Freedom Arms Model 83

[Greasemonkey]

It's been a while since I've posted, but I figured I post my latest. A Freedom Arms Model 83 Premier Grade... in 454 Casull. It was one when I touched it, I knew it had to come home with me, and all I can say is out of the revolvers I own or have owned, be it Colt, S&W, Ruger whatever, this is the absolute best build quality I've seen in one. They are hand crafted in a small factory in Wyoming, that was founded in 1978 by Wayne Baker and Dick Casull. The Model 83 was the first 454 Casull revolver and for a time was the most powerful commercially available hand gun, vastly surpassing the 44 Rem Mag.

Cylinders line bored, all tolerances are extremely tight and edges well done. It's a single action 5 shot with a 7 1/2 inch barrel, about 3.3 pounds of stainless steel without the scope mounted. The trigger is right at 3 pounds. The normal cylinder can fire 45Long Colt and the 454 Casull. And I have to say, it is quite a round, recoil wise to get ahold of, considering it literally packs a ton of energy at the muzzle. It also came with a cylinder to allow it to fire 45acp, but why down grade??

[Larry D.]

As they say, go big or go home.

Doesn't get much bigger that that.

[Phosphorus32]

  Built in grizzly bear country for grizzly bear country! 

454, Gotta love a cartridge with big block V-8 numbers. I need to invent a 426 Barracuda   

[Justin Hell]

Built in grizzly bear country for grizzly bear country! 

454, Gotta love a cartridge with big block V-8 numbers. I need to invent a 426 Barracuda   

I wonder the ballistics of hemibarrels n bullets?

[Greasemonkey]

Built in grizzly bear country for grizzly bear country! 

Grizzly, rabid Cape Buffalo and more.   

Hopefully the pictures are fixed..

[Greatguns]

Now THAT'S a boom stick

[Phosphorus32]

2600J  As much energy as a .30-30 and uses a small rifle primer.

That Leupold glass is awesome too, nice package man! 

[Larry D.]

That Leupold glass is awesome too, nice package man! 

The 12 year old boy that lives within me wants to snicker at that.......

[Phosphorus32]

That Leupold glass is awesome too, nice package man! 

The 12 year old boy that lives within me wants to snicker at that.......

I left myself wide open

[carls sks]

454! powerful in a Chevy (don't know why I said that). looks scary with a scope

[Greasemonkey]

2600J  As much energy as a .30-30 and uses a small rifle primer.

That Leupold glass is awesome too, nice package man! 

They use it because of the chamber pressures and pistol primers and pistol primer cups couldn't keep up and handle the pressure, .454 Casull was originally designed with a maximum chamber pressure of 60,000 psi to 65,000 psi depending on source, but ammo companies and places who publish reloading data for the cartridge usually hold it to a tame.... 55,000 psi max and under. A 44Mag by weight of comparison max pressure is 36,000 psi.  A max pressure load will move a 300-grain bullet from a 7.5-inch barrel at about 1,700 fps, so it's just behind a .460 and .500 S&W in umph.

And......... thats just a little awkward.. 

[Phosphorus32]

2600J  As much energy as a .30-30 and uses a small rifle primer.

That Leupold glass is awesome too, nice package man! 

They use it because of the chamber pressures and pistol primers and pistol primer cups couldn't keep up and handle the pressure, .454 Casull was originally designed with a maximum chamber pressure of 60,000 psi to 65,000 psi depending on source, but ammo companies and places who publish reloading data for the cartridge usually hold it to a tame.... 55,000 psi max and under. A 44Mag by weight of comparison max pressure is 36,000 psi.  A max pressure load will move a 300-grain bullet from a 7.5-inch barrel at about 1,700 fps, so it's just behind a .460 and .500 S&W in umph.

And......... thats just a little awkward.. 

That's an incredible rated chamber pressure for a pistol! 

Awkward, whadya mean?  Wait, how many inches are you packing?

[Greatguns]

Curious, how does this compare to a 45-70 Gov't round?

[Greasemonkey]

Curious, how does this compare to a 45-70 Gov't round?

Pretty close in some instances, but the 45-70 does the same work with alot less pressure and a longer barrel and it can heft a heavier bullet, also the .45-70 can surpass simply because of a longer case and more powder volume. The BFR .45-70 I haven't really compared apples to apples, only apples to oranges, rifle ammo in a short barrel handgun probably looses quite a bit vs rifle ammo in a rifle, or say using 454 Casull in a lever rifle could change things some. I have .45-70 ammo from mild to wild, so say from between a .45LC which are actual black powder loads to a box of the 500gr Buffalo Bore gob stopping shoulder breakers.

.45-70, x39, x45, 454 Casull

[Justin Hell]

That Leupold glass is awesome too, nice package man! 

The 12 year old boy that lives within me wants to snicker at that.......

I left myself wide open

That's what she said.



I am really trying to be a better person.