Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Any reason not to buy a freedom arms 97?

I bought a 97 and it was a very fine revolver. But there is something about them that I don't like. It's almost indescribable but I'll try.

The frame and overall size is awesome. And in .44 Special (mine was) I encountered no COAL problems with the cylinder. But if it's in a longer case, you'll find you have to seat over the driving band with certain, longish type bullets. So, the size is great, but there are drawbacks to it.

The tolerances are almost too good. When things dirty up you may have to really press on the cartridge to get them in the chamber enough to rotate the cylinder. When you thumb the hammer, they don't have the lightning fast feel of a Ruger or Colt. I can't explain it really but they're almost too good.

Also, if I stand on my hind legs and shoot with both my Flattop and FA, there is no difference. I hit everything or miss everything equally. So you sorta find yourself asking WTF you paid that much for something that your 29 or Colt or Vaquero will already do.

If you lay out prone or off a bench, you'll find they group tighter than anything. But as I said, it can't be seen when you start busting clays, cans, or critters. I have rolled a few 200 meter chickens with my old 97, but I've also done that with my 29 and Flattop.

One last thing, FA used a front sight height needed to achieve zero with 180 or 200gr bullets. Name one fugking person you know that spends $2K on a .44 Special, to shoot 200gr XTP's. I've never met one. When I called them and told them I wanted a different sight, they charged me like $40 or some schit.

And if you want a custom like trigger, go ahead and factor in the cost of having it "tuned" because the "untuned" version isn't anything to write home about.

I sold it after determining I'd rather put the money toward an old Colt, custom Ruger, classic Smith, etc.




Travis

As in life, many things work better with a little slop.

Maybe a million reasons not to.
No revolver ever made will out shoot a BFR. Spend money for looks but I buy accuracy and a stronger gun. I worked on too many and hate them. Want a better trigger, spend $100 for a lighter spring. 25 cent item. Tight? they will eat the throats and forcing cone quick along with rifling. Feel good stuff. Internal parts wear fast so the gun is not safe. NEVER have a round under the hammer. Transfer bars don't drop and hammer blocks don't rise. Push the hammer and see the firing pin come out. Heed the warnings, they don't trust their own guns. You bought a 4 shot.
Freedom .454 before and after. Freedom could not fix it but I did.
try this with a freedom, shotgun shell at 100 yards with a BFR and red dot.

IMO Freedom Arms makes the best factory revolver ever built. I have never handled a custom revolver that was built any better.
Yes, they are pretty pricey and the waiting time to have one built is long. My last two required approximately 15 months to be built. One is an 83 in 44 mag with 6 inch octagon barrel, polished trigger and hammer and the action job. The other is a 97 in .22 LR with the optional 22 mag cylinder. It also has a 6.5 inch octagon barrel, polished trigger and hammer and action job.

Its not just they are so accurate but you are holding a piece of art work in your hand. Just cycling the action reveals it is built like a high end swiss watch.

As far as COAL in the FA 83, this is what I tend to load.

260g/360g/395g


I have not found a reason to go above the 395g

A work of art and very accurate.

I guess I differ here as well. Keeping tolerances to an absolute minimum does not make a firearm a "work of art" IMO.

The FA's are ugly, and sensitive in the functionality department.




Travis

I guess I differ here as well. Keeping tolerances to an absolute minimum does not make a firearm a "work of art" IMO.

The FA's are ugly, and sensitive jin the functionality department.




Travis

Yep...has real tight throats and zero tolerance for out of spec ammo. But since it will not do any of that with factory loads...where is the problem...the gun or the guy who loaded the ammo.

Bob