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Old 07-11-2018, 11:58 AM
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I`m a bit inept at all this technology. Would someone please tell me or walk me through how to get a letter on a new to me schofield I just acquired. Thanks, Wormey
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Old 07-11-2018, 12:47 PM
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Go here and download the Historical Foundation Letter Request Form. Take some well lighted and sharply focused pictures of all sides of the gun and include them with the form and your check for $75.


Actually, there are two letters mentioned on that page. You want the Letter of Authenticity.


Where are the pictures?
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Old 07-11-2018, 01:23 PM
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wormy, Actually, the Schofield is a model that depending on which model of the Schofield you have, getting a letter is not going to tell you anything. If your Schofield is a 1st model, the letter will only says it was shipped to the US Armory at Springfield, which may, or may not be correct, and the ship date will be incorrect as Roy Jinks, factory Historian, uses the billing invoice date as the ship date as the 1st model records are too faded to read accurately and military vs. civilian shipments are indistinguishable. The guns were actually shipped several weeks prior to the invoice. The 2nd model dates also suffer from some of the same problems, but not entirely, plus there are non-military shipments recorded for the 2nd models. If your Schofield is a Performance Center Model 2000, actual ship dates and destinations are recorded. lastly, if your Schofield is a non-S&W clone, made by others, all bets are off. Ed.
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Old 07-11-2018, 09:11 PM
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Thanks for all the info. Mine is an early 2nd. model ser. # 34--. I don`t really know what I want a letter for since I know it will say it was shipped in 18-- but who knows? I know this will set off a firestorm, but mine is nickel plated! Every reference I can find says that a few were. Mine is in very fine condition, almost too good. I will post pics when I learn how. I will probably have to have a friend help me. I also have an early 1st model 3 I will post pictures of. It is ser. #2150. I do have a letter on it. Shipped to Robinson in march of 1876.
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Old 07-11-2018, 09:14 PM
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Make that March of 1871....sorry. I`m getting too old. This wasn`t all that long before I was born!
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Old 07-12-2018, 08:44 AM
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I think that sometimes people place more significance on what the letter says than they do on just having the letter itself. To me it is like buying a car and finding the original window sticker in the glove box. It may not raise the value of the item but it is just cool.

Having a letter on S&WHF letterhead researched in the hand written company shipping ledgers that are over 100 years old and signed by the one individual on the planet that probably has forgotten more about S&W's than most of us remember to me is priceless on the cool scale.

That is just my humble opinion and yours may vary.
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Old 07-12-2018, 08:55 AM
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wormey, You know the letter tells a short story about the Schofield line of revolvers and shipping of your specific SN to exactly as Ed states.

Sometimes a factory letter could reveal some interesting items but, as Ed indicates, on a Schofield there are likely not going to be any surprises. Also, Ed has more accurate shipping dates than Roy as (IIRC) Ed has the shipping receipts and Roy took the dates from the Invoice date. Either way, usually within weeks of each other.

If it is a 5", you can reasonably presume it had been a surplus-ed gun of the late 1890s early 1900s.

I have a 5" nickel (remaining nickel is to period of 1900 or thereabout), another 5" blue (factory refurbished in 1945), and a 5" nickel Wells Fargo that had the "finished changed to nickel" in July 1945, per Roy's letter, that also indicates it had the "Wells Fargo" markings and the 5" barrel when it was presented to the Factory for the refinish in 1945, so that letter was well worth the fee.

Faking Wells Fargo markings did not become popular until the 1980s or thereabout. All price guides from 1990 back put the Wells Fargo at a lesser value than a non-Wells Fargo marked. In the mid 1990s the prices evened out, and by the late 1990s the price of the Wells Fargo leaped ahead or the non-Wells Fargo. Here is when the W.F. Schofields started showing up more frequently, most presented as W.F. guns later discovered to have fake markings added.
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Old 07-12-2018, 09:20 AM
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Mine is a 7 inch barrel. All numbers match including the one on the right grip panel. The cartouche on the left grip is faint, but there. I understand from one of my books that SH,&G. had lots nickel plated and the guns were in such good shape no polishing at all was necessary. The resulting guns looked factory original. I am sure mine was plated at a much later date, but whoever did it did a fine job. No screwhole wash outs, etc. All markings look like the day they left the factory. All the tiny marks, inspectors and such are perfect as well. Wormey
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Old 07-12-2018, 09:59 AM
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Wormey, send you a PM regarding submission of your Schofield data to Col. Pate, if you are agreeable. Sal Raimondi, Sr.
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Old 07-12-2018, 01:10 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wormey View Post
Thanks for all the info. Mine is an early 2nd. model ser. # 34--. I don`t really know what I want a letter for since I know it will say it was shipped in 18-- but who knows? I know this will set off a firestorm, but mine is nickel plated! Every reference I can find says that a few were. Mine is in very fine condition, almost too good. I will post pics when I learn how. I will probably have to have a friend help me. I also have an early 1st model 3 I will post pictures of. It is ser. #2150. I do have a letter on it. Shipped to Robinson in march of 1876.
1st Model 3 do you mean an American ? SN 2150 with a ship date of 1876 is a few years too late. Although nothing is ever for certain I have Model 3 American 1st SN: 1707 that shipped to MWR in March 1871. If a 1st Model Schofield would work out to about that year.
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Old 07-12-2018, 05:26 PM
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I have a letter on my model 3. It was shipped march of 1871. I typed the wrong year. I am getting old....and it hurts too!
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Old 07-12-2018, 05:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wormey View Post
I have a letter on my model 3. It was shipped march of 1871. I typed the wrong year.

" I am getting old....and it hurts too! "
Shake hands on that, partner ! It started 10 years and gets worse every year but better than the alternative ... sometimes not much better than the alternative, but better none the less. Be well.
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Old 07-12-2018, 06:00 PM
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I have, I have, I have, seems to be a common thread of your posts.
Dont care. Had more back in the 60s and 70s. Dumped for cash to buy
land. Get off the fixation with letters! The gun sells itself not a letter.
Love you and good collecting. Have fun, our time is short. Mike
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Old 07-12-2018, 06:29 PM
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Mike, what did I do to elicit that? I`m not trying to sell anything. I`m just trying to learn. No offense intended and I`ll try to choose my words more carefully.
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Old 07-12-2018, 06:56 PM
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Hey worm, not aimed at you. Forget about it! Mike
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Old 07-12-2018, 07:11 PM
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Come on, Mike. Play NICE !!
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Old 07-12-2018, 08:16 PM
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My Goodness, you got it! Im nice.
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Old 07-13-2018, 08:51 PM
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Wormey (Wayne),

Thank you for your contributions to this forum. It is much appreciated.

Congratulations. You have 2 fine old S&Ws that have flown under the radar for many decades, at least since the advent of the internet about 1995.

Col. Pate does not have records on your Schofield nor your 1st American SNs so he requests we get him the full data and photos on both.

Very nice speaking with you today. Sal Raimondi, Sr.
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