Problem with Uberti Schofiled .45LC

[Doug.38PR]

Hello all!  I'm somewhat new to the world of Cowboy Action shooting (actually I'm not a CAS, but I DO like old guns type guns including old western guns) so forgive me if I'm ignorant of certain things.

I have a Uberti Schofield .45LC with a 7 inch barrel.  Nice gun, feels great.  BUT, it's cylinder binds after about a dozen rounds.  It's been doing it since I got the gun 4 years ago.  I've had some tell me that they've never had this problem with this gun.  I sent it back to Berretta/Uberti and they told me that it is just the way it is and to clean the cylinder and cone every dozen rounds.   A CAS at a local gunshow a few weeks ago told me it was the main problem that people had with the original schofield.

Two sources that would seem highly credible: The manufacteror and a CAS.....but it just doesn't seem right somehow.  I've never heard on or offline of this being the case with the schofield (original or uberti).   Doesn't seem right to have to carry a screwdriver around and take the cylinder out and wipe it down every 12 shots.

Should the gun be doing this?  Or is there something that can be done or SHOULD have been done (by the factory)?

Thanks
Doug

[St. George]

You don't say what sort of powder you're using.

Modern Schofields in .45 Colt don't handle black powder all that efficiently - the originals all had gas rings to eliminate that business, but due to the longer cylinder on new guns - that's been eliminated in production.

It was 'not' a problem for users of the originals - were it so, the Army would never have wanted a second production run - so that's just one guy's opinion.

It 'might' benefit from opening up the forcing cone, but before you do that - read through the 'back pages' in this forum and see what other topics have discussed Schofield mechanical adventures...

Good Luck!

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Doug.38PR]

No black powder.   Just plain jane Winchester Cowboy Action smokeless .45 Long Colt in the brown box.  They sell it at Academy.  I have one box, I think of Black Hills smokeless and Magtech .45 Long Colt.  But none of these are black powder

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[Flint]

I have two Schofields (had 4) and two Russians, and never had the problem with smokeless loads.  Those who use BP say it's not a problem either if you use enough lube and lube cookies.

Yours sounds like a different problem.  A common problem with star ejectors as on breaktops or side swings is powder and backblast crud getting between the ejector and the cylinder body when you eject fired cases, and effectively lengthening the cylinder to zero or less endshake.  Keep that area clean.  Check your cylinders for endshake, there should be a few thousanths.

Some powders are "dirty" and leave unburned (or burned) grains that spill out as the case ejects.

Make sure the rotating parts of the cylinder and arbor tube are clean and lubricated.

It is NOT normal for an Uberti topbreak to sieze up on smokeless....

[Pancho Peacemaker]

I have 4 Uberti top breaks (1 Schofield, 1 Russian, & 2 Laramies . . . all in .45LC)

I only shoot smokeless and I've never had a cylinder bind up.  I wipe my guns down after every match.  I only pull the cylinders every 2 or 3 matches (that 30 to 50 shots per match) to do a deep cleaning of the hinge & ejector.

A few things I'd recommend looking at:

1)  The cylinder back stop.  I have seen one very roughly machined and with progressive shooting, it would make drag on the cylinder.  If this is the case, polishing the cylinder back stop will help.

2) Make sure the ammo you are using does not have high primers.  This situation can cause drag on the cylinder.

3) Have a gunsmith who knows revolvers check it over (especially the timing).


You definitely have a mechanical issue with your revolver. 


Pancho

[Doug.38PR]

I'll check for each of these things.  What really ticks me off is: Why didn't Uberti/Beretta's factory repair see this and figure out out 3 months ago when I sent it in....instead of saying "thats' just the way it is with that gun"

[Doug.38PR]

Here is where the binding seems to be taking place.  From lead/powder buildup (ever dozen rounds) on the side of the cylinder and on the underside of the topstrap...everytime I take the cylinder and clean the sides and clean the understrap the problem ceases.

Funny thing is, it will only bind when I am working the action.  It rotates just fine if I turn the cylinder AND I can rotate it by hand with no resistance when the binding halts the action

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Here is where the binding seems to be taking place.  From lead/powder buildup (ever dozen rounds) on the side of the cylinder and on the underside of the topstrap...everytime I take the cylinder and clean the sides and clean the understrap the problem ceases.

Funny thing is, it will only bind when I am working the action.  It rotates just fine if I turn the cylinder AND I can rotate it by hand with no resistance when the binding halts the action

If you can spin the cylinder with your fingers, but you can't when you cock the hammer, you may have a problem with the hand spring or the hand.  You may be temporarily fixing the problem when you pull the cylinder out.  Next time it binds, pull the cylinder, don't clean anything, then replace it.  If that fixes the binding you'll want to look closer at the hand spring and the hand.

For reference, look at part #7 and #18 on this diagram:

http://www.vtigunparts.com/store/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=35&cat=Uberti+Schofield

[Doug.38PR]

but it only does it after having fired the gun so many times.  Once cleaned you can cock it and dry fire it until your teeth fall out.  It's only after it's had a dozen or so rounds through it.  Based on this, I don't think it's hand related. 

[kcub]

I also own several assorted Ubertis without this problem.

Since you are the only one out of several, it is some kind of problem with your particular gun.

Take it to a smith.

[ammodave]

My Uberti Schofield sometimes fails to index when I cock the hammer.  When I inquired about it here several yrs ago I was told to suspect the hand spring.  I removed the sideplate to check but the spring was fine (tricky to reassemble).  I polished everthing in sight at the time and it got better; but it still does it if I don't flush out the crud that accumulates under the side plate after it's been fired more than 100 times.  FWIW the cylinder always spins freely even when dirty.

[Bob R.]

My Uberti Schofield sometimes fails to index when I cock the hammer.  When I inquired about it here several yrs ago I was told to suspect the hand spring.  I removed the sideplate to check but the spring was fine (tricky to reassemble).  I polished everthing in sight at the time and it got better; but it still does it if I don't flush out the crud that accumulates under the side plate after it's been fired more than 100 times.  FWIW the cylinder always spins freely even when dirty.

How often would a US cavalry trooper, or a cowboy expend 100 rounds in succession? We shoot ours more often and at once than they did theirs.

[Pancho Peacemaker]

How often would a US cavalry trooper, or a cowboy expend 100 rounds in succession? We shoot ours more often and at once than they did theirs.

I'm betting some of the boys in the 7th Cav did on June 25 and 26, 1876.

I know at least one No. 3 Schofield has been dug up from that battlefield.  It is hanging in the Smithsonian.  I'm betting it got fired a whole bunch in that battle . . . unless it fouled up like Doug.38PR's.

[Bob R.]

Maybe in Benteen and Reno's troops, none of Custers immediate command got to shoot anywhere near that much. Benteen and Reno's troopers would have been shooting their Carbines primarily, not their Schofields.

[Doug.38PR]

I didn't think the Schofield was standard issue for the 7th Cavalry?  I thought they primarily had Colt Single Action Armys

[Pancho Peacemaker]

I didn't think the Schofield was standard issue for the 7th Cavalry?  I thought they primarily had Colt Single Action Armys

You are correct.  The Schofields found on the battlefield are likely officers' personal weapons.

[Fiddler Green]

I shot about 12 matches with my 45 LC's (250 grain bullets and 28-30 grains of BP) with no problems. Then, I tried some 200 grain bullets and found that the lighter bullets caused blowback that made my guns feel like they weree full of sand after the second stage.

You might be seeing the same thing.

Bruce

[Doug.38PR]

update:  I just dropped 6 rounds in the cylinder.  Went out back and fired them off.   The cylinder was binding after those 6 rounds.  I took the cylinder off, put it back on.  Still binding.  Took it off.  Wiped off the topstrap and force cone.  Still binding a little.  Wipped off the cylinder front.  It's rotating okay now.

What I want to know is why the factory didn't call this a mechanical problem and instead just told me to wipe it off every now and then because "it's just the way the design is"

[MJN77]

What I want to know is why the factory didn't call this a mechanical problem and instead just told me to wipe it off every now and then because "it's just the way the design is"

Because somebody doesn't know what they're talking about. It sounds to me, that the gap between the cylinder face and forcing cone may be too small. As has been suggested, take it to a good gunsmith and have him go over the gun. Good luck.

[Donny Two Legs]

I had a similar problem with my Schofield, after a few smokeless rounds it would start to bind on a couple of positions as the cylinder advanced. I noticed that as the hand started to advance the cylinder it seemed to bind on the bolt and not allow it to move, my first thought was the timing was off but it only happened on two positions and the rest worked fine. After much frustration and making sure there was no binding any were else I very lighly stoned the top of the hand and it immediatly fixed the problem, I am assuming there was a very small bur on the hand or it was just slightly out of time. Works perfectly now and never misses a beat.