Problems with Les Baer 45 ACP?

Have you contacted them? Sounds like you need to send it back in.

Time to send it back; my Premier II 1.5"G is a little bit picky about SWC but runs FMJ flawlessly. Your gun shouldn't be having these failures, especially after the break-in.

Ditto. I would send it back. Please post the results as well; they are a good company & this thread will probably get some eyes on it, would be great to see a nice customer service response posted. Hope they work it out.

My Les Baer Wadcutter has been flawless. For a pistol at this price, yours should be too. Call Les Baer and have them fix yours.

I JUST got my UTC back from Baer - I had sent it back for 9 failures in the 1st 950+ rounds. It did take a while but honestly, I sent it in just before Christmas and the 2012 Shot Show, so it took a while as I expected. Just before I got it back Les called me to tell me what the problems were and what he had done which included removing some of the coating on internal parts (see below) and putting 200 rounds through it.

My particular problem was caused by the fact that I had had it sent directly to a 3d party for BearCoating before I took possession. Although they did a beautiful job of coating the gun Les said it wasn't put back right (to his specs I think) after the coating. I didn't know any better (to tell them not to) and they evidently coated some internal parts that shouldn't have been (like the trigger box, etc. When I got the gun from the BearCoating I was shocked to see that they had coated the stainless magazines! That of course caused the mags to stick in the magwell when released instead of sliding out like they're suppose to but that wasn't necessarily the cause of the failures. I won't go into detail but, long story short, Les charged me a small labor fee (but no shipping charges either way) and I think I'm back in business. I've been to the range once for a quick 100 rounds and the gun was flawless.

I recommend calling and getting the gun back to them asap. IMO they are great guns but nobody's perfect and it seems that you have that needs to be set right by them. I wouldn't give up until you give them a try. Let us know how it goes. (That girl is Brenda BTW. )

Problems with his guns are rare but they are still human beings and capable of making mistakes.

That's why people should fondle before they buy, and never order blindly.

You really except les baer to talk to you? To be hanging out answering the phone. Write a very detailed list of problems ,ammo used and let them deal with it. Poop happens. Give them a chance to make it right before talking about lemons. Your pistol is just one of many made and they are a hand fit custom pistol so just give them a chance. You probably should have been looking to contact them a 1200 rounds ago. So that proves you have patience.

Actually problems with guns are extremly common, the industry has one of the highest return for service rates around.

918v said:

That's why people should fondle before they buy, and never order blindly.

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Of course it's preferred, but I don't think it's necessary unless buying used and even in that case, if you buy from a reputable business, you shouldn't have a problem. Plus, it's difficult to "fondle" some guns that are custom made and have a 3 to 18 month wait time just to get the piece you order - it's not impossible but it's difficult.

At least half of the guns I own weren't "fondled" before I bought them and I've not yet had a problem with buying a gun that I saw for the 1st time when I opened the package.

918v said:

That's why people should fondle before they buy, and never order blindly.

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How would handling the gun prior to purchase show you that in the first 1000-1500 rounds you would have these types of problems?

cskny said:

How would handling the gun prior to purchase show you that in the first 1000-1500 rounds you would have these types of problems?

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Well, it wouldn't and that's a good point! The most it would tell you is how it felt to hold the gun. IMO reading reviews, others owners comments, etc. are much more valuable until you actually get the gun and shoot it. Then you find out (totally) what it's like.

You really except les baer to talk to you?

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I have no idea if he would talk to you, but I have spoken with him several times.

I agree, Baer will make it good. Call them.

I do have to snicker when people say that if you buy an economy 1911, they are made of compressed rust and doomed to break, but if you buy a custom shop gun, the extra thousand dollars (or more) gives a magical degree of indestructability.

I didn't expect to hear from Les at all and I don't know if he does that to all his "problem" customers but I sure did appreciate the call! As for the $ you spend on 1911's, I've got expensive ones and not-expensive ones, old and new, and I love 'em all. You don't have to spend $2k and up to get a great 1911 - in fact, there are a couple that I'd like to have now. The SR1911 is one of them and it's just around $600+ - all in good time.

And no, it's not at all preposterous that Les will personally oversee the problem. This is the advantage of the smaller shops, their leadership is very close to the entire process. If you call Badger Ordnance for a complaint, the company president answers the phone. This business is competitive, and they know that guys like love to post every detail of every problem in places like this, they make a serious effort to solve problems quickly.

My PII has been 100% reliable since day one. Baer customer service is good and will correct any problem that exits on any of their guns.

I am on my 4th baer and #5 is on order. What you describe would result in an immediate call to Baer and ask for help and instructions. Mr. Baer has talked to me before and I found him to be very easy to discuss things with. He likes you to get to the point though.

None of my Baer's had issues like you describe.

How would handling the gun prior to purchase show you that in the first 1000-1500 rounds you would have these types of problems?

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I can tell alot just by pulling the slide back and watching and feeling the barrel going into battery. A hard fit barrel with timing issues will cause all kinds of reliability problems. Looking before you buy also enables you to detect cosmetic issues.

No one would argue that their 1st choice would be to see and hold a gun before buying it. This thread, started about a problem with a Les Baer, and is more about custom guns IMO. My point is that it's usually impossible to hold a Baer, Wilson Combat, Night Hawk, Ed Brown, etc. before you buy it - you usually order it and don't actually get the gun until months later. Anyway, seldom can anyone tell that one of the fine hand-built guns has a problem by holding it and "listening" to it cycle.

It is hard to "look before you buy" when you put money down on a custom Baer now 22 weeks ahead of delivery. I put money down last week and don't really expect to see the gun until August give or take. The beauty is it will be a hard fit Baer 1.5" 38 super just the way I want it done.

That is the advantage of Baer.

I am sure Baer will make it right if there is a problem. He test fires all of his guns before blueing if I remember right so there may be some sort of glitch in the final finish that needs to be rectified.

That sounds like it'll be a dilly, Peter. Congrats on the order - post back when you get it and let us know the details. :up: