hardest Decision of my life, Dan Wesson Valor vs Les baer 1.5"

$1500-$1600 is the budget

I can get a new Dan Wesson Valor Heavy black or Used Les baer 1.5" 50 yards grouping.

I would like a 1911 to shoot for IDPA CDP class/ USPSA Single Stack Division





please let me know the pros and cons of each and which one I should go with.

thanks

I love my Baer, finest pistol I own.

Can't speak for Dan

OMG, I have never owned either one and I'm spending your money and it's a hard decision...
I have my eyes on a Dan Wesson full size Valor or bobtail commander but I have seen Baer's with tens of thousands of rounds through them and they still feel amazing...

Remember, I have no experience with either but I vote for the Baer.

My pops has a Baer, Kimber Team Match, Clark Custom long slide (hand built in the 70's) and a series 70 gold cup. The Baer is straight up perfection... The Clark is good but the Baer is great, the others can compete admirably but pail in comparison to those two. I've never shot a Wesson.

since it is your money, take the Baer out and shoot it if you can. if it is tight, good to go, then go with it. any idea on the round count through it? that would be the big question for me and why is it up for sale? I own neither, but Baer has such a good reputation it would be hard to beat, unless you just want new. In short as long as the Baer isn't beat up you are probably good to go with either one.



( get both),










charge one to plastic, then sell the one you like the least.

For what youre doing either one will do the job. The checkering on the Baer and the sights are probably better suited for match shooting. The finish on the Valor will hold up a little longer to the Kydex rig you will be using in a IDPA match.

Out of those two, I'd go with the Dan Wesson.

1. The Baer has adjustable sights which are totally unnecessary for IDPA/USPSA shooting, and they WILL fall apart on you. I honestly cannot remember how many countless sets of junky Bo-Mars and knock-offs I've seen shit the bed at matches. Yeah, you can put a Harrison fixed sight in that dovetail, but then you have an $1800 pistol that looks retarded.

2. Check into holsters. I know from experience that a Baer will not fit in a Comp-Tac or Bladetech kydex holster. The Baer frames are over sized.

3. Finish on either shouldn't matter. It's gonna get worn off if you use it, the Baer basically comes in the white, their bluing is just a very thin coloring.

OP thinking about it, and the fact that you want to use if for IDPA etc, the Baer is probably going to make you bleed. Just racking the slide of an 1.5" P2 is a dangerous affair.

Its on my list of one day purchases, but to put a 3.5lb trigger on it and take it to the nickel bullseye shoots. I mean you cant run around forever shooting cardboard and steel.

Valor.

This is really the hardest decision of your life?

Anyway I would o for the Baer.

I keep searching and searching all over the internet but I can't seem to find a company that does thick bluing.

I've got both a Valor and Baer. They are both fine guns, but the Valor is better.

I can't really give any pros and cons because I don't own a valor or a les baer.

Just a few suggestions...that valor looks like a older model as the new model has duty coat and heinie rear sights. There are online dealers who has the new model in that price range.

As for a Les Baer with 1.5" guarantee, I can't tell which model is that, but you should check out the link below and give CJ a call. He has a huge inventory and good price on Les Baer.

http://cj1911heaven.com/

You can't go wrong with the Baer but I would also like fixed sights and the better finish of the Valor in this case.

I would go with the Valor. 1.5" at 50yds is more accurate than I could ever shoot. Valor has a superior finish, no FCS.

Does the Valor have an ambi safety? If not, you'll want one for competition.

I just shot an match with my PII today, as a matter of fact. Plenty accurate enough and then some for IDPA.

I'm using the Safariland 568 holster with the suede liner, which is actually pretty easy on the finish.

Baer.

+1 JD

I wish I was this age again....... ETA: Les Baer

Buy whichever one blows your skirt up higher

Both are built well
Valor might crossover into the duty/fighting realm a little better
Baer will most likely be a little more accurate. For the purpose you stated either gun will be more than accurate enough.


My canned response is buy one and shoot the shit out of it

I just handled a Dan Wesson bobtail commander the other day and I was very impressed with it, but I don't think they are quite up to the quality level of a Les Baer, a friend has one and it is the most accurate 1911 I have ever encountered, well made and finished as well. To be fair I have not shot the Dan Wesson, only handled it at the shop where I work.

would rather have the valor cause its new

Used LB $1400 (was in mint condition until i holstered it 3 or 4 times and the bluing fell off... )
Used Valor $1300 ( but prior owner had it refinished in polished IonBond )



The Baer is rougher in the finishing, but has lots of hand fitting , which i find charming. The Valor is almost as well finished as my Ed Brown, precision CNC'd with some hand fitting, I prefer the sights, more aggressive checkering and slide stop of the Valor over the Baer. I find the thumb safety blocky and uncomfortable though. YMM well V.

Either will likely outshoot and outlast you,

Brown and Valor

I agree. Unless you want a LB Monolith, I'd go with the DW V.

DW's 2011+ Valor's are very much Ed Brown copies. In some ways they're better. In a few they aren't. But they are very, very nice. If your going to set a benchmark to compare your 1911's to, then EB is a good benchmark to chase after.

The DW V's a machined closer to spec, so there is less fitting and a lower price point.

I think the LB 1.5" models are identical to every LB 1911. It's just that they took the time to break it in and shoot it to proof that it deos indeed shoot 1.5". The DW V is just about as accurat

the club closet to me, for idpa, sights are not needed. USPSA sights are needed. Still waitting for one of my bomar/lpa sights to shit the bed.

filp a coin either will do, but I would pick the bear.

If this really is the toughest decision of your life, you have lead a VERY sheltered life. Baer by a mile.

Oh just wait buddy, they will shit the bed. I know so, the experts on Arfcom tell us so, just like the microthin Baer bluing that falls off just looking at it.

Damn it Les Baer cant you just leave them in the tank longer so the bluing builds up nice and thick.

I like to know who the errornet dumbass is that started saying Baers have thin bluing.

Someone who doesnt own one, or never owned a blued gun that got any use. Its all about the salts, and temps. Or atleast thats what my favorite local gunsmith always told me. Since he has blued probably hundreds of firearms. I will take his word on it. But the whole thickness bullshit is funny.
I also love the whole tight guns arent/cant be as reliable as a loose rattle trap.

BoMar sights are fragile as glass is one that keeps coming up more and more.

I do not own a Baer but I do own a DW Valor in SS finish. It is the finest 1911 I have ever owned. It is very accurate and the trigger from the factory is very crisp. I shoot a G34 in production class and I am thinking about getting into single stack with the Valor. Can't go wrong either way, but I love the DW.

I normally shoot a Valor in Single Stack but have shot my Glock 34 the last couple weeks in limited and I feel dirty. I think the Glock is stealing my soul...

I can't believe no one posted this yet. This is why I chose a Valor.

Shootout

The one malfunction I have seen with Bomar copies is the pin that the rear sight elevates on, after some use it may start to work it's way out or even shear. The fix is replace with drill rod and stake in place. Adjustable sights will never be as durable as a fixed sight, but the adjustable sight does not need to be handled with kit gloves.

I vote Baer.

I've got a Valor... sort of. Actually, it's a VBOB... but it's based on the Valor, only 4.25" instead of 5" and there's a bit of the frame that's been modified for CCW... I love it. It's got 250 rounds give or take mostly of FMJ through ti but it swallowed some 230 gr JHP's as well with no problem.

The first time I went to shoot it I inserted the magazine, racked the slide, and pulled the trigger... then wondered why it went CLICK instead of BANG!... I reseated the magazine with AUTHORITY and the gun ran flawless.

Comparing that to my Taurus PT1911, there's no comparison. It's a POS compared to the VBOB. Completely different realm, tier, atmosphere, whatever you want to call it... there's no comparison.

I'd say go with the Valor. Buy it through someone that gets it from Davidson's... there's a lifetime warranty through Davidson's as long as you register your purchase through them.

This happened on my Dan Wesson, FWIW.

I don't have a Valor, but I do have a Guardian 9mm. I also have two LB .45s: A Stinger and a TRS.

I really like my GBOB, but in all honesty, both of my LB pistols are just better fitted pistols... and that better fitment doesn't really matter for anything other than bragging rights.

If the Valor is as nice as my GBOB, youll have a fine pistol. If the LB is under $1400, it's a steal.

m

My DW Valor is like an Ed Brown. Much prettier than a Baer. Just a few little details that aren't as good as a Brown, but none of them really matter.

I hope you dont say that kind of stuff out loud at the gun counter when youre shopping.


Your final point is where it all comes down to the money you spend, and what you end up getting. All those details do matter.

I get your point but the more I handle these DW guns the harder it is to justify the cost of the more expensive guns

As an owner of both DW and Baer, I will vote Baer. But with that my Concept III is in LeClaire getting the barrel replaced( lower barrel lug broke off) the Baer has 7800rds through it, shouldn't have broke. The Baer just plain shoots and everyone the has shot it agrees. Dan Wesson are great guns my CC is a Guardian and I love it too. But Les Baer just have feel to them. Plus they're made Iowa my home state!

The V/Valor whatever level are really nice, but the same price as a large portion of the Baer lineup and Springfield Custom Carry. The other ones are no where close to being the same quality. Id buy a Valor but I wont own stainless steel, because it just doesnt last as long as carbon steel in high volume shooting.

I was just about to look for this thread for the op. I own a Wilson Xtac and a Nighthawk,but if I had to go sub-2k, I would buy a Dan Wesson Valor. All the reviews I've seen show they appear to be very well made with fewer problems. Accuracy won't be an issue with either the Baer or the Valor.

I also agree with another poster's comments regarding adjustable sights. Iwould stick with fixed if you're drawing from a holster a lot. Bo-mars just don't hold up as well after you use them a lot for 6-12 months,

Bullshit.

But he read it on the Internet so it must be true.

go with the valor, the les baer is higher maintenance on its finish. Also it is unnecessary tight. Both guns will outshoot you anyway.

Agreed on Bo-Mar sights holding up. What I would say is that, at least for me, Bo-Mar rear sights tear up hands when doing clearing drills. That big, square, *sharp* rear sight blade certainly loved to rip the skin off my palms.

My 2¢...

m

Having owned a Les Baer Premier II for 8 years now, and having experienced their lack of quality and utter lack of customer service, I would recommend any other brand.

Mine may have been the one malfunctioning lemon in a thousand, but Baer does not have a warranty and boy oh boy, they don't make mistakes –– just ask them.

In my experience Les Baer makes hobby grade 1911s, and I have one to prove it!

I know some folks have reliable Baer 1911s. To those folks I say congratulations. I paid $3000 and sent mine back to them 3 times at my expense and it still doesn't work.

Any one but Les Baer Custom.

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