Freedom Arms Model 555 Safari Club International Year of the Polar Bear .50 AE SA Revolver – Cased

SOLD FOR: $2,626
LSB#: 
130533BL12
Make: Freedom Arms
Model: Model 555 Safari Club International “Year of the Polar Bear”
Serial Number: SCI IXXIII
Year of Manufacture: Modern (1994?)
Caliber: .50 Action Express
Action Type: Single Action Revolver with a 5 Round Side Loading-Gate Cylinder
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “Year of the Polar Bear”. The right side of the barrel is marked “Freedom Arms Model 555 .50AE / Freedom, Wyoming U.S.A.” The left side of the receiver is marked “Pat. No. 4126953”. The bottom of the frame in front of the grip frame is marked “SCI / IXXII”. The circumference of the cylinder is marked in 2 places with a picture of a polar bear and “1994 / Safari Club / International’s”. The rear face of the cylinder is marked “I X X I I”.
Barrel Length: The octagon barrel is 6” in length.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blued replaceable brass beaded blade on a ramped base fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a flat topped shallow “V” notch sight that is adjustable for windage and elevation and screwed to the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are the Ebony Micarta grips as shown on the Freedom Arms website. The grips show no marks and rate in about AS-NEW condition.
Type of Finish: Brushed Stainless Steel
Finish Originality: All Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp and deep. There is no erosion in the bore. There are no indications in the bore, cylinder or recoil shield that this revolver was fired outside the factory.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 99+% of its metal finish. There is a very light mark on the ejector rod housing about 1” in front of the frame and another at the frame. The cylinder shows no marks and does not have a drag line. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this handgun rates in about near-NEW condition.
Mechanics: The cylinder lock-up is Perfect, with NO PLAY WHATSOVER, and the trigger is light and crisp. The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes in a heavy oak presentation case. The lid of the case is hinged at the back with two brass hinges. The sides of the lid and the bottom half of the case are dovetailed together at the corners. The top of the lid has a small compression mark on its flat surface, a 2nd on the front edge near the right corner and another in the middle of the front edge that appears to have knocked off a small splinter of wood. There is also a small splinter that has been knocked off the left front bottom corner of the lower section of the case. The inside of the lid is lined with burgundy colored cloth. The bottom half of the case is partitioned into sections for the pistol and its accessories, and each section is lined with burgundy cloth. There are no blemishes on the inside of the case, and the case rates in Excellent overall condition. The center section has an oak insert that holds 12 rounds of ammunition (no ammunition is provided). The middle left section holds a chrome plated oiler. The other sections all have fitted oak lids with bright brass handles. The bottom section holds an oak cleaning rod and a bronze brush. The upper left section holds a key for this case, and the right section is empty. All of the accessories appear AS-NEW.
Our Assessment: Freedom Arms makes premier quality firearms, and this revolver is no exception. The action and trigger pull are exceptional. This revolver doesn’t look like it was ever fired outside the factory, but does have two tiny marks on the ejector rod housing. It was apparently made to commemorate Safari Club International in 1994 and comes complete with a beautiful oak presentation case and accessories. This is a really fantastic package for the collector of single action revolvers.

Freedom Arms Model 555 Safari Club International Year of the Polar Bear .50 AE SA Revolver - Cased
Freedom Arms Model 555 Safari Club International Year of the Polar Bear .50 AE SA Revolver – Cased