Les Baer vs. High End AR

[Sam]

I really have been trying to do a paper right now, and I thought what better way not to do it than browsing 1911 forums. That's when the Les Baers caught my eye. I've been shooting my Wilson for about 8 months now and I've loved it, but the new spark of excitement that was there the first month or so hasn't been there in awhile. I took a new shooter to the range and in the process I completely re-fell in love with the 1911...not that I never fell out of love with it. As I was showing him the proper technique, safety rules and manipulations with my new Colt I was reminded how lovely it looked and how right it felt in the hand. At the range I was reminded how even a stock Colt trigger is pretty darn good and how easy it is to control and shoot accurately (as accurate as I can be).

Anyway, after sending off a couple of items to new homes I have some cash in hand to play with. My original reason to sell these items was to finance something like an LWRC or Addax. Now, however, I am torn. I do have a complete AR lower but I lust after a Les Baer. Those Baers have graceful classic looks that I think I'm missing with the Wilson. How can anyone resist a blued 1911 with narrow cocking serrations? To make it worse, I'm sending off that Colt to be completely redone and so there would be no reason for me to get another 1911 when I need an AR...but it's soo tempting. Dang, someone do something!

[silver05]

I love my Baer Thunder Ranch. I had the frame refinished to a satin hard chrome and left the slide blued. The thing runs great, no problems at all.

[Juicymeat]

My suggestion would be to buy whatever you want the most. I know this won't help you make a hard decision any easier, but I just hit the 1000 round mark on my TRS and damn is it smooth.

[wash]

If it were me, I would go for the AR or else save up some more and find a Valtro to buy.

Les Baer strikes me as a ~factory gun. Sure, they are nice but you're not getting a whole lot for your money.

They also kind of screwed over Busse Combat. Busse was told that a group buy would be set up for their customers but that never happened because the pricing was way too high so instead of selling hundreds they sold about 50 total. Busse had to blow out their inventory of knives that were supposed to be available only with the Les Baer package.

[Kruzr]

Les Baer strikes me as a ~factory gun. Sure, they are nice but you're not getting a whole lot for your money.

And you base that on owning how many Baers and shooting how many rounds out of them?

[ocabj]

Shawn McKenna uses Les Baer Service Rifles for HP Across the Course. Considering he's a pretty accomplished shooter (including 2008 CMP National Trophy Individual winner - http://www.odcmp.org/0808/default.asp?page=NTI), it does give Les Baer some merit.

That's not to say there aren't other options out there, but the Les Baer does perform.

[sammy]

Sure, they are nice but you're not getting a whole lot for your money.

I could not disagree more with this statement. When someone asks me what is the best value in the 1911 world my answer is always Les Baer. Again, this is just my opnion but I think lots of Baer owners would agree with me.

As far as what to get, the Baer or AR I don't think their is going to be a run on 1911's like we are seeing with the AR's. As the economy gets worse more folks are unloading their high end 1911's and holding on to the AR's as long as possible in anticipation of a new AWB. If I were you I would be looking in the classifieds for a complete AR.

[SDgarrick]

When someone asks me what is the best value in the 1911 world my answer is always Les Baer.

Hmmm, Maybe I'm looking at this different, But I always figured the best value in 1911's was a RIA.

Both spit lead reliably though one is at the bottom of the food chain (yet economical) the other is at the top(much less economical).

I don't assign words Like "best value" to the high end stuff.

[Lethal_addict]

Understanding your delema...

Couple things to think about. I also have a Wilson CQB and an LWRC and let me tell you that I would rather have one rifle and one pistol than two pistols.

In addition to that you never know how long you will be able to get the LWRC. Guaranteed, we are heading for a ban... So get the LWRC, I ordered mine form Northwest Tactical... Ask for Matt or Marcie.

PS: Remember, You don't want to bring a pistol... to rifle fight!

Just my 2 cents...

[Sam]

thanks guys. I personally didn't even think about a possible ban, I guess that changes things a bit. I guess I'll probably try to round up a rifle. Lethal addict, how do you like your LWRC. I don't have any experience with gas piston rifles but just from looking online it looks like LWRC probably makes the highest quality product.

[Black Majik]

Hmmm, Maybe I'm looking at this different, But I always figured the best value in 1911's was a RIA.

Both spit lead reliably though one is at the bottom of the food chain (yet economical) the other is at the top(much less economical).

I don't assign words Like "best value" to the high end stuff.

I do usually agree, "value" isn't usually assigned to higher priced stuff. But, comparatively... to Ed Brown, Nighthawk, Wilson and SA's PRO, Les Baer is the only one to rate their accuracy guarantee at 50 yards. You could, essentially buy a 3" @ 50 yard gun for $1500. That there, is quite a value.

A SA TRP isn't that far off in price to put it in perspective.

[SDgarrick]

I understand the notion that you are getting custom gun performance without the full custom price. However, given that the price disqualifies so many people from owning one, I'd say that it isn't so much a super stellar value rather just a great piece of craftsmanship which is head and shoulders above the comparatively priced competition. But why say that when you can just say "best value".

[Sam]

doesn't value equal a high benefits to price ratio regardless of overall price or who can't own one? It surely is a subjective thing however.

[wash]

And you base that on owning how many Baers and shooting how many rounds out of them?

Zero and maybe 100.

I've handled a few and haven't been very impressed. They are certainly nice but $2,000.00+ nice?

The quality is fine, the value isn't all that great. They aren't the only game in town.

[Kruzr]

Zero and maybe 100.

I've handled a few and haven't been very impressed. They are certainly nice but $2,000.00+ nice?

The quality is fine, the value isn't all that great. They aren't the only game in town.

Well, I guess I have a bit more experience with Baers and high end 1911's than that. I've got 2 Baers, a Brown, a Wilson, 3 Kimbers, 2 Colts (incl NMGC), 2 Springers, and a Caspian that I built. The Baers are the most accurate and they cost less than any of the other semi-customs in their category.

Yes, if a Wilson or a Brown or a Nighthawk is $2800 - $3000 "nice" then a Baer is easily "$2000 nice"

But then again, I shoot at small circles not huge rectangles on silhouettes.