my buddy Al came through for me today!!!

[Lloyd Smale]

My buddy Al came through for me big time today. I stopped by his buddys gunshop and he had a 280rem weatherby there that i wanted but he couldnt budge on price because of some politcs with his co owner. Al was trying to get him to deal a little but he just couldnt do it. Al called me today and said his buddy had another deal for me. He has a 7.5 in FA 454 thats like new that he would sell me for $750. It will have to go to FA to be cut to 4 5/8s but its still the deal of the century. I own many custom sixguns but have never owned a FA gun so im a little excited about this one.

[Stuart C.]

I'm very happy for you.  Really.  And nice job Al.  Please excuse my ignorance but could you/someone please explain to this newb what an FA is, and why such a distinguished six-gunner like you/Lloyd is so jazzed.  Specifics like what these customs have that make them custom.  And why the 4 5/8" (though I do like them that way). I'm still a-learnin. Thanks!

[blackwolfe]

FA is Freedom Arms, the Cadillac of single actions.  As for the short barrel, Lloyd will have to answer for that.  I know he likes those short ones at least in Single actions and Marlin lever guns.

[kennisondan]

FA is probably known as the premier maker of single actions from a "factory" with quality that is unbeleivable in fit and finish and accuracy but it is expensive. F
A also offers a fair amount of options to personalize the handgun from a list of available options. the customs can be tailor made to your desires with features off other guns sized to your desires; anything safe goes....
additionally, the customs are mostly blue ... or color case hardened... and well blued at that... and the hammers can be blued as well...there is no safe limit on the options that you can imagine discuss and design...
the customs are super well made, fit and finish is superb, accuracy is typically outstanding, and the customs can most often handle more powerful loads than most factory guns of the same caliber... due to the close tolerances, tight fitting of parts that since they do not move, can take much more pressure...
except the FA which is also built very tight...
one other difference is the custom guns often have ample cylinder for long overall length rounds, but the fa's are slightly limited in overall length of the rounds it will operate with.. not terribly limited, but there are limits. If you want blue, it is custom.. if you want stainless you can have fa or custom...
the custom big bif bores are often made in the bisley configuration.. the fa's have their own grip style that is not quite ruger, not bisley, not colt....it is fa.
It is a lot faster to get a gun from fa than from a custom smith... you send the smith a base gun and then with 16-1900 bucks and almost a year for a lot of them ... you get back what you determined to be the ultimate six gun for you according to your experience, needs, and fancy...
that is all I know .. there is a lot more...
there is great pride of ownership and great investment in either one or both..
get either one first.. you have to get both anyway...
that is the ultimate truth... even got Lloyd... wow.
dk
 

[Lloyd Smale]

I know lots of guys dont agree but i detest a barrel any longer then 5.5 on a sixgun and prefer 4 5/8s and even 4 inch barrels. they pack much eaiser in a holster and i personaly shoot them better. kennison about covered the FA deal. Ive never owned one. Mostly because when i plunk down big money for a gun i prefer it blued. Im not a fan of the 454 either. Seems everyone i owned was peddled in short time. ive shot many many fa guns and theyre top shelf in every aspect. I allways thought though that if i was going to get one id want it in 454 as thats the round that got them going. Picking up this one at half the retail cost kind of closed the deal. That and the fact that the guy that owned it is about the most fussy sob with gun care ive ever met and my buddy Al has done the load developement for this same gun for him and i know its a tack driver. Dont get me wrong, i still prefer my customs but I sure couldnt pass this one at that price. One thing a guy has to keep in mind whether it be a custom or a FA gun is you loose money on them about instantly like buying a new car. I looked at this deal like this. I can pay 250 to lop the barrel and still have less then a grand in it and could easily peddle it for a grand and that makes it like money in the bank. I doubt id ever sell it though. Ive wanted a fa for a long time and ill never run into a deal like this one.

[S.B.]

Lloyd, that's how true friends act.  Keep your enemies close and friends even closer. Congratulations.
Steve

[Lloyd Smale]

truer words were never spoken pal!

Lloyd, that's how true friends act.  Keep your enemies close and friends even closer. Congratulations.
Steve

[WNY_Whitetailer]

Wow...Good deal Lloyd...Is it the Field Grade or Premier Grade FA?  There is a used 7.5" barrel Field Grade FA Model 83 in 454 Casull at my local gun shop that is going for $1100 right now...I almost bit on it but I decided not to...The gun appears to be in like new condition...

[Lloyd Smale]

its a field grade with the premier gips and a factory action job (what a joke)