by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
Schofield BB revolver.
This report covers:
- A new toy
- Fatal flaw
- Single action
- Safety
- Cartridge
- The BB gun
- Manual needs some work
- Cartridges
- Sights
- Schofield is a rare firearm!
- Cool!
A new toy
Oh, boy! Here we go again with another lookalike BB revolver. This Schofield BB gun is from the past. It’s a replica of S&W’s Schofield revolver. The Schofield was created from a Smith & Wesson New Model Number 3 revolver (often also called the American, to differentiate it from the Russian model) by Major George W. Schofield of the 10th cavalry. The major modification involved moving the barrel latch of this top-break revolver from the barrel to the frame of the gun, allowing the barrel to be broken open with one hand. Cavalry troops have to control horses, along with all their other duties as soldiers, so they want everything they use — guns, sabers, etc. — to work one-handed.
Fatal flaw
Unfortunately, both Schofield and S&W made a fatal error when they designed the gun. They made it for a new cartridge called the .45 S&W (also called the .45 Schofield) that was just a little shorter than the ,45 Colt then in service. I’m sure they thought the military would see the advantages of the Schofield and switch to the better gun, making the ammo incompatibility a non-issue, but that was unfortunate. The Army was already purchasing Colt Single action revolvers at the time and the Schofield was viewed as something new and different. If there is anything that does not appeal to the Army, it’s something new and different!
The Schofield was tried by the military in limited quantities (just over 8.000) and also purchased by private individuals. A total of around 9,000 revolvers were built. I have learned in research that the Schofield was used by many western gunfighters who saw it as an improvement over the Colt single action. The big advantage is the extraction and ejection of all 6 cartridges when the action is broken open. That makes this revolver much faster to reload than a Colt.
The barrel breaks down to extract the cartridges. They don’t come out quite far enough to be ejected, but they are easy to shake out.
On the negative side, the Schofield is the weaker design because of the frame being open at the top (for breaking open). If you were inclined to use your revolver as a hammer, as some cowboys did, then the weakness became an issue. And over time the guns did wear at the hinge joint, becoming looser. But it was not a big problem if the guns were treated with normal care, and you shouldn’t worry about it, either.
Single action
Like the Colt, the Schofield is single action only. The hammer must be manually cocked to advance the cylinder to the next cartridge and ready the gun to fire. I find the grip not shaped as well as the Colt grip for one-hand single action shooting with speed. It is almost as easy, just not quite the same. But the Schofield is a vast improvement over the S&W Russian grip that spawned the New Model Number 3 revolver. That gun has a hump to help control recoil and a grip that’s more vertical and better suited to target shooting.
Safety
Like many of the lookalike airgun revolvers that are coming out today, this one has a safety. It locks the hammer, which disables the action. Pushing it forward puts the gun on safe and the hammer can’t be withdrawn. It only works when the hammer is down, so it’s impossible to put the gun on safe when it’s cocked. You can lower the hammer by pulling the trigger and riding the hammer down slowly, though.
Safety is that small button behind the hammer. Push forward to lock the hammer.
Cartridge
The cartridge the revolver uses, as mentioned earlier, was a .45 caliber rimmed cartridge called both the .45 S&W and the .45 Schofield. The case was 1.1-inches long, compared to the .45 Colt (often erroneously called the .45 Long Colt) case that’s 1.285 inches in length. The Colt case measures 0.480-inches in diameter, while the .45 S&W case measures 0.477-inches, so the S&W cartridge will fit and work in the Colt revolver, but not the reverse. The gun I’m looking at today is a BB gun, which is caliber 0.173-inches, and the 6 cartridges are each roughly the size of a .357 Magnum cartridge.
The BB gun
The Schofield BB gun is all-metal, but not ferrous. Only the screws and pins attract a magnet. Being made of metal and with a long 7-inch barrel makes the revolver slightly muzzle-heavy, though not as much as you would imagine. Still, when you try to shoot it with one hand, the muzzle wants to drop as the grip slips in your hand.
The grips are plastic, but look like aged walnut. The left panel comes off to reveal where the CO2 cartridge lives. The tensioning screw is hidden in the bottom of the grip frame and the wrench for it is part of the left grip panel.
The velocity is advertised at 410 f.p.s. on the blister pack container (ugh!), but Pyramyd Air’s description says the gun shoots up to 430 f.p.s.
The metal parts are finished with what looks like a charcoal phosphate finish. This finish is known as Parkerizing — though I am sure this gun is not actually Parkerized. Everything is a matte charcoal except for the grips that are a medium dark walnut.
Manual needs some work
The importer is Bear River Holdings, in Texas. They buy the pistol from Taiwan, and it is recognizable as an airsoft conversion to steel BBs. One word to the importer — THE MANUAL NEEDS WORK!!! On page two there are graphics showing people shooting at themselves and at other people and animals. If you read the captions, you understand that they are telling you NOT to do this, but the international red stripe (for NO) should be across every graphic showing improper behavior. FIX IT!
The BB loading procedure has graphics that are too small to show proper detail. There is room on the back page to expand these graphics. Remember, your guns will be purchased by parents who know nothing about how BB guns work. You have to make the important steps clear.
As long as you are inside the manual, edit it to read like it was written by someone who knows English. Nouns are not capitalized for emphasis in this country! I get tired of people telling me anyone can write, then turning out a substandard product. It was the safety issue that set me off, though. Okay — the rant is over.
Cartridges
The BBs are loaded into the front of each cartridge. So it’s one at a time, though you can speed it up by pouring a layer of BBs in an empty pellet tin and pushing each cartridge down into them. The single review up on the Pyramyd AIR website at the time I’m writing this says the Webley Mark VI cartridges will also fit, so a supply of extras is already available. My thanks to someone named Michael for an excellent review of the gun!
Sights
The Schofield’s sights are as poor as those found on the older Colt Single Actions. A wide front post fits into a rear vee that’s entirely too narrow. And the rear notch is cut into the barrel latch. There is no possibility for adjustment.
Schofield is a rare firearm!
You know — these lookalike airguns are getting serious when they offer us a Schofield. It was never a mainstream firearm. Even when I was a kid in the 1960s, Schofields went for a lot of money. The fact that there is now one in BB-gun trim tells me the doors are opening wide for lookalikes.
Come on:
M1 Carbine
Husqvarna M40
Remington 1875 single action
Mare’s Laig
Liberator
Cool!
There is something about an old revolver that gets me excited, and the Schofield is the embodiment of an old revolver. I think this one is going to please a lot more than just BB-pistol shooters.
These replicas are becoming a serious thing! Since the release of the Webley Mk VI I had high hopes of seeing a Schofield one day… now here it is! It does deserve a better packaging, like the boxes offered in other models, since I believe a replica like this will go into many collections, and a blister is not something you will keep.
BB,
This looks to be what I would call a nice, serviceable revolver. Absolutely nothing fancy about it. This would work well.
It is quite interesting that replicas are being made of such obscure firearms. I personally have mixed feelings about such as they are causing issues that are bringing these to the attention of those who wish to protect us from ourselves, but I can certainly understand the desire to have some of these. I myself have yet to catch the action pistol bug, but air pistols like the Nagant and the Webley MKVI are very tempting.
RR,
Did you mean that “obscure” replicas are causing more of an issue OR just replicas in general? I “get” your comment,.. but I thought that maybe somehow you were placing more emphasis on the obscure replicas.
Chris,
Perhaps I should have separated my comments into two paragraphs. It HAS been quite a few years since I attended English classes.
RR,
No problem. I am far from any kind of English expert as well. Let’s just say that I could have applied myself just a “wee bit” more in school. 🙁
Like you, I too worry about what “the powers that be” may be doing to infringe upon our hobby. But hey, that is a whole other can of worms.
GF1,
I was a bit surprised by the Webley because the Hatsans I have been seeing were fairly decent with fit and finish. I guess the contract price for the Webleys was too low for Hatsan to do the little extra work that they do on their own brand. That’s OK. For what I paid, although I will not end up with a silk purse, I think it will end up being worth the investment in the sow’s ear.
The Hawke scope is worth the entire cost of the deal. Although it is a discontinued model, it is almost identical to what PA is selling for $130. I do not see the Hawke on my 46E or my Edge though. I think the 46E will be finding a new home and my Edge begs for more optical power. 😉 It could end up on a Maximus.
RR
Yep on the price of the Webley. It should be fun to plink with and maybe take out a few feral cans. 😉
And I think that’s a good idea. The Hawke scope on a Maximus. If it shoots as good as a Discovery I think that will make a deadly combination.
GF1,
I am hoping that the Webley has serious potential as a hunter. I am going to have to take it apart and do a little touch up work here and there, but the trigger has promise and if I need to I will do a barrel swap for a LW. The walnut stock is really nicely shaped and has several small knots here and there giving it a little character.
I think for the moment I will put one of my UTG 4-12 X 44 Compact SWAT scopes on it, but if I can calm it down a little bit I just might stick that Hawke on it. We will just have to see how things go.
RR
If you do a barrel swap I want to hear about that.
And the UTG would probably be what I would put on it.
What reticle does the Hawke scope have? Or better yet what is it called? I would like to search it. I like them low magnification scopes.
B.B.,
You said that “this is recognizable as an air soft conversion”. Other than knowing that there is already a model in air soft, how would one know that this would be a conversion? Or any other bb or pellet pistol coming onto the market for that matter.
Chris
Chris,
1 — Made in Taiwan. A dead giveaway.
2 — A fully developed gun with great authenticity. People who don’t know firearms have not gotten their hands on it. In other words, it was done right the first time. Airguns that are developed as airguns in companies go through a process of “groupthink” that adds unrealistic features and appearances.
3 — The manual has illustrations that I recognize as Oriental.
Those are the biggies,
B.B.
B.B.,
For those not in the know, (me), it would seem that less than accurate replication would be found in air soft, and, more accurate replication would be found in bb and pellet pistols. Also, with air soft being considered more of a toy, one might think that the manufacturer would play it “fast and loose” with attention to details. Odd too that a foreign country could generate a more accurate replica as opposed to an American designed product.
Very interesting, I learned something new.
Thanks, Chris
Chris,
It is not that a foreign company can generate a more accurate replica, it is that a foreign company can do it for less. If Crosman was to build this air pistol here in the USA to the same exact quality, it would likely be priced at about $400.
Chris,
Then get in the know now. Airsoft guns are the most accurate replicas. That is their primary feature. Shooting at people only came long after the authenticity was realized.
B.B/
Others more knowledgeable than me may wish to weigh in here but my understanding is that the airsoft manufacturers make guns that are very detailed and accurate because their home markets and the markets they did a lot of selling in for years were frequently in places where citizen ownership of firearms was highly restricted or outright banned. Many people there still wanted to have some of the experience of owning a gun so they companies went to great lengths to make airsoft guns that looked and functioned as much like their powder burning cousins as possible – blowback action, magazines that dropped out, individual cartridge look-alike units to hold the projectile etc. Even though I live in a place where I can own a handgun it’s still nice to have the option to buy an airgun that comes close to the experience of the real thing but can be shot at home, anytime I want. When I borrowed a friend’s 1911 at the range I was pleasantly surprised just how comfortable it felt right off the bat as a result of running a lot of CO2 and steel through a KWC Tanfoglio Witness in my games room.
I would guess that there is either a requirement for safeties (even on revolvers) in their domestic markets too. This is a nice looking gun. I think I’ll hold out for a Webly-Fosbery myself though:-)
BB,
have you ever done a report on designing triggers? I’ve used the search but didn’t find anything and Google didn’t give me a lot of useful information either.
As I mentioned, I had my LP5 apart, including the trigger. I noticed this trigger has only two spring-loaded levers that work together. Despite the simple design it feels absolutely great.
A Rekord for example seems to have 4 levers that move before the shot breaks.
I’m wondering why the designers make the choices they make. The different levers probably have to do with tweaking the required force and the mechanical advantage so the trigger is safe and feels crisp and light.
But is there a general rule in which cases it makes sense to use a certain design?
Kind regards,
Stephan
Stephan,
A blog on triggers? I have written about trigger in the past, but not from a design standpoint. I did write about the Rekord and about the Crosman 160 trigger that’s designed from a crossbow trigger. And I have written about other triggers on particular airguns.
/blog/2008/05/hw-55sf-a-special-find-part-2-a-look-at-the-rekord-trigger/
/blog/2015/09/a-special-trigger-from-the-past/
/blog/2012/08/crosmans-160-part-2/
/blog/2010/11/airgun-triggers-springs-bolts-and-metallic-hardness/
B.B.
BB,
thanks for the info. I actually remember reading those blogs except for the “metallic hardness” one.
Maybe the LP5 trigger’s simple design is possible because the spring isn’t that strong. It really does work perfectly. When I got it, it was poorly adjusted. I applied some moly grease to the sears and was quickly able to adjust it just the way I like it.
I’ve looked at an exploded view of the LP8 and it seems to have more moving parts as far as I can tell.
The Rekord is used on some fairly powerful guns. Maybe it needs the extra complexity to safely hold back a stronger spring while providing a pleasant release.
Stephan,
I have to agree with your assessment of the Rekord.
B.B.
B.B.
I think of the Rekord as being a mouse trap . The way it is made, it WANTS to let go . Leverage is used to keep it from letting go .
Compare this to a 397…… it is determined to NOT let go . It is going to take FORCE to unlatch it .
twotalon
TT,
That is a very good description of the two triggers. You are right, the Rekord does want to release.
B.B.
Does the hammer not go down all the way? I see it is partway up in every photo.
Steven,
That is the way it stays.
B.B.
Another nice looking replica to distract me from ever becoming a good air gun shooter. “think target shooting” . The pistol looks cool enough, that I would like to add it to my collection, but the blister pack is a downer. I didn’t mind the blister pack for my Brodax, considering the price point, but when you spend $100 or more, I feel the blister packs cheapens the product. I still do not have the Webley MK VI so that will probably be the one I will be saving up for. Also, heaven forbid, I do not have the the Colt Peacemaker . So many neat guns, for a limited bank account.
Have fun
Harvey
Here is a gun with the break open action also. But it’s a double action though. I almost thought about getting it. But already had the Python metal clips for the Brodax. So got the Python instead. Which is suppose to be here tomorrow.
Here’s the gun.
/product/crosman-vigilante-co2-revolver?m=3253
GF1, (.25 M-rod)
Replaced the barrel breech O-ring with one I got at the local small hardware. It is metric, as in the standard selection, nothing was close enough. Measures 6mm id, 10mm od and 2mm thick,.. per the specs. at the hardware. Nothing is wrong with the old one,.. just trying new stuff as it is good to have a back up.
I tried to get some measurements of new vs old,.. a bit tuff on a small rubber O-ring. As best I could do, the new one is slightly bigger on the od and slightly smaller on the id. Tuff little “buggers” to get in, even the stock one.
Another test I did was to see how it fit a 25.39 pellet. The stock one would drop over the head,… the new one would not. As for the skirt, neither would drop over it.
When the new one was installed, the bolt took a lot of force to close. I pre-lubed the bolt with some silicone oil. Once it did go, the bolt now feels very normal. So,.. I would suspect that the od just needed seating in the groove fully.
So,… at least something was learned,…. the pellet skirt touches the breech seal on the way in. I do not care for that,… but it is what it is. I would rather see the bolt od bigger, as well as the O-ring id.
Anyways,..just an update, with a little statistics tossed in. I will do the silicone oil in the barrel the next time I shoot. Unless,… you think Pellgun oil? I do believe that you have mentioned both in the past.
Chris USA
That is how the pellets fit the o-ring I put in also. And I do like that the o-ring contacts the pellet head and skirt. It’s just one of those things I pay attention to when I do load a pellet. Kind of the same when I load the pellet in my Talon SS and Tx barrel. It lets me know that pellet isn’t undersize. You know that happens at time with those pellets. 😉
And me I only use RWS silicone oil. No pellgun oil in any of my guns.
GF1,
Got it. Should be back out tomorrow. I see that we have observed the same thing. Thanks.
Under sized pellets?,.. As in the wrong caliber?,.. As in the same can as the .25’s?,.. Whatever,. pray tell,. would I know about that? 😉
Chris USA
Ok will be waiting to hear.
GF1, hello again. I have the Vigilante and it is ok, but the Brodax “for me is more fun to shoot. ” The Vigilante has adjustable rear sight which is a plus. It fires pretty hot and thus is much more thirsty for CO2 then the Brodax . The Vigilante is a pretty well made pistol, but the size of it makes it feel clunky to hold and shoot. Those are just my own personal observations.
Have fun
Harvey
Harvey
Thanks for the info on the Vigilante.
I hope the Python turns out good. And I did like the feel of the Brodax. At first it seemed big. But after I shot it that changed. The grips were actually on the small side for my fingers to fit good.
I think I made the right choice getting the Python. I’ll see soon enough I suppose.
Any of the possible repros (especially the M1 carbine) would be good, but I’m going to hold out for the 1929 Buck Rogers Ray Gun (aka blaster, disintegrater, etc.)
I’ll settle for the Flash Gordon equivalent. Maybe a flying belt while we’re at it.
A Garand wouldn’t be so bad either.
103David
I want a replica of the original Star Trek Phaser pistol shooting either BBs or pellets. I also want a semi-auto pellet shooting Thompson machine gun replica.
Been done already, more or less! Do a google image search for Umarex Red Hawk and Umarex Red Storm. They were about as popular as a social disease, so they were on the market for just a weekend. Because Umarex made a huge batch of each, however, they are not in the least bit rare or collectible. They have a trigger that is like pulling a box car with your index finger.
Michael
you mean I cannot enter a 10 meter match with the red storm being it has a bad trigger lol
+1 for the phaser!
Jim
I have a reproduction Schofield made by Uberti. It is chambered in .45 Colt. Uberti made the frame a bit longer so it would take the .45 Colt Round. I use it at times for Cowboy Action. it’s not as fast as the Colt but is just great when a stage requires a reload. Then it’s almost like cheating. 🙂
Mike
Mike,
And we know that today (the longer frame to accommodate the popular cartridge). What was S&W thinking?
It’s like the 8mm airsoft caliber. Never heard of it? A few years ago it was the coming thing — more paint in the paintball BBs. Well paintball BBs didn’t take off, either!
B.B.
I heard a story that the 45 Colt was a proprietary cartridge and therefore S&W would not be allowed to chamber its revolvers for it. Its rims would also allegedly be too narrow for positive extraction.
Another theory was that the star extractor on the hinge-frame revolvers could only deal with a limited lenght of action, so all hinge-framed revolvers of the period (including European ones) were chambered for short cased cartridges. Longer ones would get stuck between that star extractor and the cylinder.
Redesigning the gun to work with full-lenght cartridges like the 45 Colt was only mastered after the introduction of the Computer Aided Design softwares in much more recent times.
Fred,
That sounds like a story to me. S&W did chamber their Frontier revolver for 44-40, which is as long as .45 Colt.
B.B.
But the .44-40 wasn’t proprietary…
That’s what I heard, I just don’t know how much of that is true.
Early .45 Colt brass did have a very, very small rim. Modern brass has a much larger one. So, that part of the story is probably true.
Mike
I used to shoot CAS asEastern Ranger. Shot mainly Colt Peacemakers or clones I both traditional and duelist . TheColt is for me faster handling and with pinkie finger under the grip recoil is reduced and follow up shots faster . In two handed traditional the Scjhofirld handles pretty fast, For a reload theSchofield gets the nod . Uberti makes and Taylor’s sells a Schofield in 38 spl aswell. Nice to see this replica
That pretty much says it all. The Schofield was designed for use by cavalry soldiers and ease of quick reloading. In the Old West I could see a 4 3/4 strong side Colt saa for fast work and the Schofield in a Crossdraw for long range and quick reloads in a longer gunfight. Could load both with Schofield round ,which is basically 45 acp. Just for a quick comparison , I tried fast draw and firing with both the Colt replica and the Schofield. Lightning fast with the Colt ,fast with the Schofield. No brag ,just fact
That is true. I would say the same. I have used a combo like that for Cowboy Action.
Mike
B.B., I agree with the M1 Carbine! But I’d also love a Savage 99, a Springfield 1903 and a 1871 baby rolling block carbine rifle. Pistols, how about a Savage 1907 or a Colt Woodsman. Revolver, maybe a 1862 Sheriff .32 (wouldn’t really be .32 though)
Doc.
Colt Woodsman , Colt 1903 Pocket Pistol , and where is a blowback Browning High Power?
I didn’t realize what a pain it is to load the Colt Single Action Army until I got a Ruger Single Six. The loading is glossed over by all the Western movies. And I still don’t understand the final scene of a Fistful of Dollars where Clint Eastwood arranges a contest with his archenemy. The man has his Winchester rifle lying unloaded on the ground in front of him, and Clint throws his unloaded revolver down at his own feet. The game is to see who can reload their weapon and bring it to bear on the other person first. Naturally, Clint wins, but after loading a bullet into his revolver, he spins the cylinder at high speed. So how does he know that the one round will go into the right position? It’s like Russian Roulette. Well, he’s a very entertaining actor regardless.
Matt61
Matt61
Haha! Yes I agree! Have you tried to spin your cylinder that fast as well? It looks so easy when u watch it but not when you try it for real. I can tell you the winchester would have beaten me… I agree he is entertaining. He is my personal favorite for the “western genre”.
My favorite cinematic fast-draw-to-the-death contest was the one in The Magnificent Seven between a cowboy and his six-shooter and James Coburn and his knife (thrown). The handgunner didn’t have a chance, just as on Mythbusters.
My favorite with Eastwood was the three-way duel at the end of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. I use the scene as a text for studying editing in my classes.
Only one actual staged one-on-one gun duel in the Wild West has been verified to have taken place, in 1865, between Wild Bill Hickok and another fellow with whom he had a long-standing feud. Hickok shot and killed the man as they faced off in the street and drew at the same time, and this was likely the beginning of his legend as well as the western duel legend, first of eastern newspapers, then of pulp novels, and finally, B and C westerns on movie and then TV screens.
Michael
Michael,
I would have to say that is my favorite as well. It really had it all. That and the outlaw Josey Wales, those seemed to be the best balanced between all the elements I think are important in a movie like that. Although a few of his I really enjoy for differing reasons.
I have a lot of good Westerns to track down and watch and the magnificent 7 is definitely one of them.
That is very interesting about wild bill. I remember a scrap of info about (I think these were the men) butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid. One was separated and help off a few native Americans whilst wounded surviving against incredible odds. The two met back up but the wounded one had developed gang green and eventually succumbed to his wounds. The other then took him halfway across America in a horse drawn wagon just to have him buried. I believe that’s where the hardcore survival extremism that is often depicted in Westerns comes from. Very cool even though my version is severely abridged, it gets the point across. A good true story. As far as I know. 🙂
The trick photography is/was good enough to fool me. Until I purposefully look for it. Clint can be quick but van cleef looks very good to me in “for a few dollars more” as far as I can tell the final draw is real.
Punchin Holes,
It is well established that Cassidy and “Sundance” left the U.S. for Argentina when they decided they had saved up enough money robbed from banks, and they were too well known and wanted in the U.S. to stay. They tried ranching there for a time but eventually were lured into their old bank-robbing habits down there. After a bank job, they escaped to Bolivia where they hid out and dabbled in mining. Eventually, they once again robbed a bank, this time in Bolivia. The problem was their U.S. accents, which always gave them away as the two Estado-Unidenses (“United States-ers”) who lived nearby.
So they holed up in a mining shack or some other building and had a shootout with either policia, Bolivian soldiers, a posse, or a combination of those and died in the gunfight. The End.
Legends persisted that Cassidy lived to escape to the U.S. to live well into the 20th Century, as Frank James, Wyatt Earp, and Bat Masterson did for real, but this was almost certainly false, such as the rumors that Jesse James and “Billy the Kid” faked their own deaths and liced for decades under false identities. Romantic bunk and yarns, I’m afraid.
Butch and Sundance died in a shootout. Jesse James was (famously) shot in the back of the head by Robert Ford as he stood on a chair to fuss with a wall clock in his house, Wild Bill Hickok also was shot in the back of the head (famously) in Deadwood, John Wesley Hardin was shot int he back of the head due to a petty dispute, and William Bonny (Billy) was shot in the middle of the night by Pat Garrett as he lay sleeping in a bunk in a ranch hand shack.
Earp lived a long life by moving back east, getting married and making good money selling his story to the press. Frank James survived the wild West by serving a few decades in prison followed by moving back east as an old man. Bat Masterson also lived well into the 20th century by moving back east and using his pulp novel fame as a meal ticket.
Michael
Michael
“Gimmie the Schofield” (CE in Unforgiven). 🙂
Bat Masterson moved to NYC and became a sportswriter, esp Boxing. Also a US Marshall appointed by his friend Teddy Roosevelt. Later turned it down because he said some young fool would try to brace him and he would have to kill him. Wrote a series of columns on his western friends that have been put in book form. Very interesting. He was the real deal and an intelligent man who saw the wild west begin and end. Wyatt Earp, hickock, Hardin were all very good at what they did, Very tough men
Fido3030
Fido3030
I didn’t see the movie but could he have counted the clicks?
Fido3030
Fido 3030
It is possible. Some people have great muscle memory. He would have had to have trained himself to roll the chamber the right amount of “clicks” (3or 4 I don’t have my ruger in front of me and I’m bad at it any way) cocked the hammer and fired, all at full speed. Nothing is impossible about it though. 🙂
Did it click six times or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all of the excitement I lost count. But, seeing how this is a .44 magnum and the most powerful handgun in the world and can tear your head clean off . . . Oops. Sorry. Wrong Clint Eastwood movie.
Michael
B.B.,
I have been looking forward to a Schofield air gun ever since I saw how spectacular the Colt SAAs were, and I do hope that this is a good shooter.
But like you I am bothered by what (should be) an heirloom air gun not having a nice box. Worse is the black matte finish. And you are probably correct that it’s an ersatz Parkerizing at that, not like my early ’80s Ka-Bar, which saw an awful lot of use before much of the coating began to wear off. I would pay more for this if it were nickel or blued. I will say, however, that the way my Webley MK VI is wearing at the edges looks pretty good. Unlike the decades of wear on my Parkerized Ka-Bar, however, the metal underneath is not steel but pot metal, so large areas of wear might not be quite so handsome.
Michael
B.B.,
I almost forgot. Please consider adding one more replica to the list of classics deserving of an airgun version. I love the look of top-breakers! Believe it or not, I’d VERY much like an air version of a top-break Harrington and Richardson .38 in nickel with the 3 1/4 inch barrel. I consider that to be the best looking handgun ever made. Seriously. I’d buy three of them, two to shoot and one to be kept unfired in its, ahem, box.
Michael
B.B.,
Just a quick comment on receiving replies to the blog…… despite trying to use the “manage” link at the bottom,… which by the way,….. pops up that the “web page cannot be displayed”,….. I still am not receiving any replies in my E-mail.
Everything else is fine,… Thanks,… Chris
Chris USA
The way it shows up on my phone is it is always on.
Send a notification ONLY if someone replies to my comment
I have changed it and it always comes back to that. I hate when IT starts messing with the site. The posts are also not showing up as full screen. It only goes across about 2/3 of my phone screen. And the print is small. I have to expand my screen to make it fit.
Sure makes reading the blog a pain. Oh and I still have no spell check button. Hopefully they get done messing with it. Or maybe that’s what it will be like now. Whatever who knows. But it sure seemed that Edith could get things figured out. I know she has corrected some of my typo’s in the past.
GF1,
Well,… I do not know if Edith “fixed” it,…. but I am sure she was like a pit bull on fresh meat,.. until it got fixed.
Just like a Mama takin’ care of her youngin’s. She took real good care of us all,.. and in check,.. and (re)-informed,.. and encouraged,.. and etc.
My favorite line is,.. and always will be,… “resistance is futile”. She was right! 😉
Chris USA
Whatever it was she did. It seemed the problem at hand got back to normal faster when she was involved.
Group
Dissapointment. The maximus came today. I bought the ultimate package with the pump, rifle, pellets and mantis scope.
The rifle is poorly finished with a “salt and pepper” appearance. The Benjamin logo is uneven as well. These don’t really matter to me. They are just worth mentioning.
The problems I have are with the gritty bolt action cycle, which I can over look. The sloppy bolt is what I have come to expect from crosman, I can also overlook this as I have on my other crosman rifles. The main problem is the trigger… Before I get started I just wanna say I gave it every chance. I knew it would be heavy. I figured it would be gritty, I was not wrong. It speaks volumes that people like B.B. can shoot this thing. I cannot. I can’t keep from jerking this gun all over. My groups at 15 yards are bigger than B.B.s for 25. My 30yd groups are barely suitable for hunting. I can barely keep 10 in an inch.
The mantis scope is decent. I would spend a little more money on a UTG as I find them to be the best bargain, but if you can’t afford it the mantis that focuses down to 5 or 10yds works well enough.
I shot 50+ shots and got more of a workout than any Springer would have given me. Even a 40lb er. I was less tired from my 392. I pumped up the gun twice. I used the Benjamin pump that was very nice.
I did have fun playing with the power curve and think the gun shoots it’s hardest at about 1800psi? I don’t have a chrony.
Bottom line. This gun is what you think it is. This is a gun for a real shooter or perhaps modder. I personally have a light touch and can’t stand the trigger. I have a full time job. I don’t need another when I come home to relax. 🙂 It was awesome to experience the power of the dark side. But cmon I’m a Jedi and Jedi shoot springers! 😉 but seriously I cant shoot this thing any better at 30yds than I can my Diana 36 with open sights.
I’m not complaining. I’m just saying my piece.
PH
Wow that was some get down to it say it as it is info.
And don’t remember you saying you where getting one. But now I know.
So I guess your sending it back? Or you gonna mod it? How many pumps did it take to get up to 1800 psi. And from what psi was the gun at when you started filling back up. Just curious.
GF1
Yeah it was part of my “top secret” testing… I was just going to spring it on everyone. 😉
I haven’t decided. I really like the power and the adventure of these pcps. I wish I could have just afforded an mrod or something in that range.
I didnt play too much but i did notice my pumping was similiar to B.B.s. I have a hard time counting things as i go. I always had to stack count or set the counter on my brake press when i ran production. Heck I can’t even count to ten shots or load my magazines for my 22. I have to plop ten pellets in the pellet tin lid. Most of the time I just eyeball the count, if I’m warming up or just playing. By the time I’m there my mind has already wandered and I forgot what number I was on. 🙂
I got the gun at 1500psi and took it to 2000. I shot it down to 1000psi and didn’t really notice any drop off until 1200-1100? (Sound wise and poi) I will start making a few notes to get fine tuned.
I checked the return policy and it was as I thought. (Restocking fee) I like everything else I got, even the nice Plano case so I think my logical choice is to mod the trigger I think. It is simple enough that if I research it I am confident I can handle it. Although I will be patient.
I see how pcp owners get caught up in the fever. There is so much data to collect and experiments to conduct. Springers are similar but in a different way.
My wife caught me red handed with two huge boxes from pyramyd this morning… She didn’t say much but I did feel sheepish… she’s not much for possessions. I’m not either with the exceptions of tools and guns. 😉
PH
.177 caliber I guess.
And I say give it some more time. I think you will adapt to the trigger over time.
Or you can take it out of the stock and put a 2240 trigger grip assembly on it with a 1399 stock. I did that to one of my Discovery’s. It makes for a lighter and slimmer gun that way. I described it to people it was like holding a pool stick.
And if you want. A Marauder pistol trigger grip assembly should bolt right on too. Then you would have a true two stage trigger that is fully adjustable. And I’m not talking Marauder rifle trigger grip assembly. Although a gen1 Marauder rifle trigger assembly will bolt right on too. You just won’t have a trigger guard.
I really liked mine when I had it that way. And it gives it kind of that all black tactical look.
Let me know if you try it. But I think you might like it that way.
PH,
Bummer you did not like it. If things were a bit different, I might have got one myself after some further review. I love the looks and the light weight. I would scope it with something small and a fixed mag level though. Crossman parts seem cheap,… so like GF said, maybe a trigger swap.
As for the “gritty” bolt,…. I thought the same on my M-rod. I had to go in and flip the bolt to the left anyways,… so while I was in there,.. I just cleaned everything up and applied some new moly.
As for returns, I have never had a re-stock fee. Call them to be sure. I thought that within the first 30 days,… you are free and clear.
If it was me,.. I would hate to return it. BB noted the trigger at 6#, which is a bit on the heavy side of things. Too light is not good either. I am finding that I like 2-2.5#. As for the pump,… can’t help you there,… it is what it is.
Keep us posted, Chris
Chris USA
Check out my post tonite when u get a sec. I think she’s growing on me… The bolt feels better tonight. And I am determined to take on that trigger. 🙂
P.S. just now getting back into the regular swing of comment checking via email.
BB,
Replicas of the Colt Army 1851 and the Remington 1858 which would fit into the Good the Bad and the Ugly cult followers. I do wish also that they would move away from BBs and make them with accurate barrels shooting pellets. Should accuracy be traded off for realistic reproduction?
Ton
I almost made a similar comment earlier. Dragoons/Walkers may not be practical but I think a colt army, navy(I would go for any year of either) and Remington would all be awesome and quite popular.
Any yes! Bring on the pellets and accuracy!
Ton,
Ah, the Remington 1858 with its cool top strap frame. Yep, Lee Van Cleef as Angel Eyes in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly used one. Clint Eastwood in Pale Rider, too. Iconic revolver.
Michael
Going back to the Build a Multipump blog, there is a thread on GTA on building a Multipump from a 13xx using a 2200 tube. Good looking build.
Hope you don’t mind if I post a link.
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=110872.0;topicseen
Jim
More fuel to add to the fire. This ought to show there is a market for such a airgun.
Jim
Like I said before. Build it they will come. Quoted from the movie Field of Dreams.
B.B. and Everyone,
I don’t know if anybody is still following this thread, but I’ve decided the black matte finish on this is a deal-breaker for me. But I want a CO2 Schofield in the worst way. Any idea how much it would cost to have one of these stripped of all its finish and either hot blued or nickel plated?
Michael
Michael,
This gun is not made from steel. Hot bluing would destroy it. As for nickel-plating, it might be possible for a couple hundred dollars. The handwork to smooth the soft metal would be the big expense.
B.B.
Hmmm. One could buy the Uberti replica for $1500 plus dollars and then have a former Baikal employee convert it to a CO2 pellet shooter!
BAH! You’ve written about this very problem with corporate types with not one iota of understanding of the products/market. (“Make it pink for the girls” — I remember.) B.B., why don’t these manufacturers just do things right? All they need is to have part-time consultants on retainer. You, for instance. “Tom, Dieter from Umarex here. M1 carbine for the Legends Series. What should we be sure to do? Wood, metal, working controls, blued metal, OK, got it. Wire folding stock paratrooper model? Maybe next time if the first ones sell.” After ten minutes on the phone with you, Umarex wires you $100 and then avoids stupid errors on a replica. Anybody who would be in the market for a Schofield air gun would care about things such as historically correct finishes.
It’s all in the details.
Michael
Could use the bluing like the Peacemakers as well as same nickel looking finish
Hi, I am the Michael who reviewed the Schofield. Had been wishing for one since I saw the Webley. It is time, and the technology is here for some really innovative replica airguns. I am a big fan of old west handguns and rifles,as well as historical firearms. This one is a nice addition, I would like a nickel finish , as well as bright blue and the cut down 5 inch Wells Fargo version. A nice pr of replica handguns is to pair up a weathered finish Colt in a strong side holster with the Schofield in a crossdraw. Will see if I can figure out how to post some pictures or could email them to someone who can
Michael,
How appropriate! I’m writing about the Schofield today.
You wrote a wonderful review! Thanks.
B.B.
I’m hoping for a better “blued” finished model. And the 5 inch barreled “Wells Fargo” version would be ideal…
I see where “hot bluing” would ruin the gun. How about “cold bluing”???
Just found out this pistol fits perfectly in a Dan Wesson molded revolver holster from ASG Ref. 17350.
The back strap is not catching on anything but will eventually grab the trigger and not let it come out. If you cock the hammer the strap will fit tight under it.
Hello all.
Please note that, while the Webley Mark VI cartridges fit the pistol, do NOT waste your money for the speed loader you sometimes see the ‘bullets’ loaded into. I have THREE speed loader styles, each a little different; for the Dan Wesson, for the Webley, and for the S&W Python. All three are revolvers (said for clarification for any newbies out there), and all three are just a bit different. NONE of them will properly work for the Schofield No. 3 BB pistol. I have looked/searched EVERYWHERE I can think of, and I can not find a speed loader made for the pistol.
Take care, y’all. And please_ shoot SAFE!
Mr. M. J. Gaudet