Freedom Arms sure makes some great-looking and great-shooting guns, based on the reviews I've read. Their Model 83 and Model 97 revolvers are pricey but said to be worth every penny. Any of you out there own a Freedom Arms weapon and what's your take?

Youngest son owned one for one cylinder full of 454s. He liked shooting the 454s from one of the x frame Smiths so he got the hots for the Freedom Arms 454. A guy came by the table at one of the gun shows with a real good deal on one with a cracked grip. I fixed the grip for my son and it went to the range the next time we went. Two rounds and youngest son handed it to the oldest son who shot two rounds then put his shooting glove and finished the other round. Both had bruised hands for over a week and it went back out on the table at the next show. Youngest son went back to the X frames, one in 500 and one in 460 and has no problem with them.
My recomendation would be don't go past a .357 in the Freedom Arms line and get Smiths for anything bigger.
Larry

Larry, thanks for the feedback. Those big blasters do look like a handful.

I bought a 5.5 inch 97 in .41 Magnum this summer. Accurate as can be, and worth every penny. Makes most of my other .41s redundant. It's got one coyote to its credit, and makes a Ruger Blackhawk seem like a crudely overbuilt tank.

Went to the OGCA gun show last weekend and one of the group had one for sale in 454 for 1500.00 with the box. Is that a good price? Larry

Without question one of the finest firearms I've ever seen. The build quality is just incredible. You do see a lot of .454 Casulls on the used market, often for good prices. I think a lot of folks buy into the big bore thing and then just can't handle it. But they make .44 magnums, .45 Colts and .357 as well as some others, and you just can't go wrong having one, although you may run the risk of being spoiled for other things.

I picked up one for a good price several years ago. Its a 4 5/8" high grade .454. Got it with the box, papers, F.A. leather holster and some ammo for around $1200. I like it and don't find it too unpleasant to shoot. But then the 2nd handgun I owned (at age 18) was a .44 Mag Ruger SBH. I shoot it just for fun. But No, I don't shoot 50 or even 25 full power loads in a string.

Rob

Freedom Arms revolvers are right there price-wise and quality-wise with USFA. The biggest difference is that the FAs are much easier to find on the open market. Right now there's a dozen 454s on GB up for grabs. I wouldn't hesitate to pick up a used .44 or .357 FA at a reasonable price if I could find one and $ permitted.

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I'm with the banned ...

Considering the material the methods and the quality control used to build the FA's..... it's somewhat surprising they are not more expensive. They use only the finest, strongest stainless for the cylinders, which are line bored to the barrel. The pressures these things are capable of withstanding are amazing. Speaking of the large framed M-83's.

Front sights are easily changed out with an allen wrench a huge plus if you shoot overly light or heavy loads to allow for proper ft sight height. They also are designed around a couple of good scope mounts. Easily installed.

The accuracy is amazing. I recall several near one hole groups at 25 yds and 1.5" groups at 50 yds. I've owned a pair of 83's in .454 Casull and a lone M-97 in .44 Spcl.

The .454 Cassulls ARE brutal. Though the field grade Pachmayer grips DO help tame the recoil a bit. I handloaded for the .454's and seldom used full power loads, even for big game. Simply not needed for deer or elk at normal ranges. I had a load with a 265 gr cast slug at 950 fps that shot into an inch at 50 yds easily. And a 325 gr Keith cast slug load at 1200 fps that was almost as accurate...my hunting load.

I still carry/shoot a 4 1/4" M-97 in .44 Special quite a bit. At 35 oz a joy to carry and as accurate as one can hold. i love the FA revolver. Wish I could shoot them as easily as I do a S&W design. But unfortunately I don't.

The Rolls Royce of Single Actions.

I have one with the optional 45 acp cylinder. Granted it is like popping off 22 rounds in that big pistol lol. Yes, with full tilt loads it is a handful, but isn't that what anyone buying one is looking for? Not sure what people expect when they buy a cannon and are disappointed that it recoils.

Build quality is excellent, and it is one of the tightest locking firearms I have ever handled. I bought one, and sold it a few years ago due to it being a deal I couldn't pass up, but quickly replaced it. The 7.5" barrel on mine helps tame it a bit, but I still get a wicked grin from shooting stout loads through her.

I traded for this FA-83 off another forum member. It is an early one with a replaceable forcing cone which proved to be too expensive to manufacture. Later on in life it was sent back and fitted with 45 Colt and 45acp cylinders. The 454 does kick but not unmanageable with the way they configure the grip frame. It's not for everyone though as a friend shot it and thought I was crazy. I haven't shot the 45 Colt cylinder much, but with the acp one it will shoot one hole at 30 yards.

I have one. Stays in the safe most of the time now. But I did enjoy shooting .454 casull. Probably will just keep it.

Not till I hit the lottery. Put one cylinder of .454 through a friend's FA & definitely have the lust. A pretty fine revolver but out of my league $$$-wise for the time being. Someday...

I bought mine when they first came out. This is the Premier grade which was before they had model numbers. It's a .454.





I bought the 260g GCTC mould from Lyman that they offered with it.

I chrono'd my load and got an average of 1875fps. Mind you, that wasn't the hotter load I shoot now, it was the work-up load.

I found a way to size down a 350g 45-70 NOE bullet and it shoots fine as well.