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About a month ago I picked up my new Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special .45 1911. I sold my pristine S&W 1066 to help finance the purchase. It is a lovely 1911, nice bluing and very tight, but not too tight. I've now shot 553 rounds through it and figured it was a time to post a report on the pistol.
After field stripping it, I lubed it well, reassembled. Then it was off to the range for the first 114 rounds. I took along the three Les Baer magazines that came with the pistol plus a couple of Wilson 47 magazines. The pistol worked great, but the Les Baer magazines, not so much. They fed perfectly, but on three occasions the slide did not lock back. It was not a matter of a weak springs, rather it appeared the follower was somehow causing the slide lock to stick in the downward position so that it did not matter how many times I pulled the slide back the slide lock would not come up.
In looking on some of the 1911 forums it appears that, unlike his pistols, Les Baer's magazines are not viewed favorably. In fact, many shooters said to just chuck them and get Chip McCormick or Wilson mags. However, one posting got my attention. The poster said he had some problems with his LB mags but the body of the mag seem to be good quality so he replaced the spring and follower with a Wilson Combat magazine kit. Two thousand rounds later he had experienced no further problems. Well, it just so happened that I had a few of those kits (I have a number of other 1911 pistols). Since the magazines were feeding so well, I went ahead and replaced the springs and followers. Function has been perfect ever since.
Today I went to the range and fired 100 rounds, pushing past the 500 round break in period. During the break in period I fired mostly American Eagle and S&B 230gr ball ammo. Except for the three magazine problems early on, noted above, the pistol and refitted magazines have functioned flawlessly.
The third photo down (21ft target shot with S&B ammo) was my best group of the day. The pistol shoots better than I can. The only downside is that if the groups aren't at least this good, it's all my fault . . . no excuses anymore.
After field stripping it, I lubed it well, reassembled. Then it was off to the range for the first 114 rounds. I took along the three Les Baer magazines that came with the pistol plus a couple of Wilson 47 magazines. The pistol worked great, but the Les Baer magazines, not so much. They fed perfectly, but on three occasions the slide did not lock back. It was not a matter of a weak springs, rather it appeared the follower was somehow causing the slide lock to stick in the downward position so that it did not matter how many times I pulled the slide back the slide lock would not come up.
In looking on some of the 1911 forums it appears that, unlike his pistols, Les Baer's magazines are not viewed favorably. In fact, many shooters said to just chuck them and get Chip McCormick or Wilson mags. However, one posting got my attention. The poster said he had some problems with his LB mags but the body of the mag seem to be good quality so he replaced the spring and follower with a Wilson Combat magazine kit. Two thousand rounds later he had experienced no further problems. Well, it just so happened that I had a few of those kits (I have a number of other 1911 pistols). Since the magazines were feeding so well, I went ahead and replaced the springs and followers. Function has been perfect ever since.
Today I went to the range and fired 100 rounds, pushing past the 500 round break in period. During the break in period I fired mostly American Eagle and S&B 230gr ball ammo. Except for the three magazine problems early on, noted above, the pistol and refitted magazines have functioned flawlessly.
The third photo down (21ft target shot with S&B ammo) was my best group of the day. The pistol shoots better than I can. The only downside is that if the groups aren't at least this good, it's all my fault . . . no excuses anymore.
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