The journey to today's 1911 has not been an easy one. After all, many of us were coming from revolver shooting where we were used to reliability, accuracy and power. The offerings we had were the guns coming out of the Hartford plant. They provided the platform at best as they took cutting, chiseling and pounding to make them reliable and accurate for the many thousands of rounds that we were shooting. The casual gun owner and our military was happy with the sloppy workmanship. Because of major mismanagement, what should have been the leader in 1911 manufacturing, Colt let it fall through the cracks and gave it away. If I wanted to compete or carry this platform, I had to develop relationships and provide money to friends like Jim Clark Sr., Jimmy Clark, Ed Brown and Les Baer, Bill Laughridge and a few others. After all, the second rule of a gunfight is to bring stuff that works.
I shot a few matches with Les back in the day before he started his 1911 business. His guns worked and they were accurate. Fast forward to the line up today and you will find no compromise in his offerings. Each and every one I have had were perfect in every way. Don't look for a lot fancy millwork that has nothing to do with shoot ability on LBC guns. This review is on my latest Stinger http://www.lesbaer.com/. It is an officer sized frame fit to a commander slide.
We have evolved from 1911's that needed work to today's 1911 that many producers over work for the market. While it is nice to have a truly one of kind beautiful 1911 as a BBQ gun, there are better bargains for the financially challenged shooter that would like to get into a 1911 and learn to shoot it well. Thanks to many pros who have spent their life tweaking the 1911 some of our production facilities have listened. Springfield Armory and others have championed modern manufacturing techniques to bring us products that are out of the box ready for the most part. Even the foreigners with slave labor are building better guns today. Many of these production guns can be made to run a long way. However, if one wants to jump into the 1911 race, then spending a few more dollars on one that is ready to go will end up being a better bargain in the long run. The price of an Les Baer or Ed Brown and others have kept me in the fight for hundreds of thousands of rounds without breaking down. Not to mention that since you pay more for a good piece, you can get more out of it if you decide to sell it. Win Win.
MIM is still MIM. Metal Injected Molding has come along way since the first generation of this instant oatmeal theory. I have a SA that I am currently running with the newer improved MIM internals and have not had a problem. I will keep you posted when they wear out or break. Maybe they got it figured out. I still prefer tool steel for my guns. This Stinger of course is not MIM. The 30 LPI checkering on the front strap is a welcome benefit to me on LBC guns. I am not sure how the industry decided to go to 25 or less LPI, golf ball dimples, fish bones, reptile scales and such, but clean 30LPI works for me. In a world of 1911 newbie's who like the look of chopping off the right side of the slide stop and cutting away metal for a recess, it is nice to see the conventional nub for my finger to locate on the frame when I am not actually pulling the trigger. Something, many shooters need to learn as I witness almost every day. For me it also means more metal bearing and facilitates take down without a tool that you have to poke into the recess. Lastly, it is a reference that the slide stop is all the way in as I have seen lesser quality fitting jobs where the slide stop moves out and disables the gun.
I also like the fact that LBC uses conventional barrel and bushings on this model. I do have some coned barrels without a bushing and they work fine but the removable bushing is my preference. This model comes with Nite sights which I am not fond of. I am usually in bed at night and I don't need Tritium or any other nuclear gasses that will eventually burn out or break at the worst time possible. So, off to my buddy Heinie in Quincy, Illinois https://www.heinie.com/ to get me some all steel black Ledge sights. Along with the glass dots nestled in a relief of the Novak style, I prefer no gassy glass and a solid surface around my rear notch. Less clutter to get in the way of my eyeballs.
Now my Ed Brown guns all have slides that feel like they are on ball bearing but LBC are a different fit than Brown guns. Both are accurate, reliable and hand fit but, LBC guns come out of the box very tight. They do need a little break in and that's fine with me. After all, they are made to shoot and shoot a lot. This one is at around 200 rounds and is running like a Swiss watch. This Stinger model comes with 2 7 round LBC magazines however they have plastic followers. Like Wilson magazines, I am not fond of plastic building up carbon and lead and gumming up my slide stop reliability. I find the all metal magazines easier to clean, last longer and to be a better value. Just me. I replaced the LBC magazines with Ed Brown 7 round magazines with the low profile bumper pad https://www.edbrown.com/product-category/1911/magazines/magazines-short-frame/. I know the high cap boys are twerking over only 7 plus one but it's working for me. I like the fit of this magazine in line with the Ed Brown 2 piece mag well that I had installed. Stingers have no mag well option from LBC. Another option not available from LBC for this model is a two piece guide rod so I kept the conventional set up.
All said, LBC MSRP's are a bargain for the money and these are guns that any parent will be proud to hand down to the future generations to come. The jams and malfunctions, the trips back and forth to the range, the failures at the range, getting the accuracy to Bullseye standards, the amateur gunsmith disappointments, the wasted money and time, have all been a difficult Journey. It does not have to be that way today if you make the right choices and Don't Stop Believin in the 1911.
See you on the Range
Trapper
I shot a few matches with Les back in the day before he started his 1911 business. His guns worked and they were accurate. Fast forward to the line up today and you will find no compromise in his offerings. Each and every one I have had were perfect in every way. Don't look for a lot fancy millwork that has nothing to do with shoot ability on LBC guns. This review is on my latest Stinger http://www.lesbaer.com/. It is an officer sized frame fit to a commander slide.
We have evolved from 1911's that needed work to today's 1911 that many producers over work for the market. While it is nice to have a truly one of kind beautiful 1911 as a BBQ gun, there are better bargains for the financially challenged shooter that would like to get into a 1911 and learn to shoot it well. Thanks to many pros who have spent their life tweaking the 1911 some of our production facilities have listened. Springfield Armory and others have championed modern manufacturing techniques to bring us products that are out of the box ready for the most part. Even the foreigners with slave labor are building better guns today. Many of these production guns can be made to run a long way. However, if one wants to jump into the 1911 race, then spending a few more dollars on one that is ready to go will end up being a better bargain in the long run. The price of an Les Baer or Ed Brown and others have kept me in the fight for hundreds of thousands of rounds without breaking down. Not to mention that since you pay more for a good piece, you can get more out of it if you decide to sell it. Win Win.
MIM is still MIM. Metal Injected Molding has come along way since the first generation of this instant oatmeal theory. I have a SA that I am currently running with the newer improved MIM internals and have not had a problem. I will keep you posted when they wear out or break. Maybe they got it figured out. I still prefer tool steel for my guns. This Stinger of course is not MIM. The 30 LPI checkering on the front strap is a welcome benefit to me on LBC guns. I am not sure how the industry decided to go to 25 or less LPI, golf ball dimples, fish bones, reptile scales and such, but clean 30LPI works for me. In a world of 1911 newbie's who like the look of chopping off the right side of the slide stop and cutting away metal for a recess, it is nice to see the conventional nub for my finger to locate on the frame when I am not actually pulling the trigger. Something, many shooters need to learn as I witness almost every day. For me it also means more metal bearing and facilitates take down without a tool that you have to poke into the recess. Lastly, it is a reference that the slide stop is all the way in as I have seen lesser quality fitting jobs where the slide stop moves out and disables the gun.
I also like the fact that LBC uses conventional barrel and bushings on this model. I do have some coned barrels without a bushing and they work fine but the removable bushing is my preference. This model comes with Nite sights which I am not fond of. I am usually in bed at night and I don't need Tritium or any other nuclear gasses that will eventually burn out or break at the worst time possible. So, off to my buddy Heinie in Quincy, Illinois https://www.heinie.com/ to get me some all steel black Ledge sights. Along with the glass dots nestled in a relief of the Novak style, I prefer no gassy glass and a solid surface around my rear notch. Less clutter to get in the way of my eyeballs.
Now my Ed Brown guns all have slides that feel like they are on ball bearing but LBC are a different fit than Brown guns. Both are accurate, reliable and hand fit but, LBC guns come out of the box very tight. They do need a little break in and that's fine with me. After all, they are made to shoot and shoot a lot. This one is at around 200 rounds and is running like a Swiss watch. This Stinger model comes with 2 7 round LBC magazines however they have plastic followers. Like Wilson magazines, I am not fond of plastic building up carbon and lead and gumming up my slide stop reliability. I find the all metal magazines easier to clean, last longer and to be a better value. Just me. I replaced the LBC magazines with Ed Brown 7 round magazines with the low profile bumper pad https://www.edbrown.com/product-category/1911/magazines/magazines-short-frame/. I know the high cap boys are twerking over only 7 plus one but it's working for me. I like the fit of this magazine in line with the Ed Brown 2 piece mag well that I had installed. Stingers have no mag well option from LBC. Another option not available from LBC for this model is a two piece guide rod so I kept the conventional set up.
All said, LBC MSRP's are a bargain for the money and these are guns that any parent will be proud to hand down to the future generations to come. The jams and malfunctions, the trips back and forth to the range, the failures at the range, getting the accuracy to Bullseye standards, the amateur gunsmith disappointments, the wasted money and time, have all been a difficult Journey. It does not have to be that way today if you make the right choices and Don't Stop Believin in the 1911.
See you on the Range
Trapper
Thanks for the links.
