Freedom Arms Model 83

[Rick Eaton]

I have a collector who wants a pistol engraved, he's looking to get a Freedom Arms Model 83 chambered for the .454 Casull cartridge with octagon barrels in stainless steel. Does anyone know how these guns are to engrave. I made a mistake once trying to engrave a hard gun . once is enough. Any help would be gratly appreciated.
Thanks
Rick

 

[John B.]

Hi Rick.
EveryFreedom Arms product I have worked on has been a real pain.
I have always tried them first in a concealed place under the grips.
And have wound up turning most of them down.
The cylinders and barrels are even harder than the frames most times.
Just my 2-cents, others may have different input.
Best regards. John B.

 

[Lee]

Rick,

Run fast and don't turn back.They can be engraved. I saw a freedom arms engraved by Lynton M. it was beautiful but if you don't want to slug it out with hard metal advise your client that other guns are much more engraver friendly.

 

[Sam]

Rick: I attempted engraving on one of those derringers about...let's see...25 years ago, and I'd rather be whipped in the face with buzzard guts than to attempt another one.

~Sam

 

[Rick Eaton]

John,
Thanks for the input. I was told that Linton MacKenzie engraved one but I havent found many through doing searches, and I don't want to make the same mistake I made with the H&K I did quite a while ago. Do not want to relive that.
Do you know of any of the big caliber single action pistols that are OK to engrave and collectable that I might steer this collector towards?
Many thanks
Rick

 

[Rick Eaton]

Sam & Lee,
You guys type fast, I must be slow when I started the reply there were no posts now there are two more.
Thanks for the input, I will gladly stay with my 440c stainless blade steel. Sam I appreciate the anology. When I engraved the H&K I would have gladly thrown it into the road and let a logging truck run over it but, I couldn't afford to buy the gun so I had to finish it. Lee I'm allready running.
Many thanks
Rick

 

[Tim Wells]

YUK!!! That's disgusting. Can you get that stuff at Walm###? I got a couple of folks needin' a good slappin'.

Rick: I attempted engraving on one of those derringers about...let's see...25 years ago, and I'd rather be whipped in the face with buzzard guts than to attempt another one.

~Sam

 

[John B.]

Rick, I have never found a S&W that was not engravable.
Might be some , though.
Some have been pretty hard, especially the cylinders and barrels.
But not chippy or flinty hard just tough.
You might steer your customer in that direction, S&W have a .500 that should get the job done.
But cut under the grips and around the cylinder pin for a hidden test before accepting the job.
Just my thoughts.
Best regards, John B.

 

[Lee]

The S&W 500's are fairly hard but engravable. I did 6 and judge them to be at the end of what I call engravable. Used a 120 with a slightly rounded tip in carbide. My brother has cut a pile and found them the same way. He says many of the other S&W's are better.

 

[pilkguns]

Yep, what Sam, Lee and John said!

 

[Rick Eaton]

Thanks, That helped alot, I told the collecter and he got a laugh out of it.
So we will go down a better road.
Rick

 

[monk]

freedom arms .454

i don't know about the metal, but the cartridge is a total nuke ! i would advise against touching the cylinder on this gun. this is a very powerful gun. i've touched off a few rounds in this particular caliber. it generates a lot of pressure in the cylinder, don't go there ! i would only do light work on the parts of this weapon that aren't subjected to pressure when it's fired.

 

[joseph engraver]

The 454 casull in as hard as a prostitute's heart,consider charging triple.If the client says no, consider your self lucky.