Just one example of Robert Schauland’s work. (Photo: Alchemy/Facebook)
Update: The Alchemy Custom Weaponry website is now live! Place your pre-orders here.
Apex manufacturer Cabot Guns has acquired Alchemy Custom Weaponry, an Illinois-based custom gun shop. Quietly announced in 2015, Cabot is on the verge of re-opening Alchemy and is set to start taking pre-orders soon.
“The acquisition was an opportunity to acquire key talent,” said Cabot President, Robert Bianchin. “Cabot Guns sees excellent potential for expansion in diversification with our state-of-the-art dedicated center for firearms excellence in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The ACW Prime. (Photo: Alchemy)
“Alchemy Custom Weaponry founder Robert Schauland was our target in acquiring ACW. Schauland is one of the top 1911 experts in the field, and we wanted to bolster our team as part of our continuous efforts to raise the bar in firearm construction and to add another great talent to the team.”
Alchemy Custom is a premium 1911 manufacturer and will focus on handmade, hand-fit 1911s. Unlike Cabot which uses leading-edge aerospace manufacturing to fabricate their pistols, Alchemy will use time-honored techniques to produce true custom firearms.
“The components will be largely industry sourced but fit to a very high gunsmith standard,” Bianchin told GunsAmerica via email. “I have no doubt the Alchemy 1911s will be best-in-class at the retail price point of just under, $2,500.”
“The release of the first units will likely be by year end,” he said. “The first production will total 100 units. Folks can pre-order with a deposit of $100. The guns will be smithed under the watchful eye of Rob Schauland.”
The ACW Anomaly. (Photo: Alchemy)
The company is launching with three traditionally-styled packages each with a set of to-order options. The three guns include a full-size 1911 and mid-size and compact models for concealed-carry. All three are made to the same exacting demands. They come with an accuracy guarantee of 1-inch groups at 25 yards.
And while they’re built to be accurate, they’re built to be just as reliable with modern features for real-world use. All of the guns are machined from carbon steel slides billets and come standard with polished and throated match-grade barrel and bushing assemblies, lowered, flared ejection ports and tuned and polished internal extractors.
The frames are dehorned for everyday carry and are contoured for a high-up grip including undercut trigger guards. They all use hardened pins and all the ignition components are polished by hand to maximize reliability.
All three are chambered for .45 ACP and are available in a variety of finishes including traditional blued and modern coated finishes as well as hard chrome. Alchemy also provides different sight options including fixed black, white dot and tritium sights.
See Also: Meet the Dragon Claw by Cabot Guns – SHOT Show 2017
The ACW Cardinal. (Photo: Alchemy)
Other custom offerings include adjustable target sights and optional ambidextrous safeties. Grips are offered in checkered wood and G-10 laminate.
The ACW Prime is the full-size offering with a full-length 5-inch barrel and multiple trigger length options. It feeds from standard 8-round magazines. The ACW Cardinal is a Concealed Carry Officer-size with a 4.25-inch barrel and compact frame. It has a 7+1-round capacity.
In the middle is the ACW Anomaly. It combines a compact 4.25-inch barrel and a full-size frame with a bobbed hammer and short beavertail safety for optimum concealment without a reduction in capacity.
All three are priced at $2,495 which puts them in-line with other premium custom and semi-custom shops. With Cabot’s blessing and Alchemy’s experience, these promise to be worth every penny.
Expect more from Alchemy and Cabot in the coming weeks. They have a lot in the works.
Pretty tiring hearing the same predictable comments from the same mini-mindsets: “ego gun, over priced, mine is just as good for half the price.” On and on. If you like it, and it is within your means, buy it. If you’re not that financially successful, save your contempt for someone who cares. Nobody wants to hear it. Here’s an idea— learn how to build your own, or start with a nice gun and learn how to turn it into a super gun. Be productive, not destructive.
In order to understand the difference one should try shooting side by side Springfield’s Range Officer that costs $900 and Springfield’s Professional or Single Stock Classic that cost about $2,900 each. Or Springfield’s of the mill XDm 4.5 or 5.25 against same with Powder River Precision xTreme Trigger Kit, $165 add on. Once you do such, the first intention will be to send your hammers to Springfield Custom Shop, and have Dave William’s boys turn it into real guns. There are two points I’m trying to make here: a. Cook County is not representative of the entire IL, and b. some think of the gun as tool to drive nails at arms length distance, and some are reaching targets at 25+ years with great accuracy.
People, this is not just another 1911 manufacturer. And, to make the blanket statement that just because they came from Ilinois means they can’t make a good 1911 is pretty mis-informed. Most people in the high end / custom 1911 circles know Rob Schauland’s experience, reputation, and where he’s worked and what he’s done. He is also a very active contributor in some of the 1911 forums and provides great insight and guidance to others.
While saying you can buy such and such pistol for less is true, keep in mind the free market has room for many styles and price points in handguns. Just like with cars, you can buy a brand new compact around $12,000 or a Mercedes for $60,000. They both get you from one place to another, but there is obviously space in the market for both. If you don’t like it, no one is forcing you to buy it.
Another big ego 1911 builder…. I’ve worked on many ” high end 1911s” and on many there isn’t a
clear difference in the tremendous jump in price.
I fit up many Colts, Springfield and Kimbers that with a few modifications ( honing rails, trigger work, properly fit barrel bushing and barrel, removing lose breech) will run with any $3,000
1911.
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Let’s do the math! I can buy 4 excellent stainless steel / poly Springfield Armory XD 5 inch barrel 13+1 .45 acp pistols for the price of one of these pistols!
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Somehow–this doesn’t seem to be a good value to me. Buy the XD instead!–and use the rest of the bucks to buy an excellent M1A rifle!
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John Bibb
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Completely agree. My TRP was less then this pistol.
and your point is what? that things of varying qualities also have varying prices? thanks for the insight, dipshit!
Newsflash: hobbies are not cost effective. That’s why we support our hobbies with “disposable income.”
Gee another 1911 builder . . .so?
^^^^^^^^^ once again, spouting off under the premise of an unrelated topic. And this isn’t even a political page or conversation. Geez. Stick to the topic please
Dear Sir,
Sent me information on where to sent money down on chrome one standard issue wood gribs!!:))
Thanks,
Jerry Sims
Chicago? Isn’t that the same area holding the same folks who promoted Obama for office. Sorry but if they were that stupid, I find it hard to believe that they could do anything right!
Until these gun people move out of anti-gun states I’m not buying one thing they build. Follow the lead of Magpul! Grow a set and just move it on down the road. My understanding is that the very gun friendly state of Oklahoma will work with any gun mfgr who moves there.
But to be honest, I wouldn’t spend that kind of money on any gun. I do just fine with my Kimbers and CZ’s but that’s just me!
the outnumbered shooters and shooting industry people fought and lost over heavy gun restrictions, and now you want to punish them further for things the anti-gunners did. why attack your allies?
Because that is what the majority of myopic ‘Murican gun owners do.
Simple folk see things in simple terms, and they don’t come much more simple-minded than ‘Murican gun owners. They never bother to think (about much at all) that there might be extenuating circumstances regarding a business owner’s location, family for instance, or maybe they just happen to like where they are. In the typical gun owner’s mind, being in the gun business in a gun-unfriendly state makes the business owner automatically an “anti”.