It became the standard cartridge of the Army, though the Colt 1873 still was the main issue side arm of the Army. Serial no. But Dan and RF gave me some good pointers, and Ive read a lot of online tutorials that have helped. However, the .38SPL is only one of the chamberings offered by Taylors & Company. The extractor extracted the cases and then snapped back into place ready for new cartridges to be reloaded. 3 model of 1875 incorporated Major Schofield's modifications, most notably the frame mounted stirrup type barrel latch that allowed the revolver to be opened by the thumb. Used URBEA Hermany (Spanish Copy) .45 schofield, Double-Action Revolver, 5" Barrel Black Grips, Patinaed Frame, No Box. Id like to get one of these, perhaps a plane jane version can be had for much less. Thanks, I really struggle with the photos. My third shot confirmed what many of you are likely suspecting. I shot this gun in the Texas Hill Country Spring heat, ranging from 90 to 102 degrees. Weve got a micro anodizer that can put Ti in some pretty cool colors. This interesting and very functional pistol was designed by Major George Schofield. Our price: $799.99. You take sodium nitrate salts, heat them to about 585F, you drop in the de-greased screws, and wait 15 minutes. Can you shoot .45 ACP using moon clips? Be careful when shooting this gun in bright sunlight, as its reflection may blind pilots in low-flying aircraft. While the Colt Model 601 was the first AR-15 to be mass-produced, there were several design variations that came before during the platform's development. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. Available in dozens of calibers and frame sizes for concealed carry, home . Smith & Wessons No. and yet I still want one! A quick tip off to some fakes is the stamping of the company name. Which, for those of us who are revolver fans, is how we like to see cylinders turn: into the window or clockwise. Accurate with a fast reload and good looks. Im half of a mind to make one myself one day not for production, but just to say I did it. Smith & Wesson remains one of the most prominent revolver makers to this day. Being a Lefty, I really wouldnt mind seeing a return of the top break revolver to the modern market. Its a great caliber, but the .38SPL does so much of what I want it to do, that I havent really felt the need. Thanks Donald. posted by sshakrr 01-22-2023. The S&W Model No. He said when he got home looking under a . Best. The caliber was .45 Schofield. As a company, they chose the Schofield as their sidearm of choice, buying hundreds of the revolvers and shortening the barrel of many of them down to five inches for ease of concealment and carry. Their date I believe is 1898 and the 44-40 is not considered an antique so you have to go through everything you do to buy a handgun there. When the Army began to adopt modern side-loading double-action revolvers, the M1887 round gave occasional ejection trouble, and was replaced in Army use by the M1909 .45 Colt cartridge. Let us help! It was a Smith & Wesson Model 3 that was modified, due to a suggestion by Major George Schofield, to make it easier for a cavalryman to reload while riding. I was raised by a licensed gun Smith. Overall * * * * The only thing I did to pimp my revolver was to change out the wooden grips for after-market hard rubber ones. Taylors & Company has imported a limited run of nickel-plated Smith & Wesson Model 3 Schofield break-top revolvers. I wonder why it never became the norm. Originally made in 1870, the top-break Model 3 has the distinction of being the first cartridge revolver to become standard issue in the US Army. The problem with many of these efforts by people who dont have experience in gunsmithing/gunmaking to reproduce historic guns is this: they dont know what they dont know. Historical Accuracy * * * * Gotta pay attention to voltage and amperage numbers.). They're top-break single-action revolvers that were originally . Shooting four rounds of five shots from each manufacturer, not a single one averaged larger than one inch at 25 yards. Sherriff Pat Garret, the man who killed Billy the Kid was known to carry and use the Schofield patented pistol, as was Texas outlaw John Wesley Hardin and even President Theodore Roosevelt. That whole sequence is fascinating to watch, and I did it over and over, even with empty cases, just to watch them fly out of the chamber again. COPYRIGHT 2021, THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM. He has studied the Japanese sword arts and has a long history of involvement in the shooting sports, which has included authoring submissions to government on various firearms related issues and assisting in the design and establishment of shooting ranges. Oh my bought some .44 Russian dies, cut down some .44 S&W Special brass, used lighter loads. Shot different. Although Smith & Wesson is best known for its. Since 1852 Smith & Wesson has empowered Americans with the freedom, equality, and security promised by the Declaration of Independence and guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I think I was in love. This was found acceptable, and 3,000 S&W Schofields were initially ordered in 1875. I doubt that they were anywhere near as good as now. We may update this record based on further research and review. Significant in Major Schofields modifications was the changing of the top break latch to a frame mounted stirrup type latch so it could be operated by the thumb, thus making it easier to manipulate whilst on horseback. Thanks for doing reviews of pretty guns. The most obvious of these consisted of changing the latch from barrel mounted to frame mounted. Give a Joe something he can break and he will. She had no issues at all, other than it was a little heavy for her. His travels have taken him to Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan and a number of other countries. They also offer models in .44-40 and .45 Colt. Smith & Wesson .38 Military & Police Victory Model Grips. He is a contributing editor for The American Rifleman and serves on the Board of Directors of the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association. Everyone admitted that the S&W wastwice as fastto reload as the Colt, and it seemed to be more accurate as well. No Serial Number WE DO NOT SHIP INTERNATIONALLY $30 Shippin, RARE CIVILIAN Antique SMITH & WESSON 2nd Model .45 Cal. History In 1870, the United States Army adopted the 44 calliber Smith and Wesson American top break revolver, being the first standard issue cartridge firing revolver. The Schofield revolver (a variant of the Smith & Wesson Model 3) was patented in the USA on 20 June 1871 and 22 April 1873 by Smith & Wesson. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. Smith & Wesson Grips Models 59, 459, 559 & 659. Its believed that all authentic Wells Fargo Schofields known to date have serial numbers under 6000. Reproduction gun and profit!. But it is tough. $9.95 New. Likely with the walnut grips and chambered in .45 Colt. In Canada it is a little different. Or the Mossberg Brownie .22LR top-break 4-shot derringer? Now, if I was going to just have 1 sidearm, a 4 .357Magnum is what Id do (and I will likely end up doing just that). 1 comment. However, many had been retired earlier. Although most famous for the variety of double action revolvers, Smith & Wesson also produces a fine line of semi-automatic pistols. It was not until Major Schofields changes were made to the design in 1875 that the US Army decided to order Smith & Wesson No. The result was catastrophic, almost bankrupting Smith & Wesson. My only beef with the screws is that theyd look better if they were timed. That lighter weight Remington round scored 3/4. He came across the gun many years ago in an auction and was told it belonged to the James gang. These revolvers made their way to Russia, the Philippines, Japan, Spain, the Ottoman Empire and even way down south to Australia. Once new cartridges are inserted, a quick flick of the wrist sends the muzzle up and the cylinder back down, locking it back in place. These are smooth grips (no checkering) and are very well suited to special colors, aged ivory, or the various pearl effects (a favorite is a gold pearl which is . I have a brace of nickel 5 Taylors Schofields in .38 Special and I love them. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. They probably knew a thing or two about using a pistol as a war hammer because theyd actually done it. The M1887 was made at Frankford Arsenal, and was issued only to the military. I was still. No matter what I. Learn how your comment data is processed. He chose to look at the problem not by walking in an infantrymans boots, but from the perch of his 10th Calvary saddle. This is the Uberti replica of the No. Last edited on 24 February 2023, at 02:36, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=.45_Schofield&oldid=1141244355, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 02:36. There may have been a few times when Schofield faced Schofield, as outlaws Jesse and Frank James and Cole Younger also elected to carry these Smith & Wessons. (Getting consistent coloring is the tough part. By all accounts, George Schofield was a frenetic inventor, and likely suffered from significant manic depression. I used a bunch of blue screws today. Grip/Stock:2-piece Walnut or Pearl I. As usual, a top notch review but I feel a bit cheated. Many folks scoff at such fancy looking grips, thinking they arent authentic. New York received 2,000 in 1877; Michigan 536 in 1878 and 1879; Indiana 300 in 1878 and 1879; Territory of Washington 180 in 1882 and 1891; California at least 100 and possibly 300 in 1880; Kansas 100 in 1879; West Virginia 79 in 1878; with lesser quantities going to Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, and Tennessee. (Which you dont need to do on these modern guns.) The Schofield is one of the iconic guns of the west, with a rich history. I have the mad money for it. In .45 cal, it bucks a bit when fired, but still very comfortable to shoot. Today, that bugle is one of the most important artifacts of Wyoming history: http://www.buffalobulletin.com/article_6a18f6c0-7ab3-11e6-aa39-533499b42034.html. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Actually there were speed loaders back then. And the sights arent drift adjustable. Jon has done radio, television, magazine and newspaper interviews on various issues, and has traveled extensively, having lived in Britain, Australia, China and Hong Kong. Product no. Based on Taylors & Co.s website, the $1,522 MSRP is for the walnut grips. Its just fun. I don't have one of the 2000 Schofields, but the tabs on the latch of this 1st Model Schofield do not contact the cylinder when the gun is closed. The Smith and Wesson Model No. In 1855, Smith & Wesson sold their interest to the newly-organized Volcanic Repeating Arms Company. At no time did the gun fail to fire or cycle. Jim Supica runs Old Town Station Ltd. Auction & Antique Arms and has authored numerous articles on gun collecting. SMITH & WESSON SCHOFIELD REVOLVER ATTRIBUTED TO JESSE JAMES. 3 was used in Australia by police in the States of South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales so its just as much a part of the story of the forging of Australia as a nation as it was in the forging of the United States as a nation. The .38 Special is a highly under-appreciated round today for target shooting. The tacti-kewl stuff is interesting, but reviews like this get my nose up against the screen, looking at very small details. $6.99 shipping. Look for auctions with plenty of firearms I went to one in Rome, Georgia where a Doctor was getting a divorce,, Had over 300 firearms and all were new or almost new,,, I bought a Uberti Scholfield 45LC taxes and all for $530.00. The Schofield is derivation of the famous Smith & Wesson Model 3. He also suggested making the rear sight integral to the latch. I have many .38SPL revolvers. $23.98. Theyve all displayed this level of accuracy. . One handgun that served equally well for soldier and sodbuster alike was Smith & Wesson's single-action Schofield. Smith & Wesson M&p 9mm 40 S&w Magazine Finger Rest Extension Floor Plate. Unfortunately, modern has come to mean semi automatic these days Many saw service in the Indian Wars, though they were reported in use as late as the Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection. Here's an interesting and rather rare Smith & Wesson revolver. Some of them Ive figured out by looking them over for a half-hour and memorizing them and then, one day, Ill be working on something and Ill say Ohhhhhhhhhh. After the annihilation of Custer and his men, there was some argument in print that the outcome might have been different had the troops been armed with Winchester repeaters and the fast loading Schofields instead of single-shot Trap doors and slow-reloading Peacemakers. I also played with the latch, releasing it and flipping it back up probably a couple hundred more times. Then I went out an purchased the estate of a deceased gunsmith. I spent a good amount of time drawing from my Simply Rugged holster and shooting two shots into a 10-inch circle at 15 yards. Between 2000 and 2003 Smith & Wesson made a limited run of Schofield revolvers, but they had some modern improvements, including a transfer . There was only one man who was not only spared such mutilation, but his body was covered with a buffalo robe, which the Indians could not really afford to spare, since this was the Moon of the Strong Cold with temperatures down to about -20F: Adolph Metzger, the bugler for the 2nd Cav. By the end of 1877, the Army had purchased around 8,000 S&W Schofields, and around 15,000 Colt SAAs. Between the two, there is plenty of space to see the target, but by aligning the base of the V rear with the front sight, a great deal of precision is possible. This is a reproduction of the famous Schofield Model Three top-break as used by Wells Fargo & Co. I Wish for a top break big bore short barrel revolver Poof, perfect heat blueing. Smith & Wesson was established in 1852 by Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson to center on the design and production of firearms - their name today commonly associated with revolvers and pistols. I was a revolver man just like my dad. The Smith & Wesson Schofield revolver, .45 caliber, was manufactured from 1875 to 1878. The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, Smith & Wesson Handguns and one of my absolute favorites, Age of the Gunfighter. Schofields design was a big improvement over the previous Model 3s. The gun shoots nice, tight, consistent groups. You can legally mail order them. Unsurprisingly, my hands were a little sweaty during a few of the courses of fire, and the smooth grips didnt help. Id plunk my money down for one of those in a heartbeat. Unfortunately for Smith & Wesson, the Russians loved the design enough that they copied it and refused to pay formostof the orders already made to the czars specifications. The only thing more I could ask for are super high-res photos that would fill a 15 laptop screen. If you require a personal response, please use ourContact page. Im a bit surprised for historical accuracy that you didnt feed it a few cylinders of black powder loads. His travels have taken him to Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan and a number of other countries. So how many actually got delivered in total? Sure enough it hung up . But infantry commanders argued that the soldiers didnt use their sidearms much, rarely had need to fire more than six shots, and the Colts accuracy was good enough to get the job done. Major George W. Schofield, a U.S. Army ordinance officer assigned to the 10th Cavalry, sought to improve on Smith & Wesson's Model No. The .44 Smith & Wesson American cartridge was externally lubricated (like .22 rimfire ammunition we see nowadays, especially target ammunition with waxed bullets). Thats one of the many reasons its so popular to this day. The first Russian model which followed the original design and then two variants with modifications ordered by the Russian Ordnance Inspectorate. Soon, however, both men left Volcanic and returned to Springfield, Massachusetts, Horace . The United States Army contracted a total of over 5 000 Schofields with 7-1/2 barrel lengths. Smith & Wesson must have had a what a good idea moment and the new cartridge was created and came to be known as the .44 Russian. Uberti make their replicas of the Smith & Wesson No. The demand of new SMITH WESSON MODEL 3 SCHOFIELD pistol's has not changed over the past 12 months. Welcome to the Smith and Wesson Gun Parts section of Midwestgunworks.com. The cartridge was designated the .45 Schofield. He told me to look for a History Channel special this summer called "Found". There is very little recoil. I have several Taylors firearms from a brace of Smoke Wagons to a 1887 shotgun. Kills time standing in the jetway finding the reflections. You have to think as a gunsmith, machinist and businessman all at once. They preferred the simple design of the Colt Open Top and then the Single Action Army, Model P Peacemaker.. Way up there behind the muzzle is a simple, thin metal blade front sight. 3 at Ubertis website if you click here. The "U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1903," better-known as the M1903 Springfield, has become one of the most popular U.S. military small arms to collect. The gun is ready to fire again. What is the position of these reflectors? In case. The West definitely wasn't the exclusive province of just Colt and Winchester-there were many other arms makers represented on the frontier. Too many people think in terms of only what the CNC machine can do, and what tooling they can buy. I shot 60 total rounds for accuracy with this pistol. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions. I use a an electric lead pot to heat the salts, and a blueing thermometer to get the temperature correct. This one is a definite up-class version, not just working well, but looking incredibly good too. His obituary, dated December 17, 1882 in the New York Herald stated that he had been crazed for eight or ten days over some invention of his, and it is supposed that in a moment of temporary insanity he shot himself.. Sadly, he ended his life with one of his own revolvers. It is a truly ambidextrous design. Numrich Gun Parts Corporation 226 Williams Ln. A RARE US .45 SMITH & WESSON SCHOFIELD FIRST MODEL REVOLVER, SERIAL NO. It returned to the original Smith & Wesson barrel latch system, a change stemming mainly from the company's desire to stop paying royalties to George W Schofield. Such is its popularity that some gun enthusiasts who are not familiar with the older S&W . This is how we come to have the idea of the .45 Long Colt There actually isnt such a thing, the term was coined simply to differentiate between the .45 Colt and the shorter .45 Schofield. Estimated Value The first S&W revolvers to be chambered in 38-40 Winchester (similar to the modern-day .40S&W) came out in 1876, but Smith & Wesson didnt start chambering pistols in .38SPL until 1898. This revolver from Taylors & Company is chambered in .38 Special, a cartridge that wasnt available in the Model 3sfrom the factory. 3 more cheaply and so they simply made their own copies. Who made the bowie? Washington, D.C. Email powered by MailChimp (Privacy Policy & Terms of Use), International Media Interoperability Framework. Not a small nit, a good catch and one I was a unsure of. Ah, but is it authentic? Schofields were used by the U.S. Army for only a few years before being sold as surplus on the civilian market and used in the West by Wells Fargo express agents and many others. If somebody decides to go for it and can overcome the complicated machining, I expect that it would cost about $1,500 or more. When you consider how much more straightforward it is to make a pump shotgun vs. a revolver well, now you have an appreciation for why so many of these rich guy buying a bunch of tools and a dream schemes dont (and wont) work. I had a S&W Model 25-2 and it was a great shooter. Smith & Wesson began in 1852 with the partnership of Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson. eg, I have a couple of plastic blocks that I use to hold a 1911 slide upside-down so that I can stake on a new front sight. The Schofield revolver originated with the efforts of Col. George Schofield to improve the American Model Three for military usage. You should have seen it out of the box! You can read of the big picture issues of this battle, known to the Indians as The Hundred-in-the-Hand. Save my name and email to use for future comments. I shot it an hour later. Until i saw the price. As John Taffin once said at a S&W Collectors Association meeting in Boise -Im not a Smith&Wesson collector, Im a Smith&Wesson accumulator., remember having a top-break cap gun when I was a kidused to take those circular six-shot paper caps, Can you tell me what the letters on the wooden pistol grips are on the Taylors & co. Uberti 1875 no 3 2nd model are? Their investigators were, in particular, seen as the professional gunslingers of the day. This both removed the integral firing pin attached to the hammer from the top of the primer and also allows the shooter to pull back on the release latch integral to the rear sight. Two new revolvers: Smith and Wesson Model 3 (Schofield) revolver -> Chambered in .44 magnum, 30 damage [requires 6 str and 60 guns skill] Kit's Modified Schofield (Unique)-> Higher ROF, Higher damage, Better condition [requires 6 str and 60 guns skill] 500 Magnum . 2: 459: Ruger Revolvers, H&K VP9LE, Ruger American 45acp. 3 revolver in both the Russian contract and Schofield variants with either blued or Nickel plated steel finish and in barrel lengths of 7, 6, 5 and a handy little 3. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. Theyre not as strong. Ouch ! The Schofield versionswere favored by many famous professional gunslingers on both sides of the law. Many saw service in the Indian Wars, though they were reported in use as late as the Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection. You will find the Uberti manual for these replicas if you click here. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. Theodore Rooseveldts Smith & Wesson is preserved at the NRA National Firearms Museum. As to the nickle finish on your test gun, Ive read that this finish was popular with shooters because it resisted corrosion from shooting black powder cartridges. I shot a total of 200 rounds through this revolver for testing. This article is from the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 4th Edition. Former gun slinger, current gun writer. MSRP: $1,522.00. The mechanical function is veryg. Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 3 Schofield 2000 in excellent plus overall condition. You can get them in .38 Special, .44-40 and .45 Colt. Answer (1 of 7): Colt SSA v Schofield Short answer: IMHO The Colt SAA fits the hand better than the Scholfield, deals with recoil better, and points more intuitively. Midwest Gun Works Gunsmiths can offer you the knowledge and skill that your Smith & Wesson firearm deserves. Reintroduced in 2000. This cartridge was originally designed as a black powder round. The only current American maker of a top-break revolver is now North American Arms, with their new Ranger II in .22LR and .22Mag, for about $500 if you can find one. The gun is just too accurate, too easy to shoot, and too much fun not to own one. Long before the Gucci GLOCK, shooters from all walks of life were fancying up their guns, I can find quite a few photos of old revolvers with mother of pearl grips, including ones used in the saddle by working lawmen. 9mm Pistol. Capacity: 6 The only actual order I can find with anything from the Army Ordinance Board is for 3,000, which is in the wrong caliber, and the contract was cancelled just 2 years later. LSB#: 181015PR65 Make: Smith & Wesson Model: Schofield Model of 2000 aka 3 rd Model Schofield Serial Number: GWS2311 Year of Manufacture: 2000 Caliber: .45 Schofield (.45 S&W) Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Top-Break Barrel Markings: The Barrel Length: The left side of the barrel is marked ".45 S&W" and the left side of the barrel lug is marked "SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD, MASS . My time to draw and fire six shots into the same 10-inch circle at 15 yards averaged 4.56 seconds. It was a complete slaughter of Fettermans force of 81 (79 Army and two civilians) at the hands of about 1,000 Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. Despite the heat, I couldnt help but try my hand at some quick draw and rapid fire single-action shooting. They were the operators of 1890. Corral fame are among others who are reported to have carried Schofields. Ive got about a grand sitting in the safe that I was going to spend foolishly this summer. The Smith & Wesson Model 3 is a single-action, cartridge-firing, top-break revolver produced by Smith & Wesson (S&W) from around 1870 to 1915, and was recently again offered as a reproduction by Smith & Wesson and Uberti. I have a fixture to hold a 1911 slide in a mill vise at funky angles. I need a no3 in my life. Schofields served alongside Colts in the U.S. Cavalry, and for a time, much of the .45 pistol ammunition issued in the frontier army was a shorter cartridge tailored for the shorter Schofield cylinder. Add a Comment. It is believed that on all authentic WF guns a line stamp was used. By the way, most of the these photos were taken after the first 100 shots, and the gun was only wiped down with my T-shirt. There are no instructions, no documentation. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.