Alchemy Custom Weaponry Prime

[Rex G]

Wonderful weapon. Enjoy!

[Rex G]

Very exciting review! @45dotACP

That clearance thing for the grip safety sensitivity was intriguing. My CQB Elite has the undercut trigger guard and I occasionally have grip safety engagement issues if grip is not perfect. I never see this on my SA guns or Sams build. I have to ponder more the relationship to the higher grip.
Reminds me that the FBI Pro did NOT include the undercut or that’s my recollection.

The effect of undercut or no undercut will vary depending on hand size / composition. For me, guns with undercuts are more consistent in engaging the grip safety. YMMV.

An undercut, a.k.a. relieved trigger guard & front strap, helps me get consistent operation of the grip safety. During my last great 1911 purge, in 2002 I only kept my Les Baer TRS, for that reason. (No worries; I am back up to four 1911 pistols.)

A gas-pedal-sized thumb safety, however, can work against me, negating the relieved trigger guard, as I learned when I bought my most-recent Baer, a Monolith, with an ambidextrous thumb safety, with a wide pedal-like pad for the right thumb, and a narrow pad for the left thumb. The lower-profile thumb pad, on the right side, for the left thumb, when shooting lefty, is no problem. I have not started carrying the Monolith, or keeping it loaded for home defense, so it has been a moot point. I am still deciding whether to try re-profiling the existing gas pedal, or have a whole new safety fitted. (I am reckoning that my re-profiling job will probably look like a pile of crap, unless I can rig an effective jig.)

[MGW]

“That’s nice” is an understatement. I like it a lot. However your user name is now in conflict.

[Rex G]

Very nice.

How do you like the gold bead ?

I have a gold bead on my guncrafters 9mm and I don’t like it as much as I thought I would. IME It’s not enough visually to be helpful on the indoor range and outdoors it’s inconsistent, it’s appearance seems to vary in relation to the sun. I have been wanting to swap it out for a fiber optic.

I actually waffled on what to make the front sight for a while. I figured the bead was a nice touch for a classic style pistol, but after I shot it a little, I basically came some similar conclusions. And one thing that surprised me was how thick the front sight has to be for a gold bead. I typically run a very slim front sight on account of usually shooting a fiber optic front. I probably wouldn't do a gold bead for the front knowing what I know now. It's still a pretty decent setup for me as I can pick it up decently well.

Add me to the list of those underwhelmed by gold-bead front sights. I, too, experienced shifting POI, depending upon the direction of the dominant light source.

I think, perhaps, that a recessed gold block, with a flat rear-facing portion, might offer the benefit of gold, without the shifting POI. I seem to remember reading about such custom sights, and by that I mean one-off, made-to-order.

[Wondering Beard]

I actually waffled on what to make the front sight for a while. I figured the bead was a nice touch for a classic style pistol, but after I shot it a little, I basically came some similar conclusions. And one thing that surprised me was how thick the front sight has to be for a gold bead. I typically run a very slim front sight on account of usually shooting a fiber optic front. I probably wouldn't do a gold bead for the front knowing what I know now. It's still a pretty decent setup for me as I can pick it up decently well.

The gold bead on my 1911s and one of my G17 is about the thickness of those with tritium; just about .125. Fiber optics beat gold beads if one is looking to go thinner. However, as the light goes down, indoor or outdoor, I have found that the gold bead reflects ambient light longer than a fiber optic. I don't know by how much, just that when I couldn't see the FO, I still could see the GB, though not as clearly as in full daylight, of course. I'm not sure how much difference it makes for shooting at those times of the day/night as either the target would still be lit enough to distinguish in the now near totally black sight picture, or if it isn't, we'd be using a light, weapon mounted or handheld.

[Stephanie B]

That's a gorgeous sidearm.

[Toddles]

Congrats on your Prime.

I've never been much of a 1911 guy prior, but I *really* like my ACW Prime.

[theJanitor]

Why buy a gun that expensive? I mean holy shit all told the gun was a little under 3k.

$3k for a handgun isn't a bargain. But that's pretty much a bargain, IMO

[EVP]

I think the Primes are a excellent value. I almost ordered one when I was looking/into 1911s.

The only thing is for me I would want a rail, other then that it is setup how I would want a 1911.

[Robinson]

Congrats, you made a great choice.