Les Baer - Break In Period Question

[CTGunner]

Well, tonight I went to the range and fired the Concept VII for the first time. I have to say that despite all of your assurances regarding the 'tightness' of the gun, I was still a little nervous that it wouldn't work. Well, with that said, you guys were right! I fired 150 rounds of Speer Lawman 230 grain FMJ with zero malfunctions. I was simply shocked that I didn't have 1 malfunction.

I used both the standard Les Baer magazine and a Wilson mag. The Wilson mag was a little easier to load but both worked fine.

Now for the bad news, at least 2 rounds per magazine ejected straight back and into my face. My forehead is actually cut up from the brass and if I wasn't wearing safety glasses I would be blind. At the back side of the ejection port you can see all the brass residue.

So, I talked to the guys who sold me the gun and they all said 'not normal but keep shooting it until the break in period is complete...they say 800 rounds'. What do you say? Do ejector problems like this work themselves out...

Lastly, now I get it. When 1911 guys bad mouth 'plastic' pistols I finally know what they mean. The Les Baer 1911 feels like a man's tool, no doubt about it.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[JTQ]

I don't have a Baer, but my Colt 1911 stopped sending cases into my forehead at around 200 rounds. I always wear shooting glasses, but did try different ways to position my ball cap, and made sure I had a high necked collared shirt to keep the cases out of my shirt.

My understanding is the Baer break-in period is 500 rounds and they recommend against cleaning or even field stripping the pistol until you reach that number. They do recommend keeping it well oiled though. The combination of ammo residue and oil provides a "slurry" that helps to smooth out the action.

One recommendation I've heard for removing the brass residue off the top of the slide is to use a pencil erasure.

Sounds like you have a fine pistol. Congratulations.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

After a few more rounds...if the ejection doesn't straighten up, tighten the extractor tension just a tad.

 

[schmeky]

CT Gunner,

My new LB Monolith has been 100% from day one, and is one of a few of my "no, none, nada malfunction" pistols.

You can't put the LB feel and function into words; welcome aboard.

 

[CTGunner]

Thanks for the suggestions. No doubt this is a very solid pistol.

 

[surjimmy]

Don't field strip and clean your Baer until you get about 700 rounds through it, just run a patch through the barrel.

 

[critter]

Good advise. SHOOT IT! I had almost 1000 rounds through mine before I considered it really broken in. Failures were no problem, but it took that long before it reached the 'ball bearing' slicky feeling action.

Also, mine was so tight when I got it, I just KNEW it would not work at all. WRONG! Good to go from round #1. BTW, I didn't have the 'case in the face' problem with mine-ever.

Great gun that improves with shooting.

 

[benderx4]

My Baer TRS was one of the only guns I've ever bought brand new. Racking the slide was a feat in and of itself. I also thought, no way, this will never cycle properly.

I've yet to have an issue or malfunction of ANY kind with this gun. Amazing for a 1911. I didn't clean it until I had well over 500 rounds through it.

Congrats on your Baer, it really is a VALUE when it comes to semi-custom 1911s.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I broke my last one in by shooting 750 rounds of 10mm in one session on one day. The Baer was filthy but it has been 100% reliable for the 6000 rounds since.

Great guns. Tight and accurate.

 

[FMF]

shoot it more! Grab as many rounds of 230gr ball as you can buy at once and go to town. My TRS has been 100% since day one and 1000rnds later still puts 'em down range every time.

The case-in-the-face could be an extraction problem but I think if you grab a few different types of ammo and shoot it more it may work itself out or disappear with another type of ammo. Happy shootin'!

 

[CTGunner]

I don't know if I will be able to get it all downrange but I do have 450 additional rounds ready to go for tomorrow's range session.

 

[Alabama2010]

"The Les Baer 1911 feels like a man's tool, no doubt about it.

...you may want to re-word that.

 

[SwampWolf]

I don't think it too likely that merely continuing to shoot your pistol without any other kind of "tuning" or adjustment will fix the-brass-in-face problem. I'm pretty sure that the extractor will require some attention to get the cases headed the right way.

 

[wyocarp]

Les Baer pistols are very nice.

But, I recently shot about 1000 rounds through a new Les Baer Concept that had many failures. It too would send the brass straight back into my forehead. It shot left of point of aim, and after cutting my forehead quite deeply, I sent the pistol down the road.

So, not all Les Baer experiences are fantastic.

 

[Supertac45]

It can also be ammo related.

 

[Mad Magyar]

Tight and accurate.

The last time a similar thread appeared about Les B. pistol's, some swore that tightness had nothing to do with increased accuracy...Hmmm...

 

[.45Heater]

Could be one of two problems... the extractor is holding the case to tight against the breech face ( shake test a rnd. w/ the slide off), or the ejector angle isn't quite right.

 

[harmon rabb]

...you may want to re-word that.

lulz.

 

[Rinspeed]

I don't think shooting it more will make the problem go away but it might. I would call Baer and ask if you can send the slide only to them so they can take a look at the extractor profile.

 

[NG VI]

Wear a hat