Reasonable Freedoms Arms price?

[benenglish]

I have an opportunity to buy a Freedom Arms M97, 5.5" bbl, in .41 Mag. It seems to be in almost unfired condition. It has the wrong sights (v-notch rear and fiber optic front) and I'd have to immediately ship it off to FA to get proper sights installed.

I like the idea of a revolver in Production Standing and for that particular category, the lighter weight of the 97 would be an advantage over the 83.

Given that I'd hit the delay and expense of sending it back to FA for the sight change, I have three questions:

• What's FA's turnaround on this sort of work?
• Does anyone make replacement grips that fill in behind the trigger guard, like the Pachmayrs fill in behind the trigger guard of an 83?
• Is $1250 a good price on the revolver?

TIA for any thoughts.

Ben

PS - The owner is going to let me run 50 rounds through it this week to see if I like the way it handles offhand. If I don't like the way it feels when I shoot it, I won't buy it no matter how low he puts the price.

[Richard Pickering]

I wont claim to be THE revolver authority-----but I think you are about to give up a lot of needed sight radius and barrel length if your intent is metallic silhouette. Along with that I think you'll conclude that the extra weight is an advantage in matches of 40 rds, 60rds, 80rds. It is something that cant be determined in a cylinder or two. As a potential hunting gun the weight differential wont matter. rp