For many years
now, Freedom Arms has been building some of the strongest
and most powerful revolvers available. They have built their
reputation upon their fine model 83 five-shot revolvers
chambered for the awesome .454 Casull and .475 Linebaugh
cartridges, along with the .357, 41, and .44 magnums, the .50
Action Express, and the .22 Long Rifle. These are the finest
built production revolvers in existence, with the power and
accuracy to take any game animal on Earth. These large frame
five-shooters are built with the precision and craftsmanship of
fine custom revolvers, with the required strength to handle the
high pressure of the Casull and Linebaugh cartridges.
While the
model 83 is bull-strong and has a massive cylinder, that level
of strength is just not needed for standard cartridges, so
Freedom Arms answered the call for a smaller and lighter
revolver built with the same care and precision as their
large-framed model 83. The result is the medium-frame model
1997. The first of these were six-shot .357 magnums, and
fine sixguns they are, but Freedom is now producing a fine
little five-shot in .45 Colt on the model 97 frame. Freedom has
for several years offered the model 83 with a five-shot .45
cylinder, but this model 97 is a much handier, more compact
revolver. The handling qualities of this little gun have to be
felt to be appreciated. The cylinder length of 1.623 inches is
just barely longer than that of a Colt Single Action Army
revolver, and the diameter is a bit smaller at just 1.580
inches. These measurements were taken hastily with my dial
calipers, and may not be the official factory specifications,
but are darn close. While the small cylinder dimensions give the
gun great handling qualities, the five-shot cylinder gives it
more strength than the Colt and its many copies.
The model 97
has a different lockwork than the model 83, employing a sliding
transfer bar that is attached to the hammer, resulting in a
crisp trigger pull while allowing the gun to be carried with a
full five-shot payload. The transfer bar will only contact
the firing pin with the trigger held to the rear. The factory
supplied owner’s manual suggests loading only four cartridges,
leaving an empty chamber under the hammer, but this gun is
absolutely safe to carry fully loaded with five .45 Colt
cartridges.
The Model 97
received for testing is one of the handiest, best looking
forty-fives that this author has ever handled. With black
Micarta grip panels and a four and one-quarter inch barrel, the
little jewel weighs in at just over two and one-quarter pounds.
The entire gun, with the exception of the adjustable sights and
black grip panels, is finished in a satin-stainless. The
fit and finish is impeccable. The Micarta grip panels are
flawlessly fitted. The lockup of the cylinder is perfect, with
no movement in any direction. The barrel / cylinder gap is
almost imperceptible, and would not accept even the thinnest
feeler gauge available. The fitting of the fully-adjustable rear
sight into the top of the frame is perfect. The fitting of the
grip frame to the cylinder frame is, again, perfect. The timing
of the action is right where it should be. Each chamber aligns
precisely with the loading gate as the cylinder is rotated to
each click. This makes for easy loading and unloading of the
relatively fat .45 cartridges and empty cases. The feel of
the Freedom Arms grip is like no other, feeling somewhere
between that of a Colt SAA and a Ruger Bisley, but
slimmer than either. It points naturally in my hand, while
giving good recoil control with the compact handgun. The ejector
rod housing is cam-cut for the rod to allow the ejector button
to lay tight against the barrel, while standing away from the
barrel in use. The base pin is held in place with a retaining
screw to assure that the pin doesn’t move under recoil.
After much
fondling and admiring of the little .45, I gathered a few
different loads for testing. All group testing was performed at
a distance of twenty-five yards, from a hand-held rested
position. The excellent sights made target acquisition easy. The
trigger pull, while crisp and smooth, let off at an average of
four and one-quarter pounds, which is about right for a hunting
revolver. I was at first concerned that a revolver this tight
would start to bind after many loads were fired, but my concerns
were unfounded. The model 97 fired and easily ejected all
ammunition tested, from light target ammo to relatively hot Cor-Bon
defense loads. Recoil was easily managed by the excellent grip
of the model 97, even with the stoutest loads tested.
Group sizes ran from the tightest of five shots turned in with
Cor-Bon 200 grain jacketed hollow points, to the largest groups
with some 200 grain lead roundnose Cowboy Action ammunition. The
Cor-Bon groups measured just one and one-quarter inches, and the
Cowboy loads, the largest group fired, was only one and
five-eighths inches! This is good accuracy from any revolver,
and mighty impressive for a four and one-quarter inch barreled
open sighted .45 Colt. I had intended to mount a scope sight on
the model 97 for accuracy testing, but it grouped so well
without one that I decided to forego that project. Besides, I
didn’t want to ruin the fine handling qualities of the little
five-shooter with the bulk of a scope. I am certain,
however, that with more testing and a better shooter, the
accuracy of this gun would be amazing.
Overall, to
say that I was impressed with the performance of the model 97
would be greatly understated. While this gun is produced
in a factory in Freedom, Wyoming, it is a disservice to call it
a production gun. A better term would be factory custom. The
Freedom Arms revolvers, while by no means cheap, represent a
great value in a high quality firearm. They are truly
custom-grade handguns, at a much lower price than many
customized production guns.
You can go
elsewhere and buy a serviceable .45 revolver for less money, but
if you are ready to own the best, check out Freedom Arms online
at: www.freedomarms.com
Jeff Quinn
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