S&W PC Schofield 2000 | Shoot or Sell?

[Wade Butcher]

Hello, everyone.

 

OK, so I have this old Smith & Wesson Performance Center Schofield 2000. No doubt, it's a pretty pistol, and I'd love to shoot it. (Finding the elusive / expensive .45 Schofield round is a different story.) However, I know that it's semi-collectible, especially in it's current unfired state, so that leads me to the ultimate question: Should I simply shoot the gun and stop worrying about market value, or should I sell / trade it away in order to get, for example, a pair of Taylor's & Co. Schofields (5" and 7") with action work? (And maybe in a much cheaper 38 special or 45 Colt.) I suspect that I wouldn't feel as bad about dinging up a Taylor's Schofield vs. the S&W PC Schofield, so I'm leaning toward selling / trading. Plus, I could have twice as many pistols. On the other hand, would I look back in a few years and regret that decision? It's a dilemma.

 

By the way... I'm a super newbie who is still trying to build his SASS gun collection, so any advice from experienced shooters will be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Tequila Shooter]

While having collector guns is a nice thing a lot would depend on your funds and priorities.  Is there sentimental value?  Do you want to pass it down to your kids?  These are some questions only you can answer.  A SAA is a simpler revolver, and it’s easier to find a smith to work on them, but the Schofield has got a cool factor.  

It is a beautiful gun, and I personally wouldn’t use it for SASS, but it’s your gun.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

There's one for sale on the Classifieds that looks as good as yours and has been shot a little, and the seller is asking $2,500.  Everything being equal yours is probably worth a bit more.  There are also two for sale from one seller at $2,500 a piece and they have been fired.  All of a sudden there are a lot of them being offered for sale. 

[Wade Butcher]

12 minutes ago, Tex Jones, SASS 2263 said:

There's one for sale on the Classifieds that looks as good as yours and has been shot a little, and the seller is asking $2,500.  Everything being equal yours is probably worth a bit more.  There are also two for sale from one seller at $2,500 a piece and they have been fired.  All of a sudden there are a lot of them being offered for sale. 

Yes, I saw those. In fact, those ads were what made me consider selling or trading my own. After all, I'm not really a serious collector, and I do believe that guns were meant to be shot, so a pistol worth ~$2500 that simply sits around in a wooden box inside a gun safe is kind of a waste, in my humble opinion. So it's either use it or lose it, I suppose. Tough call.

 

36 minutes ago, Tequila Shooter said:

While having collector guns is a nice thing a lot would depend on your funds and priorities.  Is there sentimental value?  Do you want to pass it down to your kids?  These are some questions only you can answer.  A SAA is a simpler revolver, and it’s easier to find a smith to work on them, but the Schofield has got a cool factor.  

It is a beautiful gun, and I personally wouldn’t use it for SASS, but it’s your gun.

Hmm... My funds are OK, so I wouldn't NEED to trade or sell it. And there's zero sentimental value attached to it. May I ask why you wouldn't use it for SASS? Is it because the Colt SAA (or its clones) are better pistols, or is it because it's a little on the collectible side, so you'd prefer to keep it as pristine as possibl?

 

Thanks again.

[Tequila Shooter]

14 minutes ago, ZenRooster said:

Hmm... My funds are OK, so I wouldn't NEED to trade or sell it. And there's zero sentimental value attached to it. May I ask why you wouldn't use it for SASS? Is it because the Colt SAA (or its clones) are better pistols, or is it because it's a little on the collectible side, so you'd prefer to keep it as pristine as possibl?

 

Thanks again.

 

First off it’s a little too nice, second if it has an adjustable rear sight you’d have to have it welded to make it SASS legal.  The ease of working on a SAA as I said has the double benefit of finding a good smith, and readily available replacement parts.  I don’t have any collectibles and I believe, like you, if I own a gun I want to shoot it. 

[Black Angus McPherson]

.45 Schofield may be a little hard to find commercially loaded, but they are easy enough to reload.  Brass is readily available from Starline, or, if you have the time and .45 Colt brass available, you can make your own.

 

Me, I'd probably shoot it at a SASS match or two just because it's cool.  However, I've tried one and I don't find them as comfortable to shoot as SAA copies.  Besides, I've gone dark and my regular match guns are 1851 Navy's.

 

Could you really trade the S&W for two Taylor's?  That would tempt me mightily because it would give me a matched pair for SASS.

 

I'm with you on one thing tho, I'm not real interested in having a gun I can't, or won't, shoot. 

 

Angus

[Wade Butcher]

4 minutes ago, Black Angus McPherson said:

.45 Schofield may be a little hard to find commercially loaded, but they are easy enough to reload.  Brass is readily available from Starline, or, if you have the time and .45 Colt brass available, you can make your own.

 

...

 

Could you really trade the S&W for two Taylor's?  That would tempt me mightily because it would give me a matched pair for SASS.

 

Angus

Well, I don't currently reload, but I've been thinking of learning someday. Probably limited to 357 and 45 Colt only. (Plus, the 45 Schofield, if I keep this pistol.)

 

And I'm not sure if I could literally trade for two Taylor's, but at the current market value of ~$2500 for a S&W PC Schofield 2000 in good condition, I could easily sell this one for less than market value and still buy a matching set of matching Taylor's Schofields (~$2000 combined). I might even have enough to pay for an action job on one of them. Who knows? I must admit, the Taylor's models sure are pretty with that case coloring!

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

I had a chance to buy one once, and circumstances screwed me up so I couldn't.   I've always regretted not getting one.

 

And I believe it was Roy Rogers who once said, "What's the sense of owning a gun if you can't shoot it?"

[DeaconKC]

First, unfired is a BIG thing to collectors. If you are not gonna shoot it regularly, DON"T shoot it even once. Decide first, if you want to commit to reloading for it, and running the gun. It is a beauty. I would check on the Smith & Wesson Forum on value. Because once you fire it once, you could cost yourself $500 or more.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

11 minutes ago, ZenRooster said:

Well, I don't currently reload, but I've been thinking of learning someday. Probably limited to 357 and 45 Colt only. (Plus, the 45 Schofield, if I keep this pistol.)

 

And I'm not sure if I could literally trade for two Taylor's, but at the current market value of ~$2500 for a S&W PC Schofield 2000 in good condition, I could easily sell this one for less than market value and still buy a matching set of matching Taylor's Schofields (~$2000 combined). I might even have enough to pay for an action job on one of them. Who knows? I must admit, the Taylor's models sure are pretty with that case coloring!

As a follow up, the Schofield does not have adjustable sights and can be used, as is, in CAS.  I had one Uberti and it was OK.  I, like many others, am used to Colt style grips and the Schofield takes a little getting used to.  At current prices you could easily afford two clones, however, they are hard to come by right now.  I don't know who does action jobs on Schofields.  They can probably be smoothed up a little, but I don't think you can do much else to them.  Oh, by the way, they will, as will the clones, develop a turn ring around the cylinder.  It's normal.

[Wade Butcher]

Just now, DeaconKC said:

First, unfired is a BIG thing to collectors. If you are not gonna shoot it regularly, DON"T shoot it even once. Decide first, if you want to commit to reloading for it, and running the gun. It is a beauty. I would check on the Smith & Wesson Forum on value. Because once you fire it once, you could cost yourself $500 or more.

Oh, wow! I had no idea. Thanks for the tip! I'm not a collector of firearms (altho I do own a few "collectible" ones), so that would have never dawned on me. Thanks again. (By the way, while it's technically unfired except for the accompanying test shell from the factory as shown in the photo above, it does have a thin cylinder line from occasionally handling. After all, the style of gun is super cool, so it's nearly impossible for a person NOT to play with it a little. LOL)

[Wade Butcher]

1 minute ago, Tex Jones, SASS 2263 said:

Oh, by the way, they will, as will the clones, develop a turn ring around the cylinder.  It's normal.

That's great to know. Thank you.

[Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L]

FWIW - I have been shooting two S&W PC Schofields for over 16 years. I really enjoy shooting them. But, I also have some that are unfired.

 

If you do decide to shoot it, contact me for some "IMPORTANT" maintenance tips before you try to clean it.

[Dantankerous]

I've shot mine. It's fun and it is certainly a quality firearm. But I bought mine to shoot.  It is certainly a unique piece and I bought it for one particular reason. Fun.

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

Schofields are good "authentic points" guns. But do you see anyone being competitive with them? Parts are hard to find, and the minute you shoot it its worth less.

I have 2 Uberti Schofields in 44-40. I shoot them maybe once a year for fun. The grip is weird and the hammer is really high. I shoot dualist.

If you're not a collector, sell it. Use the money to buy 2 Colt clones in 38 with an action job and you'll have money left.

 

ike

[Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L]

Shooting it is a personal decision you need to make. I've got 2 WF Editions S&W Performance Center Schofields I've been shooting for almost 20 years. I also have a #3  in 44 Russian I shot for many years until I found my second WF and a Uberti I use as a backup.

[Wade Butcher]

 2 hours ago, Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L said:

If you do decide to shoot it, contact me for some "IMPORTANT" maintenance tips before you try to clean it.

That's a very kind gesture. Thank you, Injun Ryder!

 

1 hour ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

If you're not a collector, sell it. Use the money to buy 2 Colt clones in 38 with an action job and you'll have money left.

Yeah, that's kinda what I was thinking. Plus, like others have said above, I, too, believe that a gun is meant to be shot, not simply collected and stored away.

 

I'll sleep on it tonight, but right now I'm leaning toward snapping a few more pics tomorrow, listing it for a local sale or trade, and seeing if anyone wants it. Who knows? Maybe I'll get lucky.

 

In the meantime, thanks again for all the good advice and insights, everyone. I really appreciate it.

[Tequila Shooter]

@ZenRooster first off let me apologize for my previous post.  I’ll be the first to admit that I need to get into the SHB more, especially before I post something.  PWB was kind enough to privately let me know the what the rules are for adjustable sight revolvers.  So here is the rule on page 37 of the SHB

Revolver – Adjustable Sight Models
- Adjustable sight revolvers may have dovetailed or adjustable rear sights and/or dovetailed front sights.
- The rear of adjustable sight revolver front sights may be reshaped (such as rounded).
- Ramp style front sights are allowed if original to the firearm.
- Beaded post front sights or inserts are not allowed.
- Adjustable sight revolver REAR sights may be replaced with commonly available
sights of the same size and type. Modern replacement target sights such as the
Bomar and Millett type sights are not allowed.
- Rear sights may utilize an insert of the same color as the rear sight to allow easy
sight adjustment.
- Adjustable sight revolver FRONT sights may not be undercut.

 

Also certain categories allow adjustable sights.

 

Thank-you @PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L for keeping me honest and letting me know in a classy way.

 

I still think that if I owned it I wouldn’t shoot it, it’s just too nice.

[Dantankerous]

Are they competitive?

 

If the shooter wants to be...shooter practices with them and learns their nuances they certainly can be. But that's up to the shooter, not the gun.

 

 Will you win the world championship with these? Probably not shooting against 38 caliber single actions but you can certainly get good enough to win your duelist style category more than you think.  I have been on a posse at least twice with shooters who have dedicated themselves to the Schofields and they were darn good. Boulder Canyon Bob is one of those folks.

 

 

[Go West]

Schofields are nice, but not for everyone due to their fit in the hand. Keep as is, shoot or sell, your choice. I have two .45 cal. Uberti 5" models that are fun, but at the moment, gathering dust in the safe. The factory springs are a bear, causing my arms to tire shooting duelist. Once I thinned and lightened them, I could use them normally. I first bought replacements, just in case I went too far. I hear from others that they do not like BP, but have not tried. I reload .45 Schofield and use them in these and Colt clones. As others have mentioned, I use Starline brass and they make an efficient round.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

1 hour ago, Dantankerous said:

Are they competitive?

 

If the shooter wants to be...shooter practices with them and learns their nuances they certainly can be. But that's up to the shooter, not the gun.

 

 Will you win the world championship with these? Probably not shooting against 38 caliber single actions but you can certainly get good enough to win your duelist style category more than you think.  I have been on a posse at least twice with shooters who have dedicated themselves to the Schofields and they were darn good. Boulder Canyon Bob is one of those folks.

 

 

I can't find the name, but there was a shooter years ago, from CA I think, that shot two Schofields and won a major match (EOT?).  Maybe someone who has a list of past winners might know. 

[Wade Butcher]

Those sure are some sweet pistols, @Boulder Canyon Bob!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Wade Butcher]

Thanks again for all the advice and SASS wisdom, everyone. After sleeping on it, I've decided to offer this pistol for local trade or sale. Hopefully, it can find a new and loving home for the holidays. LOL In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving!

[Barkeep Casey]

It is a beautiful gun and I understand your reluctance to shoot it or sell it. But IMHO if I had a choice of looking at a beautiful gun, or in my case shooting some ugly guns in matches 3-4 times a month I will choose the latter. I sold off many a wall hanger that were not getting shot . To fund my journey into SASS. Best decision I ever made I enjoy shooting them a whole lot more than looking at them.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Does anyone know why Smith and Wesson discontinued this gun so quickly after they introduced it?   Did it just not sell well?  I know that at the time I myself found myself thinking why spend all that money they wanted for one when you could get an Uberti that was a more accurate recreation for about half the price.

On the other hand, I was gonna buy one anyway, but my personal circumstances screwed up the chance to get one...

[Wade Butcher]

From what I understand, the first of these were too expensive for the average customer (especially being hand-fitted from the Performance Center), so they started offering a (slightly) more budget-friendly version in a cardboard box to lower the cost a bit. Unfortunately, sales still were not frequent enough to justify continued production. Perhaps they overestimated the growing (yet still quite niche) CAS market?

[Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L]

Purely supply and demand. The demand was not there so they were discontinued.

 

There were no "budget friendly" models. The cardboard boxes were for the 5 inch barrel models.

 

From information gleaned from S&W letters and a conversation with Roy Jinks (current (or recent) S&W historian, former S&W CEO and the force behind the development of the PC Schofields):

 

 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

There aren't a lot of them out there.  There are collectors.  If you have to ask yourself that question, may well be you should sell it while it's still pristine.

[Wade Butcher]

2 hours ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

There aren't a lot of them out there.  There are collectors.  If you have to ask yourself that question, may well be you should sell it while it's still pristine.

I agree. It seems like the wisest decision, at least for ME and in MY particular case. In fact, once my SASS membership gets approved and I'm an official member, I'll drop it on the classifieds. Until then, I'll continue to marvel at its coolness. LOL

 

PS — Anyone know how long new membership takes until approval? I ran the SASS name search online before applying, and none of my three name choices were taken, so the name thing should be a pretty easy sell.

[DeaconKC]

I got mine back in a couple of weeks. I was surprised how quick they were.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

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