Casull Arms Corporation
Dick Casull parted ways with the Freedom Arms Group, which still held rights to the .454 Casull Mr. Casull had invented and brought to life while under the Freedom Arms umbrella, in the mid 1990’s to start a company by himself.
Dick Casull and Wayne Baker partnered in 1979 to found the Freedom Arms Corporation and eventually started shipping the gun (in 1983) that Mr. Casull originally started prototyping in the 1950’s. It started off in the model 87 Freedom Arms offering, which has now been copied several times over and has become an iconic and powerful poster child for hunting handcannons. The .454 Casull cartridge was finalized in the late 1950’s and even debuted in Guns & Ammo just before 1960.
Because Casull Arms Corporation is now defunct (it was briefly based out of Afton, Wyoming), this company snapshot will read more like a history of Dick Casull’s achievements and the Freedom Arms legacy, as well as the staying power of the 454 Casull cartridge, which was for many years the big dog for handgun firepower.
Casull Firearms
Casull designs without the Casull Arms markings
Dick Casull had several designs that either were sold to other companies to produce, or never quite made it through to production through either his Freedom Arms or his Casull Arms channels.
Freedom Arms “Casull” revolvers
The Freedom Arms revolvers were and still are considered the pinnacle of production revolver offerings, with excellent looks solid feel and impeccable finishing
Casull pocket revolver designs
Casull also had significant input on the hideout series of pocket revolvers produced by NAA (North American Arms)
The Casull CA-2000
He eventually produced his own folding trigger revolvers for concealed carry, chambered in .22LR called the CA-2000
The Casull CA-3800
A 1911 style semi-auto pistol chambered in .38 Casull or .45 ACP manufactured by Casull Arms, Inc. from 2001-05.
The Casull CAC5000
A Conventional Bolt Action Rifle chambered in standard calibers like the .270 and .375 H&H manufactured by Casull Arms, Inc. from 1997-1999 in limited quantity.
The Casull CRS7000
A Casull “wildcat” chambered bolt action with a patented bolt and extraction/ejection system chambered in 6.5 Casull and .30 Casull manufactured by Casull Arms, Inc. from 1997-1999
Casull Prototypes
Dick Casull made some incredibly high quality adjustable sight Casull Arms, Inc. versions of the original Casull Revolver, but they never went into production; the assumption is that there were some patent or other concerns involving the Freedom Arm’s designs.
Casull Arms Corporation no longer exists, but the footprint Dick Casull has left on the shooting world is still readily apparent, even if he is a hard guy to find new information about. He still shows up every once in a while to local gun shows and still tinkers (or at least he was still tinkering last I saw him in the mid 2000’s).
