Howdy Again
I am under no illusions that Smith & Wesson will have any plans to reintroduce the Schofield Model. I'm sure their current business making plastic guns and other semi-automatics keeps them very busy.
However, I will make a few more comments.
As I said before, when they produced them in 2000-2002, every unit produced sold.
Yes, they were a niche gun, clearly they did not appeal to many, probably most, shooters.
A couple of other points. Smith and Wesson never throws out anything. They are famous for using up old parts in new guns, using old boxes for newer models, etc. I am sure the specific jigs and fixtures used to make the Schofields in 2000 - 2002 still exist. So if they were to decide to reissue it, I doubt much retooling would be necessary.
A few years ago I had the privilege of touring the S&W factory on Roosevelt Avenue in Springfield Mass. It is HUGE. Built around 1950, if memory serves, it replaced the older plant in downtown Springfield. One of the things I noticed is there is a great deal of space not being used. Lot's of old machinery standing in huge rooms that had nobody working in them. So if space was needed to start up a line to make Schofields again, there is plenty of room. At least there was when I visited.
Regarding Top Breaks not being profitable, and perhaps that is why they stopped making them: I doubt it. Daniel Wesson, who did not die until 1906, was a typical, flinty, thrifty New Englander. I doubt he would have kept anything in production that did not show a profit. I suspect the reason the Top Breaks stopped being produced was after the development of the Hand Ejectors (revolvers with side swinging cylinders), which were first produced in 1896, the Top Breaks simply became obsolete. Even though the Top Breaks featured automatic ejection, a Hand Ejector can be emptied just as fast. Yes, I have tried. And a Hand Ejector can be reloaded just as fast as a Top Break. As previously stated, a solid frame revolver was simply stronger than a Top Break, so I suspect once the Hand Ejectors became available, sales for Top Breaks slowed. All large frame #3 Top Break frames had been produced before 1899 (which is why they are all considered antiques by the BATF). New Model Number Threes were still cataloged until 1908, and 44 Double Actions were still cataloged until 1913, as stocks of parts were used up. I suspect sales simply slowed over that period because shooters wanted to buy the newer designs. Just like often happens today.
The very last Top Break revolver that S&W designed and marketed was the 38 Double Action Perfected Model, which was manufactured from 1909 until 1920, well into the Hand Ejector era. All told, 59,400 Perfecteds were made, so somebody was still buying them. This was the unusual Top Break that featured a thumb release as well as a top latch. In order to open the gun for unloading and unloading, one has to operate the thumb piece and top latch simultaneously, or the gun does not break open.
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I used to know a young engineer who worked at S&W, and if memory serves, he was the inspiration for reintroducing the Schofield Model in 2000. As I recall, the official S&W historian, Roy Jinks, loaned the company one of his Schofields to measure so the company could tool up to make the new ones. If I can manage to contact him, I will see what I can learn about how many of the Schofield Model of 2000 were made, and whether or not the company made a profit on them. If he can speak freely about such proprietary information.
If I manage to contact him, I will post what I can about what he says.
I made some special speed loaders for my Ruger Blackhawk convertible, think a tube full of 6-rounds with a pusher similar to the speed loader from some 3-gun shotguns but smaller. I could do a reload in about 10-12 seconds with the 9mm cylinder installed. It was far from fumble proof.
