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Mark Hampton and FA`s #207283 06/27/2020 10:47 PM
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jamesfromjersey Offline OP
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Mark Hampton and his Freedom Arms 44


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Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: jamesfromjersey] #207284 06/27/2020 11:19 PM
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Mark Hampton Offline
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Thanks for posting James! After receiving the Freedom Arms Model 83 in .44 Mag., I couldn't wait until fall hunting season to give it a spin. Early this spring Karen and I make a trip to Texas where I took a Texas dall, black Hawaiian ram, Rio Grande turkey, and hog. All game was taken with Hornady's 240 gr. XTP. The boar was not a wild hog but some of the strain our outfitter had brought to his ranch. It weighed over 400 pounds and I wanted to see how the 240 gr. XTP would perform. The boar was broadside around 50 yards when the XTP hit him just behind the shoulder. The bullet broke one rib going in, went through both shoulders, broke one rib going out, and lodged in the hide on the off side. The recovered bullet weighed 216 grs and looks almost as if it had been shot in to gelatin. Overall I'm more than pleased with the 10 inch FA and can't wait for fall hunting season.

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Mark Hampton] #207285 06/27/2020 11:34 PM
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cmnash Offline
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Dang it! I try not to be jealous of other people's success but...DANG IT!!!

Those are great looking animals and a gorgeous revolver. I can't quite tell from the pictures, but is that an octagon barrel on your .44?

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: cmnash] #207286 06/27/2020 11:38 PM
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Pa. Mike Offline
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Wow! Impressive shooting , gun and photos of some nice trophy's.

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Pa. Mike] #207287 06/27/2020 11:44 PM
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Mark Hampton Offline
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Yes, octagon barrel.

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Mark Hampton] #207288 06/27/2020 11:55 PM
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KRal Offline
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Wow! That?s a dandy FA?s - great way to break her in, Mark.


It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to smile, but only 3 for proper trigger squeeze.
Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Mark Hampton] #207289 06/27/2020 11:58 PM
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jamesfromjersey Offline OP
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Those 10" Freedom`s are an almost perfect hunting handgun...


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"I have more guns then I need but not as many as I want" "Handgun hunters HAVE to be good"
Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: jamesfromjersey] #207291 06/28/2020 1:01 AM
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dave thomas Offline
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nice pistol and thanks for sharing your adventure


Ephesians 6:10-18 because we are warriors.
Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: dave thomas] #207293 06/28/2020 1:13 AM
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45MAN Offline
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MARK: VERY NICE. LOOKS LIKE YOU HAD AGREAT TIME.


"ADAPT OR DIE". I USE ALL CAPS, NOT BECAUSE I AM YELLING, BUT BECAUSE IT IS AN OLD HABIT FROM MY ARMY DAYS, PLUS IT IS EASIER TO TYPE AND READ.
Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: 45MAN] #207294 06/28/2020 3:24 AM
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sixshot Offline
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Very nice trophies Mark. I've seen that FA 44 & it's a beauty with that Octagon barrel. Congratulations!

Dick

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: sixshot] #207295 06/28/2020 3:46 AM
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Beautiful trophies Mark..that boar is something special! Looks like the XTP'S worked perfectly.


The Eyes are Useless, When The Mind Is Blind
Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Franchise] #207296 06/28/2020 11:14 AM
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Teep Offline
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Wow, another great trip. Just how bad does that 44 tear up a turkey though?

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Teep] #207297 06/28/2020 11:39 AM
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Mark Hampton Offline
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Teep, Not as bad as I anticipated.

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Mark Hampton] #207298 06/28/2020 12:23 PM
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ruger4570 Offline
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Nice trophies. Seems people have a lot of different opinions on the 240 and 300 XTP's. Looks like they did fine for you. I have had great success using them on big whitetail deer.

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: ruger4570] #207311 06/29/2020 12:21 PM
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Very nice. Congratulations!

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: jcp161] #207324 06/30/2020 9:48 AM
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racksmasher1 Offline
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Nice gun and nice shooting

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: sixshot] #207325 06/30/2020 1:19 PM
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BIZZMO Offline
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Beautiful gun! great shooting,great trip!! If you don't mind me asking-what was the M.V. on those XTPs?That hog is impressive!

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: BIZZMO] #207326 06/30/2020 1:42 PM
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Mark Hampton Offline
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Hornady factory ammo 240 gr. XTP -- five shot average in FA 10 inch barrel -- 1496 fps.

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Mark Hampton] #207360 07/02/2020 6:14 PM
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jamesfromjersey Offline OP
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Mark, I see your getting 2 1/2" MOA which about the same size group I got with my two 10" FA`s in 41 and 475.. Dick Casull told me how he shot one of his long barrel 454`s against another shooter with a 30-30 lever action at 100 and he outshot the rifle all day... All Freedom`s can shoot but there`s something special about a ten inch barrel...


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"I have more guns then I need but not as many as I want" "Handgun hunters HAVE to be good"
Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: jamesfromjersey] #207367 07/02/2020 11:32 PM
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Mark Hampton Offline
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James, I really like the 10 inch barrel. Someone who can shoot a revolver well could really make this FA shine.

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Mark Hampton] #207374 07/03/2020 5:52 AM
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BIZZMO Offline
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I have also been bitten by the 10 inch F.A. bug!I pick up my new 10" .454 monday or tuesday, it takes 13 or 14 days now for the Ca. DOJ to process the background check because firearm sales megadrupled the last two months or so.

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: BIZZMO] #207375 07/03/2020 11:26 AM
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Mark Hampton Offline
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Bizzmo, That should be an excellent hunting revolver for anything on this planet. Enjoy

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: jamesfromjersey] #207454 07/14/2020 5:17 AM
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73837486 Offline
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you keep using my gun james.please take care of it.

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: 73837486] #207462 07/16/2020 6:19 PM
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Buckshotharris Offline
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Is this the "Grail Gun" in the article of American Handgunner? Great article and congratulations on your successes. Many more to come I am sure!


Semper Fi
Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Buckshotharris] #207466 07/16/2020 8:05 PM
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It is the Grail gun in the article. It's off to Rob Rowen for dall sheep grips - with a dall ram I took, making it more special for me. Thanks!

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Mark Hampton] #207474 07/17/2020 5:56 PM
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And the grips take up less room than taxidermy while still keeping the memory of the trophy fresh! Since this the Grail Gun, it also requires American Bison grips, Alaskan Moose grips, Antelope horn grips, and on and on..... Best of luck to you!


Semper Fi
Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Buckshotharris] #207571 07/30/2020 11:17 PM
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BBwheelgunner Offline
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Good Shooting Mark!,

A ten incher is on my wish list.

I noticed it looks like yours is Magna-ported. Whats your opinion with Magna-ports having used them? like anything else you read reviews on the internet and there are a lot of opinions, but folks with real world experince trump internet opinions!

PS just bought your book Handgun Hunting: How to Travel the World in pursute of wild game. Good Read!


"If you are going to go through all the trouble to put a hole in something, why not make it a big one?"
Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: BBwheelgunner] #207572 07/31/2020 12:01 AM
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45MAN Offline
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ALL 5 OF MY FA MODEL 83 454's ARE MNP'ed, I REALLY THINK IT HELPS.


"ADAPT OR DIE". I USE ALL CAPS, NOT BECAUSE I AM YELLING, BUT BECAUSE IT IS AN OLD HABIT FROM MY ARMY DAYS, PLUS IT IS EASIER TO TYPE AND READ.
Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: 45MAN] #207573 07/31/2020 12:38 AM
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Mark Hampton Offline
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BBWheelgunner, Glad you enjoyed the book. I've written two since that first one -- Addicted to Altitude and Handguns in Wild Places.

Regarding Mag-Na-Port, lately I've been shooting the dual-trapezoidal porting on revolvers. I believe it does reduce some of the muzzle rise. Perhaps not as much on felt recoil but overall - I do feel it helps. I have a FA in .41 & .44 Mag. and both have Mag-Na-Port dual trapezoidal porting. You can shoot both of these guns all day without issue.

Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Mark Hampton] #207664 08/11/2020 6:22 PM
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jamesfromjersey Offline OP
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Life member-NRA-SCI
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Colt-Ruger-Freedom Arms-and S&W Collector Assoc.s
"I have more guns then I need but not as many as I want" "Handgun hunters HAVE to be good"
Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: jamesfromjersey] #207665 08/11/2020 10:07 PM
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Sawfish Offline
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I have "Dual Traps" on most of my big revolvers. My 30/06 Encore was somewhat unruly with heavy bullet loads, so Ken Kelley recommended what he called Linebaugh Porting, which is Dual Traps with the addition of a single rifle port between the traps. Tamed it right down.

Last edited by Sawfish; 08/11/2020 10:09 PM.

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Re: Mark Hampton and FA`s [Re: Sawfish] #207678 08/13/2020 1:49 PM
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454 Casull Offline
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I have two FA's 8 3/8" bbls, same as my Mdl 29, and they have the rifle porting, this was 30+ years ago so the double trap may not have been thought of yet. Ken is one of the good guys for sure.

Last edited by 454 Casull; 08/13/2020 1:49 PM.

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