[MCgunner]

Anyone read about the new caliber for the Freedom Arms? It sounds intimidating to actually shoot. Article in "American Rifleman" this month. I think I'd be plenty happy with a FA revolver in .454, frankly. The 50 head spaces on a BELT, for one thing. Odd, and I bet the cases are a small fortune.

[PTK]

...a BELTED handgun case? Wow.

[DevilDog0402]

How does it compare to .500 S&W?

[Action_Can_Do]

It's slightly less powerful than the 500 S&W.

[MCgunner]

Actually, it's 500 WE. Here's something I googled.

http://www.gunblast.com/Freedom_500WE.htm

According the the article in "American Rifleman", the belt is because of, for some reason, the rim has to be smaller due to space in the gun. Whatever, don't sound like a case I'd want OR could afford. LOL

From the above article, though, if I were in Alaska and wanted bear protection, the following is quite an advantage over any X frame IMHO.

The .500 Wyoming Express is the result of Freedom Arms wanting to pack the most power that they could into their Model 83 revolver. Building a bigger gun to house an existing fifty caliber revolver cartridge would have compromised the "packability" of the Model 83. The Model 83 is a tough, strong, and reliable five-shot revolver that is still light enough and portable enough for all-day carry in the field.

[plinky]

Looks like a nice upgrade for those who have a FA .50AE.

I can't understand how there is no room for a rim to headspace on but there is room for a belt? Marketing?

It's a nice tidy package but the kinda oddball cartridge does not add to it's appeal. A .500 Mag case, shortened to fit the FA cylinder, and it's rim reduced if necessary should fit.

It's an elegant piece that I want to like but that cartridge....:confused:

[MCgunner]

I really think the .454 is more than enough for anything I'd ever wanna do with a handgun and it'll chamber my existing .45 Colts, too. I intend to get an FA in .454 someday. I really don't need a .454, actually, as the .45 Colt is more than enough for anything I'd wanna do with a handgun, but the FA is a fantastic revolver and getting one in .454 would be sorta cool.

[Redhawk1]

MCgunner, some of use just like bigger holes, I have three 500 Mags and I am getting a 510 GNR Encore barrel.

Big holes makes them bleed.

[Fiveshooter]

I sent my FA 50 AE in to Freedom Arms to have them fit a 6" octagon barrel, 500 WE cylinder and black Micarta grips. I now have a .50 AE / .500 WE convertable. It can be loaded to slightly over the .500 Linebaugh power level. It is about as much as I would want in a packable size revolver. It is not on par with the power of the S&W 500 but then again it is in a practical and packable size.


http://photos.imageevent.com/fiveshooter/gunpictures/01.jpg

I like mine much better than any S&W 500:)

[DWFan]

Can you say "proprietary"? Seriously, if the rim won't clear the ratchet, the belt won't. (They are the same diameter.) A person can't very well simply rechamber the cylinder because of the recess for the belt either, can they?

[Fiveshooter]

DWFan,
Check out the link below for information on the cartridge. It headspaces just fine on the belt. I don't know how much the design was needed as I never had any problems shooting 385 grain extra hard cast bullets at 1500 FPS from the .50AE in this same gun. I never experienced bullet pull or cases slipping forward under recoil. It seems I read stories from the so called experts ( people who did not own or shoot the gun) that the .50 AE would have these problems with heavy loadings in a revolver. Surprise... more propaganda by folks who write about what they don't shoot.:rolleyes:

http://www.freedomarms.com/500weda.pdf

[kentucky bucky]

I just want to know WHY? No kidding.....I really want to know. It seems to be the solution to a non-existant problem.

[Fiveshooter]

It is manufactured because people are willing to buy it. I already have some 50 caliber custom guns but I bought it because I am a Freedom Arms fan and collector and because I just wanted one. That's all the reason I needed. I can't say I have a practical use for it as my little .44 magnums will take any game that I ever hunt. :)

[Redhawk1]

kentucky bucky, if you have to ask, you would not understand. JK :)

Some of use just like big bullets and heavy recoil. Big holes work...

[kentucky bucky]

Believe me my gun safe screams "I understand!" , but I don't get the belted cartridge thing. In rifles the casings don't last and are impractical to hand load. That is why belted cartridges haven't grown in popularity and non-belted rounds with similar ballistics are more desirable to most. There are several .50's to choose from that will do the same thing (and more) so why complicate things? Does a person just want to have one just because it exists?

[Fiveshooter]

I think they could have done this without the belt. A few custom smiths have been rechambering the model 83 to a shortened 500 S&W case for years with similar balistics. I wanted it because it is a Freedom Arms...not just because it exists. I wish they would have done it without the belt. I am sure eventually a brass manufacturer like Starline will be selling the brass. Until then the only place to get it is Freedom Arms and it is not cheap.

[kentucky bucky]

I'm not trying to be a smart a$$, I really want to know the reason for the "belted " decision by the designers. I understand wanting it as a collector and would never brow beat you all for doing something I'm guilty of.:p

[Fiveshooter]

kentucky bucky,
I fully understand your point, agree with it and still I have no answer to it. As I said I think they could have done this without the belt. If custom smiths can the the original manufacture can. If it were beltless the cases would without question last longer and be picked up quicker by a second manufacture like Starline. I would have much rather had the same caliber in the same revolver without the belt. I know there are more powerful offerings for that MONSTER framed S&W 500 but that big of a gun has very little apeal to me. I like large and powerful calibers not huge revolvers :)

[kentucky bucky]

It's a conundrum wrapped in a riddle!

[Fiveshooter]

A .500 Mag case, shortened to fit the FA cylinder, and it's rim reduced if necessary should fit. This exact thing has been done by a few custom smiths on this exact revolver for years now. I wish it just had a simlple rim design instead of the belt. If there really is a reason for it I fail to understand it myself and I own one. They are nice guns though. I have never owned a Freedom Arms that I did not like :)

[plinky]

Didn't realize guns were already out. Anyway, if the belt is the only problem....it's not much of a problem. As long as cases are available at less than prison-rape prices, it's all good.

I bet that's a handful at full power. :D

Edit: I realized as I sat down to reload that the FA revolver is already offered in .475 Linebaugh which has a considerably larger rim than the .500 S&W. So it seems they could easily use a shortened .500 case and .500 Special would work in the gun as well. Guess I'm beating a dead horse though. Freedom Arms don't roll like that.

[DWFan]

I read the page you linked to, Five Shooter, and I still believe the belt was added to make the round proprietary so FA could control its distribution. In short, you pay dearly for it; much like the .454 Casull once was.

[Redhawk1]

I read the page you linked to, Five Shooter, and I still believe the belt was added to make the round proprietary so FA could control its distribution. In short, you pay dearly for it; much like the .454 Casull once was.

I think you hit the nail right on the head. FA control.

[Boxhead]

I went the 500 L route. Brass sells for $100/250 shipped which ain't too bad.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-7/1055658/Sping08010.jpg

Though I do not own any belted round firearms at this time I never had a problem with brass life when I did. I always resized such that the case headspaced on the shoulder like any other non-belted bottleneck case should be sized.

[MCgunner]

Though I do not own any belted round firearms at this time I never had a problem with brass life when I did. I always resized such that the case headspaced on the shoulder like any other non-belted bottleneck case should be sized.

+1. I neck size my 7 mag stuff and it lasts as long as a non-belt case. That's not an option for the 500 WE, though, not having a shoulder, but I don't know if the belt would be any worse than having a rim.

[Redhawk1]

Boxhead, very nice looking gun you got there.

[plinky]

Boxhead, that is beautiful. That's a dream gun for me. As long as I'm dreaming, might as well make it a Maximum.

[Fiveshooter]

plinki wrote:Edit: I realized as I sat down to reload that the FA revolver is already offered in .475 Linebaugh which has a considerably larger rim than the .500 S&W. So it seems they could easily use a shortened .500 case and .500 Special would work in the gun as well. Guess I'm beating a dead horse though. Freedom Arms don't roll like that.

Actually the rim on the .475 Linebaugh brass that is sold commercially is smaller in diameter than the .500 S&W rim. The rim diameter of the 45-70 that the .475 was originally made from will not fit in the Freedom Arms revolver. It wont even clear the loading gate opening. The rim was reduced in diameter to fit the Freedom Arms revolver. I just measured the rims of each and get .541" for the .475 Linebaugh (Starline brass) and .556 for the .500 S&W. I get .600" on the rim diameter for the .500 Linebaugh brass from Starline. That being said I still think a rimmed .500 could have been chambered in the Freedom Arms revolver with little effort. It is not all that big of a deal to have the belted cases as I don't shoot enough of it to break the bank. It is a cartridge that has a lot of potential in a gun that is very well made and actually costs considerably less than a Ruger converted to .500 Linebaugh. I will also admit to owning a S&W .500 and there is no question as to it being quite a bit more powerful than either the .500 WE or the .500 Linebaugh but I have no desire to carry a revolver that weighs that much.

Boxhead,
That is one fine looking .500 Linebaugh. I see we have similar tastes in revolvers :)



http://imageevent.com/fiveshooter/clements

My .500 Linebaugh built on Accusport Bisley by David Clements
http://photos.imageevent.com/fiveshooter/clements/Left.JPG

[plinky]

Aah, I see. I was thinking of the full .45/70 rim.

Another beautiful gun too! :drool: