My Newest FA83

[dhd]

I found this FA83 454/45 Colt for my shooting partner at the beginning of 2017. It is a pre-Premier with an  extra 45 Colt cylinder, Action Job, the hardened forcing cone, 7.5" Magnaported barrel, and the laminated grips. It came in the brown cardboard box. He only shot it with the 45 Colt cylinder which had tight throats which initially caused some headaches with the ammo. Regardless, it shot the way a FA83 should even though he loaded it mild.

He decided he wanted a 357 Magnum also, so one was ordered to match the 454. Well, he likes the 357 so much and it is so easy to shoot that the 454 became unwanted. After some horse trading I brought it home to go with my 44 Magnum and 357 Magnum versions of the 83. 

Since my 2 other FA83's are scoped, this one got a spare Leupold 2x I had laying around gathering dust. I'll probably buy a Lovell for this one eventually since the Weigand mounts aren't made anymore and my OCD likes uniformity. I do have some learning to do with the 454 as I really don't want to shoot to many jacketed bullets due to having some very good Accurate Molds on hand already in use. I know I need to put a pile of H110 in there and while I don't particularly mind recoil, I suspect the 454 can get entertaining with a 300 grain LFNGC and a case full of H110. We'll see how 4227 works first with the 300's. 

The 357 is wearing the 2.5-8, the 44 is wearing the 4x, and the 454 is the odd man out. The required family photo:

[dhd]

I've been away for a while playing with custom 1911's and a pair of new 9mm 2011's. After I traded for the 454, I've started playing with the antiquated revolvers again. Man, these Freedom Arms revolvers are stupid accurate!

[KRal]

Great snag and excellent trio!

[wheelguns]

Congratulations! Nice family photo there!

[coldtriggerfinger]

Very nice.
I never put a scope on my Model 83 Feild Grade that I had. I regret that now. Would have made a great meat getter.
I shot more 45 Colt hand loads in mine than I did full house 454. Made it a lot funner to shoot.

[dhd]

Because it is a 454 first, I gotta shoot it that way, but I suspect it'll get used mainly as a 45 Colt. Kinda worried that the 45 Colt won't be strong enough to kill anything. 300 grain bullets at 1200 +/- fps might bounce off a southern whitetail or coyote.

As the pictures show, I'm partial to the Black Micarta and fluted cylinders. If the firing pin ever breaks and I have to send it in for the replaceable fp, I'll spend the money and at least get the 45 Colt cylinder fluted and grips. Until then, I'll suffer through it.

I haven't ever fired a round out of a FA without some sort of optic. Before I went to the scopes,  I had red dot's on the 357 and 44. My shooting partner had a red dot on the 454 and he kept it. I had the mount and scope already. My eyes aren't as quick on irons anymore and the scopes make these thing ridiculously easy to shoot. 

[coldtriggerfinger]

I need to go optical on all my handguns.
I shot a squirrel yesterday early evening. It took me forever to pick up the sights on my Browning Buckmark.

[bigmuddy]

Nice "family". I really like 4227 with the 300 grain lead bullets in my M83's.

Dan