A Consumer's Conundrum on the Schofield Model 3

[Ponte]

Picked up the Schofield today from my local gunshop after Dixie over-nighted it to them.  Loaded it up with snap caps, checked all the mechanisms, ejected them for a few times...looks like the mechanics of it are in time and functional.  Cleaned up it, looked down the sight....PROBLEM!

As you can see, that front sight is bent to the left a good deal.  This is an aimed view:


A view from the front:


I'm wondering whether or not this is something my local gunsmith can easily fix.  He removed a stripped screw and re-threaded the hole in the trigger guard on my fiance's Pietta 1858 for the lowest minimum service fee by his policy ($50).  I'm guessing it'll probably be the same.

With trying to send it BACK, I just feel like it'll be almost the same exact cost with FFL shipping fees between my gun shop and Dixie Gun Works, and I'll have to spend weeks getting it repaired. 

Not sure if anyone has had this problem, but any input would be appreciated. 

[St. George]

That's easily fixed - even by yourself, if you used padded jaws on your pliers, or removed it and flattened it on a 'smooth' surface.


Scouts Out!

[Pettifogger]

Fortunately the front sight on the Schofield is pinned in.  Easy fix.

[Abominable Bill]

It's unfortunate that it arrived that way... but I have a question for you
Does it shoot to point of aim that way?
If so, it may have been done intentionally
It is my understanding that if your fixed sighted top break shoots to the right or the left, you will be bending the sight in the direction needed or just use kentucky windage all the time
If it needs to be replaced, you can get replacements at VTI Gun Parts
http://www.vtigunparts.com/store/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=35&cat=Uberti+Schofield
Item # 15 cost $10.00

[RickB]

Congratulations on your Schofield. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine.

I have 3 of them. The first one I bought was an ASM in .45 Colt. I've put thousands of rounds through it and only ever had one issue with it. That was that the barrel release lever was so stiff that it was a real pain to open the gun to load or unload. I had Vaughn Truman fix that for me and now it's a true beauty. It's a Wells Fargo model. I also have 2 Uberti with 7 inch barrels in .45 Colt. One is the Navy Arms Founders model. I put a few hundred rounds through it but don't want  to over shoot it. It's a special  edition.  

The other is one that Pauncho helped me get. He's a breaktop loving fool like a few others here. Me included. I just love them S&Ws. I found a new one at the gun show last weekend in .45 and the guy only wanted $850 for it. Sadly, I didn't have but $200 on me and couldn't afford it. Dang!

It would have been a good addition to my Schofield family.

As far as I am concerned, you can't beat them for accuracy and fast loading/unloading. Plus, they are a beautiful gun.  

[Cole Bluesteele]

The Uberti Schofield & Russian front sights are soft metal.. I had a pard drop his and bent the front sight significantly.  Just clamped the front sight in a padded bench vice and twisted the pistol to re-straighten the sight. Worked like a charm

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

For what it's worth, the front sights on the originals were pretty soft and easily bent too. They were very thin and easily bent. Trust me on this.

[Charlie Prince]

Mornin', Ponte.

Firstly, thank you for your service to our country. Secondly, you have great taste in both guns and movies. I'm almost done putting together my Charlie costume for this year's CAS season, and have another long barreled Schofield on layaway as we speak. That'll make three Schofields for me; two 7" 45 LC and one 5" 38 Special. All three of them are Stoegers. Fit and finish on all three is top notch, and the latest one on layaway has the Schofield patent inscribed on its barrel, so Uberti is starting to get wise.

Now, in regards to your sight problem, I presume this gun was perhaps used? If so, someone may have bent it to correct for windage. Schofields don't have sights that are particularly friendly to fine adjustments, and really your only two options would be to fill and file the rear sight or bend the front. Looks like someone chose the latter. The best way to confirm this is to go shoot it, preferably from a bench rest. If it hits bang on with that bent sight, it was probably a solution to a problem.

If not, then here's your chance to make your gun more historically accurate. Uberti chooses to blend the front sight pin with the rest of the barrel before finishing. While very pleasing looking, the old Smith and Wessons were usually seen with a pin that stood proud of the barrel. Some of the front sights were replaced with a dime if the factory piece broke off.

As far as markings go, the older Navy Arms Schofields had very accurate markings, though they obviously didn't have Smith and Wesson's address on them. I believe, legally speaking, you can't put another manufacturer's information on a gun while doing away with the real manufacturer's information. I could be wrong, but I wouldn't be willing to test it.

And with finishing, look up Doug Turnbull. He's one of the few guys in the business who can apply the historically accurate blue and case coloring onto your gun. Gonna be expensive and a long wait, but I've seen his work in hand (on 1911s) and he's the best.

Maybe you want some 3:10 to Yuma leather to go with that gun? Google "Will Ghormley". He made a Charlie Prince "Flames of Hell" rig for me last year, and it is gorgeous. He made the actual screen-used leather, so it'll be completely screen accurate. He's also a really nice guy, so I don't hesitate to recommend him for business. You may not be able to get away with the twist draw, depending on how your range officer/shooting club interprets the rules. I have to demonstrate my draw each time I want to use it, and about half of them ban it. You'll have to get good with cross draw as your back up technique. Also, if you order a Charlie rig from Mr Ghormley, be sure to request that the holsters don't exceed 30 degrees of cant, so that they stay SASS legal.

I love my Schofields. Its a big, heavy gun that stays steady in the hand and produces surprisingly mild recoil, especially when used with 180 grain Ultramax .45 Schofield cartridges. I think you've made, to quote the knight at the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, "a wise choice".

[Pancho Peacemaker]

If you consider replacing the front sight, think about a period dime for a replacement.  Ive seen more No. 3 frames with coinage for front sights than I can remember.  Most of them were specimens where the barrel was cut down.

This is a link to one of Driftwood Johnsons DA44s with a dime for a front sight   

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=38741.0

[Pettifogger]

Maybe some Schofields are back in the supply line.  Went to my local Sportsman's Warehouse to look at the desolation and see if any reloading supplies have come in.  There on the large peg board behind the counter, almost all my itself, was a 5" Uberti .45 Schofield!  If Sportsman's has them it might mean there are some at the distributors again.

[Pancho Peacemaker]

If anybody is hunting for Uberti Schofields, I saw 4 brand new Cimarrons at 3B Shooting Supply on Tuesday morning.  Just came in fresh from Italy.   He had all three barrel lengths on the shelf.

[RickB]

I will vouch for 3B. Pancho and 3B did me right a year ago when I was looking for one. Great price and the gun is great. In fact, it's the best Schofield in my collection of 3 of them. For some reason it doesn't have the problem where I cock the hammer back and it sometimes feels like it's catching on something. This one is smooth as butter and shoots right where I want it to hit.

If I had the money I would own a dozen Schofields. They are my favorite pistols.

[Irish Dave]

A period penny (indian head) is almost a perfect fit width-wise for the Uberti Russians and the Laramies... I suspect for the Schofields also.

[Jake MacReedy]

Schofields are coming back on line once more...mine should arrive in the next couple of days at the local gun shop where I work.  Can hardly wait to get it!

Regards,
Jake

[RickB]

I've seen two new Schofield's for sale recently. One was at a gun show this last weekend. Price was $850.00. A store near my home has one right now for about that same price. I didn't see the caliber of the latter one. The first was .45 colt.

I'm thinking that if the one near by is .45 colt I may just have to make it Schofield number 4 in my collection. I do love them Schofield's. 

[Jake MacReedy]

Schofield is no longer available.

Regards,
Jake

[St. George]

As has been mentioned in another thread - if it's an Armi San Marco piece - it needs a 'thorough' looking-over, due to QC concerns.

Scouts Out!

[Jake MacReedy]

This is a NIB Uberti-made Schofield...recently manufactured.  But it is no longer available.

Regards,
Jake