Freedom Arms Model 97

Tech & Spec

Keeping in mind these are true, full-custom revolvers, prices start around the $2,800 range and go up from there depending upon your choices of barrels (even an octagonal option), caliber chosen, sight options, crowns, action work, sling swivels and/or studs, dovetails and more. You can even opt for your name or initials on the back strap (I had them put our home’s logo, a sort of leaping gazelle, on mine), jeweled hammer and trigger, matte finish and other options that tempt gloriously.

My gun has a rounded butt and attractive synthetic grips, weighing in right at 34.5 oz. empty. All their models are made of stainless steel so weather on the trail isn’t an issue. The models all have a sliding transfer bar in the hammer so they are perfectly safe to carry fully loaded — five rounds in the 97. You can also get a fitted .45 ACP cylinder for the .45 Colt, which I plan on doing later for this gun. Cylinder conversions run between $435 to $600 or so depending on options and caliber. Round-butting runs about $295 and I recommend it heartily as it really changes the feel. If you have smaller hands, it tends to make things more comfy and tidy.

A small but particularly handy feature is the fact the ejector rod button runs in a cam slot in the housing. This cam holds the button against the barrel, out of the way, until you push it. It’s then cammed down and you can run the ejector rod. Very handy. One small issue with the really short barrels like our test gun is the fact the rod doesn’t quite eject the empty cases completely. So if you have a stout load or sticky case, you get it started then pick it out. This isn’t a gun you speed load with anyway so I think it’s a moot point when balanced by how handy it makes the gun to carry.

A nice touch too is the fact you can get a special serial number ($295) just for your gun. So a name and year, a favorite dog’s name or just about whatever you can think up can really help to personalize your dream gun.

The hand-fitting really shows when you cock the gun. There are two distinct “clicks” going from half-cock to full cock. You need the half-cock to rotate the cylinder to load and unload. The trigger is smooth-faced and my gun breaks very cleanly right at 3.2 lbs. or so. The thing that consistently astounds me is the fact the cylinder has no play either when the hammer is down or at full cock. I’m not saying it “doesn’t wiggle very much” — I’m saying it’s locked tight as a drum with no fore-and-after or rotatable movement at all. It’s as if the cylinder is a machined part of the frame. Simply amazing workmanship.

The cylinder-to-forcing-cone gap is 0.0015″ on my gun. That, my friends is one and a half thousandths of an inch. Most factory revolvers hover in the 0.004 (excellent) to upwards of 0.010″ range. Gas escaping from this gap is essentially non-existent and has no effect on velocity. I’ve never seen this sort of mechanical accuracy on anything other than on a very few custom revolvers from the likes of Hamilton Bowen’s shop and a rarified few others. But Freedom Arms does it gun after gun.

The total result of all this work is a gun “just so” in every respect. I assure you won’t be disappointed when your dream gun arrives. When I got mine there was never a moment of “Oh, I wish that was nicer” or “Gee, if only the action was smoother.” Nope, not anything.