BigMuddy
Member
A BIG Congratulations on both new “additions”. A new FA revolver is great, but nothing compares to grandchildren.
Dan
Dan
Freedom Arms Model 97 -- Your Opinions?
- Thread starter Beemerguy53
- Start date
A Model 97 with a Bisley hammer would be perfect in my book.
A bit off subject BUT for those that have shot one in a lager caliber i.e. 44 mag or larger; how did it manage the recoil?
They would appear to want to 'roll' quite a bit. Yes, they are heavy but - just asking?
They would appear to want to 'roll' quite a bit. Yes, they are heavy but - just asking?
Erich
Member
Actually, this is going to be a significant purchase in my family's history. On the day I mailed off the purchase letter and the check, my daughter-in-law gave birth to a little boy...my first grandchild. When he turns 21, this Model 97 will be his birthday gift. Until then, I will shoot it, and take good care of it...
May he be blessed with a long and happy life - congratulations on this wonderful event!
OP
It's not a set screw...just a plain slotted screw. It's visible in the photos I posted.
I have two single action revolvers, a Ruger .22 convertable that has only had the .22lr cylinder in place once and a Ruger .45 Colt Bisley model that i got recently (year or so ago) to go with my Winchester 94 in .45 Colt. I could have had many but these are enough for now.
OP
I have a Bisley Vaquero in 45 Colt, and a Bisley Blackhawk in .357 Magnum...so this Model 97 will be my third single-action revolver. If I like shooting this 97 as much as I think I will, there might be a fourth single-action in my future...
SuperMan
Member
...buy it...you won't regret it...
Bought a 6" 83 in 1998 in .454 which was later sold when I found the identical gun in .41 Magnum...has been the favorite long range revolver since...
Then came a 97 also in .41 but with a 4.25" barrel and round butt black Micarta grips....it is a sweetheart to carry and shoot...since then it has become a "sickness"...
Now have 97s in .22/.22 Magnum, .327, .357 and .41. 83s in .41 Magnum and just purchased a .500 Wyoming...
Just about all of them were purchased LNIB at way below the then retail.
Hope you make your wish come true...Bob
Bought a 6" 83 in 1998 in .454 which was later sold when I found the identical gun in .41 Magnum...has been the favorite long range revolver since...
Then came a 97 also in .41 but with a 4.25" barrel and round butt black Micarta grips....it is a sweetheart to carry and shoot...since then it has become a "sickness"...
Now have 97s in .22/.22 Magnum, .327, .357 and .41. 83s in .41 Magnum and just purchased a .500 Wyoming...
Just about all of them were purchased LNIB at way below the then retail.
Hope you make your wish come true...Bob
I forgot to mention in my previous post that if you are a DIY'er like most of us here, you will NEVER find any concrete info/procedure and certainly no VIDEO on FA assembly/disassembly. It's a mystery that has been discussed on several single action forums with never an answer WHY no real info on or from FA. I have two of them, and, believe me, they are NOT the same as Colt, Ruger or any single action clone. They are great guns, but I have to admit, that the mystery behind the lack of info to help the FA customer is suspicious to me personally. If you like to completely disassemble your guns for annual cleaning and maintenance.... DON'T TRY IT WITH AN FA. They will do it for you for a FEE + shipping costs both ways.
IMHO,
J.
IMHO,
J.
The Norseman
Member
Son's and Gun's
Congratulations on your Baby Son, and new Freedom Arms
Revolver.
Mark and Mike and Bob are great to work with on dealing
with Guns at First Stop Guns and Coin, Rapid City, SD.
They always have many Freedom Arms Revolvers works of
Art, the biggest inventory that I know of.
When are you going to shoot it? Please give Range Report.
Again Congratulations!
Well, friends, my new
Model 97 arrived last week (while I was out of town) and I got
to see it yesterday. (I can't take possession for another week,
due to Maryland's mandatory seven-day waiting period.)
What a work of art this thing is! It's just perfect...beautifully
machined, with a solid feel and smooth action. I can't wait to
take it to the range...
Thanks for all your input and advice. And a special thanks to
the good folks at First Stop Guns in Rapid City, South
Dakota...they were a true pleasure to deal with.
Congratulations on your Baby Son, and new Freedom Arms
Revolver.
Mark and Mike and Bob are great to work with on dealing
with Guns at First Stop Guns and Coin, Rapid City, SD.
They always have many Freedom Arms Revolvers works of
Art, the biggest inventory that I know of.
When are you going to shoot it? Please give Range Report.
Again Congratulations!
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SuperMan
Member
It was kinda early when I posted this morning and missed where you had bought the gun...don't think you could have done better than that...
Bob
Bob
Recently bought an FA 97 in 45 Colt with a 45acp extra cylinder. 5 1/2 inch barrel. Very happy with it. Top notch craftsmanship.
OP
I picked my new 97 up today, and examining it, I see what you're talking about. This revolver is like no other I've ever owned. The transfer bar is built into the hammer rather than the frame, and looks to be a very complicated design. The gap between the cylinder and the forcing cone is all but undetectable. The unfluted cylinder looks to be well overbuilt. The seams between components are, well, seamless...
I mentioned in an earlier post that this 97 will be my newborn grandson's birthday gift in 21 years. I fully expect that he will pass it along to his own grandchildren someday...
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balin
Member
I liked my FA .357 enough that I have another on order. A .22. My first is built well and very accurate. I am expecting the second to be the same. I keep thinking about a .44 magnum or special.
SuperMan
Member
Although the 97 will handle .44 Magnum pressures, they only offer the 97 in .44 Special. The 97 is probably the best handgun ever made for .44 Special...it is sized just right.
With .357, .41 and .45 Colt one has to be careful what cast bullet one used because the cylinder of the 97 is shorter than others. With the .44 Special being "Special" length there is never a problem... And besides in such a small gun "hot" loads are not much fun anyway.
One can easily get 1200 fps with a 240 in a .44 Special...what else does one need.
Bob
With .357, .41 and .45 Colt one has to be careful what cast bullet one used because the cylinder of the 97 is shorter than others. With the .44 Special being "Special" length there is never a problem... And besides in such a small gun "hot" loads are not much fun anyway.
One can easily get 1200 fps with a 240 in a .44 Special...what else does one need.
Bob
Never say "NEVER".
Go to the Freedom Arms Collector's Assoc. website at
facausa.com
Scroll down to "THE FIVE SHOT JOURNAL PORTFOLIOS"
For the Model 83, select Vol. 6 No. 3 (Note: the cover is mis-marked "Vol. VII" - it is not.)
For the Model 97, select Vol. 7 No. 2.
Cost is $5.35 ea. I used Paypal, and had the downloads in a matter of minutes.
These may not make a crack FA gunsmith out of you, but what have you got to lose?
By the way, these have been available for several years.
YUP, I knew that.... I was sent an early copy of what was supposed to be included in that journal BUT it just wasn't enough for my limited comprehension. I'm going to see if I can get a copy as you suggest and see if the published version will work for me. I still wonder why there is no video anywhere (?). Just sayin'
J.
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