Add a column to a custom post type manage screen and make it sortable (replace "book" for your post type and "release_date" for your desired field name). Use switch statement in the ep_get_book_column_values function if you add additional columns in the ep_add_book_columns function.

gistfile1.txt

/* Manipulate the BOOKS ADMIN columns
* ================================================== */
add_filter('manage_edit-book_columns', 'ep_remove_unwanted_columns');
add_filter('manage_edit-book_columns', 'ep_add_book_columns', 5);
add_action('manage_book_posts_custom_column', 'ep_get_book_column_values', 5, 2);

// Remove unwanted columns
function ep_remove_unwanted_columns($defaults){
    unset($defaults['author']);
    return $defaults;
}

// Add new columns
function ep_add_book_columns($defaults){
    // field vs displayed title
    $defaults['release_date'] = __('Release Date');
    
    return $defaults;
}

// Populate the new columns with values
function ep_get_book_column_values($column_name, $postID){
    if($column_name === 'release_date'){
        echo get_post_meta($postID,'release_date',TRUE);
    }
    
}

// make it sortable
add_filter( 'manage_edit-book_sortable_columns', 'my_book_sortable_columns' );

function my_book_sortable_columns( $columns ) {

	$columns['release_date'] = 'release_date';

	return $columns;
}