Bauer 25 ACP

[slowr1der]

Anyone know what these are worth? I was visiting a local gunsmith/gun shop tonight that Is one of the few good shops I've dealt with. He normally doesn't sell any pistols or at least not that I've ever seen, mostly long rifles, muzzle loaders, and shotguns. Anyway, I was telling him about how I want an LCP. He his wife and him were telling me that she had one, but couldn't get used to the trigger so she sold it, but that they'd recently had a customer buy a Taurus TCP, and they were surprised how decent the trigger on it was. The more we talked, he pulled out a gun out of his pocket and told me it was his personal carry gun, but he was going to sell it. I thought he'd pulled out a Baby Browning, but instead was a Bauer .25 ACP. I actually liked this thing. He told me he'd paid $200 for it, and that's what he would take for it. That sounded cheap. Is that a good deal?

Now I'm wondering if I should get the LCP, or this Bauer? I actually like the size of this Bauer a lot better, but I'd prefer a .380 to a .25. So any opinions on if this is a good deal and if I should pick it up or not?

 

[duns]

According to the Marshall and Sanow book, .25 ACP hollow point has around 27% probability of stopping a human being with one shot. That probability goes to over 90% with some calibers. For .380 ACP, the probability is around 67%. I would suggest that .380 is the minimum caliber you should be considering as a carry gun. (Or a 38 special / 357 magnum snubbie!)

 

[David E]

Get the LCP or the TCP.

If you go with the Bauer, the only safe way to carry it is with an empty chamber, and that's next to useless for a defense gun.

 

[slowr1der]

Why is it only safe to carry it with an empty chamber? I didn't realize that, but I'm curious why. I certainly wouldn't want to carry it like that. I like the LCP so will probably end up with it if I get anything.

I'm not at all crazy about a 380 for self defense, but there are times when I'd like a gun that can fit in my pocket. For example when I have my shirt tucked in. It's just to hard for me not to print with my normal carry gun.

 

[GRIZ22]

Get a 380 if you are thinking about a SD firearm. Forget the .25. $200? Afew bucks more gets you a Kel Tec and a few more a LCP or

Why is it only safe to carry it with an empty chamber? I didn't realize that, but I'm curious why.

A Bauer is a Browning 25 copy. I've owned both. They are striker fired and it is possible for the striker to jump the sear even with the safety on and have an unintended discharge. I saw one discharged when it was dropped with the safety on. Also the safety is not very positive and slips off easily. I got my Browning 25 from someone who was carrying it in his pocket when it went off. He swore he had the safety on and after only shooting a hole through his pants pocket wanted no more of the gun and gave it to me. There was nothing mecahnically wrong with it.

but there are times when I'd like a gun that can fit in my pocket

If this concerns you you need to get a good pocket holster and you can break up the outline more with a handkerchief.

 

[duns]

Here's a link to a Browning .25 ACP manual. The manual makes it clear that the gun is not drop safe. http://media.browning.com/pdf/om/25auto_s.pdf

 

[Cemo]

I had a Bauer for years, only carried it with empty chamber, safety is unreliable. To it's credit, the gun shot good, don't remember it ever jamming. But today there are several .380's that can be hid just as easily.

 

[Onmilo]

Your dealer didn't pay $200 for a Bauer unless he gets himself hosed on gun deals regularly.
Most likely he paid $125-$135, that's the going dealer on a used Bauer with one magazine.
He isn't doing you any favors, I would pass on the "deal". HTH

 

[Old Fuff]

Another problem with any copy of Browning's vest pocket pistols, including the 1908 Colt's, is that the firing pin has a long nose that doubles as the ejector. This causes no problems when it comes to ejecting fired cases, but can be dangerous if you are hand ejecting a loaded cartridge.

So when doing so, do it gently...

As a side note: I have a Bauer, and have carried it as a back-up, not a primary weapon. When doing so the chamber has been empty, and only on rare occasions.

 

[leerdmn]

I just bought a Bauer for my girlfriend to carry in her purse. I paid $175 for it. I know, ballistically, it is not the best choice. But when I am there, I always have a .380 or 9mm. I got it for her because she has never been comfortable with handling a firearm, and I was hoping to ease her into owning one. I took her to the shooting range last weekend with it. Scary accurate, dead on reliable. I actually had a lot of fun shooting it.

I wouldn't consider it a primary defense weapon, but as a pocket back up, or even a vest gun, there are worse choices.

 

[outerlimit]

I would not carry one of the Browning's or the Bauer clones with a round chambered. I'm not real familiar with the internals of these guns, but I've been told the sear that the striker rests against is not very reassuring. Unlike most modern striker fired guns there is no safety that prevents the gun from going off if the trigger is not pulled. Drop safety would be the least of my worries with these guns. They are generally quality pieces though and would be more fun to shoot and have around if .25acp ammo wasn't so expensive.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Ive had a Bauer since 1979 I agree on the carry empty chamber . Mine has never jammed of failed to fire. But My Beretta 950 BS is just little larger and safer .
Around her Bauer goes for around 200 to 225.

 

[No Quarter]

I have a Bauer. I have carried this gun with round chambered and safety on. No problems. This style of gun was carried by thousands upon thousands of people over decades and I have heard no reports of random gunshots from the crowd going off as the safeties failed or guns were dropped.

The little guns are well made and, in most cases, reliable. $200 is a fair price for one in excellent/like new condition. Search Gunbroker completed auctions for real price references. Look at sold prices. This will give you a good indication of what a gun is worth across the country as it would not have sold if someone was not willing to pay for it!

No matter what you shoot someone with, be prepared to get their blood on you if you have to then beat/stab them half to death to stop the threat if they are so inclined to keep on coming and you are out of ammo and you can't then escape from the situation.

14" of penetration in ballistic jello is nothing to sneeze at. Pull the trigger 7 times and punch 7 14" holes in somebody and then come and tell me that it is just going to piss them off

http://www.brassfetcher.com/var25acp.html

NQ

 

[Cemo]

It's OK to pocket carry the Bauer with a round chambered, your private parts will deaden the sound when the gun goes off. lol

You may be lucky and get by, but it isn't worth the risk, at least not to me. I carried my Bauer for 10 years with an empty chamber until a better pistol came along.

 

[Ala Dan]

I had a Bauer .25 caliber auto several years ago; aw yes, complete with fake
pearl (called "PearlLite" back then) grips. Bought this firearm NIB, but I don't
recall ever shooting it ~? Somehow, I ended up trading it to my now
deceased father-in-law. I always heard, "its an exact copy of a Baby Browning
.25"~!

 

[Old Fuff]

I always heard, "its an exact copy of a Baby Browning
.25"

It was, except the parts were stainless steel investment castings. The maker was originally in the space/aircraft business making precision castings, and when business got slow he went into business making copies of a Browning he owned as a pattern.

There was a difference, as the Browning was made from forgings and bar stock, with the parts being machined.

 

[makarovnik]

I like the little DA/SA .25acp Bobcat. Penetration is decent and don't use hollowpoints. That's the trick. Also carry and extra mag so you can hit 'em with all 16 rounds (or more if you fill the pipe).

 

[seed]

My Bauer's pin/ejector broke off at some point unbeknownst to me...i.e. not during firing. It's a mystery how and when it happened. I haven't gotten around to replacing it and I am not in a huge hurry to do so.

Like others have said, there are many fine .380's out there that fit the bill way better. And those fake pearl grips are fat as hell, making it way thicker than my P3AT or LCP. I don't know what to do with my Bauer, but the odds are that I will replace the pin and then sell it for something like $100-150 locally.