Going down the bucket list I come across a needed Freedom Arms mdl.83 revolver.

My preference is a Premier grade in 454 Casull with a extra 45acp cylinder. I have concentrated on used guns.

I noticed that some guns have the grading engraved on the frame on the right side under the cylinder, either FIELD or PREMIUM, some have nothing.
I determined that the older guns have no engraving and the newer manufactured guns have it.
The older guns have a removable forcing cone, the newer ones do not.

Is there a difference in quality from the older guns compared to the newer?

I ordered a Premier Grade with Express sights many years back. I believe the hardened forcing cone was short lived. Had to do with countering wear at the throat and that may have been attributed to shooters wanting fast and hard lead bullets as opposed to shooting jacketed. I know there are Members who own these fine revolvers and have much more experience with them. Back when mine was ordered, it weighed in at $1,060.00 with the Express sights. I ordered those sights due to the cool factor knowing I'd never hunt close up dangerous game. Never heard of any quality variations in the building of a Freedom Arms gun. If I had to do it again, the octagon barrel would be my choice. Oh, and gotta give mention to the .454 round itself. It is a hard, hard hitting 45.

Once upon a time there weren't grades, so they wouldn't be marked. Generally wood vs rubber grips would be the tell. What if any other difference there was I don't know.

I bought a used Model 83 in 2000-2001, which I feel is better made than my M97 made at least years later (probably a good deal more). How it relates model to model I don't know. And there's certainly nothing wrong with the 97 and it's miles ahead of any other makers guns. But my older 83 is a tiny bit better, a tiny bit tighter.

Are you sure you want a .454 ? Going to hunt with it ?

Armored. Have you ever shot a Freedom Arms?

quote:

Originally posted by brianfede:
Armored. Have you ever shot a Freedom Arms?

No I have not.
I do own and shoot other hi recoiling revolvers, a 460 S&W, a Dan Wesson 445 Supermag,a Dan Wesson 44mag.,a 30-30 Contender.
I can shoot 460,454Casull, 45 Colt, and 45 Schofield out of the S&W 460. I could do the same out of the Freedom Arms 454. With the 45acp cylinder I could add that to what the Freedom Arms 454 can shoot.
I would have little desire to shoot a steady diet of 454 rounds, especially in a single action.

I own 5 Freedom Arms revolvers with a .44 mag the most powerful. It’s a real boomer with full power loads . Unless I was going to hunt very large game I don’t think I’d want a .454 .

PM'd you sir.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: brianfede,

I ordered my Premier Grade FA .454, with extra .45 ACP cylinder, 20+ years ago. Mine has the grade on the side of the frame, no removable forcing cone. I'm not aware if any difference in quality between older/newer guns. If any FAs are of higher quality than the one I received, I'm not sure how any extra quality would have manifest itself.

A Freedom Arms .41 magnum has been on the list for years now, but keeps getting put off. It's one firearm for which I have no practical use to justify, other than I want one.

I've wanted one ever since I used to visit a gun shop in Cody, WY, many years ago. On every trip there I'd fondle a Freedom Arms revolver from the counter. It felt like a glass swiss watch. Tight, smooth, precise, perfect. It was a pleasure just to cock the hammer. I couldn't afford it then.

One of these years I'll order one. .41. Octagon barrel. And some custom leather for it. It's on the list.

sns3, My.41 Magnums have been the S&W Model 57s, three 57s IIRC. I had no real reason to buy a .41 either, but just liked the cartridge. I reloaded for it for years. Fine cartridge. BTW, I had no real reason to buy the FA either. Ordered one because I'd handled one or two in a shop, and realized they were the finest revolvers I'd ever handled....

There really should be pictures.



I really don't shoot my 454 anymore, in part due to having bought a custom 5 shot Ruger. As well as age and lack of practice. I've found with the Ruger I can shoot 300gr bullets at 1400-1500 fps without much fuss, and without much practice. But to shoot 300gr bullets at 1600-1700 fps in the 454, I need to practice a lot to shoot it well and not gt beat up. Guess I'm getting older. I'd like to get another Model 83. Love to have a longer barreled 357. Or a shorter barreled 475. I've planned to sell the 454 a time or two, but every time I do, I handle it and think it's too beautiful to let go. (even though I rarely shoot it)

Speaking of which, the "only one gun" thread has been revived. I always answered the question of "if you could only have one handgun, what would it be" with A custom Ruger Bisley, 5 shot 45 Colt. But that was in all honesty before I owned my own. When I did eventually get one I learned that they're dang heavy. So now my answer is a 4 3/4" inch Freedom Arms 83 in 45 colt.

Beautiful pair cas and the first Ive seen with fiber optic front sights. Used to talk for hours with John Linbaugh about his conversions. I came very close to moving to Cody to work for him. He used to state I would be doing a lot of shooting for starters. The 475 and 500 plus both chambers in the Maximums. Would have pounded my skinny little wrists badly. 454 Is the hardest recoiling wheel gun Ive ever shot. Its managable. It does deliver a hard punch on its targets.

I have a model 83 Premier in 454 with 45LC cylinder.

It is a superb revolver. They are unlike any I have ever short or held.

we say locks up like a bank vault. Even the Korth Revolvers I have held did not quite reach the FA 83 level of positive lock.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
So now my answer is a 4 3/4" inch Freedom Arms 83 in 45 colt.

I have one with a .454 cylinder.

I originally thought I would be carrying it in the backcountry until I realized Freedom Arms recommends carrying the old fashioned way; no cartridge under the hammer which leaves you with a four-round firearm. It's still one of my favorite guns.

You can carry it with 5. Pull the hammer back ever so slightly, then rotate the cylinder so the primer is no longer under the hammer. I believe at one time that may have even been in the manual, if not, it was the prescribed method. (and what I do when I would hunt with mine)

The .454's are no fun with full or even 80% full power loads IMHO. I've owned three M83's in .454 and sold all three eventually.Though a .45 Colt aux cylinder does make them more useable. Would be the same with a .45 acp cyl.

Bought a 6" 83 in .44 mag and its just right for me. Very ac curate and far easier on the hand and wrist to shoot.

I see quite a few at MT gun shows, ALL of them .454's . I've bought mine at shows and all of them at WELL below what one see's on GunBroker, etc. They are a very narrow focus revolver in my opinion.

Years ago, a small, local shop had a used Freedom Arms .454 that I was interested in, but, I have small hands, and have issues holding on to a single action in .357 magnum. I asked the owner of the shop, if he'd let me try shooting it, even if I bought a full box of ammo from him, and only took one shot, and said if I could handle it, I would buy it, but, he wouldn't let me try it.
Then, Ruger came out with their Super Redhawk, in .454. Being a double action grip, I figured hanging on to it wouldn't be an issue. Holding on to it wasn't an issue, but, with full power loads, it was like catching a hardball with my bare hand. I took a bear, and a wild boar with it, but, sold it because I KNEW I was starting to develop a flinch.
Then, S&W came out with their .500 which didn't interest me, and later came out with their .460. A guy at work bought a .460, and brought it to work one day, and MADE me try it. I just rolled up a jacket, threw it over the hood of my truck, and shot at a 100 yard target. Even though I didn't have a really solid rest, the gun produced about a 3" group, and was a real pussycat to shoot. I ended up buying a "custom shop" model, that will hold 1" groups at 100 yards, off a solid rest, but, the comp on the custom shop model is REALLY rude. It puts a shockwave right back at the shooter. I finally had the opportunity to harvest a deer with it, last year, and it hits as hard as a rifle.
If you should get a Freedom Arms, I hope you have large hands, and the grip of a gorilla.
Best of luck!