight and there isn't a specific need for that kind of hard fitting but it doesn't seem to generate a problem and it's Baer's method so I'm hardly going to argue with the guy. It works for him and his shop.

Easy to pull one off Gunbroker for $1700 and get it up here for $2000, but if you're patient Wanstalls brings them in for very little more and then you have warranty support from a local outfit.
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I'm not in a rush to get one to be honest. I have the cash ready, just that as its been said here, they rarely come up for sale and at the price the seller was asking for yesterday was pretty good. IIRC, the new price for a TRS is $1,999.

Agreed that getting the warranty and support from a local outfit, especially one like Gary's shop is a (big) plus.
 
misanthropist said:
The Wilson is head and shoulders above the Baer. Wilson is walking all over everyone in the semi-custom business right now.
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What makes you say that? Not challenging, just actually curious. Wilson's are no doubt top quality but most of them seem to be at least $3000+. Would their 'base' model be that much better than a 'base' Baer like the Premier II or what not? Both fine 1911's though, no denying that! Just wish I could afford either ;)
 
BenL said:
Even the higher-end Baer models (and I say this, based only on the retail price of some of the Baers, which is comparible with the Wilson prices)?
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I personally would not pay Wilson money for a Baer. An XTac vs a Centennial is kind of a tough comparison...the Centennial is a piece of art and the XTac is a workhorse. But an SRP compared to a CQB or even an XTac...yeah, no question.

Ed Brown kind of splits the difference between Wilson and Baer IMO.
 
go_DWI said:
What makes you say that? Not challenging, just actually curious. Wilson's are no doubt top quality but most of them seem to be at least $3000+. Would their 'base' model be that much better than a 'base' Baer like the Premier II or what not? Both fine 1911's though, no denying that! Just wish I could afford either ;)
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Yes. Parts quality is higher, and fit is more consistent at WC right now than anywhere.
 
misanthropist said:
Yes. Parts quality is higher, and fit is more consistent at WC right now than anywhere.
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Fair enough, I could see that. For my uses I'm sure I probably couldn't tell the difference anyway so I'd probably go with the "cheaper" option at first then maybe graduate to a Wilson one day haha. I had a Ruger SR1911 that I wasn't super fond of so hoping to get something a little more high-end one day
 
Yeah, I shoot a Baer myself. It's currently the only 1911 I have that I didn't build. If you want to get started on higher end 1911s without breaking the bank, they're tough to beat. I can't justify having $3-4000 tied up in a 1911 at the moment so I'm quite happy to be shooting the Baer I have.

And even that gun is one I bought quite recently. For a long time my approach has been Norinco beaters to chop and grind on, and a decent Colt should the need arise.

But the Baer popped up at a reasonable price so I snagged it.
 
misanthropist said:
Yeah, I shoot a Baer myself. It's currently the only 1911 I have that I didn't build. If you want to get started on higher end 1911s without breaking the bank, they're tough to beat. I can't justify having $3-4000 tied up in a 1911 at the moment so I'm quite happy to be shooting the Baer I have.

And even that gun is one I bought quite recently. For a long time my approach has been Norinco beaters to chop and grind on, and a decent Colt should the need arise.

But the Baer popped up at a reasonable price so I snagged it.
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Which model do you own if you don't mind me asking.
 
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