Alchimista

[Creekside]

Im thinking of replacing my Ruger NMV s (just to small for me ) with Alchimistas also in 45 colt
 they have the large Army size grip  has anyelse tried these and what do you
 think of them
 thanks for the info
Creekside

[Old Top]

Creekside,

I turned my two pistols into a poormans Alchimista by adding the Army grips makes all the difference to me I feel much more comfortable shooting them.

Old Top

[Creekside]

I have a pair of cattleman i thought of trying that how much trouble did you have adding the Army grips ??

[Advertising]

[Sgt. John McAfferty]

Howdy,

Bought a pair of 7 1/2" Alchimistas in .45 about 3 years ago.  Pistols were tuned out of the box.  Only problem with them is a really high front sight blade and some rough spots on the rear of the receiver around where the cylinder rotates.  Sometimes an older reload will get stuck as if I have a high primer.  No issue with newer brass or factory ammo.

I like them.  Although I don't have giant hands, the army grips are much more comfortable.

Sgt. John

[Creekside]

I have big hands and when cocking the hammer hits my hand

[Sgt. John McAfferty]

I don't have that issue with the Alchimistas.  Used to have it with the Uberti copies with navy grips.

I will say, if you have a couple of pistols you already like, I really don't think it would be that difficult to switch grip frames and grips.  You might want to email some of the gunsmiths around this site and the SASS wire.  They can probably tell you.  I've always shot Ubertis or Piettas, so I don't know about Rugers.

I know guns are getting awful expensive but, if you have the money, you can always use more guns.

Just my .02.

Sgt. John

[Pettifogger]

I have big hands and when cocking the hammer hits my hand

If the hammer spur is hitting your hand changing to the 1860 grips won't fix that as the upper part of the grip frame is the same as the standard Colt style grip.  The 1860 frame just gives you more room for your bottom two fingers.  If the hammer spur is hitting your hand you can change your grip on the gun, get the gun short stroked so the hammer spur does not come so far back, or, if you have a long enough reach with your thumb, you can bend or re-profile the spur tip so that it is a little higher.

[Creekside]

I have been shooting 60 army rm conversions for the last 2 seasons in cowboy action 2 handed
and it hasnt been a problem  but with the cattleman my better half uses it is and my new rugers
 are even worse I have tried a diffrent hold on them but i dont feel like I have the control I like
 and I have to much finger on the trigger (up to the first knuckle )so i pull to the left and down   I only bought the rugers because everyone said they were  the best thing since sliced bread and I thought I woulkd get used to them
 but so far no luck 

[Pettifogger]

Rugers are the toughest gun there is for competition.  So, before tossing them a couple of things.  FIRST, what do you have?  Vaqueros or NEW Vaqueros?  There are two big differences between the Vaquero and the New Vaquero for what you are talking about.  First, the grip frame was slightly re-contoured to more closely approximate a Colt grip frame and the old original three screw Ruger grip frame.  The grip contours aren't that much different.  However, the big difference is that Ruger put thin profile plastic grips on the New Vaquero.  For shooting duelist or for people with normal to small hands these grips are great.  For people with large hands you should try putting on thicker grips.  The old Vaquero grips were very thick and felt like a 2 x 4 to me.  However, people with large hands liked them.  Next, on the New Vaquero Ruger put in a hammer with a much longer spur than on the old Vaquero.  You can put the stock old Vaquero hammers in (the hammers on the old and New Vaquero interchange) and this will keep the spur from coming so far back and down.  In fact, Ruger offered some New Vaqueros with the old style hammers for a while.  They billed it as the cowboy fast draw model.

[Creekside]

These are the new model Vaqueros and I have replaced the plastic grips with
 wood I have been looking for large wood grips but no one makes them that i have found
  Replacing the hammer is one good  idea  but I still end up with my trigger finger to far into the
 trigger guardI bought these new in July of 2013
Could  the grips or grip frame from the old model be made to fit ?

[Curley Cole]

here is a pix of Old Top's home made job. It was an easy fit. the only problem we ran into was the fitting of screws. for some reason the 73 AND 60 screws didn't fit. I ended up writing an email directly to Alchimesta and he sent us 2 sets of screws. the gun works great.

also here is a pix of one of the "real" deal. the action on them is smooth as glass....it is amazing..



curley

[Coffinmaker]

I personally can't shoot a gun with the "Navy" or Model P grip worth beans.  I have Army grips on every gun I own.  BUT ......
Before you chuck your current guns, attend a match and find someone with the Alcemista guns  and shoot one.  Might save you some money.

Coffinmaker

[Pettifogger]

I personally can't shoot a gun with the "Navy" or Model P grip worth beans.  I have Army grips on every gun I own.  BUT ......
Before you chuck your current guns, attend a match and find someone with the Alcemista guns  and shoot one.  Might save you some money.

Coffinmaker

If he doesn't like them, maybe you can get a good deal on them.

[Creekside]

I have been looking for one to try  but they are fairly new thats why I was
 looking for some input from others that may have shot them 
Thanks for all the help
Creekside

[Coffinmaker]

Well ..... Just learned I didn't know how to spell Alchimista.  We learn the strangest stuff around here.

Coffinmaker

[Buckingham]

As a number of people have noted on here, the standard issue 1873 grip frame is very uncomfortable to shoot with, I replaced my grip frame with a steel 1860 frame which I bought from VTI they just fitted straight on, but I did take a few thou off the sides of the trigger plate to get an invisible join line, I also made three pairs of Exhibition Walnut grips, as I had lost the blue in taking metal off the sides, I thought it would be a good idea to make three pairs before I re finished the grip frame, the difference is amazing ! Only problem now is the back of the trigger guard , they must have had tiny hands in 1873.