Make: Freedom Arms
Model: 83 Premier Grade
Serial Number: K0309
Year of Manufacture: March 21, 2000 / Modern
Caliber: .475 Linebaugh
Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder
Barrel Length: 4 3/4"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a replaceable brass beaded blade on a ramped base screwed to the barrel. The rear sight is a wide V-notch fully adjustable blade, screwed to the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece black laminated hardwood panels. The panels have no notable wear or damage with only light handling marks. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Stainless Steel, Premier Grade Finish
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is strong. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion the bore rates 10/10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 99% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows little to no handling or operational wear. There are a few minor scratches. The screw heads are sharp. The pinheads are unmarred. The markings are clear. Overall, this handgun rates in Excellent - Like New condition.
Mechanics: The cylinder lock-up is solid with barely perceptible movement. The action functions correctly. The hammer has a ½ cock position. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes with its factory box, owner's manual, test target, and paperwork.
Our Assessment: The .475 Linebaugh Model 83 represents the meeting of two important names in modern big-bore sixgunning: John Linebaugh and Freedom Arms. John Taffin documented that Freedom Arms was experimenting with a Premier Grade five-shot revolver in .475 Linebaugh by 1996, but production was delayed until suitable factory ammunition became available with a rim configuration compatible with the Model 83's recessed cylinder. With Buffalo Bore ammunition available, the first production .475 Linebaugh Model 83 arrived in April 1999. Made March 21, 2000, this revolver dates to less than a year after that introduction, placing it among the early production examples of one of Freedom Arms' most formidable chamberings.
This Premier Grade example pairs the .475 Linebaugh with the compact 4 3/4" barrel, adjustable sights, laminated hardwood grips, and Freedom Arms' finely finished stainless construction. Freedom Arms still catalogs the .475 Linebaugh Model 83 as a five-shot Premier Grade revolver and lists the 4 3/4" barrel as a standard configuration. This example remains in Excellent - Like New condition with about 99% of its original finish, a 10/10 bore, exceptionally tight lockup, and its factory box, test target, manual, and paperwork. An early-production .475 Linebaugh with this level of preservation and factory material is a particularly desirable example of the Model 83 and a serious revolver from the golden age of modern big-bore handgun development.
