New Freedom Arms - received finally

[BigJimP]

I ordered a new Freedom Arms ( made in Wyoming ) ...single action revolver in early January...and received it on Saturday...and promptly put 6 boxes thru it Sat afternoon.../ and I am very pleased with the new gun !


Here is the gun itself. Specs on it are model 83 ( large frame, 5 shot),
4 3/4" Octagon barrel, Premier Grade, .357 magnum, full action job ( I specd the trigger at 3.5 lbs ), a fibre optic front sight, an adjustable rear sight.


Here is another photo with a new Henry Big Boy rifle ( that I've had for a yr or so ), octagon barrel in .357 mag as well ....and a model 27-2 S&W revolver in Nickel / for size comparison.

This is my first Single Action revolver ( I own more than a dozen S&W revolvers in .357 mag and .44 mag primarily ) ....and I wanted something a little unique and special. It is an incredible piece of craftsmanship ...bench rested, I assume, they sent the gun with a test target - a 3/4" group of 5 shots at 25 yds.../ personally, my eyes are not great, but at 30 - 40 Feet - off hand, I can shoot 1" groups with this gun all day long.

Its well balanced ...and it came out at just shy of 56 oz ....which is a little over a full pound heavier than my model 27-2 S&W in 4" at 46 oz.

Anytime you special order a gun / and while I could see photos of similar guns especially with the octagonal barrel...I still had to hope it came out as good as advertised. 4 months is a long time to wait for a new gun ...but when it comes out as well as this one did...I'm very happy.

For any of you considering something unique in the single action revolver world...I'd recommend you take a serious look at Freedom Arms - they aren't cheap ...but sometimes you get what you pay for - and this one, to me, was worth the wait and every penny I paid for it. Out of 50 or more guns in my collection ...(I'm only 61)...I have given a few guns to my 2 sons in their 30's now - for them to start a collection of their own --- but this gun will be something that will go to one of them ...when I'm gone / they are not getting it anytime soon ! I'll probably designate this gun to one son / and a pair of model 27's to the other one...( make it sort of fair )...

 

[zippy13]

...4 months is a long time to wait...

Congratulations, Big Jim, that's a very nice new shooter and well worth the wait. You (and your sons) will not regret this purchase. I've been to the Freedom works and everything there is top notch.

 

[ohen cepel]

Congrats! I think they are the finest revolvers made in the US now, maybe ever.

Reminds me that I need to pull mine out of the safe more often.

 

[Hammerhead]

Congrats on a fine gun.
I've had their small frame .357 (model 97) for over 10 years now. It's the finest handgun I've ever owned even though I have spent more on others. The 97 is pretty close in size to a Colt SAA.

 

[BigJimP]

Thanks....I debated the small vs large frame...but went with the large frame this time ( maybe there will be another one down the road, don't know yet ) ..just enjoying this gun for now.

 

[ohen cepel]

If you get into another one I would look at the spare cylinder option. It's really nice to be able to put .45ACP rounds out of the .454 Casull version. The cylinder is pricey but lets me shoot it a lot more than I could with the .454 ammo.

 

[BigJimP]

I reload....so cost of ammo isn't a factor ...

... but the worse the arthritis gets in my hands and my wrist...shooting a .454 Casull just isn't something I want...or a .475 Linbaugh ....or a .500 Wyoming Express...

..../ .357 Mag is a caliber I just really like ...relatively inexpensive to reload for even with a premium bullet ...like Montana Gold 158gr .. I can reload them for about $ 7.60 for a box of 50 ...

( the .357 mag is perfect in the Henry rifle, all kinds of S&W K, L and N frames that I have - although the N frame mod 27-2 is way easier on my hands than a K frame mod 19 or 66 ...especially in a 4") ...and in this new Freedom arms ( at 56 oz ) shooting full power .357 mag rounds all day long is no big deal.

I shoot a lot of .45 acp in a variety of 1911's ....but even on my 1911's I seem to practice more and more with 9mm versions...( just easier on my hands).

 

[TennJed]

That is on my bucket list. Enjoy

 

[BigJimP]

Thanks - I will do that ....

Heading over to the range with it again tomorrow afternoon for a few hours...

 

[MrBorland]

Congrats on a fine gun. We're looking forward to your range report.

I'd recommend you take a serious look at Freedom Arms - they aren't cheap

I'm a sucker for an accurate revolver, and I admit to lust in my heart for a FA.

 

[BigJimP]

I shot it Sat afternoon...and after I got it sighted in ....

I put a full box of 50 rds thru it, offhand, taking my time - in a one inch circle ....at 30 Feet. Not impressive shooting...but what it really shows is the quality of the trigger ...no creep / nice crisp break at 3.5 lbs / and no overtravel.../ all with full power 158gr .357 mag - my reloads...with Montana Gold bullets ....and with 5 rounds per cyclinder / I had to reload the gun and reset myself and refocus on that target 10 different times. Without a really good trigger...I would have had 4 or 5 flyers outside that 1" circle.

I let a few of the range masters shoot it ....nobody had anything bad to say about it .../ they all thought the combination of the length and balance, the weight ...and the trigger made it a quality weapon. A couple of guys said they had an issue with the front sight - not being bright enough ...but that's another eye sight issue / and I have an orange light pipe for it - but I shot with the green one installed on Sat.

Freedom Arms makes this model 83 in 4 3/4", 6" and 7 1/2" barrels ...and for an upcharge of about $ 100 I think ( they will make your gun in barrel lengths between 4 1/2" and 12" ) and the octagon barrel is an upcharge of $ 475 ...

If I were going to hunt with this model ...especially in a heavier caliber..like a .454 Casull ...I would have gone with the 7 1/2" barrel probably .../ or maybe a 6" barrel in .44 mag ....but you'd have to be careful about barrel length or they could get real nose heavy .../ or put a big scope on it ..( if you like that kind of thing on a handgun ) ...to counter the nose weight. Of course maybe the factory could do something with weight in the grip - if you were to ask - to help keep that balance. I dealt with my dealer..not with the factory directly ...but I do know, they'll consider reasonable requests for customizing.

I thought in this caliber ( .357 mag )...the length of a 4 3/4" barrel ( or the gunfighter length ) ...vs the "artillery model length of 5 1/2" or the Cavalry standard length of 7 1/2" in traditional SAA's ...just made more sense / and while I was very familiar with the model 27 S&W in a 4" and its recoil / I estimated that adding almost a full pound in weight ( if it were balanced the way I had hoped ...and in fact it is !! ) it would make for a well-balanced...and really soft shooting single action revolver.../which I think it is - but at this point I've only had it for 5 days ...and I've only put 6 boxes thru it...

So that was my rationale ...behind the length of barrel I ordered....plus I just liked the look of the Octagon Barrel.

50 rds in a 1" circle at 30 feet Off Hand ...is as good as I can shoot with these 61 yr old eyes.../ so that's my range report guys.

 

[Gdawgs]

That's a beauty for sure! I have handled a couple of them, and the craftsmanship is second to none. One is at the top of my bucket list, but a bit(well, quite a bit) too pricey for me now. Maybe once all the kids are out of the house . Enjoy.

 

[Shadi Khalil]

Very nice. I'd also like to own one some day, they are really amazing revolvers. I had no idea how many options were available till I went on their website. Looks like you picked some good ones. Enjoy.

 

[gunluver]

Super sweet revolver!! I admit that I would love to own one someday, but for those prices I would opt for another 1911 (but those are just my preferences).

I must say BigJim.....you have excellent taste in guns. Would love to have you as a range buddy so I could see them all in person!

 

[MrBorland]

50 rds in a 1" circle at 30 feet Off Hand ...is as good as I can shoot with these 61 yr old eyes...

eh...equipment aside, that's outstanding shooting. I'd say your FA is in some deserving hands.

 

[BigJimP]

Thanks guys,

I'm going to take a long lunch today and go to the range this afternoon for a few hours .../ I have the Freedom Arms with me, the model 27-2 4" Nickel ...and one of my Wilson Combat 1911's in 9mm.... ( and 12 boxes of ammo ....how can it not be a good day ??)

....and I'm happy to let a few guys put a few rounds thru the new revolver if they want. A lot of the guns I own ...are not available for rent ( even though my local range has 75 guns or so for rent --- you just aren't going to find a Wilson Combat 1911 or a Freedom Arms revolver in most rental cases) ...and I'm a "gun guy" ...and I like bsing about guns / and I don't mind letting a potential buyer get a taste by shooting something I have so he or she can make their own buying decision down the road. I would have really appreciated being able to hold a 4 3/4" - let alone shooting one --- before I dropped $3K on this gun ...but the only ones I could find around that I could even hold were all in 7 1/2" .../ and noone was kind enough to let me shoot one...so I had to make my best evaluation on my order ...and hope for the best ( and it turned out great ) ...and my dealer, who is a casual friend, at least has now seen a 4 3/4" Octagon barrel ...and he's meeting me at the range today to put some rounds thru it.

Even though my buddy has sold a few dozen Freedom Arms ...and has two new 7 1/2" guns in his case for sale ( in .454 Casull and one in .44 mag ) ...his 2 guns in inventory/and none of the guns were ever specd with the octagon barrel...

Its just nice to be able to see and touch some of these guns ...before you buy on blind faith.../ but photos and conversation on this forum helps too - I hope...

 

[Hammerhead]

Another big fan of the .357 here.
I think the 4-3/4" barrel is plenty long, especially when you hand load. No need for H110, W296, Lil'gun and the like if you don't want.
My favorite plinker, a Rainier (or Berry's) 148 grain plated DEWC over 5.0 grains SR 7625 seated long @ 1.440" COL. Very accurate in my F/A and Handi rifle. Easy on the hands and ears and the gun never gets dirty.

 

[BigJimP]

I've been loading a few Berry's plated bullets ( I have about 1,000 left is all ) - and I'll shoot those up in the next few weeks / or load some of them up as .38 spl for some of the younger grandkids to shoot.

...but the bullet I prefer is the Montana Gold 158 gr ...and either Hodgdon TiteGroup or Hodgdon Universal. Lately I've been using a lot of Hodgdon Universal in all my handgun calibers ( 9mm, .40S&W, .45 acp, .38 spl. , .357 mag and .44 mag ) ...Universal meters well - and its really easy to find locally because a lot of us use it in 20ga and 28ga shotshells as well.

For .357 mag and using Universal .... minimum is 5.8gr @ 1026 fps and 32,100 CUP .....and maximum is 6.3gr @ 1133 fps and 39,300 CUP ...and my target goal for powder on my loads is 6.2gr so they're around 1120 fps...

If I use TiteGroup ...its a little hotter round with min @ 5.4gr and 1135 fps at 32,600 CUP and max is 6.1 gr at 1229 fps and 41,900. I've loaded TiteGroup at 5.9gr so its around 1200 fps.../ but I might back off if I were using it to around 5.5 gr ....its only for "targets" anyway...and no reason to beat myself up / vs shooting all day.

both loads shoot so softly in this gun, with it being 56 oz, its amazing.

I put another 4 boxes thru the new gun yesterday ...and a few buddies shot it as well ...and I still can't tell you how amazing it is / 1" groups at 21 - 30 feet are just flat easy to accomplish offhand - with any number of shooters putting more than 1 round in virtually the same hole, time and time again.

 

[Vermonter]

Big Jim

50 rounds in a 1" circle at over 7 yards. That is darn good shooting for anyone's eyes. You have a decade or two on me and I would be proud of that shooting.

Nice Gun!

Regards, Vermonter

 

[BigJimP]

Thanks guys ......./ and its been fun to share my experience with this new gun.