WY Lawmakers Push Freedom Arms Revolver As State Firearm

Some Wyoming lawmakers are pushing to designate a powerful revolver made by a homegrown company as the official state firearm during the upcoming legislation session, which will start amid a heightened national debate on gun control.

A bill pending for the session that begins in early January would name the Freedom Arms Model 83 revolver chambered in the extremely powerful .454 Casull cartridge as Wyoming’s official state gun. The high-end revolvers are made in a small factory in the western Wyoming town of Freedom.

Rep. Richard Cannady, R-Glenrock, is the bill’s main sponsor and runs a company that deals in shooting supplies. He said members of some local gun clubs approached him and other lawmakers asking them to designate a state gun.

“It’s one of the best guns made, high quality,” Cannady said Monday of the Freedom Arms revolver. “It’s nothing out here that somebody would absolutely just go out and start shooting people with. It’s made more for protection from bears and stuff like that, and hunting.”

Cannady said demand for ammunition and reloading components has skyrocketed at his business since the Dec. 14 school shooting in Connecticut prompted renewed talk about national gun control. He said he’s had to ration sales to keep speculators from clearing out his inventory.

If the bill goes through, Wyoming could become the fourth state to designate an official firearm.-[source]