VERY rough!
Had an ambi safety installed, and got this instead
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Sadly, guy wouldn't even look at me, just asked what I wanted done
the thought of a refinish isn't making me to ecstatic, but options are letting him try to polish NO! So let Les Baer do their handy work, hopefully they kill it as usual. He's not gonna replace pistol, and I kinda don't want replaced, was first handgun I bought
I have several high end 1911s, Les Baer, Wilson, STI, and a single Ed Brown.
I have a couple of 70 series Colts that were passed down and will never leave.
I tried Kimber, never had one that was 100% reliable, tried Dan Wesson, e series S&W, Ruger, Remington, Springfield and a host of others and the one thing that I learned, there are very few actual qualified 1911 Gunsmiths. There was a local 1911 manufacturer, Advanced Gun Works, that I spent several $100 with on a Kimber Raptor to try and make it reliable, never happened. I was convinced by their smith to allow them to swap out the MIM pieces for machined steel, didn't help.
I am afraid to allow anyone else to touch the 8 I have, so they just sit in the safe. I shoot them occasionally, carry them even less, just don't know who to trust if they needed maintenance beyond my deep cleaning.
I have a couple of 70 series Colts that were passed down and will never leave.
I tried Kimber, never had one that was 100% reliable, tried Dan Wesson, e series S&W, Ruger, Remington, Springfield and a host of others and the one thing that I learned, there are very few actual qualified 1911 Gunsmiths. There was a local 1911 manufacturer, Advanced Gun Works, that I spent several $100 with on a Kimber Raptor to try and make it reliable, never happened. I was convinced by their smith to allow them to swap out the MIM pieces for machined steel, didn't help.
I am afraid to allow anyone else to touch the 8 I have, so they just sit in the safe. I shoot them occasionally, carry them even less, just don't know who to trust if they needed maintenance beyond my deep cleaning.
Had a few different shops by me, with qualified smiths, some Glock , others ARs what have you. Now, besides an M1A Armorer near me LRB, hens teeth. Local forum I was on suggested him, so I screwed up, I listened lol. But as my friend said, higher ends Wilson, Brown, Baer yeah a pita but send them back. That'll be my future course of action if needed. i shoot all mine, maintenance is easy enough, have a bone stock Colt 70, and a Yost Bonitz 1* as well, besides changing springs on the 1* never an issue. It has an ambi safety already so no need to have work done. But yes true smiths/armorers are rare, and hard to find
ShtrRdy
Well-Known Member
Maybe Baer and company weren't too keen on you wanting a chrome plated ambi safety without them doing the work. Then your gunsmith is handed the pistol and part and asked to install. And if I'm understanding the resolution correctly your gunsmith is going to get stuck with about $300 to "make it right".
I'll admit that I had a run in with Les Baer in the late '90s with one of their aluminum framed pistols. Cost me about $600 in ammunition and local gunsmith charges to prove my problem. As you are thinking, he wouldn't replace the pistol but rather issued a refund less shipping charges. Shortly after that experience he discontinued offering aluminum framed pistols. I suspect there were more owners having troubles.
Hopefully you'll be satisfied with the outcome.
They sold it to me, offered to plate it, all they said was needed to be fitted by gunsmith, the original single safety is also hard chrome, not sure what you are inferring, sensing a bit of bias towards Baer. I did not take a safety and hard chrome it Les Baer did, so why would they do if they were not ok with it? Kinda lost me
And as far as my "gunsmith" will be on hook, because he should've A sent it out, or B said he can't do it, not screw it all up and say tough luck.
We read the Posts to #19.
Not really sure how the Frame got so many deep scratches in it from just installing an ambidextrous safety. I have built a few 1911s in my time and never saw something like this unless someone had no idea what they were doing. To gouge the metal like in the pictures took a lot of pressure and movement.
When receiving your 1911 back from your GS did you check how it worked?
The Frame looks to be SS in the picture, but if you say everything is Hard Crome -still don't see how the metal gouges were done by just installing a safety.
I would take back to the GunSmith for repair/replacement/or cost to have Les baer fix. If the GS was at fault he/she should fix, also if the GS has insurance (Product) it could be a claim.
Can not see how those gouges can be "rubbed out".
If the GS will not fix or maybe send back to Les Baer and give the GS the cost of repair.
It could all been avoided by just putting the safety in DYI. It is a very easy process. I have done many.
Hopefully you can get it resolved without going to the extreme of Small Claims Court.
After we sold our GS equipment years ago I had a 1911 Slide that I wanted to put Seriations in the front for a better grip. I went to a Local Machine shop and gave them an STI 1911 Frame to copy off of. A few months later i went to pick it up and the cuts were all OFF UNEVEN and nothing like the STI. I asked what happened and found out the owner passed away and his two sons took over the shop. I spoke with the Widow that was now running the business and she apologized. Well the Slide was just about ruined and I just took it without asking for repair/replacement payment. The Owners' sons had no idea what they were doing, but trying to keep the business going. I couldn't ask for anything due to the passing of the owner, husband and father.
Maybe there was an issue at your GS, but no excuse. Talk first in a nice way and try to get it resolved.
Sorry to see that especially with a special First 1911 that cost a lot.
Hope everything works out.
Keep us updated.
That's exactly how I handled it. The safety came from them saying Not Fit, when I picked it up, was awful, safety was hard as hell to engage and disengage, he said needed breaking in. I wouldn't take it, he looked at it agin, came back was slightly better, at this point, was gonna take it somewhere else and cut losses to be honest. When I got home tried engaging and disengaging and that's when I noticed scratches starting under bottom of safety on frame when engaged. Stripped it down to find this mess, so yes I agree no idea what he was doing. The inside area of safety was a bit rough from plater, as was the curve the plunger rides on, no space whatsoever between safety and frame. And to top it off the scratches by plunger look like someone used a screwdriver. Not a tool. He quoted me $75-100, when I asked said $65, I asked what no fitting , his reply was no a lot of fitting, just uh $65. I think he knew hence the price, in over his head
Went this morning, he looked like a kid caught in a lie, wouldn't look at me, asked what I wanted done, I said it needs to be made right, had knots in my stomach all night over this. He didn't hesitate when I said needs to go back and get corrected, and they install the safety, unless that's gummed up and he's on tab for that as well.
i was a tradesman, if I couldn't do a job I passed, if I took it and messed up I owned it, I never tried to hide it. All I ask is the same when I hire someone for a job. Getting harder and harder to find people with same sense of honor.
Thanks see what happens , appreciate the response
Looks like an Old Timer, with not quite perfect vision, had a slightly under finished part and tried to do a quick fit. Might got the 2 halfs in a bind then, wrong tool to free it up. That's a 1911, battle damage is not a deficiency. Take it out and shoot it. Maybe, have guy toss in a box or so of ammo, and good luck! Not like it fell out of the Captain's holster and 1/2 the convoy drove over it, til some corporal spotted it.
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KyCarl
Well-Known Member
Call Matt McLearn he is one of the best! He just built me a 1911 Commander and it's perfect.
That my friend looks like a nearsighted Beaver went at it, and that safety slot looks a little wonky to me as well. Are you sure this G-Smith has any real time on the 1911's it looks like someone's first go at one. You don't think he'll admit to the damage; that would take Moose nuts! clearly, he is a cobbler. Marks can always be polished out if not too deep, something he should have done. Good luck Cheers
Sorry to hear about all this.
Can't believe a relativity simple job of putting in a Safety messed up the frame.
Hope that you get it resolved.
It's of to Les Baer, let me get their verdict, hindsight, shouldve just sent to them in first place
