Model 97 prices ?

[dant]

I may have missed them when I looked thru Freedom Arms website, but...about what is the base price of a model 97 premier grade ? Thanks,Dan

[c.r.]

here ya go Dan
http://www.freedomarms.com/m97p.htm

in case that doesn't work, click on the "guns" link, then you have to scroll down a bit to see the premier 97 link.

When i started the process of ordering mine.  Three out of three local dealers (after contacting FA for the model and mods I wanted) all came in with the MSRP on the website........give or take 20 bucks.

there are a couple of links near the bottom of the page.  one link is for preferred dealers.
http://www.freedomarms.com/dealers.html

from my limited experience, the preferred dealer i chose was able to get me a better price than my local dealers.

hope that helps,
c.r.

[dant]

Yes, thanks I missed that. I actually wanted to know new prices so I can figure out if the gun I'm looking at is a good deal or not. Taking the base price and adding oprions the new retail is about 2300 and the one I'm looking at is like new, no turn line on cylinder and 1400. Good deal ?

[Graybeard]

Price wise yes. With used you get no warranty and with new you get a life time warranty. You can buy a lot of repairs for that difference for sure.

There is not a lot of mark up on FA guns so dealers aren't going to discount them very much from MSRP. If you get $50-$100 off you've got about as good a deal as you should expect really.

[paul105]

The real question is “what’s it worth to you”?  

I recently picked up a FA97 .44 Special in previously owned but (as far as I could tell) unfired condition for $1,369 (incl shipping and xfr fees).  The current retail value of that gun, including shipping/options is $1,970.  Would I do it again?  Absolutely.  Was it a ‘smokin’ deal?  Probably not.  If you wait around long enough and look hard enough there are some amazing deals out there (although they never seem to find me).

Regarding the warranty – I can’t imagine what would cost $900 to repair (assuming full list purchase price).  I have a .475 M83 and a .45Colt M97 that have been shot extensively.  I broke a firing pin and a cyl bolt spring on the M83.   On the M97, I’ve broken the cyl bolt spring, hand spring and trigger spring and had to have the transfer bar repaired.  The firing pin was my fault (dry firing on fired cases), and my impression was that the transfer bar problem was a first.  I fixed the firing pin and had a local gunsmith replace the springs (I’m sure I could have also done that but wasn’t worth the frustration to this “all thumber”).  The transfer bar was the only thing that required shipping the gun back to the factory.  Freedom Arms customer service is second to none.  They are friendly and will help you diagnose problems over the phone.

If the gun has the features you like, I’d jump on it.

Just my 2 cents.

Paul

[free4ever]

I thought I was getting ripped off paying retail (or close to retail, can't remember that far back). At the time there was a more expensive 97 sitting in the showcase (iron sights) and yet even with the fixed sights that I ordered the gun with, the special order was a few hundred more. I believe that gun the dealer had was new. Soooo, check to see if a dealer has something close to what you want to order in stock. Special orders always cost more. I think you can probably haggle a bit more when a dealer wants to get rid of inventory.

[Yosemite Sam]

I just paid $1690 for a new one, delivered.

I turned down a used one the guy wanted $1500 for.

As has been said, there's not a lot of wiggle room on these.  Even on guns that don't cost this much, the margin is down in the $20 range for most dealers.  Larger dealers get better wholesale prices, hence Bud's Gun Shop can usually sell you something including shipping for less than your local mom & pop dealer can sell it to you for.

c.r.  Did you get your .44 Special yet?  I picked up my .45 Colt today.  Can't wait for the (loooong) weekend!

-- Sam

[c.r.]

I just paid $1690 for a new one, delivered.

I turned down a used one the guy wanted $1500 for.

As has been said, there's not a lot of wiggle room on these.  Even on guns that don't cost this much, the margin is down in the $20 range for most dealers.  Larger dealers get better wholesale prices, hence Bud's Gun Shop can usually sell you something including shipping for less than your local mom & pop dealer can sell it to you for.

c.r.  Did you get your .44 Special yet?  I picked up my .45 Colt today.  Can't wait for the (loooong) weekend!

-- Sam

Sam
Congratulations.  I'm glad you were able to get hold of one.  Sounds like you found somebody with one in stock.  I think the litte bit extra you paid for a new one is well worth it compared to the cost of the used one.  But what the heck do I know  I'm sure you're going to have some serious fun in the next 5 days.  looking forward to a range report.

No Sir, I haven't heard anything on mine.  I went thru Mr. Scott Taylor.  He is extremely helpful and polite, and that's what i look for when i'm giving my business to somebody.  I really don't expect it till around the first of the year at the earliest.  But it's getting closer.

oh, when it gets here i'm going to post pics of it on 3 different sites and twice on this one and then just keep bumping it back to the top every 2 days  maybe a group hug photo with my clements and harton 44 specials and maybe slip in my ruger lipsey's.

BTW.......I have 44 special brass in the tumbler right now.

Happy Thanksgiving,

~c.r.

[Yosemite Sam]

I got mine from Scott, too.  Apparently he had (some?  one?) of the .45s in stock.

And yeah, at $150 difference (not counting shipping) I couldn't see buying a used one instead of a new one.

I got it out to the range today and am very impressed.  It's an amazingly small, svelte, nimble gun.  Even my .44 Special Lipsey's Blackhawk feels big and bulky compared to the 97.  We're going to have a lovely relationship. 

Sorry, I didn't mean to get you thinking about yours.  Polish that brass! 

-- Sam