The Apex Prime is incredible. Its aluminum and steel construction give it a solidity largely unmatched. Performance-wise, where other blasters are hitting their peak this one's just getting started.
Internally, it's a straightforward but robust design derived from the Sabre M20. There's no flex whatsoever and the prime is smooth. That said, it isn't perfect. The trigger wobbles and has a lot of overtravel. The former is easily fixed, but the latter less so. I also really dislike the lack of trigger guard. Additionally, Worker mags with their rounded feed lips rub against the sides of the mag well. Running mags with flat sides, like Unicorns or Tachis, eliminates that issue.
Regarding serviceability, while barrel and spring swaps are easy, replacing o-rings will require a fair bit of disassembly. One half of the shell needs to be removed and once you're familiar it goes quick, but it's still more effort than it should be. Speaking more broadly, one advancement the hobby really needs is quick takedowns like we see in the real steel world.
As for assembly, the process wasn't difficult but the instructions were poor. No size specs were provided for screws and there's at least one missing step. Sabre support on Discord is fantastic but they really should update those instructions.
Now, I can understand why people are aghast at the price, especially with some of the issues I've described. As a comparison, the Worker Harrier is a fantastic blaster that offers good performance and 75% of the experience for less than half the price.
However, the qualities that justify the Apex's price tag become immediately evident when handling it. The experience it offers is unmatched outside of high end blasters pushing $1,000. The cold steel heft is immensely satisfying and the complete lack of flex even with a hefty spring is impressive. It's a blaster that can be run hard with confidence.
True, it's a niche blaster but for those seeking this sort of thing they'll come away very happy. Despite the criticism I'm a huge fan.
