Freedom arms .357

[44man]

44man, make no mistake about it, I am real! The fellows that owned these guns, & there were lots of them have them because they are the best you can buy. They've bought them over many years & the one who owns 17 has hunted many different countries around the world, taking just about anything that can be hunted.
We don't shoot for trophies at this event, it is a gathering of many good friends who enjoy each others company. Of the many dozens of FA guns I shot, anyone of them would be easily capable of winning any type of accuracy shoot at any distance.
I enjoy reading about your experiences & think you bring a lot to the table when you aren't in one of your moods, but it takes away from your credibility when you try to belittle a product that is so proven, just because you had a bad experience with one. After quite a few years its time to get over it & move on, the torch you are carrying burned out a long time ago.
Keep sharing your experience because it helps a lot of readers but take the chip off your shoulder & man up! Take a deep breath & let it go! Most of us find a way to disagree agreeably, quit trying to sucker punch everyone who has a different view point than you do.

Dick

I don't, I get punched first, in the middle and last. I have no moods. I only tell what is found. I never get angry and have no rows to dig.
Truth first, problems first. It generates hate--- so be it.
I do not know rich people that can afford 17 Freedoms and hunt the world. One gun and deer hunting is a lot for some. One gun should shoot and must shoot. To get junk after spending money more then a house payment really hurts.
Trust in a product to make expenditures worth while is what counts. Not how rich you are.
Like a gun writer with 3000 guns telling you how each shoots, kind of funny!
Who do you trust? I trust the man with one gun that knows it.

[cbrick]

17 FA's? What a shame that's not me, can we say green with envy?. I currently only have two and that's a shame also.

I do know a guy that has 8-10, every one a different flavor. Only ever seen one of those at the silhouette range, his 10" octagon barrel 44 Mag.

Rick

[Lloyd Smale]

I believe sixshot is talking about the shootist holiday and if so its a gathering of some of the best and most knowlegable men ive had the pleasure of meeting. At least the ones ive met. Very few egos in that group. I know guys that collect rugers and have may more then 17. im not a collector im a shooter and have well over 17 rugers in the house.

[44man]

Regardless of how many guns someone owns, I have had fantastic guns of all kinds. But when conditions changed and I could not shoot long range Varmint or the animal hunted changed, the guns had to be sold so I could afford different to match what I then had.
I would have 1000 guns if I was rich and never needed to sell any.
That means a gun MUST shoot and if it will not, it is gone quick. It is why I get my guns that I have to shoot the best.
I can't take the chance that a years worth of money will turn up a real scud. No trust or confidence is a game killer. I refuse to take a chance.
The amount spent on custom guns amazes me and some are really nice but I must get an out of box revolver to shoot and if it doesn't I don't want to lose money on it.
I never brag about how many guns I own and I never brag about how a gun shoots, I tell you all how so you can achieve better with what you have. Should years of work done because I was never flush with money go to waste?
I don't envy a single person, don't pull that stuff on me. I am richer. I can't shoot 1000 rounds a week but if I take 1 shot a month, I assure you, it will hit where aimed. Any gun with a problem is so much wasted metal.
Why does anyone need 17 Freedoms? 16 safe queens and one shooter?
I own ONE Ruger .44 with way over 61,000 rounds through it and it will make your eyes bulge with how it still shoots, it is a laser.
A poor man makes do, a rich man just spends more money without learning a thing.

[doghawg]

........I never brag about how a gun shoots.......

I own ONE Ruger .44 with way over 61,000 rounds through it and it will make your eyes bulge with how it still shoots, it is a laser.

[cbrick]

Why does anyone need 17 Freedoms? 16 safe queens and one shooter?

A poor man makes do, a rich man just spends more money without learning a thing.

Any gun with a problem is so much wasted metal.

I guess its official now. Regardless of how many you have you may only shoot ONE, the rest WILL remain in the safe! Forever! It is only possible that one will shoot and ALL of the rest have a problem, so much wasted metal safe queens!

This is confusing. Does this mean that if your rich your stupid, that your not capable of learning? Does this mean that if you have more than one gun your rich? Does this mean that since you may only shoot one no matter how many you have, that because there are others at home in the safe that you cannot learn anything? Does this mean that because there are guns at home in the safe that they have a problem and are wasted metal safe queens?

I am so confused. I have two FA's, does that mean that I am rich? Or does it mean I am stupid because I am rich? If I take one to the range today and leave the other in the safe does it mean that it has a problem and is nothing more than a safe queen? What if I take the one that was in the safe today (the safe queen) to the range tomorrow and leave todays FA in the safe tomorrow, which one now has a problem? This is so confusing!

Hhmmm . . . I am so rich (or is it stupid?) that I very much want another FA. I am so rich (or stupid) that I have been saving for a year to get a 5 inch 45 colt FA. Could it be that I simply want another wasted metal safe queen? Could it simply be that I want to feel more rich/stupid?

Could it be that I am saving up for a firearm that I have wanted for a very long time, one that I will get tremendous pleasure from even if its the safe queen at home today with a problem?

So confusing, so confused. I wish I was poor/smart so I could figure this out.

Rick

[44man]

I guess its official now. Regardless of how many you have you may only shoot ONE, the rest WILL remain in the safe! Forever! It is only possible that one will shoot and ALL of the rest have a problem, so much wasted metal safe queens!

This is confusing. Does this mean that if your rich your stupid, that your not capable of learning? Does this mean that if you have more than one gun your rich? Does this mean that since you may only shoot one no matter how many you have, that because there are others at home in the safe that you cannot learn anything? Does this mean that because there are guns at home in the safe that they have a problem and are wasted metal safe queens?

I am so confused. I have two FA's, does that mean that I am rich? Or does it mean I am stupid because I am rich? If I take one to the range today and leave the other in the safe does it mean that it has a problem and is nothing more than a safe queen? What if I take the one that was in the safe today (the safe queen) to the range tomorrow and leave todays FA in the safe tomorrow, which one now has a problem? This is so confusing!

Hhmmm . . . I am so rich (or is it stupid?) that I very much want another FA. I am so rich (or stupid) that I have been saving for a year to get a 5 inch 45 colt FA. Could it be that I simply want another wasted metal safe queen? Could it simply be that I want to feel more rich/stupid?

Could it be that I am saving up for a firearm that I have wanted for a very long time, one that I will get tremendous pleasure from even if its the safe queen at home today with a problem?

So confusing, so confused. I wish I was poor/smart so I could figure this out.

Rick

No, I did not call you rich. You don't understand, I have one .44 left but have owned a great deal of them. I have one .475, one 45-70, one Old Army, one Wichita, one MOA, 2 Mark II's and a Vaquero.
That is small change compared to what else I have owned and had to sell.
Working on guns I have had thousands available to fix, shoot and test.
But you can't see the picture! My revolvers shoot so I will shoot a deer with one, then take another for the next deer, etc. There is never a need to own 2 .44's or 6 or 20. Mine does it all.
I do have 2 BFR's and if I had money I would own one of every caliber made. I would also own many Rugers in different calibers and a bunch of S&W's.
I still would need to be able to shoot a Freedom for a long time before signing my name to a check. The name is not proof to me, only the individual gun is.
The SRH I had to sell was deadly and pop cans could be hit at 200 yards but I just can not part with my SBH, it is an old friend.

[freedom arms 353]

Hi Folks,
I really can not evaluate the exact precission of the whole range of a FA (mine M353 is great) but I only want to let you know, that I have visited the guys at FA few weeks ago when I was on holiday in WY and I must say these guys are great. They took time to show me the factory (OK, with protection glasses) and explained a troublesome German everything he wanted to know. Only when I asked them to change Jobs (I remain in Freedom and he goes to Germany) he refused
So these guys made me a wonderful experience and God bless them
uwe from Germany

[44man]

Over size bores and undersize throats are not friendly to jacketed either. Just where does that idea come from?

[Old Caster]

I'm confused. If I am stupid why and how did I become rich. When anyone sees one of these FA revolvers that "may" be no good for the $200 let me know. Just because I am rich doesn't mean that I want to spend it. I'm saving that for taxes.

[44man]

I'm confused. If I am stupid why and how did I become rich. When anyone sees one of these FA revolvers that "may" be no good for the $200 let me know. Just because I am rich doesn't mean that I want to spend it. I'm saving that for taxes.

Rich is good and rich do not waste money. A collector is fine. Buy stuff that you like.
If you have 17 or 100 Freedom guns or Ruger's or S&W's, just don't try to tell me all shoot the same. Just which one would you take to a shoot or hunting?
Yes a Freedom CAN shoot and be perfect but look what sucking money from customers has netted them. Inferior bulk barrels and the line boring that can fail. Just how do you put a jig in the frame, start a hole and remove the cylinder to chamber it from the other end? Does the hole in the bulk barrel align exactly in the center of the threads? Has any barrel been air gauged?
Lock the gun super tight and make it pretty, shooter be damned.
A cylinder in my old catalog was $343. Ruger was $70 and after they made me a new one they returned my check. FREE!!!
A good rear sight is $138 for the Freedom. $20 for a front sight---Ruger was free or a small charge.
Octagon barrel $455. $100 for a grip or for the 83, $135.
Drill and tap a revolver- $124. Spring change to lighten the trigger--near $100.
Need a new barrel and you are looking at $268 to $346 but if you want a new octagon, how about $688?
$71 for a grip sling stud, seems to me I paid pennies for a whole pile of them. 20 minutes to install.
I just drilled and tapped a Mark I for a base and put on an Ultra for a bottle of booze.
Love your Freedoms and pay through the nose. The money suck has made a whirlpool and soon a bunch of illegal Mexicans will be making them. They might be better!
One catalog made me realize Bob Baker is a crazy fool and will never see a dime from me. $230 for Micarta grips---are you CRAZY? Did you know a .45 Colt cylinder cost $264 for the .454?
And this is an OLD catalog.

[Hammerhead]

My .357 F/A (model 97) slugs .358" and the throats are .358" also. The top of the lands had quite a few tool marks and it leaded for the first couple years. You can still se the marks, but it no longer leads. It was not a big issue for me at the time because I shot mostly jacketed bullets for years. Accuracy has always been outstanding, even with a scope and benchrest. My only issue now is that it keeps breaking springs.

[onceabull]

Direct advice from the handguns forum moderator on another board..."----Jim,you need to get back on your meds and seek some help----" Onceabull

[Whitworth]

44man -- why is it that you are on a crusade? Live and let live. There is a reason Freedoms dominate IHMSA, and it isn't because the people who compete feel the compulsion to spend more money.

You're seriously damaging your credibility with this senseless diatribe against Freedom Arms. Let it go. No one is forcing you to buy or shoot one. It's okay. Variety is the spice of life. This forum would be a boring place if everyone only shot Rugers, or BFRs, or whatever.

[jwp475]

44man, make no mistake about it, I am real! The fellows that owned these guns, & there were lots of them have them because they are the best you can buy. They've bought them over many years & the one who owns 17 has hunted many different countries around the world, taking just about anything that can be hunted.
We don't shoot for trophies at this event, it is a gathering of many good friends who enjoy each others company. Of the many dozens of FA guns I shot, anyone of them would be easily capable of winning any type of accuracy shoot at any distance.
I enjoy reading about your experiences & think you bring a lot to the table when you aren't in one of your moods, but it takes away from your credibility when you try to belittle a product that is so proven, just because you had a bad experience with one. After quite a few years its time to get over it & move on, the torch you are carrying burned out a long time ago. Keep sharing your experience because it helps a lot of readers but take the chip off your shoulder & man up! Take a deep breath & let it go! Most of us find a way to disagree agreeably, quit trying to sucker punch everyone who has a different view point than you do.

Dick

Spot on...

[jwp475]

Rich is good and rich do not waste money. A collector is fine. Buy stuff that you like.
If you have 17 or 100 Freedom guns or Ruger's or S&W's, just don't try to tell me all shoot the same. Just which one would you take to a shoot or hunting?
Yes a Freedom CAN shoot and be perfect but look what sucking money from customers has netted them. Inferior bulk barrels and the line boring that can fail. Just how do you put a jig in the frame, start a hole and remove the cylinder to chamber it from the other end? Does the hole in the bulk barrel align exactly in the center of the threads? Has any barrel been air gauged?
Lock the gun super tight and make it pretty, shooter be damned.
A cylinder in my old catalog was $343. Ruger was $70 and after they made me a new one they returned my check. FREE!!!
A good rear sight is $138 for the Freedom. $20 for a front sight---Ruger was free or a small charge.
Octagon barrel $455. $100 for a grip or for the 83, $135.
Drill and tap a revolver- $124. Spring change to lighten the trigger--near $100.
Need a new barrel and you are looking at $268 to $346 but if you want a new octagon, how about $688?
$71 for a grip sling stud, seems to me I paid pennies for a whole pile of them. 20 minutes to install.
I just drilled and tapped a Mark I for a base and put on an Ultra for a bottle of booze.
Love your Freedoms and pay through the nose. The money suck has made a whirlpool and soon a bunch of illegal Mexicans will be making them. They might be better!
One catalog made me realize Bob Baker is a crazy fool and will never see a dime from me. $230 for Micarta grips---are you CRAZY? Did you know a .45 Colt cylinder cost $264 for the .454?
And this is an OLD catalog.

Line boring can fail, oh really......

You call Bob Baker a "crazy fool" and with a straight face claim to not be full of hate and subject to bad moods...

This cnstaint bashing of the FA's and gun writers is wearing thin on other sites as well. You may want to tone it done before you get the boot

[jwp475]

Direct advice from the handguns forum moderator on another board..."----Jim,you need to get back on your meds and seek some help----" Onceabull

Hopefully he will take heed

[cbrick]

The sad part of this is that 44 man doesn't seem to be able to see that he is hurting his own credibility far more than that of Freedom Arms. He can't see that he is not spreading the word, few reading his FA posts believe a word of it.

His FA vendetta is truly a shame because he has so much to offer in his shooting/handloading/casting posts on the revolver. I for one wish he would stick to this/his area of expertise and stop tearing himself down.

Rick

[44man]

44man -- why is it that you are on a crusade? Live and let live. There is a reason Freedoms dominate IHMSA, and it isn't because the people who compete feel the compulsion to spend more money.

You're seriously damaging your credibility with this senseless diatribe against Freedom Arms. Let it go. No one is forcing you to buy or shoot one. It's okay. Variety is the spice of life. This forum would be a boring place if everyone only shot Rugers, or BFRs, or whatever.

No crusade at all. Only things as I see them. I have said the same about all kinds of guns. Yet, get a Remington that has a problem and it will be FIXED FREE. Have a bad Ruger and call them, they will send you a box, postage on their dime.
Have I been wrong about prices?
If I screw up a gun, it is always on my dime too. I have built too many custom rifles with custom checkering. A $300 piece of wood before even inletting. I screw it up, I buy it.
Sorry some of you feel that way but my customers always came back, never one angry, more work only. Trust with the best work I could do at a decent price. Pride of workmanship, friends for life.
Don't give me that crusade stuff, they made their bed with greed.
I will do everything for you even if I lose money. That is how any good company works. Never make anything bad and you make money. When you need to fix, you lose money. To make the customer pay for your bad choices, you drop from sight.
I am still here. Not rich with money but super rich with friends. Come with a dollar in your pocket, I will work for you and you just might go home with that dollar. Pay for parts or postage. You are a man with a family to feed and it might be your last dollar. I will not turn you away.
Don't ever accuse me of a crusade. Look at facts. Greed is the devils work and it will catch up to you.
A good rear sight might be $50 which is really too much. If I charged you $138, you are a fool if it sounds good.
Read the catalog, every single thing has a super price. At the price of the basic gun they should give you a $300,000 home with a pool. OOPs , the filter is $200,000 more and the skimmer is $100,000.
Just what is wrong with Freedom owners?
Freedom does not dominate IHMSA. Never did either. Actually, Dan Wesson did until they went to pot. Ruger does as good.

[Whitworth]

Again you are missing the point. It is a crusade when you never miss out on an opportunity to take a shot. I am not the only one who notices this stuff. Again, if someone is willing to pay a premium for something that is a little nicer, be it a revolver, a car, clothes, whatever, it is their prerogative to do so. Who am I to judge or deride?