Am I correct that the only S&W antique replicas that have been made are the Model 3 Russians and Schofields? I would love to have one of those, but I would really like to see a replica of the No. 2 tip-up. For me, as a shooter, it would not need to be historically accurate. All of the mechanical problems of the tip-ups could be solved by making the replica a solid frame and using a removable pin for the cylinder, a la some of the old Harrington and Richardson 22s. If the spur trigger is a safety question, a nicely-shaped trigger guard would be OK. All of this could be done without wrecking the graceful lines of the No.2. It would be a natural for the .22 WMR or the .32 S&W Long. P.S. I have seen the "Earl" and it is not for me.
Mc, If you consider the term "replica" equal to the term "copy," then there's lots of them that were made contemporary to the Model 1 , Model 2, Model 3, and the M&Ps. Made mostly in Europe. A few of them made with quality equal or better than S&Ws. The problem with making a modern replica of a Model 2, with the changes you suggest, is one of economics. Cost would exceed the price of buying a real Model 2, and the market niche would be very small, I think. Ed.