Would you trade a Sig for a Les Baer?

[hlb14]

I have recently been seriously thinking of parting ways with my '94 Sig P228. It is a West German proofed (numbers matching) factory nickel model. I however cannot bring myself to shoot it and and have determined I am not a collector so would like to pass it along. A gentleman has offered me a Les Bear TRS with 500 rounds through it, no box etc. I've been bit by the HK bug lately so the sale could scratch that itch but i've always wanted a nice 1911. I know I could never afford one new and I don't know enough about them to know if this is a good deal or not... what say you?

Edited July 19, 2012 by hlb14

[Guest drv2fst]

the gun you will shoot is the better gun. I too seem to have a preference for 1911's and HK's. but any gun you shoot is better than a collector piece.

[dats82]

I would trade it. I am not a collector either, and to me, a gun I am not going to shoot is worthless. I understand collecting guns as investments and such, but having one gun that you don't shoot and you treat it as a safe queen does not make much sense to me. Even the one gun that I would never part with, my first gun I ever had, I still shoot it from time to time. My father has a couple guns of my grandfather's, and they still get shot. To me, there is no point in having them if I don't get to enjoy them, and for me, that means shooting them.

[hlb14]

I can't find much info about the gun online, what does TRP stand for?

[nightrunner]

Im betting its actually a TRS which would be a thunder ranch special. TRP is a springfield model

Edited July 18, 2012 by nightrunner

[Guest NashvegasMatt]

in like 2 seconds i would

[hlb14]

Im betting its actually a TRS which would be a thunder ranch special. TRP is a springfield model

so thats why it was so hard to find info lol

[Caster]

I wouldn't. Course, don't you find a hater like me often.

If I did trade, it would be to sell the overpriced Baer and fund more reasonable, equal in quality items.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Caster

[Guest adamoxtwo]

I am loyal to SIG. However, if you don't shoot a gun and would shoot the new one it makes no sense to keep it so long as you are getting good value for it. I would recommend finding out what your P228 is worth and what his trade is worth and just make sure you don't get the raw deal. If yours is a collector piece it may have more value then the average run of the Mill P228. Just my

[hornett22]

uh..............YEAH!

[RobertNashville]

TRS is "Thunder Rance Special". I own one.

I have bought and sold many fine 1911's over the years and I own more than a few now; my Les Bare is not the most expensive 1911 I own or have owned but it is, without question, the finest 1911 I do or ever have owned.

The Les Bare Thunder Ranch is everything a 1911 is supposed to be.

Just my humble opinion of course.

Edited July 18, 2012 by RobertNashville

[hlb14]

I am loyal to SIG. However, if you don't shoot a gun and would shoot the new one it makes no sense to keep it so long as you are getting good value for it. I would recommend finding out what your P228 is worth and what his trade is worth and just make sure you don't get the raw deal. If yours is a collector piece it may have more value then the average run of the Mill P228. Just my

a n.i.b sig like mine sold for $1500 not too long ago, ironicly to the same gentleman who is offering the Les Bear. It is not your run of the mill 228, the nickel models are highly sought after by some collectors. I am a newb to 1911's as i know the names Les Bear, Ed Brown and Dan Wesson, Wilson, etc make very nice guns. I really appreciate you guys advice, thank you

o, the TRS has no box manual etc, are those easily replacable?

Edited July 18, 2012 by hlb14

[Jonnin]

les baer guns (any type) are supposedly super accurate, but I am not sure if that is the higher end ones or all of them or how much it varies. I would make the trade alost every time, it would depend on the LB gun in question and the Sig in question. You want to research it, find out what you can about the LB (age, round count, value, accuracy, etc). A lot of the LB guns come with a bench rest / locked down proof target at however many yards, see if it has one of those.

[hlb14]

les baer guns (any type) are supposedly super accurate, but I am not sure if that is the higher end ones or all of them or how much it varies. I would make the trade alost every time, it would depend on the LB gun in question and the Sig in question. You want to research it, find out what you can about the LB (age, round count, value, accuracy, etc). A lot of the LB guns come with a bench rest / locked down proof target at however many yards, see if it has one of those.

owner estimated value minus box and manual at $1400 with a verified 500 rounds through it. thanks for the heads up about the test target

[Jonnin]

take a look at their site...

http://www.lesbaer.com/CusCarry.html

even that (relatively) low end gun gets 3 inches at 50 yards.

The high end ones get 1.5 inches...

http://www.lesbaer.com/PPC.html (ask about the 1 1/2 inch at the bottom of the page!)

$1400 is a pretty cheap les. The ones I was drooling over were closer to twice that. And 500 rounds is pretty low round count.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Jonnin

[peejman]

I'd trade it. I have no use for safe queens. Having never shot a high-end 1911, I'd want to decide for myself if they're really all that. If so, great. If not, sell/trade it for something else on the list.

Edited July 18, 2012 by peejman

[willis68]

I have owned 3 Les Baer Thunder Ranch specials, if someone is offering one that is in excellent shape for your Sig I don't care how rare it is you should jump on it and not look back

[willis68]

owner estimated value minus box and manual at $1400 with a verified 500 rounds through it. thanks for the heads up about the test target

The box is a cardboard box, you should know this my 3k Les Baer was new in a cardboard box that is the way Les sends them all out

$1400.00 is a great price for that pistol new they are $2k

[Links2k]

What are you waiting for. Its a no brainer for me, but i'm a Les Baer fan boy. The TRS is my favorite.

Do it before someone else gets your gun.

[Links2k]

The box is a cardboard box, you should know this my 3k Les Baer was new in a cardboard box that is the way Les sends them all out

$1400.00 is a great price for that pistol new they are $2k

That's correct. I have paid between $1400-$1700 for the used TRS pistols that I purchased.

[hlb14]

thank you all you are making my decsion much easier, and like someone stated, if its not for me in the end it sounds like it will be easy to pass along...

Edited July 18, 2012 by hlb14

[Links2k]

Yep. Check with me if you don't like it. I promise you that I will.

[hlb14]

I've done a lot of research and have an email into Les Baer to verify the serial #, if all turns out well looks like ill have my first 1911

[SmokyBaer]

I've been thru a dozen or so nice 1911s and by far the best shooting one has been the Les Baer Premiere II with the 1.5" option. The only one that comes close to it is the Wilson CQB Tactical Elite and it's just too pretty to knock around. Should you get that Baer, I can say with certainty, it'll be a keeper. Mine is.

[Links2k]

They are sweet shooting pistols.