I mean this as a serious question, not to promote a 'mine is better than yours' session, but I generally subscribe to the school of thought that you get more if you pay more. What in the design and/or construction of these guns makes them cost as much as they do? I have no experience in gunsmithing and limited access to the various revolver brands in local shops to do a 'look and feel' comparison. I do like what I see on the web page, and comments are almost universably favorable. But how and why are they different (better?) than a Smith, Ruger, Dan Wesson, Colt or Colt clone, etc.?
Are Freedom Arms revolvers worth $1500+?
- Thread starter tl
- Start date
hksigwalther
New member
In building my gun collection, my primary goal is to have an example of every (or nearly every) type of action developed in the history of firearms.
When it came to single action revolvers, I had narrowed the choices down to Colt or Freedom Arms. The Colt had on its side the history of the Peacemaker. Probably the most well known and most recognized of all single actions. When someone says 'single action revolver', the Colt is what comes to most minds. It had popularized the look that everyone copies. It seemed obvious that the example I should have should be the original (or at least a current production of the original).
At that time, however, Freedom Arms was starting to get widespread positive reviews and I wanted to check one out first before making the decision. I happened on a gunshow one day and a dealer had a few FAs under glass. (Back then they were not labeled Model 83.) He allowed me to examine one. To put it mildly, I was astounded by its quality. It was simply beautiful and perfect. The quality of my Walther P88 was a very distant second, one lap back, to the build quality of the FA pistol. [In my definition, pistol = handgun, not semiauto.] Not only was it attractive, but it was the platform for (back then) the most powerful handgun cartridge available and built like a tank, a very pretty tank. Beauty, Quality, Power - all in one package.
So it was: Colt - the original or Freedom Arms - beautifully powerful.
I went for the horsepower. After that choice, which one? Field or Premier. The Premier looks a little better, comes with wood grips more in line with what a singla action revolver should look like, and has the lifetime gaurantee.
When it came to single action revolvers, I had narrowed the choices down to Colt or Freedom Arms. The Colt had on its side the history of the Peacemaker. Probably the most well known and most recognized of all single actions. When someone says 'single action revolver', the Colt is what comes to most minds. It had popularized the look that everyone copies. It seemed obvious that the example I should have should be the original (or at least a current production of the original).
At that time, however, Freedom Arms was starting to get widespread positive reviews and I wanted to check one out first before making the decision. I happened on a gunshow one day and a dealer had a few FAs under glass. (Back then they were not labeled Model 83.) He allowed me to examine one. To put it mildly, I was astounded by its quality. It was simply beautiful and perfect. The quality of my Walther P88 was a very distant second, one lap back, to the build quality of the FA pistol. [In my definition, pistol = handgun, not semiauto.] Not only was it attractive, but it was the platform for (back then) the most powerful handgun cartridge available and built like a tank, a very pretty tank. Beauty, Quality, Power - all in one package.
So it was: Colt - the original or Freedom Arms - beautifully powerful.
I went for the horsepower. After that choice, which one? Field or Premier. The Premier looks a little better, comes with wood grips more in line with what a singla action revolver should look like, and has the lifetime gaurantee.
All three of mine have been excellent. The two Model 97's (a .45 Colt and .357 Magnum) I've bought had fantastic fit and finishes, locked up like a bank vault, and could shoot much, much better than I could. The one Model 83 (a 252) I bought could easily have shot 1 inch groups in the right hands at 100 yards, a great silhouette gun, but just too heavy (59 ounces) for me to handle well.
Freedom Arms revolvers probably won't do anything of a practical nature that a Ruger couldn't do (just as a Timex performs the same task as a Rolex), but they sure are accurate and look good doing it.
A lot of shooters don't think they're worth it, maybe not. Only you can be the judge.
Freedom Arms revolvers probably won't do anything of a practical nature that a Ruger couldn't do (just as a Timex performs the same task as a Rolex), but they sure are accurate and look good doing it.
A lot of shooters don't think they're worth it, maybe not. Only you can be the judge.
hksigwalther
New member
In short, if your looking for a single action to shoot and/or just to say you have one, a Ruger (Super) Blackhawk or a Cimarron will do. If you want something of higher quality and possibly to show off with, the FA is it. With the higher build quality, accuracy also improves.
Yes, IMO, the higher price for the FA is well worth the price.
Yes, IMO, the higher price for the FA is well worth the price.
Pigshooter
New member
We broke my buddy's 454 with a light load. It was the premier grade, about 15yrs old. Seldom fired, this was about the 20th round it had ever fired. It was in near new condition from the looks. He is an avid hunter and rifleman, and takes great care of his firearms. Does not fire reloads until now.
What happened was, over the years, the screw which holds the extractor to the barrel had corroded, and all it took was a little recoil and it sheared off. Threw the extractor about 6 feet behind him. I believe this was probably built into the design; like a weak link. Won't be hard to fix. I would have expected a little more for $1500, but then again, I'm sure it was a matter of age rather than use in this case.
Beautiful pistol, very tight, even if I don't think its 19th century design is adequate for the moodern 454. It is definitely the pinnacle of that design, though. For a mostly show piece, it is a jewel, although the SAA does have its history and is far cheaper.
What happened was, over the years, the screw which holds the extractor to the barrel had corroded, and all it took was a little recoil and it sheared off. Threw the extractor about 6 feet behind him. I believe this was probably built into the design; like a weak link. Won't be hard to fix. I would have expected a little more for $1500, but then again, I'm sure it was a matter of age rather than use in this case.
Beautiful pistol, very tight, even if I don't think its 19th century design is adequate for the moodern 454. It is definitely the pinnacle of that design, though. For a mostly show piece, it is a jewel, although the SAA does have its history and is far cheaper.
Herb Leventhal
New member
Freedom arms
Well you can see from posts that the answer clearly is YES. The workmanship, detail, precision is the best that I have ever seen in a revolver. I own one in 44 mag and it is perfection!
Herb
Well you can see from posts that the answer clearly is YES. The workmanship, detail, precision is the best that I have ever seen in a revolver. I own one in 44 mag and it is perfection!
Herb
If I had the money, I'd buy the 97 in .357, with the 4.5" barrel and adjustable sights. And I'd be damned tempted to CCW it 
.
Here's why:
Yes, you can score a Ruger for $300, and send it off to a good gunsmith for a custom barrel and oversize six-shot cylinder in .45LC, and in some ways have a better gun for only a little more money. Similar accuracy, and a better caliber.
But it'll be heftier, and above all, the sights will still SUCK! Fixing that will cost hundreds more.
Freedom Arms knows how to build an SA adjustable sight. Ruger doesn't. For that matter, neither did Colt - the adjustable-sight SAA variants are what Ruger slavishly and stupidly copied for the Blackhawk.
You can't knuckle-cock a Blackhawk without getting the pad of your thumb hooked up on the sight blade. FA moved the rear sight about 3/4ths of an inch up the topstrap, leaving the area around the hammer unobstructed.
The only halfway-sane solution is to graft an Ashley Express Big Dot Tritium front sight onto a Vaquero, and then hog out the rear channel to match it. Still ain't as nice as the FA but at least workable.
Both guns will give you a transfer bar safety that allows carrying six-up.
The Ruger has only one major advantage: aftermarket grip frames are widely available that let you switch to Bird's Head or even Lightning-type grips for about $170ish.
.Here's why:
Yes, you can score a Ruger for $300, and send it off to a good gunsmith for a custom barrel and oversize six-shot cylinder in .45LC, and in some ways have a better gun for only a little more money. Similar accuracy, and a better caliber.
But it'll be heftier, and above all, the sights will still SUCK! Fixing that will cost hundreds more.
Freedom Arms knows how to build an SA adjustable sight. Ruger doesn't. For that matter, neither did Colt - the adjustable-sight SAA variants are what Ruger slavishly and stupidly copied for the Blackhawk.
You can't knuckle-cock a Blackhawk without getting the pad of your thumb hooked up on the sight blade. FA moved the rear sight about 3/4ths of an inch up the topstrap, leaving the area around the hammer unobstructed.
The only halfway-sane solution is to graft an Ashley Express Big Dot Tritium front sight onto a Vaquero, and then hog out the rear channel to match it. Still ain't as nice as the FA but at least workable.
Both guns will give you a transfer bar safety that allows carrying six-up.
The Ruger has only one major advantage: aftermarket grip frames are widely available that let you switch to Bird's Head or even Lightning-type grips for about $170ish.
It's like asking if a Corvette is better than a camaro, A skilled driver will do things with the camaro that an average driver cannot do with the Corvette. A Freedom arms is a LOT better made (as in tolerances) than say a Ruger, Dan Wesson, S&W, Taurus or the other revolvers out there. Most all of them are accurate enough to consistantly hit a 200 meter Ram in Silihouette competition. It takes a skilled revolver shooter to shoot into the International class with a revolver no matter what it is but the FA is far and away the revolver of choice now in the revolver class.
My Ruger is pretty darn accurate at 200 meters and is pretty consistant on 10" circles at that distance but my Freedom Arms 44 is consistant on 2" to 4" circles at that distance. What I'm getting at is that the average handgunner probably won't be able to tell the difference at that distance between the Freedom and another. In the hands of a skilled revolver shooter it'll way outshoot any other revolver. The tolerances are so tight, every hole in the cylinder is in perfect alignment with the barrel.. it's just so well made. Is it worth the extra money? Depends on what you are looking for. I feel it's worth it, I saved a long time for mine but when I bail one of those 2" circles off its stand at 240 yards on our range and have a guest with me that is used to shooting his groundhog rifles at that distance... it's well worth it. Believe it or not while in Texas we were very consistant on 385 yard IHMSA turkeys with our Freedom 44's, quite a holdover but when we found it we didn't miss very many. Quite a feat for a revolver but they are that accurate.
My Ruger is pretty darn accurate at 200 meters and is pretty consistant on 10" circles at that distance but my Freedom Arms 44 is consistant on 2" to 4" circles at that distance. What I'm getting at is that the average handgunner probably won't be able to tell the difference at that distance between the Freedom and another. In the hands of a skilled revolver shooter it'll way outshoot any other revolver. The tolerances are so tight, every hole in the cylinder is in perfect alignment with the barrel.. it's just so well made. Is it worth the extra money? Depends on what you are looking for. I feel it's worth it, I saved a long time for mine but when I bail one of those 2" circles off its stand at 240 yards on our range and have a guest with me that is used to shooting his groundhog rifles at that distance... it's well worth it. Believe it or not while in Texas we were very consistant on 385 yard IHMSA turkeys with our Freedom 44's, quite a holdover but when we found it we didn't miss very many. Quite a feat for a revolver but they are that accurate.
tl I wondered the same thing, until last Friday. What happened last Friday you may ask. Well, my working buddy and I stopped in at Bernie's Sports Center and there was a Freedom Arms Premier Grade in .454 with a spare .45Colt cylinder. The salesperson was kind enough to let me hold it for a minute or two, and it was quickly apparent that the quality and fit is well worth the price.
I stated that Friday that one day I will own a Freedom Arms, and God Willing and Allowing this Redneck will one day own a Freedom Arms revolver. I was that impressed just holding the gun!
I stated that Friday that one day I will own a Freedom Arms, and God Willing and Allowing this Redneck will one day own a Freedom Arms revolver. I was that impressed just holding the gun!