Posted: 5/11/2008 9:50:44 PM EDT
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Greetings all, Does anybody have experience with Freedom Arms? My dealer claims they're top of the line custom built revolvers. Thinking about purchasing either a .357 or .44 magnum from them...thanks! Cheers, Sakic #19 
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i own two f/a a premier 454 and a field grade 454. my premier wears a leup 4x and the field wears real stag grips with the factory adjustable iron sights. fit and finish are similar to a rolls royce...nothing comes close... the 454 packs a hell of a whack to my palm so i am limited to 60-80 rounds per session (i dont like wearing a glove). accuracy...the iron sight shoots very high...at 20 yards it is 8-10 inches high..most likely due to the extreme recoil (it hits harder than my smith 500 with full house loads) personally i would not buy one in a 357...there are many fine single and double that shoot the 357 (i love my 686 6 inch) i would not buy one in a 44 (that is my personal choice as i have many 629's and model 29's that serve that purpose) but to each their own... i would buy a used one - most dont even have 100 rounds down the tube... go on gunbroker or guns america...typically the premeirs list for around 2k and can be bought with box/papers for around 1500-1600 in 100% condition and the field grade can be bought from 800 and up to around 1300... good luck..one thing is for sure if you buy one at the right price...you will never loose a dime... here is your 357 calling you... http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=99618887 |
The Model 97 is fairly small with a rather short cylinder. The cylinder length limits bullet weights to around 280 Gr (there is a 300 Gr bullet designed for it, I can't remember who makes it, maybe Speer) in the 45 Colt, the space between the triggerguard and grip is very limited with loads which bareley fit in the gun it beat the Hell out of my bird finger and was somewhat difficult to hang on to, BTW these loads are easily and comfortably handled in the Ruger Blackhawk at 1/4 the price. The 97 is much tougher to sell if it doesn't work out. My model 83 is chambered for the 454 Casull which is a very good cartridge, but I don't use it much anymore as I like the 475 Linebaugh much better. If the Model 83 would have been avaliable in the 475 Linebaugh when I bought my Model 83 I would have never needed another Revolver. |
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Howdy Rabon, I had to look up the ballistics on the .475 Linebaugh. Holy Cow and 1/2!  Do you shoot the beast with full bore loads or is there a "comfortable" load for the Linebaugh? Shooting glove mandatory? I live in a part of the country where a 500lb Black bear would be considered ginormous and would indicate the animal was feeding on garbage. Most of what I need a handgun for (besides defense use- got plenty of handguns for that) is hunting deer at close (75 yards and less) range. Accuracy, quality of sights, trigger pull, packability, and finally power would be my prime considerations (I suppose in order). We have a ridiculous rule on the books in the state I live in (NH), which lists (by name- agggh) the calibers we can use for handgun hunting (if you want to use a handgun in a "shotgun only" town). .454, for instance, is not listed but .45 Colt is. The reason I would enjoy hunting in the shotgun only towns is simple- they are chock full of deer. I don't enjoy shooting slug guns very much, but I do like hunting with a handgun. I enjoy quality firearms, which is what turned me on to Freedom Arms products. I couldn't find any cylinder slop or shoddy work (sorry, Ruger) on the FA revolvers I have examined. To the OP- sorry for the hijack. |
| My 475 Linebaugh is a Magnum Research Revolver with the barrel cut to 6"s, I run it on top with a 400 Grain cast at 1340 fps (chronographed average) or a 365 cast at 1510 fps (chronographed average). The recoil of these loads in this Revolver are quite tame in comparison to any of the 60 K chamber pressure loads I use in my 454 Casull (Freedom Arms 6"). |
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Are you looking at this one at Jensens www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=100025714 I was just asking about it here. www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=711465 |
I have a model 97 on layaway, I've had lots of guns on layaway before but none has ever tugged at me like this one does. Model 97 .44 Special 4 1/4 inch octagon barrel round butt black micarta grips |
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Warhawk, that sounds like a PEACH. Please post your shooting impressions when your new baby arrives. There sure is something special about the .44 Special. I have a Colt New Service in .44 Special that I am crazy about. The cartridge fits both my "needs" as well as my "wants". Enjoy! |
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This one isn't mine, but it's just like it ... I can't wait to get mine in my hands. www.villagephotos.com/viewpubimage.asp?id_=9794909&selected= www.villagephotos.com/viewpubimage.asp?id_=9794908 |
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Gents, Thanks for all the feedback...things have recently changed - going to put the purchase on the back burner as I'm in the process of buying a house! However, after we close - a Freedom revolver is definitely my next purchase (still deciding on caliber though)...thanks again all! Cheers, Sakic #19 
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