Author Topic: i have a bone to pick with all you f.a. owners.... (Read 1979 times)

myronman3 · « **on:** November 20, 2004, 05:09:29 PM »

well i got my f.a. 44 today and scurried out ot sight it in. i can not believe the difference in groups i shoot with that gun compared to the rugers i have been shooting. i would have never believed it if i hadnt seen it myself. the best part is the bullets are the ones i have cast. my rugers did pretty good with jacketed bullets but i switched to cast last year. i was a little disapointed with accuracy results i had been getting. no more! many holes were touching each other.
so my bone is... why didnt you guys twist my arm sooner?

so far, i am liking what i see.

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** November 20, 2004, 05:16:06 PM »

Been telling ya about them dang Rugers fer years, but would you listen? :roll: Noooo. Told ya bout them FAs a fair while back too. :eek: Now ya know.

With any luck mine might show up next week. Will probably call Bob Monday to see how it's going. But with the Thanksgiving holiday next week I figure my chances are mighly slim.

TScottO · « **Reply #2 on:** November 20, 2004, 05:57:34 PM »

I have been hard pressed to find a load that FA guns will not shoot well. As Ive worked up loads for my FA guns I cannot remember ever working up a load that I found to shoot over 3 inches @ 25 yards. I would assume that others have the same experience as me. I have a lot of guns and have shot many more and have never seen a mfg that produces a gun with such gun to gun consistency. When it comes to SA I cannot make myself buy another brand unless its a gun I want to throw in a tackle box or something.

You have a fine piece of machinery there that will last your lifetime as well as your grandkids. If you are like most FA owners, it wont be long you will be adding another one.

GB-
Will you be reporting the results of your gun here on the forum? Id be interested in reading them. In another year or so I hope to purchase a 44Magnum. You have probably shot and been exposed to more FA guns than I have. Have you every worked up loads that you would consider to be poor accuracy?

Be Safe,
Scott

Graybeard · « **Reply #3 on:** November 20, 2004, 06:10:33 PM »

Can't recall anything I'd say was really inaccurate in them. Now with iron sights I some times don't shoot up to the gun's potential but I can't blame that on the gun. When scoped so my eye sight is taken out of the equation pretty much every thing shoots very well.

Yes I plan to report my results with a wide variety of reloads and at least some factory loads using a scope of course. Then I'll settle down to a couple of loads or so for it I suspect.

I want a loading using a 240 JHP and that will likely be either the Hornady XTP or the Nosler 240 JHP depending on which seems to work best. BUT I might go with the Nosler HGPT also. The other load I want is using my own cast bullets from the Lyman 429244 mould. That really is my personal favorite bullet for the .44 mag and long term I expect the gun to see more of those than every thing else combined.

But I will shoot bullets from 180 to perhaps 325 grains while doing the review on it. After that I'll pull the scope for my long term use as an iron sight gun and settle on one jacketed bullet and one cast bullet load most likely.

myronman3 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 21, 2004, 03:40:37 AM »

the price of the f.a. was a real big obstacle for me. i know i got a deal, but it is still a lot of coin for a gun (especially since i have never even shot or handled a f.a.. as far as knowing what i was getting into, i was going strictly off of what guys here had to say about them (which says a lot about what g.b.o.'s members word means to me). combined with my ruger fiasco and the deal i found, it really minimized the stress of spending that much on a gun sight-unseen.
i still am upset with ruger, one of the guns came back friday, but i wasn't here to sign for it so it will come back monday. the short barreled one i plan on keeping, the sab hunter is going down the road. why ride a stock harley when you can run a titan?
all i can say is so far i am very happy with the fa.a.. i didn't see any deer yesterday, and today i have the kids all day while the wife works. but i plan on hunting after work the first three days of the week, and all day on the 'givings. i may have friday day available, too, and then the last day of season on sunday. i plan on using the fa.a. exclusively, and MY CAST BULLETS! :mrgreen: now that is what i wanted from the start. hopefully i will be posting up about getting a deer here before too long.

44 Man · « **Reply #5 on:** November 21, 2004, 10:37:12 AM »

I have shot (honest guys!) 2" groups off the bench with my F.A. .44 mag Stalker at 100 yds. This gets respect from most of my rifle buddies. This was with my favorite hunting load worked up for a Ruger Stalker (since gone down the road). 300 gr speer plated soft point seated out to the second crimp grove over 19 gr of 2400. Not the fastest load you can develop, but a proven performer. Everyone should own a couple of Freedom Arms revolvers! 44 Man

henry1 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 23, 2004, 06:29:57 AM »

I would like to see what this thing looks like. Never seen one and never even heard of one. Fredom Arms? Never heard of it. thanks guys.

Graybeard · « **Reply #7 on:** November 23, 2004, 06:41:48 AM »

Quote

I would like to see what this thing looks like. Never seen one and never even heard of one. Fredom Arms? Never heard of it. thanks guys.

You are pulling our collective legs right? :eek:

Check them out at this link: http://www.freedomarms.com/

PeterF. · « **Reply #8 on:** November 23, 2004, 09:32:51 AM »

I've never seen on "in person", so I'm wondering: 1) what's the difference between an 83 and a 97 (especially if it's in the same caliber, like .357); and 2) how does the frame/grip size compare with a similar-caliber Ruger Blackhawk/Vaquero?

myronman3 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 23, 2004, 04:05:08 PM »

similar in size, but i think the model 83 is decidedly heavier than the ruger. it is definately built better. attention to detail was given with the design of these guns. there is no slop. others will be better equipped to answer your other questions, as i have just entered the game.

Zcarp2 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 23, 2004, 04:22:04 PM »

For some reason the Freedom Arms revolvers 'roll' better in my hand than the Rugers. I find the Rugers unpleasant to shoot with full power loads, while the FA was gentled. Same loads from the same box. I am sure the weight had something to do with it, but the slight design differences of the grip frame felt different also.

Need to compare the FA to the Virginia Dragoon that I have and compare the 2. I definately want to get a FA - one day!

Graybeard · « **Reply #11 on:** November 23, 2004, 04:24:45 PM »

There really IS NO COMPARISOn between a Ruger and an FA revolver. It's an apples to oranges comparison.

The FA grip is slimmer and maybe a hair longer than the Ruger Bisley but all the way around better designed. The FA97 is basically just the smaller brother of the FA83. Built to same high standards but on a smaller frame.

The SS metal used is the strongest steel they could find. Machining is as close to full custom as you can get. The cylinders are line bored for absolutely perfect alignment with barrel. Tolerances are held to the absolute minimum for proper function.

If you want a gun to begin learning to shoot and to plink with and it doesn't matter the group size or whether you hit or miss buy a Ruger. When you've played around for awhile and are ready to get serious buy a FA.

myronman3, I was talking with Bob Baker at Freedom Arms today and told him about your experiences with the Rugers and that you had finally paid attention to what I've been telling you about those Rugers for years and got you an FA. :lol: Also told him we're having a lot of discussion here lately on the FA's. He drops in from time to time but seldom posts. Seems folks keep him too busy making guns and won't let him have time to play. :eek:

myronman3 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 23, 2004, 05:02:04 PM »

that is good to hear. i havent had a lot of time to play with mine yet as i got it the first day of gun season. had just enought time to sight it in and that was about it. i am carrying it for the season exclusively, but wish i had more time to get to know the gun. i am looking forward to shooting it more and seeing what i can do.
i know alot of my buddies are drooling at the chance to shoot it, and they are pretty serious shooters so maybe they will finally decide they just have to get one, too.
i am really hoping to be able to take a deer this year with it, but with the kids and the wife working i dont get much time out. but i am trying anyway. catch you guys later.

Don Dick · « **Reply #13 on:** November 24, 2004, 04:47:54 AM »

I cannot understand why you had trouble with Ruger I have 5 and never had a problem. When you get the guns back if they are not right Ruger will make them right. As for Freedom arms I left mine in my Mercedes,
wait I don`t have a Mercedes.

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #14 on:** November 24, 2004, 11:03:28 AM »

Hey Myronman, the reeson we didn't tell ya about'm was onnacounta as how we'd herd they wuz cut'n back on produckshun and a shortudj wus 'bout to develup. Utherwyse, weeda tolja fur shur. :?

myronman3 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 24, 2004, 01:41:51 PM »

Quote from: Don Dick

I cannot understand why you had trouble with Ruger I have 5 and never had a problem. When you get the guns back if they are not right Ruger will make them right. As for Freedom arms I left mine in my Mercedes,
wait I don`t have a Mercedes.

well, blood, that makes two of us.

after three of the super blackhawks i bought broke in the exact same manner, you could say my opinion of them has changed. one gun i can let slide. three is in no way just an unfortunate incident. ESPECIALLY when two break the day before our early season starts. after that season came and went, there was three weeks before our regular season began. ruger was fully aware of the situation. they still didnt get them fixed and back to me. now after having one gun break in my dad's hand, and two in mine with the second one cutting my hand open, one would think ruger would be pissing all over themselves to square me up.
i had requested to talk to whoever repaired my gun to see exactly what the problem was. after what i have gone through, i think they owe me at least that much. instead they send a parts replaced list, which is something but still a far cry from what i asked for. and still, i have only gotten one gun back. i havent had a chance to call them yet, because i have been using what little time i have left to hunt. so, for what ever reason, i dont feel as though they have treated me very good.
and i doubt there has been a bigger ruger advocate than me in the past. God knows i have bought enough of their guns. the jury is still out on where i go from here. they still havent blown it totally with me, but they are close. i want some answers about why these guns were coming apart, and will not settle for less.
and with the mercedes comment: believe me i dont own one either. money aint easy to come by; and i work for every penny. i will let you do the math....
ruger sbh-$350 broken
ruger sbh hunter- $785/with scope ($635 without)- broken
ruger sbh-$350 - broken

freedom arms model 83- $945 with everything invested

like i said before, one gun that works when i need it is worth 100 that dont. sometimes my norweigan heritege shines through. what you think about that?

myronman3 · « **Reply #16 on:** November 24, 2004, 01:44:47 PM »

by the way, anyone want a deal on a sbh hunter?

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #17 on:** November 26, 2004, 09:44:17 PM »

Myronman
While I could sympathise with your Ruger problems, I have to admit that you were scaring me to death with my first handgun season just around the corner :eek: My Vaquero made it through and successfully I might add.

I did inspect my revolver carefully. Not really much to see. The twist of the rifling would serve to loosen the barrel "or put torque on the ejector rod" but there is really no way to tell in advance unless you would find it difficult or impossible to remove the screw.
This does not seem likely though as some trusted sources say that barrel is screwed in tight enough to crush the threads abit and cause a .001 restriction in the barrel just inside of the throat. (Even A FA? :eek: )

I did return one bolt gun to ruger in the 80's. Was the old incip-head separation thing as factory & light hand loads showed the bright ring at the web. I got prompt reliable service but no explanation. Still have reciept which says chamber cast was made and the barrel was replaced.
I guess they think that a blow by blow account of diagnosis is not nessary.
The rifle was fine when I got it back.

I would love to try a FA but really like my Vaquero. One test I did with it before the deer season was to shoot a 20 shot group at 100yds.
Shots were fired rather quickly as the reality of deer hunting say's you might only get a few second window for an accurate responsible shot.
I sprayed them into a 9-1/2" group shooting off hand from the sitting position. Terrible, you might think. But then again probably acceptable accuracy for deer. Especially since I told myself I wouldn't shoot past 50yds and ended up with a 32yd shot.
More careful work revealed 25yd five shot groups ranging anywhere from 1.338" to 1.720". Most of the summer was spent banging 2"-4"-6" steel at thirty to fifty yards. If I had the sight picture right the gun would do it's thing and I have great confidence in it.
The last test I did before hunting was to shoot five shots through the cold, clean barrel and spent five days doing it. The Accuracy Was There.

There has to be a point to all this rambling, so I am submitting this post in the hopes that the new or younger G/B members won't cheat theirselfs out of going one to three years or more trying to save up for a Freedom Arms centerfire handgun when they might be able to afford a Ruger today.
Weird stuff happens when trying to save for Toy's and usually starts with the washing machine!