Freedom Arms

Freedom Arms' first offering was a five-shot mini-revolver in .22 Long Rifle known as "The Patriot". It was later offered in .22 Short and .22 Winchester Rimfire Magnum. A beltbuckle holster version was patented by Richard J. "Dick" Casull ({{US Patent|4450992}}) to accommodate the small revolver. A boot pistol model was available with a longer barrel.{{citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ulWbH-4xtd8C&pg=PA21|title=Gun Digest Buyer's Guide to Concealed-Carry Handguns|author=Jerry Ahern|pages=21–22|isbn=978-1-4402-1383-0|publisher=Gun Digest Books|year=2010}} A four-shot mini-revolver was produced by Freedom Arms, but production ceased in 1990,{{cite book| last = Hartink| first = A.E.| title = The Complete Encyclopedia of Pistols and Revolvers| publisher = Chartwell Books, Inc| year = 2003| pages = [https://archive.org/details/completeencyclop0000hart/page/132 132–134]| location = Edison, New Jersey| isbn = 978-0-7858-1871-7| url = https://archive.org/details/completeencyclop0000hart/page/132}} and the design was sold to North American Arms.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

Co-founder Dick Casull had been experimenting with several prototype revolver cartridges since 1956. Casull felt he could offer a more powerful version of the .45 Colt and .44 Remington Magnum and built a number of five-shot prototypes on Ruger Super Blackhawk frames. Freedom Arms was the first commercial producer of revolvers chambered in this caliber, the .454 Casull, in 1983.{{citation|title=Flat-shooting trail gun: Casull 3800|author=John Taffin|date=February 2003|work=Guns Magazine|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_2_49/ai_95680070/pg_2/}} This model is still manufactured today as the Model 83.{{cite book | last = Barnes| first = Frank C.|author2=Skinner, Stan| title =Cartridges of the World: 10th Edition, Revised and Expanded | publisher = Krause Publications| year = 2003| pages = 528| isbn = 978-0-87349-605-6}}

Several variants of the Model 83 have been produced, all with five-shot cylinders. The first was a .45 Colt in February 1986 (of which fifty-four units sold between 1986 and 1989), followed closely by a .44 Magnum version.{{citation|work=American Handgunner|title=Freedom arms: 25 years of sixgun perfection |date=September–October 2008 |author=John Taffin|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_195_32/ai_n27963924/}}{{dead link|date=January 2016}} In 1991, Freedom Arms introduced the Model 252 in .22 LR and in 1992 the Model 353 in .357 Magnum, including a nine-inch variation produced to meet the four-pound maximum weight requirement for IHMSA Silhouette competition. In 1993, the Model 555 was introduced in .50 Action Express; .41 Magnum and .475 Linebaugh chamberings were introduced in 1997 and 1999, respectively.{{citation|work=Guns Magazine|author=John Taffin|title=Freedom Arms Model 97 - The Sixgunner|date=May–June 2004|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_169_28/ai_114475593/}} Freedom Arms introduced their own .500 Wyoming Express in the Model 83 .500 WE in 2005.{{citation|title=Freedom Arms' biggest big bore: the 1/2"-bore fan gets a new cartridge and a stellar one it is|work=Guns Magazine|date=April 2006|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_4_52/ai_n26776096/}}

At least two variants of the Model 83 with a three-inch barrel and lacking an ejector were produced in .454 Casull and .44 Magnum. These variants, named "Marshall" and "Packer," have symmetrical frames, made possible by the lack of an ejector.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

The Model 97 design, with a smaller frame than the Model 83, was introduced in 1997, originally with a six-shot .357 Magnum cylinder (a .38 Special cylinder was available). A five-shot .45 Colt chambering was introduced the following year, as was a five-shot .41 Magnum in 2000. Six-shot revolvers produced with .22 Long Rifle sporting- and match-grade cylinders available, as well as .22 Winchester Rimfire Magnum from 2003. A five-shot .44 Special chambering followed in 2004.{{citation|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_5_50/ai_114283923/|title=Freedom arms Model 97 .44 special|author=John Taffin|date=May 2004|work=Guns Magazine}} In 2009, Freedom Arms announced the .224-32 FA and began producing a six-shot in this chambering.{{Cite web|date=2009-01-16|title=New 224-32 FA cartridge -|url=https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/01/16/new-224-32-fa-cartridge/|access-date=2021-11-17|website=The Firearm Blog|language=en-US}}

The Model 2008, which was introduced in 2010, is a single-shot pistol with interchangeable barrels, available in various rifle chamberings.{{citation|title=Gun Digest 2012|first=Dan |last=Shideler|date=7 August 2011 |isbn=978-1-4402-1447-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HEjWeu2XJlEC&pg=PA252|page=251|publisher=Gun Digest|location=Iola, Wisconsin}}

The .224-32 FA is a wildcat cartridge designed and produced in 2009 by Freedom Arms for use in their Model 97 revolver. The .224-32 FA was designed to provide a high-performance .22 caliber centerfire cartridge that would work in a revolver, and is capable of taking varmints and predators up to the size of coyotes.{{Cite web |date=2011-05-16 |title=Freedom arms |url=http://www.freedomarms.com/224-32fada.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516031155/http://www.freedomarms.com/224-32fada.pdf |archive-date=2011-05-16 |access-date=2021-11-17}}

{{infobox firearm cartridge|name=.224-32 FA|en2=|detonation=|yield=|is_SI_ballistics=|bwunit=|bw1=40|btype1=Hornady V-Max|vel1=2295|en1=468|bw2=|btype2=|vel2=|bw3=|filling=|btype3=|vel3=|en3=|bw4=|btype4=|vel4=|en4=|bw5=|btype5=|vel5=|en5=|test_barrel_length={{cvt|10|in|cm}}|filling_weight=|max_cup=|image=Media-1618098850439-Apr_9_2021_5_27_PM~2.jpg|is_SI_specs=|caption=|origin=United States|type=Revolver

|service=|used_by=|wars=|designer=Freedom Arms, Inc.|design_date=2009|manufacturer=|production_date=2009–present|number=|variants=|parent=.327 Federal|max_pressure=|case_type=Rimmed, bottleneck|bullet=.224|neck=|shoulder=|base=|rim_dia=|rim_thick=|case_length=1.12|length=1.6|case_capacity=|rifling={{cvt|1|-|9|in|cm}}|primer=Small pistol|balsrc=}}

File:FreedomArms.jpg

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Freedom Arms Inc}}

Category:Firearm manufacturers of the United States

Category:Manufacturing companies based in Wyoming

Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1978

Category:Derringers