Rod said:I'm thinking that I like the Dragoon much better as well. It's a little handier sized, lighter, and designed better.
7 1/2" is still a bit long. Is there any reason why a competent gunsmith couldn't shorten the lever and move the lever latch and sight back so as to shorten the barrel to 5-6" long?
Can the Walker's loading lever still drop from recoil?
Somebody competent in metalwork should be able to pull your barrel-shortening job, along with remounting the lever-latch. About the only negative I can think of is that you'd reduce the leverage available to seat the ball. On a positive note, you could have the barrel dovetailed for a front sight and build-in windage and elevation in the process.
All the Walkers I have shot have managed to drop their loading lever at least once per cylinder.
Earlier in this thread, the speculation of using a comparatively-heavy SWC was raised. It is, to the best of my knowledge, possible to safely use a swaged bullet of this type in only one custom BP revolver; the Clements 50 Old Army.