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My good friend and ffl dealer called me last night to say that my Baer Thunder Ranch Special had arrived. Unfortunately we were in a flash-flood warning with lightning and thunder everywhere, so it would have been nuts to go get it. So I went anyway. I got it home last night and checked it out. It comes with 3 baer magazines, they kind of look like wilsons mags, and I don't know yet but I think I will end up preferring the wilson 7 rounders to them. Went to the range with him today. It was a real treat actually, this is my first really nice 1911 and my friend (Duke Hansen, he's on this board too) had recently gotten a wilson CQB in black and green. We figured we'd get to the bottom of this whole wilson/baer debate once and for all. Shooting was done mainly at seven yards as the primary goal was to just break the pistols in. My mags were totally new and I didn't think to load them up last night and let them sit so the springs could wear in a bit, that may have had an effect. The baer was so tight I had trouble retracting the slide, it took a very firm tug to open it. I was dry firing and doing some slow presentations from a rosen ARG IWB and I noticed that the checkering, (30 LPI) was already making my fingers a bit sore. I don’t work with my hands much so that is on me for having sissy hands. They will toughen up with shooting I am sure. I did bring a roll of white medical tape for the session as I planned to put 600 rounds downrange and didn't want to have to cut it short due to bleeding fingers. Much to my surprise it was not needed. In the actual shooting the checkering did a perfect job of keeping the gun immobile during recoil. Ditto for the wilson's checkering. Both worked great.
I shot the following ammo through it, in this order:
450 rounds of S and B 230 grain ball. Round 112 the slide failed to close all the way. Round 393 the slide failed to close all the way.
I then fired 50 rounds of blazer 230 grain ball. Round 462 the slide locked back with ammo still in the mag, but I am thinking I may have nudged it with my off hand.
20 rounds of hydra shok 185 grain, zero malfunctions
20 rounds of golden saber 185 grain, zero malfunctions
10 rounds of golden saber 230 grain, Round 547 the slide locked back prematurely again.
I'm not going to worry about any of this until I have another 500 rounds through the gun, which hopefully will be tomorrow. I will consider the gun broken in when it shoots 200 rounds without a hitch.
I shot both guns extensively and found them to both be remarkable pistols. I would be proud to own either one. Both Duke and I are seriously considering having our guns hard chromed at a later date. We both want to see how the factory finishes hold up first.
I didn't shoot for groups so I don't have that kind of information. I can say that shooting fast at 7, 10 and 15 yards most of the rounds were touching. The only rounds that weren't where they were supposed to be where due to poor pistol handling and had nothing to do with the guns themselves. I can also say that I have owned and shot quite a few glocks, sigs, standard 1911's (kimber, colt, springfield armory, detonics), HK's, hi-powers, etc AND, I shoot this gun much better than I shoot those guns. Both these guns were very easy to shoot well and this made me able to shoot faster than I normally can and still have the rounds nice and tight.
Observations on the wilson CQB:
You get a very nice video which covers lube points and proper care, also I think you get a nice pistol rug. I think it comes with one wilson mag.
The trigger on the wilson CQB seemed a little bit nicer to me, but it didn't effect my shooting one way or the other. The black finish on Duke's trigger was showing wear already, just on the left side of it.
Observations on the baer TRS:
Comes in a cardboard box, you get 3 mags which look to be pretty nice. They are stainless steel with black rubber bumper pads. They are advertised as 7 rounders but I inadvertently put 8 rounds in twice and they went in and functioned that fine. I am not advocating this practice by the way.
The slim line grips really felt good in my hands. I wouldn't say I have small hands, but I don't have bear paws either, so I preferred the slim grips, the gun felt like I had a really good hold on it.
I couldn't notice a significant difference in the sight picture of either gun, both had novak style sights with tritium inserts, both were all green dots. Both worked great for me and were right on target with no adjustments necessary.
Again, I would be very proud to own either one. If I had to choose I think I would go with the baer, but what is important to me is that both guns seemed like I could bet my life on them to work when needed.
The TRS is still a bit tight, but I can cycle the slide much more easily now. I swabbed the barrel and lubed lightly on the barrel hood and rails, but I am not going to strip it for cleaning until I have another 500 rounds downrange. As I understand it the baer comes with some wearing compound on the rails that helps to break it in and it is a mistake to remove this stuff until the gun is broken in.
That is all gentlemen (and ladies). My experience here is a modest one, but I thought I would share it in the hopes that it may benefit someone.
Good shooting. Jake Salyards
I shot the following ammo through it, in this order:
450 rounds of S and B 230 grain ball. Round 112 the slide failed to close all the way. Round 393 the slide failed to close all the way.
I then fired 50 rounds of blazer 230 grain ball. Round 462 the slide locked back with ammo still in the mag, but I am thinking I may have nudged it with my off hand.
20 rounds of hydra shok 185 grain, zero malfunctions
20 rounds of golden saber 185 grain, zero malfunctions
10 rounds of golden saber 230 grain, Round 547 the slide locked back prematurely again.
I'm not going to worry about any of this until I have another 500 rounds through the gun, which hopefully will be tomorrow. I will consider the gun broken in when it shoots 200 rounds without a hitch.
I shot both guns extensively and found them to both be remarkable pistols. I would be proud to own either one. Both Duke and I are seriously considering having our guns hard chromed at a later date. We both want to see how the factory finishes hold up first.
I didn't shoot for groups so I don't have that kind of information. I can say that shooting fast at 7, 10 and 15 yards most of the rounds were touching. The only rounds that weren't where they were supposed to be where due to poor pistol handling and had nothing to do with the guns themselves. I can also say that I have owned and shot quite a few glocks, sigs, standard 1911's (kimber, colt, springfield armory, detonics), HK's, hi-powers, etc AND, I shoot this gun much better than I shoot those guns. Both these guns were very easy to shoot well and this made me able to shoot faster than I normally can and still have the rounds nice and tight.
Observations on the wilson CQB:
You get a very nice video which covers lube points and proper care, also I think you get a nice pistol rug. I think it comes with one wilson mag.
The trigger on the wilson CQB seemed a little bit nicer to me, but it didn't effect my shooting one way or the other. The black finish on Duke's trigger was showing wear already, just on the left side of it.
Observations on the baer TRS:
Comes in a cardboard box, you get 3 mags which look to be pretty nice. They are stainless steel with black rubber bumper pads. They are advertised as 7 rounders but I inadvertently put 8 rounds in twice and they went in and functioned that fine. I am not advocating this practice by the way.
The slim line grips really felt good in my hands. I wouldn't say I have small hands, but I don't have bear paws either, so I preferred the slim grips, the gun felt like I had a really good hold on it.
I couldn't notice a significant difference in the sight picture of either gun, both had novak style sights with tritium inserts, both were all green dots. Both worked great for me and were right on target with no adjustments necessary.
Again, I would be very proud to own either one. If I had to choose I think I would go with the baer, but what is important to me is that both guns seemed like I could bet my life on them to work when needed.
The TRS is still a bit tight, but I can cycle the slide much more easily now. I swabbed the barrel and lubed lightly on the barrel hood and rails, but I am not going to strip it for cleaning until I have another 500 rounds downrange. As I understand it the baer comes with some wearing compound on the rails that helps to break it in and it is a mistake to remove this stuff until the gun is broken in.
That is all gentlemen (and ladies). My experience here is a modest one, but I thought I would share it in the hopes that it may benefit someone.
Good shooting. Jake Salyards
