The nondescript building that houses Freedom Arms sits surrounded by the beautiful Wyoming wilderness. Since a lot of tourists pass this way each summer, there is a sign on the front door stating "No Factory Tours". They would not get any work done otherwise, but company President Bob Baker was nice enough to bend the rules and give me an inside look at how Freedom Arms handguns are made.

Wyoming has held a special place in my heart since I first visited the state over 35 years ago. It's one of the last bastions of true wilderness remaining in the lower 48 and offers the outdoorsman a sense of freedom found in only a handful of states. I would likely have moved there years ago were it not for one thing: the very cold, windy winters. These are hardy people here who value the wilderness experience over creature comforts. Firearms are a natural part of life in Wyoming and, unlike most states to the east, it's not so much a question of finding a place to hunt and shoot but rather knowing the few places where you cannot. The majority of the land area is public land where citizens are free to wander, camp, hunt and shoot to their heart's content.

The process begins with blocks of stainless steel and CNC machinery. Each part is machined to close tolerances that ensure solid reliability and superb accuracy. Even with the precision parts produced, however, CNC machining is only the first step in the production of these fine handguns.

Wyoming is a fitting place for a small firearms company devoted to building the finest single-action hunting revolvers available. Only the more detailed road maps will show the location of Freedom, Wyoming on route 89 about an hour drive south of Jackson Hole. There's not much there other than a simple blue building that houses Freedom Arms Inc.

Shown here is a cylinder after the CNC machine has done its job. The chambers will be line-bored. Line-bore chambering means each chamber is reamed in exact line with the bore with the cylinder locked as it will be when the revolver is shot. The lock-up is achieved using the revolver's own components. It's a slow, tedious process but it produces the most accurate revolver possible.

I recently spent eight days rambling around Wyoming in a rented SUV and decided to follow up on an invitation to visit extended by Freedom Arms President, Bob Baker, on a handgun hunt last winter. I found Bob in his office working on a customer's gun. This was not the plush office one might expect for the President and owner of a well-respected American firearm company. It was more workroom than business office. A simple desk and chair tucked into one corner were dwarfed by shelves filled with gun books and a large work table sat in the center of the room and took up most of the office space.

An important decision is made at this little wood table in the center of the machine shop. After each handgun is assembled it's test fired in a machine rest. Here the decision is made as to whether or not the handgun meets Freedom Arm's high standard for accuracy. Note the hole in the paper is a group, not a single shot. Obviously this particular handgun will now go on to the finishing room.

It was at this table that Bob was busy trying to ascertain why a customer's .41 Magnum revolver had suddenly gone sour after years of tack driving reliability. It turned out there were some nicks in the muzzle crown, apparently from hard use. This sort of hands-on involvement in customer satisfaction by a company President is all too rare these days. Bob started Freedom Arms thirty years ago and success has not dampened his work ethic. He's intimately involved with every aspect of design, production, and customer service.

Freedom Arms handguns are individually polished and finished by hand. It's time-consuming work and adds to the final cost of the firearm, but many connoisseurs of fine handguns appreciate the added effort.

Even the grips are made in-house and individually fit to each handgun. The grips on the left are nearly finished while those on the right are shaped and ready for the final fitting and polishing. These are micarta but wood grips are also available.

As soon as it reaches a point in production where is can be safely fired--even before the final finish is achieved or the grips installed--each handgun is tested in a machine rest for accuracy. Bob explained that even with the high quality of materials and precision machining used, some guns still don't meet his high standards for accuracy. It makes sense to weed out these handguns before the cost of hand finishing is invested in them.

Final hand fitting and inspection of each part takes place here. It's this attention to detail that sets Freedom Arms single-actions apart from the pack. CNC machined parts are precise and smooth enough that good quality handguns can be produced without hand fitting, but good isn't good enough at Freedom Arms.

Freedom Arms revolvers are not budget priced and a tour of the facilities clearly illustrated why. These are true custom quality firearms meticulously manufactured using the latest CNC machinery coupled with hand fitting and finishing and strict quality control through each step of the process. Accuracy is not an ideal that is hoped for. It's a specification that is demanded and never compromised.

Each part is CNC machined on the premises from blocks of stainless steel. Only the barrel blanks and a couple springs are made elsewhere. Even the beautiful cases for the handguns are made here. After each handgun is assembled and tested for accuracy it goes to the finishing room where it's carefully hand finished to the high standard Freedom Arms is famous for. It was fascinating to watch how quickly and expertly the men and women in the finishing room could turn out these silky smooth works of art.

Here's a sample of the final product. This is a model 83 chambered for the potent .475 Linebaugh. A wide variety of calibers from .22 Long Rifle to the new .500 Wyoming Express are available in two action sizes. Visit the Freedom Arms web site (www.freedomarms.com) for more details on calibers and options.

Anyone who has followed my writing for long knows I am not one to heap false praise on products. If I could find some fault with Freedom Arms handguns I would point it out. Shooters often look back on the mostly bygone days of hand fitting with sadness but the fact is hand fitting was necessary back then to make the guns functional because parts were not as precisely manufactured as is possible today. Today's handguns produced with CNC machining and precision castings are in many ways superior to any that came before. Add a little hand fitting and polishing to the mix along with a firm commitment to quality and the results can be exceptional. At Freedom Arms the combination of modern technology and old school craftsmanship turns out as near faultless a handgun as is humanly possible.

My thanks to Bob Baker for taking time from his busy day to show me around the Freedom Arms facility. There were some parts of the manufacturing process I was understandably not allowed to photograph but hopefully the photos provided will give you an idea of how Freedom Arms achieves the level of quality the company is famous for. I have long admired the quality and accuracy of these handguns and it was interesting to get an inside look at how they are made.