Posted on 10/11/2012 12:07:14 PM PDT by TheThirdRuffian
What do you all think about the Umberti recreation of the Schofield .45? For whatever reason, I love this gun, probably from watching too many westerns.
This is not particularly a self-defense gun, although I suppose the .45LC would not be pleasant to be shot with.
I just think it's cool and want to hang it in a holster in my cabin the the moutains to counter-act the crap my wife is hanging up, and occassionaly go cowboy shoot with it.
.45 LC vs. .45 Schofield vs. .45 ACP
.45 Long Colt
Production history
Designer U.S. Army
Designed 1872
Specifications
Case type Rimmed, straight
Bullet diameter
.454 (lead), .452 (jacketed)
Neck diameter .480 in (12.2 mm)
Base diameter .480 in (12.2 mm)
Rim diameter .512 in (13.0 mm)
Rim thickness .060 in (1.5 mm)
Case length 1.285 in (32.6 mm)
Overall length 1.600 in (40.6 mm)
Case capacity 41.60 gr H2O (2.704 cm³)
Rifling twist
1 in 16 in (410 mm)
Primer type
Large Pistol
Maximum pressure 14,000 psi (97 MPa)
Maximum CUP
14000 CUP
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy
255 gr (16.5 g) Lead SWC
961 ft/s (293 m/s) 523 ft•lbf (709 J)
200 gr (13 g) XTP
1,032 ft/s (315 m/s) 473 ft•lbf (641 J)
230 gr (15 g) XTP 969 ft/s (295 m/s) 480 ft•lbf (650 J)
250 gr (16 g) XTP 929 ft/s (283 m/s) 479 ft•lbf (649 J)
325 gr (21.1 g) Buffalo Bore heavy lead +P 1,325 ft/s (404 m/s) 1,267 ft•lbf (1,718 J)
.45 Schofield
Service history
In service 1875–1892
Used by US Army
Production history
Designer Smith & Wesson
Designed 1875
Manufacturer Smith & Wesson
Specifications
Case type Rimmed, straight
Bullet diameter
.452-.454 in
Neck diameter .477 in (12.1 mm)
Base diameter .477 in (12.1 mm)
Rim diameter .522 in (13.3 mm)
Rim thickness .060 in (1.5 mm)
Case length 1.100 in (27.9 mm)
Overall length 1.430 in (36.3 mm)
Rifling twist
24
Primer type
Large pistol
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy
200 gr (13 g) Lead SWC 859 ft/s (262 m/s) 328 ft•lbf (445 J)
230 gr (15 g) Lead (factory load) 730 ft/s (220 m/s) 276 ft•lbf (374 J)
250 gr (16 g) Lead 710 ft/s (220 m/s) 283 ft•lbf (384 J)
.45 ACP
Service history
Used by United States and others
Wars World War I–present
Production history
Designer John Browning
Designed 1904 [1]
Variants .45 ACP +P, .45 Super
Specifications
Case type Rimless, straight
Bullet diameter
.452 in (11.5 mm)
Neck diameter .473 in (12.0 mm)
Base diameter .476 in (12.1 mm)
Rim diameter .480 in (12.2 mm)
Case length .898 in (22.8 mm)
Overall length 1.275 in (32.4 mm)
Case capacity 25 gr H2O (1.625 cm³)
Rifling twist
1 in 16 in (406 mm)
Primer type
Large pistol
Maximum pressure 21,000 psi (140 MPa)
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy
165 gr (10.7 g) Federal Premium Low Recoil JHP 1,060 ft/s (320 m/s) 412 ft•lbf (559 J)
185 gr (12.0 g) Bonded Defense 1,225 ft/s (373 m/s) 616 ft•lbf (835 J)
200 gr (13 g) Speer Gold Dot JHP +P 1,080 ft/s (330 m/s) 518 ft•lbf (702 J)
230 gr (15 g) Federal Hydra-Shok 900 ft/s (270 m/s) 414 ft•lbf (561 J)
But a real men prefer a S&W 500. (Just kidding)
Correction:
Hardin preferred it, as did Jessie James and Wild Bill Hickok.
I live in Lincoln County, NM, so I best get this weapon.
John Wesley Hardin used a S&W American model to shoot Shriff Webb. Hardin used more types of revolvers than any other outlaw in the Old West. Whatever he could get his hands on. In 1877, well into the cartridge era, when arrested he was carrying an 1860 Colt Army cap and ball revolver.
My apologies. I don’t think i’ve bought any factory loaded cartridges (other than rimfire) in about 10 years, and I tend to think about handloaded rounds rather than factory.
I should have specified.
The point I was trying to convey is that some .45 colt rounds (if they’re handloaded for specific revolvers) have the potential to break a schofield. Also that the .45 schofield (which is what the original firearm was chambered for) is a very light .45 calibre cartridge, similar to the .45 acp, that should be considered a very capable defensive round without being to potent in regards to recoil.
I’ve already apologised for not realising that this version shoots the .45 colt, not the .45 schofield.
You may have been thinking of the S&W .32 "Old Army" tip-up revolver that was found on Hickok's body after he was shot dead in 1876. He actually preferred his pair of Colt 1851 .36 cal cap and ball revolvers above all others.
I have three Schofields, two with the 7 1/2 inch barrels, and one with a 5 inch. All in .44-40. I have used the two long ones for years in Cowboy Action Shooting. They have the best sights of any authentic replica, and the extra weight of the barrels makes them very easy to hold.
The only quirk of the Schofield is that you have to have your finger completely off the trigger to cock them, the slightest pressure will jam the mechanism.
They have very tight tolerences, and since I shoot only black powder* in my cowboy guns, I have to wipe the cylinder face and lube the axle between stages.
In short, I love my Schofields for CAS, and if I didn’t have better guns for serious social work, I would not be adverse to using them for self-defense.
Grizzle Bear
Founder of the
Kansas Vigilance Committee
An NCOWS Posse
* I have taken the Thunder Ranch Pledge:
“I hereby swear and affirm that I would be willing to fight four wild Comanches with the ammunition I am using in todays’ match.”
Somebody lit off one of those with a 4" barrel next to me at an indoor range. My cojones about fell into my socks.
Lincoln County, you bet you need this gun.
If you do and come to Albuquerque, FReepmail me, I have a couple boxes of .45 Schofield cowboy ammo I’d trade for the chance to shoot it.
There’s always some idiot that thinks giving his wife/gf a hard recoiling gun is funny. The 500’s can double it not really held hard, actually “bump firing” because it moves back enough in the hand to reset the trigger.
I haven’t shot anything bigger than a .44 Mag in sometime, did some nerve damage to my hands in my “laugh at recoil” days.
Big fan of the .38 Super, almost .357 (125 grain) performance with 9mm recoil and 9+1 magazines. Plus it doesn’t bark like the .357 Sig.
Purty, and they shoot real nice.
***the .45 schofield is about the equivalant to a .45 acp. it’s potentially a very good self defense calibre.***
From what I have read, the US Army used the Colt .45(Long Colt). Then they ordered a few S&W which fired a .45 short.
From that day on the US Army required all Colts to use the shorter cartridge.
No need. I just wanted to make sure no one misconstrued, per industry standards, the Colt round is not even near the .44 mag. I know guys hot rod it. That is the exception is all. And really, if you want a .44 mag, shoot a .44 mag. Or a Casull. But hot loads are fine in the Rugers and a few others so long as you don't have any other guns they might accidentally get loaded into.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but it has always been my understanding that a handgun, whether a single shot or having a magazine, is a PISTOL.
A handgun which has a magazine in the form of a turning cylinder arrangement, is a REVOLVER.
Therefore, the handgun being discussed is not a pistol, but rather a revolver. By maintaining that basic nomenclature, one can visualize a weapon’s appearance and construction just by hearing a one-word description; either pistol or revolver.
Another Weatherby fan here, I’ve got the 240, 257 and the 300. If I lived in bear country I’d probably have the 340 as well.
The Uberti 1875 Schofield is chambered in 45 Long Colt.
Check out Buffalo Bore and Corbon, both make some pretty stout loads for the 45 Long Colt. I do allot of hog hunting with a 7 1/2 inch Stainless Ruger Blackhawk covertable 45LC/45ACP, a unique pistol since Ruger never made a convertable in that model.
I use Buffalo Bore 260 grs at 1500 fps and Corbon 300 grs at 1300 fps. That particular load went through both shoulders of a 365 lb bore at 35 yards.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.