In 2023, Alchemy Custom Weaponry launched our “RestoMod” line, a limited edition, quarterly drop of unique pistols, inspired by the history and heritage of the 1911 pistol. These RestoMods have become a staple of the ACW brand and now in 2025, we’re bringing the Combat Limited back… well, kind of.
Los Angeles’ Pachmayr Gun Works was founded by Frank Pachmayr in 1929 and by the mid 60s, had grown to be a nationally recognized maker of fine long arms and bullseye pistols. In that time, competitive bullseye shooting was the king of handgun competition and in the mid-1960s, Pachmayr released the Signature Model specifically to meet the rigorous accuracy standards of the competition.
In the Southwest, a group of shooters, including the famous Col. Cooper, had developed a new type of competitive handgun contest. This would become the basis of our modern day IPSC and USPSA, giving birth to the world of “practical combative shooting”. While initially contained in the Southwest of America, this new, fast-paced competition would become internationally recognized and would dominate the handgun world for decades to come.
In 1975, the first IPSC World Shoot was held in Switzerland and was won by an American named Ray Chapman. Chapman would go on to select a Pachmayr Combat Special as his prize, putting the 1911 in the hands of one world’s biggest-name shooters at the time. Pachmayr’s shop began to get in order for the new product line as the Combat Special was cemented into the history books as THE example for a custom 1911 of the era. Later IPSC world champion Ross Seyfried would win in 1981 using a Combat Special, and although we can’t draw a direct correlation, lead times for Pachmayr’s shop doubled between 1980 and 1982.
Throughout Pachmayr’s history with the Combat Special, there have been several unique iterations of the product line. One particularly unique option was fitting an extended and “vent slotted” barrel to the guns. The world of competition shooting was not much different back then as it is today, with every competitor looking for any advantage he could have. Early attempts at fighting recoil included long slides, weighted barrels, the “Qwik Comp”, and ported barrels. Pachmayr’s shop claimed that the ported barrel would, “reduce recoil height” and would get you “back on target that winning fraction quicker”. Pachmayr’s lead times grew so rapidly in the 1980s that they were unable to keep up with the latest trends, and as a result, were never very involved in the “comp gun wars” of the 1980s. They did, however, continue to offer the extended barrel with vent-ports.
A Combat Special with Vent Ports on display at the NRA in Springfield MO
While the extended barrel option was less common, shooters like Ross Seyfried were still photographed using Combat Specials with this option. However, the majority of the extended barrel guns seen in photographs from the 1980s are on Government Models- not Commanders. That being said, the option was still available to those who preferred the Commander-length guns. We at ACW are only aware of three of these unique pistols: one in private hands and only ever shown on a forum, one featuring a Seecamp conversion that went through an auction house some time ago, and the final one on display at the NRA Museum in Springfield, Missouri.
It is because of this rarity that we at ACW are proud to announce our first RestoMod of 2025, a tribute to a rarely optioned Pachmayr Combat Special: the Alchemy Custom Weaponry Combat Limited Carry.
The Combat Limited Carry continues on the legacy started with our first Combat Limited – this time drawing from a dramatically more rare example from Pachmayr’s Gun Works. Naturally finished in hard chrome, this is our latest love letter to one of the coolest guns of yesteryear.
The gun features a 4.25” slide, and an extended 5” barrel with top-front venting. At the time, Pachmayr claimed this modification was made to “reduce recoil height” so that the shooter would be “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.
For sights, we fabricated an orange painted ramped front sight, and paired it with a Bomar inspired adjustable Kensight in the rear. An additional, finer touch to the pistol are top slide serrations, paired with another RestoMod exclusive, vertical rear cocking serrations. Markings are the unique RestoMod Series style, celebrating the markings which adorned classic Colt base guns used in these builds.
The pistol’s frame is scalloped cut, a deviation from the standard Alchemy design, as were the original examples we located in our research. Additionally, this pistol features an ejection port scallop to mimic the original gun. Pachmayr rubber grips adorn the frame as well, with the center cut out to allow the 20 LPI checkering cut into the front strap to shine. The flat mainspring housing is also checkered at 20 LPI. Our grip safety is bead blast blued to provide a color contrasting homage in homage to Pachmayr’s rubberized grip safeties. Finally, a ring hammer completes and compliments our homage.
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.
A huge thank you to Jason Burton, Ken Hackathorn, and Anthony Lombardo for assisting our Gen Z Sales Kid with Pachmayr research.
There will only be 35 Combat Limited Carrys made in 2025. They will be available to order direct from ACW, and our top 10 ACW Dealers will each have 1 available. Here are the Top 10 ACW Dealers receiving the 2025 Combat Limited Carry:
Gunslingers
Wichita Gun club
Modern Warriors
SMP Outdoors
Tag Firearms
Battlehawk Armory
The Bunker Gun Shop
Atlantic Guns
DD Guns
Iron Cowboy Gun Shop
$5,290
The Combat Limited Carry is a Limited Edition Restomod and only 35 will me made in 2025 If you are able to add it to your cart, that means one is available to be paid for and shipped to your FFL once complete. The Combat Limited Carry is a tribute to the amazing guns made by builders past but with an eye towards how we would like them to be specc’d out. Combat Limited Carry’s are not built to order and there are no options available for these pistols. They are currently being chromed with an estimated completion date of 5/20/25
Sales tax will be added for orders shipped to PA , IN or NC
Out of stock
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