2nd Model Schofield

[Joe in Oklahoma44]

Hello all, I am new around here and was wondering if anyone knew of a gunsmith around Oklahoma that might work on 2nd Model Schofield's? Mine has some timing issues and the trigger does not reset all the way after the trigger is pulled. The first issue, I cannot fix, but the second may just require a good cleaning inside but I don't know if I should try to perform that myself as I have never taken the pistol apart and don't know if I should even try...comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also, anyone around Oklahoma that might be able to look at it and give me a ballpark value? Thanks!

 

[opoefc]

Welcome to the Forum. A thorough interior cleaning of the action may resolve both issues. Try that first. Value depends on condition and originality of all parts. I know your gun has some embellishments added by after military owners, that doesn't help the value with collectors, but your gun is what it is, a piece of history. If you can locate a copy of David Chicoine's book " Gunsmithing Guns of the 0ld West" there's a section on repairing a Schofield, etc. Ed.

 

[model3sw]

If after your first course of action you find you need a hammer, I have a few stashed away.

 

[Boge]

Working the Smith & Wesson .45 Model No. 3 Schofield Revolvers - Special Reports Article


Some advice: DO NOT attempt this if you do not have PROPER fitting gunsmith hollow ground screwdrivers, not Bob Vila Sears specials. Do not attempt this unless you are comfortable taking apart revolvers completely.

I can assure you that a local yokel down at the local gunshop does not know how to fix this. As well, there are few gunsmiths who work on these and it will entail shipping it to one which requires overnight shipping. Unfortunately, the few gunsmiths I knew who could repair these are retired.

Your best bet would be to visit the CAS City "Frontier Iron" forum for help:

Frontier Iron

 

[opoefc]

Boge has some good advice, however these old S&Ws are not rocket science to repair, or at least discover what parts you might need to replace. Using the correct hollow ground screw drivers, remove the side plate & grips. If the side plate is stuck a bit, apply some WD 40, and just tap the grip frame with a mallet a few times and the side plate should pop up 0K. With the side plate off, you can see most of the action parts and how they work as you cock the gun and pull the trigger and cycle the action a few times. You can probably tell then which parts are sticking, or not properly functioning and possibly why. Perhaps a broken , or weak, trigger return spring, etc. 0f course do this after you have cleaned the action as best you can. Try this and report back. Ed.

 

[Boge]

Boge has some good advice, however these old S&Ws are not rocket science to repair,...

Almost every gunsmith I knew and know would rather work on a semi-auto handgun than any revolver, especially DA Colts. Sometimes, having fewer parts means less room for error. A perfect example is the Colt SAA and the hammer cam, bolt & hand relationship. Few people actually grasp how it works correctly when attempting to repair one and install parts and that is why few people do it well. It's actually more art than science. Just my 2 cents.

P.S. As a note, I always "dumb down" my general answers to the lowest common denominator as I have seen far too many old firearms with buggered screws & screwed up "action" work by the general population. At the gunshop I loaf at I gave up on helping people as 90% don't want to listen and even less want to pay someone to fix the problem. Color me faithless. I tried to help a fella the other day with an original '75 Remington he was shooting with faux BP loads and I could tell he was lost within 3 mins. plus he said he had no interest in tearing it down to clean thoroughly & lube. By the way, I was asked to help. Now I just tell them that blackpowder makes you sterile. Ha!

 

[Tom K]

Where at in Oklahoma? If you are in the Tulsa area I can recommend Mackool Firearms at 31st and Sheridan. I took in a Merwin Hulbert Pocket Army in .44-40 that would not stay cocked single action. The gunsmith who worked on my gun built an entire new sear part to replace the broken one. Mackool Firearms Mini-Mall 31, 6390 E 31st St B, Tulsa, OK 74135 (918) 663-3880

 

[BRush]

I find a non-evasive first step is to flush the action throughly with a pressurized can of break cleaner.

 

[Joe in Oklahoma44]

Here are some photos of it. Hopefully they will come through ok...I had my daughter take them with her phone...

 

[JSR III]

That is right purdy. In photo 3 there appears to be writing on the wood stock panel. Is this original to these guns and if so what does it say? I am new to the pre hand ejectors so appreciate any education on the subject.

 

[mmaher94087]

The marking on the stocks are the inspector's initials: JRJr and the date 1876. Similar marks were on the 1st Model Schofields also (JFEC).

 

[gmborkovic]

Joe, I gotta tell ya. From the pics, that is one honest old gun.
If you collect, that is the one to keep in the safe. Best to you. Mike

 

[singleshot1891]

Considering the condition and historical value of that Schofield I would not let anyone touch that pistol with any tool who wasn't experienced with antique S&W's. It's just to nice to have some basement gunsmith (not unlike myself), bubba that thing up. Just my 2 cents.

WB

 

[Joe in Oklahoma44]

I called S&W and they recommended one, and only one gunsmith in the US to work on it, and I think he and his son are mentioned above as having written a book on old smith's. David R. Chicoine was the name I was given and he is in North Carolina, but if all it might need is a good cleaning to un-booger it up...

 

[okiegtrider]

Howdy neighbor. Beautiful Schofield you have there!
Stick around, you'll like this board.

 

[JSR III]

I called S&W and they recommended one, and only one gunsmith in the US to work on it, and I think he and his son are mentioned above as having written a book on old smith's. David R. Chicoine was the name I was given and he is in North Carolina, but if all it might need is a good cleaning to un-booger it up...

Unfortunately, David had a stroke and his son lost his home in a fire and was unable to keep up with the work load originally handled by he and his father and the business collapsed. There are several threads here on the forum regarding their tragic circumstances.

I have never used any of the various folks around the country that work on these old guns but I have heard of a few others. Trumbull is one and Ford's is another. Not sure if they can or will work on your gun but maybe worth a call. I emailed Ford's a while back about working on tip ups and they stated that they would not work on anything that old.

Not sure about a Schofield.

 

[Göring's S&W]

Trumbull is one and Ford's is another.

FWIW, I'm guessing you mean Turnbull* ?

 

[opoefc]

I've had bad experience with Turnbull on S&Ws. Colts, 0K. S&Ws - no. I think top breaks are not something he wants to work on and perhaps beyond his skills. My experience with Fords is 2nd hand, but good. Any kind of outside gun smithing on this Schofield is going to be expensive, however. I'm not a gun smith but I've had little trouble repairing older Model 3 size S&Ws with parts from junker guns, or occasionally from parts suppliers, if they happened to have what I needed. I'm still betting the a thorough cleaning will probably solve most of the the problems on this Schofield. Ed.

 

[Camster]

I find a non-evasive first step is to flush the action throughly with a pressurized can of break cleaner.

Some might even call that procedure "non invasive" ;-)
And so we're clear,when opoefc says "mallet" ,he means rubber or leather.

 

[Freischütz]

How about the gunsmiths specializing in cowboy action shooting? I'd think they'd have experience with original and reproduction S&Ws.