Freedom Arms 97

[HGunner]

I make it to an outdoor shooting range on a regular basis.  I do a fair amount of load testing and shooting with a variety of revolvers.  My general interest is in field and hunting revolvers that work with standard belt holsters and iron sights.  I practice occasionally with self defense guns but I keep that very simple and use factory ammo.  That being said,  I don't think I have gone to the range this summer without an FA 97 in either 44 special or 45 colt -- or both!  These are without a doubt my favorite guns to load for and shoot. 

[HGunner]

I'd love to hear about your favorite FA 97 and load!


Thanks, HGunner

[HAMMERHEAD]

Mine is a 4-1/4" .357. I've had it for about ten years now.
I'm a handloader, so mine hasn't seen more than 100 factory rounds total.
I shoot 158 grain LSWC's over 5 grains of Universal or 140 grain LFP's over 3.5 grains Clays.
I have a scope mount, but like you, I like open sights and shooting from my hind legs.
I do need a holster though.
What holster do you use?

[HGunner]

I use two holsters for my 5.5 inch gun.  One is an El Paso Saddlery Threeperson made for a 5.5" Ruger Blackhawk.  I like the fit - not too tight and no sight drag with the .380 sight I use.  The other is a Galco SAO which can be used strong side or cross draw (also bought for a 5.5" Blackhawk).  It offers near complete coverage of the frame, cylinder and trigger guard which is nice the thick brush.  For a four inch gun I might try the Freedom arms strong side, high ride holster -- seems real nice.

[Humbo]

I only own one M97, a 5.5" 45 Colt with a Trijicon RMR on top. Probably the most fun gun I own to shoot, bullet weights vary from 240 to 310 grains. The RCBS 300 SWC is superbly accurate, but snappy, I do most of the plinking with a 245 grs LFN from NOE. The gun still hasn't one single factory round through it.

[HGunner]

What's your most accurate load in the 45 colt?  Do you deep seat the 300 SWC or trim down the brass?

[Humbo]

10 grains of Vihtavuori 3N37 behind the RCBS 300 SWC with a CCI #300 primer is a very accurate load for me. Brass is Starline. I don't have to trim the brass, meplat is about flush with the cylinder face. The RCBS 270 SAA is also very accurate, but you have to trim the brass back a bit to crimp in the crimp groove.

[HGunner]

Thanks Humbo,  I don't have 3N37 but I have some HS-6 I can try.  If that doesn't work out I may try to track down some 3N37.  I already have the bullet as I use it in my FA 454 over 4227.

[Humbo]

HGunner, you're welcome. I really like 3N37, it burns clean and gives good velocities, but unfortunately I don't have access to many of the American powders for testing. In revolvers I pretty much have to stick with Vihtavuori N110 for magnum loads, and 3N37 and the rest of the N300-family for pistol and revolver plinking loads. I can get my hands on some Hodgdon powders, but they are way pricey over here. HS6 shouldn't be too far from 3N37 in burn rate and will hopefully give similar performance.

[ole 5 hole group]

I've tried several different powders and bullet weights in my 97 in 45 Colt and have only found 2 loads that will shoot very well in my revolver. 
 
The heavy load - 325 grain cast bullet in front of 21.0 grains of H110 and WLP primer gets me a half inch group at 25 yards rested.  I can consistently shoot that sized group scoped - iron sights it opens up a bit, as my eyes are older than most.  The velocity for that particular load is 1,125fps. 
 
The light load is 9.2/9.3 grains of VV N340 behind a 255 grain cast with a WLP primer.  Haven't chronographed that load but it should be around 900/950fps.  It will give me under 3/4 inch groups at 25 yards rested. 
 
Everything else I've tried gives me anywhere from 1.5 inch groups to 4 inch groups at 25 yards rested and there weren't many 1.5 inchers in the lot and those were being pushed hard.   

[HGunner]

Hi 5 Hole,  What's the 255 grain you're using and what diameter?  My 250s shoot well at 25 but not so hot at 50 (groups at least triple).   Your 325 grain load sounds like more than I care to shoot in the 97 but i may give it a try.  I have yet to settle on a really good hunting load for that gun.  My best luck has been with 250 XTPs.

[ole 5 hole group]

I've used 2 different 255 grain bullets - one from Penn bullets sized 0.451 and the other from Oregon Trail bullets (lazer cast) sized 0.452.  Both are SWC.  I also shot the 250 grain XTP and Speer 250 grain deep curls with the 9.2 grain N340 load and they shot well but not quite as good as the cast did - looked at my notes and all it said was "grouped very well".  Here's a couple typical groups at 25 yards rested using a 2X scope with the Beartooth 325 grain and that one load of VV N110 which is a soft shooting load going about 1,000fps - didn't chronograph that one but 18.3 grains of VV N110 went 1,171fps.
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[ole 5 hole group]

 Here's 50 shots fired off-hand (slow-fire) at 50 feet (give or take a foot) at our indoor range last Sunday by my 13 yoa granddaughter with the 97 and the 255 grain cast VV N340 load. The green bullseye has a 3" diameter. 2 targets have 15 rounds while one target has 20 rounds.  The moon and stars were aligned just right, as she's a fine young pistol and smallbore rifle shot, but this was her best day ever with either the 97 or my red dot Baer 1911.
 
We'll be going to the range today, as she has challenged me to three 10-shot matches at 50 feet off-hand. She's really feeling her oats and if she really has punched through the wall, then I'm in serious trouble but I'm confident that she hasn't punched through that wall or else she'll get that nervous competition twitch.
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[ole 5 hole group]

She gave me a run for my money - I think she's finally getting through that wall and we'll have to take it out to 50 yards next summer and let her chew on that for awhile.  She started out tough but then farted & fell.
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[/img]    This one is from 30 feet.

[HGunner]

Wow 5 Hole,  That sounds like fun! You're a lucky man to share that with your granddaughter!


Humbo,  Thanks for sharing your load data.  I shot some 300 grain RCBS SWCGC over 12 grains of HS-6 and it seemed really nice.  I only made up 10 to try but I will definitely make more.  The recoil and blast were pleasant and the accuracy seemed very good.  Like you said they are flush with the cylinder face but this does not cause any problem.  Thanks!

[ole 5 hole group]

Ya, it's really nice to see my grandkids enjoy firearms and have a goal of beating grandpa.  I think I was about 22 or 23 before I could consistently beat my ole man at 25 and 50 yards - I've got an 11 yoa granddaughter that's going to be a hot shot before too long, so I'll probably be out of the picture here pretty soon and let them battle it out for top honors.
 
The war department told me my daughters were gonna give him a whippin in smallbore and pistol but that never happen and now she tells me the grandkids are gonna give me a whippin some day and I can kinda see it coming.

The 13yoa and I will shoot coyotes together this winter, as she got her hunter safety certificate last winter and is bound & determined to make a little "pelt money" this winter and wants to get a deer next year.  We'll see about that.

Sorry for the hi-jack.

[gcrank1]

No worries from me on tellin' tales of bringin' the g-kids up right! Pass on congrats from me for some very fine shooting  .