Over the last 23 years Freedom Arms has regularly added new cartridges to the Model 83 that have ranged all the way from the .22 Long Rifle to the .50 Action Express. The new .500 Wyoming Express offers versatility, accuracy and serious horsepower. This cartridge was designed by the folks at Freedom Arms specifically for the Model 83 revolver and was many years in development.

The Freedom Arms Model 83 has been chambered in a variety of cartridges including (from top), .454 Casull with 7 1/2-inch barrel, .454 with 4 3/4-inch barrel, .475 Linebaugh with six-inch octagon barrel and .500 WE with 7 1/2-inch barrel.

The .500 WE is not based on another existing case and is new. Rather than featuring a rim, as typically found on other revolver cartridges, it has a belt. This was done to tackle two challenges. First, the ratchet system (or pattern) of the Freedom Arms cylinder is rather compact, and a case with a rim larger than .540 to .545 inch simply won't fit--the rims would overlap. (This is the reason cartridges such as the .500 Linebaugh cannot work in the Freedom Arms revolver.)

The .500 WE belt serves to control headspace, which allows a heavy roll crimp to be applied. The .500 WE generates enough recoil to require cartridges, in either factory loads or handloads, to have a heavy roll crimp to prevent bullets from jumping or "walking" out the end of the chamber (or cylinder) during recoil, thus tying up the gun. Bullet diameter is .500 inch, the same as those used in the .500 S&W Magnum.

Cartridge comparisons, left to right: .44 Magnum, .454 Casull and .500 Wyoming Express.

As of this writing, the .500 Wyoming Express is a proprietary cartridge loaded exclusively by Grizzly Cartridge Company (www.grizzlycartridge.com, 503/556-3006). Factory loads containing cast bullets include a 370-grain WFNGC at 1,300 fps, a 400-grain at 1,250 fps and a 440-grain WFNGC at 1,200. These bullet weights are also available with muzzle velocities of 950 fps for a midrange or light load that is still highly effective but produces substantially less recoil.

The .500 WE features a belt, rather than a rim, to control headspace.

Grizzly also offers a 400-grain bonded-core flatpoint bullet driven to 1,250 fps and a 420-grain Belt Mountain "Punch" solid driven to the same velocity. This writer has tested this last bullet in a variety of mediums, and it offers remarkable penetration, even when heavy bone is encountered. Grizzly Cartridge used a Model 83 with a six-inch barrel to determine the above velocities. As can be seen in the accompanying chart, the test gun achieved somewhat greater velocities.

Standard barrel lengths for the Model 83 are 4 3/4, 6 and 7 1/2 inches; however, the factory Custom Shop offers special lengths and octagon configurations at additional cost. The sample gun was fitted with a 7 1/2-inch round barrel and was a Premier Grade, which carries a lifetime warranty and comes standard with hand-polished finish and hardwood laminated stocks.

Safety and the Freedom Arms Model 83

There has been some misunderstanding of the Freedom Arms manual hammer safety. First, Freedom Arms does not suggest carrying the Model 83 fully loaded with five cartridges in the chambers. To quote the instruction manual, "Never handle your Freedom Arms revolver with a live cartridge in the cylinder with a live cartridge in line with the barrel and firing pin until you are fully prepared to shoot at the target. In the field never carry the revolver with a live cartridge in the chamber which is in line with the barrel and firing pin." Instead, the gun should be loaded with four cartridges only and an empty chamber placed under the hammer. Additionally, Freedom Arms advises shooters to always engage the manual hammer safety, even if the chamber under the hammer is empty. This is accomplished by pulling the hammer back about 3/8 inch (just before the half-cock position), at which point the trigger will "click" slightly, then lower the hammer. If the safety is engaged properly, the face of the hammer will rest approximately 1/10th inch off the frame. The cylinder will turn clockwise just slightly, and I prefer to rotate it back until it locks into place. The Freedom Arms revolver is safe, as long as the user understands its operation and employs common-sense safety practices.

In the Freedom Arms tradition, fit and finish are excellent, while cylinder timing and lockup are superb. There is no detectable cylinder end shake, and the sideplay is virtually non-existent. Being a traditional handgun hunter, plain black adjustable sights were requested. For those choosing to install a scope, there is no need for modification to the revolver, as the rear sight is simply removed from the frame and the base installed in existing screw holes. The front sight is removable via a small screw in the front of the base, which allows easy changing of the front-sight blade to a different color, a gold bead express or different height as needed. The trigger pull broke without creep at three pounds, three ounces.