The Pachmayr Gun Works was founded in 1929 in Los Angeles by Frank Pachmayr and by the mid-1960s had become a nationally recognised manufacturer of long rifles and bullseye pistols. At that time, bullseye pistol shooting was extremely popular in the USA, and in the mid-1960s, Pachmayr launched the Signature model on the market, which was made specifically to meet the rigorous accuracy standards required for competitions. Meanwhile, in the south-west of the USA, a group of shooters, including the famous Colonel Jeff Cooper, had developed a new type of competitive handgun contest that would become the basis of IPSC and USPSA Practical Shooting. Although initially contained in the American Southwest, this new form of shooting initially called "Practical Combative Shooting" would soon become internationally recognised and dominate the handgun world for decades to come. In 1975, the first IPSC World Shoot was held in Switzerland, won by an American named Ray Chapman who selected a 1911 Pachmayr Combat Special pistol as his prize. The news that the best IPSC shooter had wanted a Combat Special for himself created great interest in custom guns in general, and Pachmayr pistols in particular. Later, another American shooter, Ross Seyfried would win the 1981 IPSC World Championship using a Combat Special model. This was a custom pistol built on the basis of a Colt Commander in .45 ACP, that is with the slide custom-made for a 4.25-inch barrel. The Combat Special, however, featured a five-inch barrel that protruded 15 millimetres from the slide front and had two compensation ports near the muzzle.
Alchemy Combat Limited Carry, a limited edition classic
This preamble is necessary to better frame the origin of this gun proposed by the US company Alchemy Custom Waponry, a division of the Cabot Gun Company, which since 2023 has included in its catalog some special models of the "RestoMod" line that periodically pay homage to great guns of the past. One of these is the Combat Limited Carry, a replica of the Colt Pachmayr Combat Special in .45 ACP, an exact reproduction of the original gun won by Ray Chapman that will be made in only 35 examples during 2025. Its most noticeable feature is the five-inch barrel that protrudes from the 4.5-inch slide and is reminiscent of the pioneering days when gunsmiths and shooters empirically tested different solutions to reduce muzzle flip and recoil. Alchemy Custom itself states in this regard that at the time "Pachmayr’s shop claimed that the ported barrel 'would reduce recoil height' and would get you 'back on target that winning fraction quicker'.While we can’t guarantee these claims, we can confirm that this is cool as all hell, and an incredible example of early custom 1911 history brought back to life – and sometimes, that’s all you need." Hilariously, the company concludes the Combat Special's press release with this statement: "We’re not saying that you should go shred an IPSC match with this gun, a righteous mullet, aviators, and a cassette playing Zep II – but it would be a lot cooler if you did."
Otherwise, the Combat Limited Carry is a condensation of 1970s American solidity, built on a 4140 carbon steel single-stack, chrome-finished frame accepting an eight-round single-column magazine. The grip features non-slip 20-LPI checkering on the front strap and mainspring housing, while the grip safety is a Wilson type. The thumb safety lever is ambidextrous, while the hammer is a Commander type, i.e. with a hole. Grips are "obviously" made of black rubber and marked Pachmayr. The slide and frame are hand fitted on each gun and the edges have been slightly beveled, as has the ejection port. The extractor is oversized. The sights consist of a Bo-Mar-style rear notch that is micrometrically adjustable and a dovetail-mounted, orange-painted ramped front sight. The slide has anti-glare top serrations while the cocking serrations, strictly positioned only on the rear, are vertical and not slanted. The trigger pull weight is approximately 1.5-1.8 kilograms. The barrel is 5 inches/12.5 cm long with polished feed ramp and dual ported muzzle.
The Combat Limited Carry can hardly be called a cheap gun, since it is offered on the Alchemy Custom Combat website at the handsome sum of $5,250. Incidentally, it appears that all the examples made have already been sold out, so those who just can't do without it will have to wait until 2026 for the second run, and in the meantime start putting money in the piggy bank.
