[Gila Jorge]

I have NightHawk Talon 2, Sig Platinum Carry, Wilson Sentinel, Kimber 3 inch (CDP?),
and a Les Baer Premier Carry....if I had to limit myself to just one...it would be the Les Baer...and then I might have bought a Stainless Stinger...

 

[Gila Jorge]

For me that choice would be between the Kobra Carry and the Stinger...with the nod
probably going to the Stinger based on price...but based on aesthetics it would be the
Kobra Carry. Both fine guns.

 

[Gila Jorge]

Let me correct that: I bought a Kobra Carry and for me its a POS that won;t shoot. I believe the bob-tail is the problem...anyways I sold it and will start over....probably either the Stinger I mentioned or a Talon...both must have adjustable sights and S&A magwell with arched MSH....can't shoot consistently with any other forumula...so for me its personal, but what handgun is not personal....

 

[Three Man]

I had a stainless stinger, then I put a S&A magwell on it and noticed that I should have just purchased a commander sized pistol, because the S&A magwell made the frame length very close to a standard government frame in the mag part.

Between a SRP or Special forces I choose a SRP. My reason is that I shoot alot and feel comfortable with Baers.

Between the two you can't go wrong.

 

[Ed333]

Les baer....

My first 1911 was a Les Baer P-II, with the $45 dehorning package, otherwise stock. I still have it, and always will. the only thing I would change about it would be to lose the front cocking serrations, I am not a 'tactical ' guy.
After a while, I was tempted by an Ed Brown Kobra Carry, thought it was the coolest looking thing I had ever seen. It was, but I didn't warm to it, didn't shoot it all that well, for one thing discovered that I don't care for a bobtail, just like I prefer square butt revolvers to round butt. Anyway, I traded the KC in on a full size Kobra, again, it was beautiful, but it didn't speak to me in the same way the Baer did. So out it went. I later picked up a used Springfield in 9mm, cause I was looking for a 9mm, it's OK, and most recently I acquired a Dan Wesson Patriot CCO, except I traded the slide in, and it now has the slide with the internal extractor from the newer Commander runs, it is the Cat's Meow for looks and feel, but still, when I want to go shooting , it is the Baer I pick up. The blueing is getting a little worn, but that just makes it even more homey to me, like a good pair of boots that are broken in and comfy. I just feel at home with that P-II. I sort of felt like I was getting above my raising with those Browns, I don't shoot that good.:nuts: Didn't want to be one of those guys buying my credentials.

 

[zenbiker]

I own a Brown Kobra in SS and just think it's the cats. Fit and finish are perfect and it is dead on accurate...much better than I am.
I have a Fusion and a Baer Ultimate 5" with the 1 1/2" guarantee on order. I just hope the Baer and Fusion are as good as my Brown. I will report here when (if ever) I get them! One of the main reasons I did not go with another Brown is that I wanted a hard chrome finish which Brown doesn't offer. I also wanted to try other "Premium" guns.
I did have a Signature Pistol Dynamics gun on order but canceled when I was told the wait would be about a year...No way!
I'm no youngster and want to experience these guns before leaving them to my sons in my estate!

 

[bfpapa6]

Wow! I didn't expect such well-thought-out and helpful responses so quickly. Many thanks you guys. Ping Ping, from you especially, I really learned a lot.

I have an SRP with the 1 1/2" guarantee at 50 yds. - Ed Brown cannot give this guarantee! Whether you need the 1 1/2" option is irrelevent - if Baers quality is such that he can give this kind of guarantee closes the case for me! Let the argument begin!

 

[LazerSnipe]

I have Baers, Wilsons and Nighthawks, more Baers than anything, he does 'em the way I like 'em, the accuracy of my first one has left me stunned for life, a Premier II with 1 1/2" upgrade, just off the scale accurate and flawless reliable. You could not go wrong with any of the three.
Just being Pissy now, but the reason I do not have Browns is because back in '93 Clinton was pushing for the Assault Weapon Ban and the Skeet shooters were saying things like who needs assault rifles? Brown shot his mouth off in an interview about "beer guzzling ******** who wear their camo causing all this trouble" and I didn't know exactly what he meant but he pissed me off. This was a time when I thought we needed more unity and less dissension amongst ourselves, and especially from the people who made their living from us. So I find my happiness without Brown profiting from it. I bought my first AR15 in 1978 and since then, support for the Black Rifle guys like me have increased 10 fold since then and I am very proud of my fellow countrymen for that, we now know that they want my rifles my pistols and everybody's Skeet and Trap guns too. Just FYI...stepping down from the soapbox now....Good Luck.

 

[bfpapa6]

He said that?

Damn, and I just got my new camo's too! "Ma, take the transmission out of the tub - I need to ice down some beer."

 

[Rick McC.]

I looked at the info on the Baer, Brown, Wilson and NightHawk websites, and did a lot of reading and on-line research.

In my estimation; the Baer pistols offered the best value for the $$, and appear to have the most hand fitting (40 hours per pistol).

When I field stripped my Baer (including the slide parts) I found the serial number (partial on the small parts) on all parts; which is indicative of the amount of hand fitting that goes into the pistols.

Take care,

Rick

 

[gumby]

Good choice, Rick

 

[grunt]

Both guns are great. The Baer needs a break in period of 2000 rounds before it really becomes a shooter. Where as the Ed Brown shoots flawlessly out of the box.
Either will be a fine purchase. Good luck and have fun.

 

[Spokes]

I have ten 1911 pistols including a Baer, Brown, and Nightwahk. All three of my semi-customs are spectacular.
There is just something about a Baer and the way it feels and shoots . Can't put my finger on it.
My choice if I could have only one is the Les Baer.

 

[MTD]

After over 2K rounds between LB-P2, LB-Stinger and EB-KC, I have to go with EB's KC; however, my son picks and sticks with LB's Stinger. we both like the look, the feel and the accuracy of our picks.

 

[Bob Kohl]

I'm older (chuckle). Started shooting IPSC in the days of Jeff Cooper and Bob Weaver. A lot of us on the west coast (when Jeff moved the program from Arrowhead) found that some people did better work then others. I trust Les Baer and I am not a fan of Brown or cylinder and slide shop. My first IPSC .45 was a Colt 70 series, it went roughly 100K rounds before it started to crack. Usual IPSc style mods including the early squared trigger guard. Loved it. I' going to be ordering a Les Baer next year. I've known of Les's work for years and trust it.

 

[Bob Kohl]

Not unusual for a .45 to be shot in. Typically in the 70's and 80's when you had a good .45 done, it was at least 500 rounds to shoot the pistol in. The early 60's era NM .45s are worse. Working on one right now (maybe had about 200 rounds through it) and it's so tight it's problematical. I'll shoot it in first instead of lapping it. Problem is the person that did it had the finesse of a gorilla... tight. But nice shooter. Now if I could, I'd lower the ejection port, square and checker the trigger guard bevel the mag well and so on. I just did the feed ramp.

 

[oak1971]

Bear has the edge in performance and value, Brown has more focus on aesthetics.

 

[Bob Kohl]

I'm 61, retired and have a bunch of revolvers. I'm only going to be allowed - by you know who - to buy one 1911 so I can buy a nice one. I'm looking at either an Ed Brown Special Forces model or a Les Baer SRP Govt. model. What would you buy, and why?

Well two things, back in the classic days of IPSC when Cooper was still around, Les was known and liked. On the other hand, Ed Brown did not have a very good reputation. Has he changed? I don't know, but I still know the quality of Baer products and always suggest new shooters that want a good .45, go with the Baer's. Later this year, I'll be ordering one and I'm one of the old 70 series Colt guys. I haven't trusted Colt in years.

 

[Bob Kohl]

Bear has the edge in performance and value, Brown has more focus on aesthetics.

Baer. not Bear.

 

[Bob Kohl]

Well two things, back in the classic days of IPSC when Cooper was still around, Les was known and liked. On the other hand, Ed Brown did not have a very good reputation. Has he changed? I don't know, but I still know the quality of Baer products and always suggest new shooters that want a good .45, go with the Baer's. Later this year, I'll be ordering one and I'm one of the old 70 series Colt guys. I haven't trusted Colt in years.

If you need a word to put your finger on: Quality. They're well made and they work. It's what a .45 is made for. Only other 45 I wanted was a Hoag Mastergrade, but Jim didn't do triggers very well and I missed mine by 2 points in 81 (class trophy). Nice pistols, but in SoCal back in the 70's and early 80's, there was Jim Hoag, Armand Swenson and Chuck Ries. If you wanted the best trigger, you went to Chuck. But that was in the days before all the aftermarket products and before CnC produced 45's.

Early Para-Ords were horrible, If you found a good Essex (I had one), you were lucky, Colt had a lot of problems, especially when they brought out the 80 series and there were some others that came and went. I worked at a Colt service center at the time, never ask me about the full auto 70 series Gold Cups.