Howdy
First of all, let's get something straight. the grip shape of the American Model, which is the new #3 that Cimarron is importing is not the same as a Schofield.
This is a 1st Model Russian. It is identical to the American Model except the chambering is 44 Russian instead of the original 44 S&W American round that featured a heeled bullet.
This is a Schofield.
Notice how much more straight up and down the American style grip is than the Scofield. Notice how much more rounded the Schofield grip is.
This is a 2nd Model Russian.
And to complete the picture of all the single action #3 S&W Top Breaks, this is a New Model Number Three.
The thing about all the S&W #3 Top Breaks is that because of the shape of the grips and the shape of the hammer, it is a further reach to the hammer spur than it is with a Colt. Shooting one handed of course. I always grip a Colt with my pinky curled under the grip. I learned a long time ago this is the way to keep a little bit of space between the rear of the trigger guard and the knuckle of my index finger. This is how I avoid getting my knuckle whacked in recoil from my 45 Colt Black Powder loads.
Notice that with this grip I can easily reach the hammer to cock it, so there is no regripping needed.
Yes, I have fairly large hands, but they are not huge. I wear a regular Large size glove.
Here is a Schofield. Notice with the pinky curled under the grip I cannot quite reach the hammer spur to cock the hammer.
In order to cock the hammer I have to regrip so I can reach the hammer spur.
Then I will regrip to shoot. In reality, I do not grip the Schofield overly tightly, so in recoil the grip rotates slightly in my hand, bringing my thumb closer to the hammer. Then I regrip slightly to shoot.
Here is the Russian. Notice my hand is below the big, pointy hump on the grip. (S&W called it a 'knuckle'). The Russians specified the big, pointy hump because they did not want the revolver to rotate in the hand in recoil. It does this very well. The hump prevents the grip from rotating in the hand, instead recoil pushes the grip straight back.
But here's the problem. I have big hands, but I cannot reach the hammer spur with my hand under the hump. I have to regrip, placing my palm against the hump in order to reach the hammer to cock it.
Then I have to regrip again, getting my hand below the hump. If I don't, and fire the gun with the hump pressed against my palm, it hurts! Trust me on this. Even with the relatively mild recoil of the 44 Russian cartridge. By the way, the woman in that video is full of it. The trigger spur was never meant to be an extra finger grip. It is there simply as a European style embellishment on the grip. Why else would so many trigger guard spurs have been sawn off in the Old West? And I would never let that woman touch any of my antique revolvers, the way she slams them shut.
Anyway, I absolutely do not recommend the Russian model, because of the difficulty cocking it and getting the hand back under the big, pointy hump again.
Finally let's look at the best of all the S&W Number 3 Top Breaks, the New Model Number Three. Nope, with my pinky curled under the grip I cannot reach the hammer spur.
I have to regrip a little bit to reach it. But the hump on the grip of the NM#3 is so much smaller than on the Russian model, that it can rotate slightly in my hand in recoil.
Then it is easy to regrip to get my pinky under the grip again to fire a round.
Bottom line, I never bring my Russian to a CAS match, I really do not like shooting it.
I love shooting my New Model Number Threes.