Schofield Actions

[HR2D2]

Recently, the mainspring on one of my Navy Arms Schofields broke.  I could not get the new mainspring to catch the hammer spur and diassembled the side plate.  Upon reassembly, the Schofield latch does not want to swivel properly.  Now I have taken apart tons of swing out frames of both Colt and S&W manufacture but this is the first time working on a top break.  Everything looks like it is where it should be as I was careful to mark all parts as I took the revolver apart.  Any help would be appreciated.

[Flint]

Check that the latch spring is properly engaged.  I assemble the latch and catch without tightening the screws snug until I have closed the gun.  With the gun closed the parts will shift until they line up with each other, then tighten them.  Don't tighten the thumb-latch screw so tight it might pinch the frame and bind, back it off a bit and see if that's the problem, if not, again it could be the spring.  Make sure the assorted screws are in their proper hole, if some are a different length it can bind things.

[Loozinit]

Say, what about these Schofields anyway??? Sorry I can't give any advice on them as I don't know a thing on the subject.  Having said that, I've recently worked up more than a passing interest in them.  Can either one of you guys tell me more than the salesman at the store?  Are they sweet shooters like my tuned Vaquero .45?  Is the Navy as good as the S&W on fit and finish?  I know the cartridge is different but that's about all.  What are your specific impressions? Thanks.

[HR2D2]

I compared the Navy and S&W guns side by side when I purchased my Revolvers.  Externally the S&W was only slightly nicer than the Navy Arms revolver.  The actions were about the same as far as lockup and tightness.  The S&W had a much better trigger pull with no creep.  The Navy's run at $700 versus $1300 for the S&W, there was not $600 more in the S&W (one of the reasons I feel S&W discontinued their Schofield line).
I never test fired the S&W.  The Navys are excellent shooters out shooting my S&W 25-12 in 45 Colt and on a par with my 1955 Target.  The two Navies I have shoot to their sights with the Lyman 250 gr 454190 over 8 gr of Unique.  My one problem has been that the hammer spring on one of the Navys broke after 200 rounds. They sent me a new spring free of charge but I doubt the spring on any new S&W Schofield has ever broken.  Navy Arms offers the Schofield in 38 spl 44-40WCF and 45 Colt in 7", 5" and 3.5" models, S&W only has the first two.  One of the other shooters in my SASS club has a 44-40 Schofield and it too is an excellent shooter.  These guns are much lighter than the Vaquero and (I feel) better balanced.  However, I was schooled in traditional bullseye shooting and have over 30 years of experience with double action revolvers and can shoot the spurs of anyone in the club one handed with the Schofields but I am much slower in the speed shooting.  One thing you may want to consider is that due to the Schofield's lockwork you can't slip-hammer them, you must let off the trigger for each shot.  One real positive is in any stage that requires a pistol reload, the Schofields are hands down winners!

Hope this helps.

[Loozinit]

Thanks.  I've never shot either of them and I've only handled the long Navy a couple of times.  Absolutely love the looks.  That difference in price plus the unavailability in .45 Colt just about locks out the Smith for me.

[Flint]

I have a NA Schofield in 44-40 and 2 Russians.  The Schofield shoots very well and the bore is so polished it won't lead.  The fit and finish on the Schofields and Russians is the best of any gun Uberti makes, hardly a toolmark anywhere on the exterior to be seen.  They are heavier and stronger than the S&W.  Fast shooting seems to be limited a bit by the geometry of the hammer, it isn't pivoted where your thumb is like the Colt, so it seems to cock slower.  On the debit side is the Italian made springs, which goes for almost every revolver Pietta or Uberti make, the Italians don't seem to have a handle on spring tempering.  This carries over to Perazzi (?) one of the most expensive shotguns you can find.  Trap shooters keep a box of springs with them to get through a season of trap.  My Colt types all have either Colt springs or Wolff springs in them.  Perhaps an Uberti Schofield or Russian can be helped by removing the spring before even shooting it and deburring and polishing all the edgers and surfaces to eliminater stress points.  Something I haven't done yet, but I haven't broken a mainspring yet....  The question though is not if but when.