Freedom Arms Grip Frame

[boomer]

Has FA Changed or modified there 83 grip frames at all in the last 10 years or so? I had a 83 PG in 454C back then and just could not get real aquanited with it, as I have the Ruger Bisley grip.Been looking at them again from these pages and the web. Thanks for responses

[Ken O'Neill]

While there are individual grip fitting differences, and while there was a casting supplier change perhaps 8 years ago or so, the feel of all the 83 grips is fundamentally the same...excluding the difference of the Pachmayrs vs all the others, of course.

[mark]

I don't know if it has been less than 10 years, but they have changed. The newer Model 83 grip frames are larger (longer) than the originals. The difference is minor. My 83 is about 15 years old and it has the original style grip frame. I bet you wouldn't notice the difference when shooting. I have no idea why it was changed.
Mark

[shorty500]

while i dont know the exact date of the change there are most definitely two distinctly different grip frames. i have three guns dating before 1990. all three have the same frame that is shorter than the newer, longer and more " straight or vertical" backstrap on the newer guns. prefer the the newer style but dont see any real world difference in actual shooting.

[Ken O'Neill]

Yes, it's true that the gripframes were indeed changed more than 10 years ago to accomodate a different way of holding the mainspring ( a new slot vs the old screw and nut ), and the grip was also lengthened, BUT, as I said, these changes did not fundamentally change the feel of the gun, which was the reason for boomer's inquiry... they simply added to the reasons that make it very difficult to swap grips (stocks, if you must) from one FA to another. I shoot all the variations regularly and feel absolutely no difference until I get to the round butts and Pachmayrs, neither of which are satisfactory to me.