I finally purchased my first Freedom Arms 83, a 7.5" PG in 475 Linebaugh. This is my first FA and Im a little confused weather or not I need to carry on an empty cylinder? Or hammer cocked to where I can rotate the cylinder? Too many choices... need to stick with my Rugers! Just kiddin, the gun feels great! The lockwork is incredable! I don't see myself selling this one off anytime soon.

Congrats 240! Be careful, that first Freedom starts a slippery slope...

As far as hammer positioning, I carry mine on an empty chamber - that way, when I cock it back, I'm ready to go...

Freedom recommends carrying on an empty cylinder because there is no transfer bar system as on the Rugers and BFR's. They are similiar to Colt in that if dropped on the hammer they can go off. I have an unaltered 3 screw Ruger and it has the same issue so I carry hammer down on an empty chamber.

Sounds like empty cylinder is the way to go. Thanks guys.
SCHunter- I'm already looking for "a deal", on another.

Yep - that's how it starts

You're going down a very dangerous path......

Quickly abandon ship before it hits the iceberg of no return.

NEVER carry a model 83 with 5 rounds loaded or a live round under the hammer. If you can't sort things out with 4 rounds of 475 then there have already been several screwups and one more isn't likely to solve it either. It is not worth the risk to yourself or those around you

But what if you have FIVE bears attacking you?



I know, then you've got bigger problems.....LOL!

Then once again, its up to my 3rd Grade YMCA Karate lessons to save my ass! Im sure that bear has no idea whats to follow when I strech into my "Crane Stance". Wax on/ Wax off

Hahaha!

Can FA make it with a transfer bar? I have 2 Model 97's and have fewer worries, but I have always wondered why that action can't be duplicated in the 83's.

No, it's a different action.

Just for the sake of being accurate, the m83 action does indeed not have a transfer bar, but it does have a blocking bar that is raised when the hammer is drawn slighty back. This keeps the hammer off the firing pin and spring.

Craig

I spit my coffee and snarfed my coffee out on that one!

That's correct but it is not safe to carry the gun with a live round in the chamber under the hammer.

So what is the point of even having a hammer block safety? It is no different than many semi autos or lever rifles that employ such a system. I believe that the warning from FA is more a lawyer induced idea to guard against idiots that don't have sense enough to pull the hammer back to the first click. That being said a transfer bar safety is more idiot proof.

I believe that FA 's position on not changing the modle 83 to a transfer bar is that it would impare trigger performance.

Or if you have expended you 4 shots and Grizz is still coming you need one for yourself.

Carry an extra Ruger for yourself... LOL

With a full cylinder, haha!

Do we need an irony smile for this?

3:)

Yes they could, but simply choose not to do so. The system fo a transfer bar in the FA-83 was designed years ago and FA declined

I'm not sure I wanna know what that means ;-)

HAHA, I just watched that movie last night... weird

Is a snarf similar to an urrp?

The story that I have heard related to the reason for the warning on the 83s --- a foolish person shot himself in the leg with a 454. How??? Who knows. I expect that he cocked the hammer & pulled the trigger. But it happened. After the dude's lawyer put the finishing touches on the story, FA was guilty. This is a third hand story. I have never asked Bob or Wayne about it.

There have purportedly been a number of accidental discharges from what I understand. That said, you can count on a certain percentage of the populace to have trouble with even simple tasks like breathing.

That feller was wearing a slicker over his rig and when he pulled off the slicker it caught the hammer and pulled it back just enough to make it go bang when it released it.

Snarf:

"when one is eating and is provoked by something funny which causes them to laugh and expel said food out of nasal passages... also applies to liquids."


I don't know if it applies to the generation or geographic differences... LOL

Law suit issue: I heard it rummered that there were those who thought we was "quick drawing" with it. But again, this is a third person rummer and can not be confirmed...

I would bet that he did not have the hammer set to the first click. And the slicker only pulled the hammer enough not to go to the first click. I may be wrong but I believe once a FA has been set to the first click that the only way to remove the hammer block is to depress the trigger. If that is not the case it should be and I would say the model 83 is a poor design since the hammer block serves no function. If I was shopping for a larger than 45 colt revolver I would steer clear of a FA. Give me a custom Ruger or a BFR.

i would enjoy all the benefits of a freedom arms and just learn to follow the instruction in the owners manual and carry over an empty chamber. never ever have i needed that fifth shot, in fact, never needed a sixth which is why i don't care they're not 6 shooters.

that said, once it's to the first click and the block is up, the only way to get the gun to go off is to finish cocking it and pull the trigger. how that happened in these cases is beyond me, i know the stories the idiot in question told the court, but i think it's probably closer in similiarity to the idiot that shoots someone else when bowhunting. serious user error.

So bottom line a FA is no more dangerous than any other gun with a hammer block safety with a round in the chamber as long as it is properly used. Keep in mind that many here carry G2 Contenders with a round in the chamber. It uses a hammer block safety although it is automatic and doesn't require you to cock to first click.

I carry my FA's with the hammer on an empty chamber. That being said. I have practiced placing a loaded round in the empty chamber right after the gun has been cocked and fired. On the model 83 the chamber is lined up perfectly with the loading gate with the hammer down.

Toby

Everyone should carry in the way that they feel comfortable with. My contention though is that the idea that it is unsafe with one in the chamber is overblown because of some requirement that the lawyers have required of FA.

Since FA makes the top of the line production gun I just don't get why they don't just use the transfer bar system. The Ruger and BFR are as safe as a gun can get since the hammer itself never touches the firing pin and the transfer bar doesn't move unless the trigger is pulled and can't move up with the hammer down. I have to say though I don't agree they are the best guns out there. I've handled custom Rugers my own included that have better actions and are just as accurate but for a production gun they have the best tolerances of any out there.

I have to agree with this assessment. For a production gun, there is nothing finer or more refined, not to mention absolutely superior fit and finish. But a finely built custom Ruger -- that is very hard to beat. But out the box, FAs are pretty damn good -- to say the least.

I have owned a couple FA's in .454 and the tolerances were IMHO a bit to tight. If I didn't clean them after a couple or three cylinders they got draggy. My stock other than springs Ruger .45 Bisley Hunter shoots just as well without having to constantly clean it.

I've been shooting FA guns for some years now and I simply don't believe the stories of the people who've been involved in shooting them selves or their buddies if they have followed gun safety rules and the rule (unless you're an idiot) of only loading 4. I think they were either screwing around with the gun or they actually had their finger on the trigger when it went off. Like the guy with the slicker. I'm betting it went like this if it's as he said and his slicker cocked the gun (which I seriously doubt). 1) he didn't have the gun strapped down 2) he stuck his finger on the trigger when when he went to pull his gun out of the holster and boom. These stories of these guns getting mysteriously cocked and firing is someone telling a story so they don't have to admit they've shot someone through negligence.

And to save face for being stupid, they blame the gun.

Yes

When the FA-83 first came out they were considered safe with the hammer block, now they are considered unsafe with 5 loaded. I have carried 5 in mine a number of times especially in Grizzly/Brown bear country with a loaded pack of raw moose meat. If the FA-83 is dropped from about 3 or more feet and the gun falls on the hammer on a hard surface it can break the hammer block and fire. This has happen to at least3 people that I know of.

The FA-83 is in no way as safe as a transfer bar system when fully loaded
4 in the cylinder is by far the safest way to carry a Freedom-83