Freedom Arms has announced a new cartridge known as the .500 Wyoming Express for the Model 83 revolver. Designed with the handgun hunter in mind, the .500 WE offers enough power to hunt any game on earth. The revolver for which it is chambered is tough as a tank, accurate, handsome and of hip-carrying size.

For those unfamiliar with Freedom Arms, here is a bit of handgun history. During the early 1950s a young experimenter named Dick Casull was working for P.O. Ackley, a high-profile gunsmith and wildcatter of the day. Casull wanted more power from a sixgun and began experimenting with the Colt Single Action Army chambered in .45 Colt.

He soon recognized that the thin chamber walls were the breaking point and developed a five-shot cylinder that was considerably stronger. After careful heat-treating of the frames for a Rockwell hardness of between 40 and 45, he was able to drive a 255-grain bullet to 1,550 fps from a 7 1/2-inch barrel. Even though the case was a standard .45 Colt, this was the early version of the .454 Casull and was before the introduction of the .44 Magnum.

SPECIFICATIONS FREEDOM ARMS MODEL 83 PREMIER GRADE
MANUFACTURER:	Freedom Arms
CALIBERS:	.500 Wyoming Express
BARREL LENGTH:	4 ¾, 6 or 7 ½ inches
WEIGHT:	51 ounces (7 ½ barrel)
CAPACITY:	5 (suggested to carry with 4 rounds only)
RIFILING:	Six lands, six grooves
ACTIO TYPE:	Single action
GRIPS:	Impregnated hardwood or black micarta
FINISH:	Stainless steel, brushed satin
FRONT SIGHT:	Black blade, optional brass bead front
REAR SIGHT:	Square notch rear. Screw adjustable for windage and elevation
SAFETY:	Hammer mounted, sliding safety bar
PRICE:	$1,639

Realizing that he would need a larger frame to obtain greater power, in 1957 Casull started with a block of 4140 steel, then began crafting a prototype revolver. It was a beauty, fitted with a massive five-shot cylinder, fixed sights and fancy one-piece walnut grips. It was also chambered to accept a lengthened .45 Colt case of around 1.383 inches (the same as the .38 Special had been lengthened to create the .357 Magnum) and is essentially the same cartridge that we know today as the .454 Casull. It was capable of driving a 235-grain bullet over 2,000 fps or a 300 grain to more than 1,700.

Considerable time passed before Casull would actually get his big single-action revolver into production. After Casull partnered with Wayne Baker of Freedom Arms in 1979, the Model 83 revolver chambered in .454 Casull began shipping to gun dealers in 1983.

It was simply stunning, with materials and quality that had never previously been seen. For example, it was crafted from 17-4 PH stainless steel that was heat-treated with state-of-the-art methods. This, combined with an unusually stiff frame and a five-shot cylinder, resulted in a brutally strong revolver that was capable of handling the same pressures commonly found in modern bolt-action rifles. Destruction tests have revealed its strength to be nothing short of remarkable.

The Model 83 was also line-bored, meaning that each chamber is bored in the center of the frame receiver, assuring that it is perfectly in line with the center of the bore. The factory also gave much attention to chamber and throat tolerances, keeping them to a minimum to ensure that bullets would not tilt before engaging the rifling. The cylinder lockup and end shake were sometimes undetectable--in other words, there was practically no movement, just enough to allow the cylinder to turn.

The .500 WE headstamp as offered by Freedom Arms and loaded by Grizzly.

The barrel forcing cone was cut to a tight three degrees. All of the above features resulted in super-accurate revolvers right out of the box, with most grouping into two inches at 100 yards. Many are known to hold MOA with select loads. The grip frame was carefully designed to allow most shooters, even those with large hands, to grasp it firmly with the lower three fingers. The shape of the backstrap also helps control felt recoil.