Gary Reeder custom

[44man]

It is as respectful. Yes, seen Ruger's and guns of every make not shoot good too, time to sell.
Now I hear BFR's have different barrels and if they don't shoot, I will be down on them big time too. I already griped to them with no answers. Badger was bought out so MR changed to Green Mountain, fine barrels but I hear twists are changed. Not looking good at all.
There are good Freedoms too, maybe all here were the bad ones, like DW when they changed hands and nothing was right. Some still fell in the money hole and got a good one.
I never bought or owned a Colt, too much for too little. I read the anaconda was junk, from a gun rag.
Freedom declared bankruptcy, WHY if they are so good? Colt has had bad times for many years. S&W changed hands and went to pot. DW crashed.
I worked at UAL for 42 years and we had it tough to meet standards. They were tight and we had pride but today I would not spit on an axe handle for them. Fool with employees that hate you and suffer.
Today I hate GE, Maytag, sears, Cub Cadet and many more. I don't want any mower made by MTD either.
I bought a new Mark II Ruger target model, could not hit a thing and finally seen bullets hitting the ground 10' in front of me. I found nothing wrong to see, sent it back and got a new gun so accurate you would cry. It happens but some companies care. I never had a problem with Ruger, Rem or Mossberg. I had my shooting box picked up at a shoot by mistake. same as the guy had. My Ruger cylinder was in it. Ruger made me a new one free. I sent a check and got it back. I called and the lady said no problem, cylinder was free. I eventually got the box back so I have two cylinders for my gun. How you treat them is important. Get nasty and you get nothing. Those great folks just work for a living.

[Lloyd Smale]

different strokes I guess. I love a nice custom and have a few. Cant afford them anymore though since retirement. Across the board my customs from linebaugh, clements, harton and bowen have outshot out of the box rugers. Yes ive had an exceptional ruger that would shoot right along side of them but ive had some real bumb guns from them too. Never had a bumb custom.

As to FA guns ive had three 454 premiers and a 475 premier. All three were exceptional shooters. Only problem ive ever had with FA guns is there throats tend to be to tight for a lot of cast bullets. Two of the three I had were but FA addressed it for free so I cant complain. I think every hand gunner deserves at least one custom. Theres just something about the process of going through the options and having one made just for you and theres the anticipation while waiting for it to come and then low and behold the day comes and you get to take it to the range and shoot it. Just allways meant a lot more to me then coming home from the gunshop with another ruger.

As to bfrs heres my experience. I bought a 480 brand new with the intention of having John Linebaugh rechamber it to 475. This was before bfr chambered them in 475. John said hed do it but would prefer I had one built on a ruger and gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. So I sold it and bought a ruger to sent to him. My impressions of the 480 were this. ITS BIG, lots of sharp edges, trigger had a lot of creap (just like a ruger). I was kind of angry out of the gate. I don't like real long barrels. This gun was advertised as a 6.5 which is to long but I was going to live with it. When it came it was 7.5 inch. I called them and they told me it was the correct gun and the reason it was longer then I though it would be is that they measure barrels for the end of the the frame instead of from the forcing cone like EVERY OTHER gun manufacture in the world! It was also suppose to have a red insert sight (Not a be deal to me) I asked them about that and they said they don't do them any more. I said I ordered right from your website and it said it would have one. they basically said Tough SH88. It came with a stainless front blade that washed out in any kind of light. To be honest I never shot it. AND IT WAS BIG and I'm not a fan of big, long heavy sixguns. Personaly if there was a brand new bfr and a brand new Blackhawk sitting next to it in the gunshop and the owner told me I could have either one free, the Blackhawk would come home with me. If for no other reason because of the rude way I was delt with by there customer service dept. Ive never been treated like that by any other gun or gun accessory dealer EVER.

[onceabull]

Anyone that cares and can read the English language already knows that the Freedom Arms bankruptcy had squat to do with the quality of their firearms...Thus,someone who post o'wise has a demonstrated character flaw... Once more,when was the last time anyone finished in the top ten in a "factory" eligible revolver Silh.match of significance using anything other than a Freedom or DW revolver..?????????? Onceabull

[TXSlade]

First time I read where you said there might be a good Freedom, thank you.
As far as the bankruptcy so much of that is to be attributed to a lawsuit originating from a scumbag who shot his hunting buddy in the leg, if I remember correctly. Here is a video on youtube from the lawyers scrounging for more customers in their class action lawsuit, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD6m-oGUDlI watching that video just makes me sick. It is made out to be like a news program, but it is actually a commercial for a law firm.

[dubber123]

First time I read where you said there might be a good Freedom, thank you.
As far as the bankruptcy so much of that is to be attributed to a lawsuit originating from a scumbag who shot his hunting buddy in the leg, if I remember correctly. Here is a video on youtube from the lawyers scrounging for more customers in their class action lawsuit, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD6m-oGUDlI watching that video just makes me sick. It is made out to be like a news program, but it is actually a commercial for a law firm.

I didn't watch the video, but I think what happened was the guy claimed the hammer snagged on something while holstered, and the gun fired blowing a substantial hole in his leg. There are many who believe he was practicing his fast draw and found out he wasn't good at it.

[Lloyd Smale]

what I heard was he was quick drawing to impress his buddys and his thumb slipped off the hammer and he had his finger pulling the trigger and shot himself. Total dumb A!! and then to have the gall to sue someone because of his own stupidity.

[sixshot]

I've owned 2 FA guns & probably fired at least 50 others owned by friends while we were at the NRA center in Raton, New Mexico, never shot a bad one. You shoot yourself with one, don't blame the gun!! Everybody knows it wasn't quality that caused the bankrupcy, everybody!!

Dick

[44man]

Every story is different. I heard he snagged his hammer on the drover he was wearing, the hammer slipped off and the hammer block failed so the round went off. After seeing both fail in my shop i have no opinions either way. I have made new parts for them when the hammer pushed the pins out by pushing the hammer with my thumb. My parts still work.
Read all warnings that come with Freedoms and ALL say, NO ROUND UNDER THE HAMMER. Why a hammer block or transfer bar depending on model?
Have you EVER seen a Ruger transfer bar fail to prevent a fire?
Dang, S&W and clones along with all Ruger's, BFR's can have all chambers filled full. Old Ruger's had Colt type actions so you left an empty.
Freedom did not want to pay royalties for better and safer so made things so complicated they failed.
A Freedom owner has never taken a gun apart. Be my guest. You send back and have no idea.
Every single problem some have is a gun sent back no matter who made it.
Custom makers quit making some things because they do not work, like sights that blur the target, S&W red insert---Junk. A few want the sun out front. 7 yard shooters.
Shooting IHMSA was smoking sights to stop glare, dead, flat black. No one in their right mind would have a glare out front. Baughman ramps suck and undercut work.
But again, Bankruptcy can be caused by over charging and loss of sales.
I needed my timing belt changed on my 4 Runner, got from $700 to $1300 so I decided to do it myself. I bought the kit, belt, water pump, seals, idler pulleys and belt tensioner for $157. Spark plugs and new PCV valve, coolant, special puller. Came to $230, work of course but is just my time. Pay $100 for a trigger spring change! You have no sense at all.
You complain about custom but he might be right. The custom maker has to put up with unreal requests. Ask Gary for a 1/2" revolver at 100 yards once. The gun will shine and have all kinds of markings but show your groups.
Been watching good groups at 6 FEET. Why not stick the barrel on the paper?
Yes some Freedoms will shoot but what are your requirements, 10 yards or 500 meters?
ME, I want less then 1" at 50 meters and less is better. Had revolvers to 3/8" and less. Beat this BFR group at 50 yards with your Freedom Attachment 166428 .454 freedom at 50 with factory on the left. After I fixed it with cast PB at max at the right.
Go for a walk on the wild side, can Freedom or a custom turn you into a one hole shooter? Spend your money and expect to be an EXPERT after much money. You can't pay your way to shoot.

[44man]

are you paid by magnum research to sale there products on the internet I thought this thread is about custom gun not stock gun?

No, not at all. In fact I am worried about BFR's having a barrel change. Screw up and I will be the worst ever. I go by facts only.
I have contacted them over it with no answers.
I have never made a dime

[ole 5 hole group]

Back on subject - if the price is right in your opinion, you won't be disappointed in a Reeder Revolver in my opinion. I have a Reeder Ultimate Black Widow in 44 Mag (just cus I wanted a 5-shot 44 mag - why? just cus) - shoots as well as I can hold, so I can't ask for any more. I purchased it new and paid the freight and waited a couple months - wish I could have purchased one used and saved a little. The donor revolver was a bisley blackhawk 45 Colt that couldn't hold 3 inches at 25 yards and I CAN hold better than that - most days anyway.

[44man]

Most custom guns are top rate but what you feed them is still what they need.
I don't like to read "the gun shoots better then me." NOT TRUE. Yeah, I said I could throw the gun on the bench and it would hit the target but it is the loads the gun needs.
You pay thousands for a gun and load scuds.
Watch me buy a Freedom.
Guns are like old cars. Spend $100,000 on a junker and spend another $50,000 to restore it and expect $500,000 at sale. You live with the car. You live with a $3000 gun that shoots no better then a $300 Ruger. Beat a FT made in 1956 for $96. Or a 29 at $140.
Any gun that refuses to shoot anything is scrap metal. Money spent does not leave you TOP SHOT.

[ole 5 hole group]

Matter of opinion there Jimbo - that ole bisley blackhawk 45 Colt I had, possessed oversized throats in 5 of the 6 cylinders and each was a tad different and I really tried loading for that revolver over a 4 month period with no joy - So instead of turning it into scrape or selling it to another person who might think they could get it to shoot, I sent it to Gary and that hunk of junk came back a real sweet shooter - so, spending money sometimes does turn a hunk of metal into a shooter - now spending money to become a shooter only works if the money is spent on reloading components and range time but after doing so for a number of years, you will have to spend a little money on the handgun in certain shooting disciplines, such as bullseye, if you want to piss in the tall grass with the big dogs.

Just like in benchrest - you don't see any stock Remington 700's in the winner's circle - you'll see some highly modified/improved Model 700's on occasion but never a out of the factory box 700. Don't ever remember seeing a stock 1911 in the winner's circle either in Bullseye, unless someone possessed a good Colt National Match, as there were a few of those, but most were reworked some, while most of us ponied up for a "Custom" once we reached a level we thought we "needed" one and then found out we could have waited a year or two before putting up our hard earned cash.

I totally agree that each firearm has a sweet spot for one or more loads and it's up to the shooter to find it - or else one has to have the custom builder make the firearm to shoot a certain factory load, such as a 1911 shooting the federal 185 grain super match. My custom Baer 1911's with the 1.5 option will shoot my 185 grain reloads tighter than the 185 Federal Match, which disappointed the hell out of me - but it is, what it is.

[dubber123]

I mentioned my $750 F/A .357 mag had smaller throats than the bore. True, for the money that shouldn't have happened. Just like the .450" throats and .452" bores on a LOT of Ruger .45's shouldn't happen. Then there are the .456+" throats on some of the older Rugers, (worked on one), and a LOT of model 25 S&W's. I didn't whine, I fixed it, or should I say Doug fixed it for about $35. It does indeed shoot in an inch at 50yds, with my bleary eyeballs, iron sights and all. This is with the second load it ever saw, a *GASP* soft BHN 9 boolit at near 1,500 fps. I know it's not possible, please don't tell my gun. Would it shoot better with the required HARD boolits, maybe, probably, don't really care. Would it shoot better with a big honkin' scope up top? most likely. For me, 1" at 50 yards is darn fine accuracy. Oh, and that is for all 5, not just the good 3.

[sixshot]

Fine shooting dubber, yes 1" groups at 50 yds, especially with iron sights is really good. My eyes won't allow it anymore, not with irons. I hate scoped handguns but have scoped 2 in the last year out of neccesity. Many 45's seem to need some throat work to get best accuracy, not so with the 41's or 44's usually.

Dick

[dubber123]

Fine shooting dubber, yes 1" groups at 50 yds, especially with iron sights is really good. My eyes won't allow it anymore, not with irons. I hate scoped handguns but have scoped 2 in the last year out of neccesity. Many 45's seem to need some throat work to get best accuracy, not so with the 41's or 44's usually.

Dick

This gun came with F/A's silhouette sights, awesome sight picture, so ugly they made me queasy. I thought I would try the express sights. Couldn't maintain windage with the shallow "V". It got milled down and a notch to fit the bead cut. They shoot well, but are painfully slow to acquire. I'd much prefer a Patridge front and plain old square notch rear, but I am too cheap to buy another set of sights. I actually have thought of scoping it, it's way too big for a field gun, and the .357 mag wouldn't be my first choice anyways. If it's just a range toy, I'm sure the scope would help groups.

I wish I could see and shoot like I did 25 years ago, and knew the handloading tricks I do now. I suspect lots of shooters here on the site are much better shots than me.

[44man]

Dubber we are in the same sinking boat. Back in the day 1/2" at 50 meters with opens was common for me. Ruger or S&W. Darn, even did it with a friends Taurus .44.
John had the same with his .357 freedom. .357" throats and .3599" groove, also out of round. took 3 barrel changes to get it right but 200 different loads, bullets/boolits and every powder made never got a group. That gun cost him a fortune and he lost it all to get rid of it.
Now Jerry's .454 was one of the first out of the factory. I never seen a revolver worn at the cone, throats and some of the rifling worn away just past the cone like this one. Fit so tight and out of line with the bore. it wore the throats out of round. He shot factory loads and about 300 total.
Line boring, A joke! I will take Ruger cylinders any day.
Nobody believes I shot 1/2" at 50 with opens and rejected anything over 1".
Bought my BFR in .500 JRH and had no Ultra Dot yet so I put the old Loopy scope on it. I laid 5 shotgun shells on the sides to shoot the bases at 50 yards. I hit all 5 but lost a few in the weeds. 3/4" targets, all centered. With the Ultra Dot I have shot 1/2" groups at 100.
But work on my Vaquero does this at 50 yards. Notice the Pachmeyer grips for the 320 gr Lyman at 1160 fps with 21.5 gr of 296 and a Fed 150 primer.
SBH at 100 yards off hand.

[dubber123]

My F/A .357 still has the oval barrel, I just made the throats bigger. Probably a 1/2" 50 yd gun. If it does 1" regularly with irons, soft boolits going fast, I have to imagine it could do better. I can't prove it with my shooting.

[Petander]

Hot dang I just saw and handled a Reeder for the first time ever today.

.

I already have cast and coated bullets for this,a gc and pb version that were intended for light 470 NE plinkers... it never happened.... I'm afraid I made a downpayment. I was actually selling guns today but well...

[Char-Gar]

Hot dang I just saw and handled a Reeder for the first time ever today.

.

I already have cast and coated bullets for this,a gc and pb version that were intended for light 470 NE plinkers... it never happened.... I'm afraid I made a downpayment. I was actually selling guns today but well...

This thread has risen from the dead! I still own and enjoy my Reeder revolver.

[Petander]

Yep,I'll get this one , dear Santa...

Is this originally a Ruger that has been worked on or what?