Concerns buying a used Les Baer Wadgun?

Hello All

A Les Baer wadgun is for sale within my club in the mid 8XXX serial range.  Gun is drilled for frame mount but set up currently with a slide mount dot.  Sadly the owner passed and the history of the gun and approximate round count is unknown.  The pistol is clearly used, but there is no misuse/rough use damage that I can find.  Slide play is very slight.  I shot it off a sandbag and at 50 yards it puts down a 2" group. (I did weigh each powder charge, but not bullets. Brass cases were mixed - so it can likely do better out of a ransom with nicer loads)  I have put a couple hundred rounds through it and function has been spot on after tuning the extractor.

So now some questions...

Have there been issues with Les Baers from the 8k-9k serial range?  I'm guessing this puts the pistol in the mid to late 90's, but I am unsure.  I'm also wondering how many rounds one can expect to get out of a Les Baer from this period and parts availability. 

The estate has been very gracious in letting my try the gun out and I really should be making a decision to buy or not.  I just made Master w/ 22 only this weekend (with The Victor I purchased from sbtzc here on Bullseye L!), so it might be time to expand a little.  This would be my first 45.

Any insight regarding what to look out for and any challenges to keep a Les Baer from this period running would be very helpful.  Thanks!

You first need to buy a brass catcher so you quit pelting your fellow shooters with brass. 

Any used wadgun that can print even close to 2" off bags with a dot and doesn't malfunction is a winner. Some new guns can't say this. $1500 or under is a good price, maybe up to $1800 with the group and reliability check. External wear affects your resale a bit.

If it runs reliably and can shoot 2" or less at 50 yards, it sounds like a great gun.  If any other problems emerge, they can be dealt with.  One of the great things about 1911s, there's a *ton* of institutional knowledge, and just about anything worn on them can be fixed or replaced.

I own several LB's, I'd have no concerns if the price is right as stated above, plus $100 if the dot comes with it.  New one goes for $2,200 with a bridge mount and no dot.
- Dave

You can send the gun back to Les Baer for a tune up, but I've recently been told that with slide issues he's not fond of slide mounted scopes. And also if someone other than his shop has worked on the gun he won't

whitez06 wrote:You can send the gun back to Les Baer for a tune up, but I've recently been told that with slide issues he's not fond of slide mounted scopes. And also if someone other than his shop has worked on the gun he won't

I would never send a gun back to LB unless it was warranty work.  If you're using it for bullseye then send it to a bullseye capable smith.
- Dave

Hello adv_rider,

Early Les Baers, of this era, are head and shoulders better than what is being produced today.  All M1911s require maintenance and the occasional part replacement/fitting.  If properly cared for, this one will outlast you.

If the price is right, I would go for it but I am biased....I own five.

Jim

swissyhawk wrote:You first need to buy a brass catcher so you quit pelting your fellow shooters with brass. 

...nah.  My league mates deserve it.

Thank you all for the replies.  The feedback helps quite a bit since something like this is a big purchase and I don't have a lot of background in 45s.  I'm glad to hear the earlier LBs are good quality.  I've looked them up on the forum and it seemed people had mixed feelings of newer stock.

I would not worry too much about the slide to frame fit if you are shooting a slide mount. Les hard fits guns after about 10,000 rounds you will need a new bushing.

I did end up buying the L.B.  Before I bought it I shot a relay with it and scored an 826, which isn't bad since I've only shot ~300 rounds w/ a .45. 

Currently going through the Maryland waiting and registration period.  At least the pistol lived a free life for its first ~20 years.