Considered by many to be superior to the Colt single action when in the hand of mounted troops. Ive always thought that if I fell into the way back machine, a 5 barrel Scofield would be my carry piece. Im a bit surprised for historical accuracy that you didnt feed it a few cylinders of black powder loads. This one is a definite up-class version, not just working well, but looking incredibly good too. 1930 Lincoln Model L Convertible Roadster, Aston Martin DB5 James Bond 007 Movie Car. This noticeable feeling faded . Theyre not as strong. So although in the movies we almost always see hero and bad guy alike armed with a single action Colt Peacemaker the revolvers they really carried are far more varied than that. As I had already put more than 100 rounds through the Schofield during a series of drills, I wasnt surprised that it was a gun capable of considerable precision. Beyond that, its a beautiful, functional, surprisingly accurate revolver. In cowboy action shooting, that time would be good enough to keep me from getting laughed off the range, mostly due to the kind nature of the folks that attend those events. 3 top-break revolver was introduced by them in 1870. 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. Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson Model: 3 Schofield Type: Revolver Gauge: 45 Schofield Barrel: 7 inch solid rib Finish: blue Grip: walnut Stock: Item Views: 6203 Item Interest: Very Active Serial Number: Catalog Page: 68 Class: Antique Description: The Tsar ordered forty thousand of the new revolver but the order was done in stages. The key word in that last sentence is try. Ive got a newsflash for people who think this way: If youre going to make or work on guns, you will have to make tooling for the job. If you love to wear vests? When shopping for a handgun, the Smith and Wesson revolvers for sale are the first on the list for a good reason. Originally made in 1870, the top-break Model 3 has the distinction of being the first cartridge revolver to become standard issue in the US Army.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 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.. Visit the IIIF page to learn more. Very sweet, but complicated to machine. The Smith & Wesson Model 3 was a single-action, cartridge-firing, top-break revolver produced by Smith & Wesson from circa 1870 to 1915, and was recently again offered as a reproduction by. The vast majority of the 9,000 guns went to the U.S. Army. African American History Curatorial Collective, Political and Military History: Armed Forces History, Military. Some claim that the revolver can then be reloaded again entirely with just one hand although I certainly cant figure out how, especially on horseback. They had purchased a thousand of the original revolvers in the .44 Smith & Wesson American cartridge but were not impressed. Based on Taylors & Co.s website, the $1,522 MSRP is for the walnut grips. : SCH-003 . Such is its popularity that some gun enthusiasts who are not familiar with the older S&W . In 1869 the S&W "Model 3" revolver debuted which utilized a "top-break" frame design, a Single-Action firing function, and a cartridge-based bullet. NO RESERVE!! But they didnt hurt much either, as the tiny amount of recoil exhibited from the three-pound revolver just didnt move the gun enough to matter. The Schofield is derivation of the famous Smith & Wesson Model 3. As a result, by the late 1880s the army finally standardized on a .45 cartridge designed to fire in both revolvers, the M1887 Military Ball Cartridge. Designed by Major Schofield of U.S. Army the Schofield Revolver was an improvement and up-grade of earlier top-break Single Action revolvers produced in the line of the legendary firearms company Smith & Wesson. 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. 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. W.F. Really, Im just clueless about this stuff. It was not until Major Schofields changes were made to the design in 1875 that the US Army decided to order Smith & Wesson No. 3 Schofield was a superior design, the Colt SAA got the government contracts.". Id like to add some historical perspective to one aspect of flop-top revolvers like the #3 vs. the Colt SAA. The upside to you, dear reader, is the knowledge that even after the shooting and drawing and just tons of goofing around, theres still no obvious wear on the gun. www.smith-wesson.com Owner's Manual Model 3 Schofield - 2000 - Safety Manual - Schofield2 3/16/01 9:15 AM Page 1. I was raised by a licensed gun Smith. The Smith & Wesson Schofield Model 3 is a high-quality modern reproduction of the original Schofield's first introduced circa 1870. While the Colt 45 had more power, the speed at which a cavalryman could reload a Schofield was less than 30 seconds, half of the time for a Colt 45. Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 3 Schofield 2000 in excellent plus overall condition. 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. 3 revolvers in the then standard .45 Colt chambering. The latch on the Schofield can be operated with one hand while on horseback and empty cases automatically ejected. It was produced in several variations and subvariations, including both the "Russian" model, so named because it was supplied to the military of the Russian Empire (41,000 . A RARE US .45 SMITH & WESSON SCHOFIELD FIRST MODEL REVOLVER, SERIAL NO. I also played with the latch, releasing it and flipping it back up probably a couple hundred more times. I have a fixture to hold a 1911 slide in a mill vise at funky angles. Nickel plating can be pretty and durable, or pretty and easily chipped. 1 comment. $6.99 shipping. He had it on consignment. I just didnt realize how precise that really was. You take sodium nitrate salts, heat them to about 585F, you drop in the de-greased screws, and wait 15 minutes. Includes Smith & Wesson Performance Center factory wooden display case. 1/16 inch): $95: TRIGGER RETURN SPRING FOR ABOVE MODELS : $35: CYLINDER LOCK RETURN SPRING FOR ABOVE MODELS They are an excellent choice for Cowboy Action shooting and equally at home down in Australia where Cowboy Action shooting has been locally re-modeled to become Colonial Action shooting. You have entered an incorrect email address! Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online. Whenever I see a professional head shot poster I look closely in the models eyes. 3 Top Break 2nd Model, although 1877 is stamped on the firearm, although Wikipedia lists it as the New Model Number 3. Actually there were speed loaders back then. I lubed the gun prior to shooting with EEZOX and performed no other maintenance for the first 100 rounds. If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. It would be hard to do such a storied horseman's sidearm justice, but in every way, this Italian-made Uberti replica does just that. Get the latest news and updates on products, news, and events Id love to find that hand receipt. The company made its humble start in 1963in Gussago, Italywhen Giuseppe Pietta made a commitment to produce guns as authentic and true-to-original as possible. Now I think that Ill wait a little longer. US Firearms "Custer Battlefield" single action .45. Id plunk my money down for one of those in a heartbeat. Checkered grip for Schofield. Glad to see its paying off. Head to the range this week with American Rifleman staff as they discuss a trim little repeater from Savage Arms that comes chambered for the .22 WMR cartridge. Mine have the wooden grips I may have to consider a grip change I love the way they look. There are no instructions, no documentation. General Gorloff understood that this external lubricant would attract dirt and cause functioning problems, so he told Smith & Wesson to create an internally lubricated .44 caliber cartridge. Plus, that load I cited above, 170gr pushed by 4.2gr of Unique shoots well in anything, isnt a wrist breaker, and still is good enough to kill pigs good at 25 yards. Whats great about the internet, Google Books, and Amazon is that for not too much money, you can download so many history books and fast. Smith & Wesson handguns are reliable and safe to use when the basic firearm safety rules are followed. . posted by Toyman 02-06-2023. He chose to look at the problem not by walking in an infantrymans boots, but from the perch of his 10th Calvary saddle. My better times were around 1.8 seconds. Smith & Wesson's Schofield Revolver by NRA Staff posted on August 11, 2009 News, Handguns, Revolvers Support NRA American Rifleman DONATE The West definitely wasn't the exclusive province of just. I found a sucker and. My S&W Factory Letter states that it was made in 1887, and returned to the factory in April of 1946, possibly for repair (records did not state reason). Top break revolvers are just cool to me for some reason. 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? That lighter weight Remington round scored 3/4. The cartridge was designated the .45 Schofield. Many of these guns were chambered in 44 Russian which is a like a short .44 Special. 3 design and it became so popular that the U.S. Army ordered 8000 of the Schofield No. Schofield revolvers were reportedly favorites of the James Gang, with serial numbers 3444 and 5476 attributed to Frank James and serial number 2341 to Cole Younger. Here are the features to watch out for. Also, the seven-inch barrel of the Schofield is a whole lot of steel to clear and point before it gets up there in the first place. Although Smith & Wesson is best known for its. yeah,..everythings pretty about that gun. The Smith & Wesson Schofield (usually pronounced SKO-field rather than SHOW-field) revolver is probably the best known by the general public of any of the Model Threes, and the one most associated with the Old West in the collective American imagination. JOIN OUR COMMUNITY. The caliber was .45 Schofield. The mechanical function is veryg. Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 3 Schofield 2000 in excellent plus overall condition. I was a revolver man just like my dad. A quick tip off to some fakes is the stamping of the company name. The extractor extracted the cases and then snapped back into place ready for new cartridges to be reloaded. Fantastic weapon! Such is its popularity that some gun enthusiasts who are not familiar with the older S&Ws will tend to call any large frame S&W top-break a Schofield. It has received some exposure in movie and TV westerns, most notably and recently in Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, but also in earlier efforts such as Nevada Smith, Trackdown, and Alias Smith & Jones.. 3s original cartridge the .44 Smith & Wesson American however. I later heard that Uberti (in Italy) was considering manufacturing a M&H replica, but nothing came of it. Smith & Wesson Model No. But they rarely agree with each other. Finish: Nickel Finish with charcoal-blue screws 3 was Smith & Wessons perfected single action top break revolver, generally smaller and lighter than previous models. As usual, a top notch review but I feel a bit cheated. Loads worked on the gun If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions. S&W demurred, noting that the rim of the .45 Colt was inadequate for positive extraction in the S&W design, and no doubt considering that the cylinder and frame of the Model 3 would have to be lengthened to accommodate the long round. There are a The army were not impressed and standardized on the 1873 Colt single action in .45 Colt. Not a small nit, a good catch and one I was a unsure of. Jon made reference to the Armys preference for the SAA based on the superior ability to bludgeon someone with the SAA and still have a useable firearm after doing so. They likely made it to a lot more places than on that short list. This revolver from Taylors & Company is chambered in .38 Special, a cartridge that wasnt available in the Model 3sfrom the factory. I like it in .38 special too. Taylors & Company has imported a limited run of nickel-plated Smith & Wesson Model 3 Schofield break-top revolvers. 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. I Wish for a top break big bore short barrel revolver Thats one of the many reasons its so popular to this day. RARE CIVILIAN Antique SMITH & WESSON 2nd Model .45 Cal. The first Russian model which followed the original design and then two variants with modifications ordered by the Russian Ordnance Inspectorate. Then I went out an purchased the estate of a deceased gunsmith. The bodies of the dead men were mutilated eyeballs gouged out and put on the ground or on rocks, faces smashed in, genitals stuffed in mouths, etc. To make matters worse, unlike the czar, the United States infantry was underwhelmed by the Model 3 during its early trials. I shot this gun in the Texas Hill Country Spring heat, ranging from 90 to 102 degrees. Smith & Wesson remains one of the most prominent revolver makers to this day. At no time did the gun fail to fire or cycle. I have many .38SPL revolvers. Style and Appearance * * * * * DG, I got really tired of reviewing the same functional, but unattractive guns. Choosing a handgun for its ability to be used as a club wasnt an academic issue of a desk jockey. And thanks. When the well-worn Schofields were declared surplus, Wells Fargo stepped up to purchase these revolvers, shortened their barrels and issued them for many years to their agents and employees. 3 American. The West definitely wasn't the exclusive province of just Colt and Winchester-there were many other arms makers represented on the frontier. I wonder why it never became the norm. Numrich Gun Parts Corporation 226 Williams Ln. Its a great look back into history at one of the competitors of the Colt, and one of the foundations of the Smith & Wesson legend as well. Smith & Wesson Grips Models 59, 459, 559 & 659. I have the 45LC and one side has 1877 with letters under it in a box and the other side has letters in a box,, LongPopLuck 2 yr. ago. (60) 96% agree - Would recommend. Weight: 3.5=2.85 lbs, 5=2.90 lbs, 7=2.97 lbs The Smith & Wesson No. A Schofield revolver believed to have been used at the Battle of the Little Big Horn is owned by the Smithsonian Institution, although it has never been clear which side its owner was fighting on. The late great Donald Lange. Some tookthe extra step of nickel plating them as well, just like some of the operators did. It is a truly ambidextrous design. 3 Russian and the 1875 2nd model provide an affordable opportunity to own and use one of these interesting revolvers that were just as much a part of the forging of the American west as the Colt Single Action. Jon Branch is the founder and senior editor of Revivaler and has written a significant number of articles for various publications including official Buying Guides for eBay, classic car articles for Hagerty, magazine articles for both the Australian Shooters Journal and the Australian Shooter, and he's a long time contributor to Silodrome. Major Schofield suggested a number of improvements which were incorporated into the revolver in 1875. Bat Masterson, writing about what made the Old Western gunmen so dangerouos, ranked quickness with a gun third, behind deliberation/coolness under pressure (#1) and accuracy (#2). Former gun slinger, current gun writer. Its actually heavier than that, measuring at 3lbs 10oz. They take me a long time just because I end up reading a lot and going down the rabbit hole of history, just to delete most of that stuff from the article anyway. Thanks Donald. It really is a wonderful round for accuracy shooting in a revolver low recoil, low noise, easy to shoot, lots of bullet types available. Mag. 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. The Schofield model was tested and met with military approval. 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. Mr. Taylor, BLUED FINISH. In .45 cal, it bucks a bit when fired, but still very comfortable to shoot. I. 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. Too many people think in terms of only what the CNC machine can do, and what tooling they can buy. 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 . It was hard to give this one back, and I have little doubt Ill end up picking one up at some point. These guns would become known to collectors as 1st Model Schofield revolvers. $10.99 New. Available in dozens of calibers and frame sizes for concealed carry, home . My time to draw and fire six shots into the same 10-inch circle at 15 yards averaged 4.56 seconds. Did I mention the .22Mag High-Standard top-break derringer I just recently found in my safe? 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. Some time ago in another gun magazine, a writer said something to the effect, "Although Smith & Wesson's Model No. You will find these Uberti replicas of the Smith & Wesson No. But mostly, Im just slow and I always have been. Unfortunately, at 25 yards, they lay about three inches to the left of the target. Some years ago I purchased a replica S&W New Frontier #3 top-break revolver in .45 Colt with a blue finish. The only thing I did to pimp my revolver was to change out the wooden grips for after-market hard rubber ones. Smith & Wesson Baby Russian Grips. (Getting consistent coloring is the tough part. Upon release, the muzzle swings down, and the extractor comes up, pushing all of the cases up. It is the double action version of the Model 3. The Russian model was criticized for the awkwardness of its grip, hammer, and trigger-guard spur. I always liked the top break action. And many of those generals in charge at the time were likely grunts during the civil war, and had a fare share of hand to hand experience from battles like the Bloody Angle. A SMITH WESSON MODEL 3 SCHOFIELD pistol currently has too little sold data to calculate an average price. 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. Everyone admitted that the S&W wastwice as fastto reload as the Colt, and it seemed to be more accurate as well. Due to the Smith & Wesson Model 3 Revolver's poor performance in the US Army's tests, Smith & Wesson sought to make improvements to the Model 3 . -Smith & Wesson 1911 Grips. [except the price!].. Gotta pay attention to voltage and amperage numbers.). Smith & Wesson .44 DA Grips. The most dangerous thing in the military is a two and a half ton truck with 18yo Joe driving. The combined genius of these two men and later their heirs created one of the most successful handgun manufacturers of all time. I have tools used to carve out barrel channels in wood. 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. 3's, and many were used by the 4th Cavalry in the Geronimo campaign and by the Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th and 10th Cavalry. Schofield Revolver: S&Ws Most Famous Top-Break, Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 4th Edition, Smith & Wesson EQUALIZER Review: Crafted For Carry, Smith & Wesson Announces M&P FPC 9mm Carbine. Otherwise, great review. The Schofield is derivation of the famous Smith & Wesson Model 3. At the topof the simple V notchare deep horizontal grooves and a deep oval cut for your thumb. The gun shoots nice, tight, consistent groups. Reliability * * * * * Product no. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Now if I could just figure out how to keep my hands out of the shots on shiny guns. This is a Smith and Wesson Schofield Second Model Revolver that was originally purchased by the U.S. Government. Jim Supica runs Old Town Station Ltd. Auction & Antique Arms and has authored numerous articles on gun collecting. I shot it an hour later. The .45 Schofield or .45 Smith & Wesson is a revolver cartridge developed by Smith & Wesson for their S&W Model 3 American top-break revolver. An article by Charles Pate in Man at Arms magazine discusses this variation. Cimarron Number 3 Schofield Revolver 6-Round Product Family #: 1020517494 List Price: $1341.51 Our Price: $1039.99 - $1289.91 SHIPS FREE $14.99 Shipping Mixed Availability Select Cartridge: Select Barrel Length: Select Frame Finish: Quantity: Add to Cart Notify Me Add to Wish List Questions? It is an exceptional revolver. However, many had been retired earlier. A little more force and the barrel tips back at the shooter, the cylinder comes forward, and all of the cases fly out in front of the shooter. The first slightly cocked position is how it was designed to be carried. I had several people fire this revolver, including a new shooter at The Range at Austin, a 9-year-old girl who had never shot a gun in her life. As a former Joe myself, I hate to admit it, but the big army was probably right. He was granted patents for these modifications on June 20th, 1871 and April 22, 1873, as all S&W Model 3 Schofields after that would be marked until the end of their production. Between 12th and 14th Streets Springfield Research Service reports that some Schofields were apparently still in service with volunteer units in 1898 during the Spanish American War. With a flick of the wrist, the break-open revolver never failed to eject all cases cleanly. One hundred of those were commercial rounds and 100 were my own hand-loads shooting one a 170gr SWC pushed by 4.2gr of Unique powder. Reproduction gun and profit!. The Smith and Wesson Model No. I have the mad money for it. 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. I have a collection of American Master Bladesmith bowies, and his is certainly the most beautiful. He just had a few changes to make. It's a Uberti version of the Schofield, in 45 Colt. All one-inch groups and many less at 25 yards with cheap commercial ammunition. Almost all of the early No. In 1855, Smith & Wesson sold their interest to the newly-organized Volcanic Repeating Arms Company. The Smith & Wesson Schofield Model 3 Revolver. In the early 1880s the Benet type (internal) cartridge primer was retired and the modern Boxer type (external) primer was adopted for all future military production of revolver ammunition. I would not expect most commercial .45LC to be any different, and only the .44-40 would likely show a real difference in recoil. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association, Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Smith & Wesson Model 632 .327 Fed. .45 Colt (left) alongside the .45 Schofield cartridge. Southwest Airlines has a campaign like this. @TaylorsFirearms version of a Smith and Wesson Number 3 Schofield by @Uberti_USA Only 3 left. Today 01:58 AM by outdoorsdad. & COS EX along with a re-stamping of the guns serial number. thats what he was thinking. 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.. The result was catastrophic, almost bankrupting Smith & Wesson. You should have seen it out of the box! Unfortunately, whenever a relatively simple marking adds interest and value to a gun, there is a temptation to forgery. We apologize for the interruption. Grips for Schofield Grips for Smith & Wesson Grips for Remington Medallions About Buffalo Brothers; About Our Grips; About Out Badges; About Our Conchos; About Our Buttons . A lady on the Netflix show Godless had one of these that was used in the final gun-slinging match and I drooled over it then. My hands were on bags, my arms were on bags, and my chest was leaning in and against the bench. Major George W. Schofield, a U.S. Army ordinance officer assigned to the 10th Cavalry, sought to improve on Smith & Wesson's Model No. This is the case with Wells Fargo Schofields, with faked markings not uncommon. In writing this article I relied heavily on three sources. As it is, I have zero reservation as to the reliability of this revolver. I shouldnt have been particularly surprised, as this is the second Uberti pistol Ive reviewed, and Ive bought two others. Junk. These revolvers made their way to Russia, the Philippines, Japan, Spain, the Ottoman Empire and even way down south to Australia. Plus a bit extra. Our collection database is a work in progress. Richard Nahas has conducted extensive research on Smith & Wesson and is a member of the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association and, at the 1994 National Rifle Association's national convention, won an award for his "Smith & Wesson: The Martial Arms" display. 3 revolvers in different variations. 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. Smith & Wesson M&p 9mm 40 S&w Magazine Finger Rest Extension Floor Plate. As early as 1871, Schofield had been working on improvements to the S&W American that he felt would render it more suitable for military usage. Colonel George Schofield himself, as well as the fortuitous arrangement he had with his brother, who headed up the Army Ordnance Board. That, and a Luger. Some of them one can figure out immediately they obviously solve a problem Ive had or seen. The Schofield was quite a popular handgun in the old west, and may have been used by General Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. It was one of the foundational models of the Smith & Wesson enterprise, even though it was never much of financial success.