Walker Colt and Load Variations.

MEC,
You are a truly humble man. That Texas country looks good to me. Reminds me some of Oklahoma country near and around Tulsa.
I hope to get a copy of your book soon.
 
Last spring, I drove up through atoka and over to Arkansas by way of Ft. Smith. I really liked the looks of Oklahoma.
 
Yeah it is pretty nice country. The whole country has nice places, you just can't see most of them from the road.
I used to be a job Shop Engineer on CAD. so I traveled all over this country except the northeast. Some contracts were short, others long. somer short ones ending up being 15 months duration. Since 1994 I have been in Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Louisana (twice, bookending Ill.) Iowa twice, Kansas, Mo., N.C. (travelled up and down the east coast a s far south as Florida, north to Richmond Virginia doing gunshows buying and selling pre-1898 firearms), and here in the Republic Of Ca. for the last 5 years. (6 in Feb.)
Met wonderful people in all my travels, and some not so wonderful ones too. Saw lots of good scenery, Once in a period of 2 weeks I bought apples in an orchard in Michigan, Sweetcorn from the field in Iowa and shrimp off the boat in Lousiana. Figured that this is a great place to live. I thank the vets every chance I get for helping to make it so.
 
I just ordered your book also. Neat to know the author is on the "web".

You have convinced me to get my Walker. I will "cabela's" one probably this week for Christmas. I just want to see if I can find a nice one around town. Collector's here in houston only has an old ASM one today and it looked good but they only wanted about $200 for it. I suspect there are "issues".
 
a good many actually. They went out of the business a few years ago as a result of caring more about the cash register ringing than any sort of quality control Bates has a good shooting ASM but he had to do a lot of stuff to it to get it working.

The Uberti's should have fewer and simpler issues if you can stand having the loading lever flop down. The walker is not what I would pick for the primary or only percussion revolver but it is NEAT.
 
Improved Walker/Whitneyville Dragoon

You may mean the Whitneyville Dragoon 7 1/2" bbl. That was the First improve version made from Walker frames and parts, then 1848 1st Model, 1850 2nd Model, 1851 3rd Model.
 
Texas Connections:
attachment.php


The Paterson and the Walker which were both Texas phenomena and (bottom) the dragoon that spread all over the place.
 
Last edited:
Mec,

You probably cover this in your book (just ordered it but it wont be here for a week), so could you correct me if I am in error here:

Cabela's Walker (I will call and verify that it is Uberti).
Walker powder flask.
Walker Nipple Wrench
TC Natural Bore Butter
Tedd Cash Capper for pistol.

These are the two I am unsure of:

Hornady Swaged Round Balls .44 cal .451 diameter?
Cabela's vegetable fiber wads 45 caliber, .462 diameter .060 thickness?


Finally, I was going to source powder/caps locally. I know I can get pyrodex P at bass Pro shops, but the caps I am unsure of. What size/brand do you recommend?

Thanks in advance.
 
The ubertis are usable with .451, 454 or .457 balls but sometimes the 451s will walk under recoil.- they work better in the somewhat tighter Pietta chambers. The .454s are the best bet. I use Remington #11 or #10 with 10 usually offering the best fit. CCI #10s can be a bit tight but their #11s are about the same size as a #10 remington. The periperals all sound good. I've found the various cappers more tedious to use than just thumbing them on. The adjustible powder flask I have is supposed to adjust from circa 30 to 50 grains. In actual fact, when set for the maximum charge, it throws charges ranging from 30-34 grains. This is way sort of a full chamber for either bullets or balls in the Walker but will probably work with Lee conicals in the shorter dragoon. Spouts are available for the various powder measure/flasks but I usually use a tube measure 55 grains is a nice full charge with the walker while 60 is do-able if the chamber is clean or you put some lubricant on the ball.

The nipple wrench I use is one of those wooden handled screwdriver types. I have the Walker Combination tool and the nipple wrench functions fine. It is a bit narrow to use as a bonified spring compressor and the screwdriver is overlarge as sent. I may tool it down later.

When I disassemble the Walker for cleaning, I cock the hammer and tie the mainspring to the front grip frame then let down the hammer to take the tension off. I leave it tied that way for re-mounting and clean and lubricate the spring/triggerguard/front strap separately. (The walker has a curved/spring unlike the other colt types)
 
Early Colts

Here's my two Early Colts...
1836 Colt Texas Paterson 9"bbl. (Pietta)
Paterson.jpg

1848 3rd generation Signature Model 1st Model Dragoon (came from Colt with serialized oval trigger guard, oval bolt & oval cutout frame,oval cylinder locks)
1848ColtDrag3rdR.jpg

And a collection I wish I had...
PatColtB.jpg
 
Early Colts

Pete,that Uberti Walker from cabelas may take at least .454's my Colt like .457's but I'm sure it'll take .454. The Lee mold .452's I made are a bit loose, go in too easy if you follow my meanin'. Maybe check the chambers with a dial capiler before you buy , or just get a box of each. I wouldn't want ya out there with your new Iron and have yur balls fallin out:D Anyway hope that helps. Most guys I know with Walkers or Dragoons use rhe .454 or .457. Somebody correct me if i am wrong.
 
Last edited:
sounds right to me. The 457s are a real swaging job but work. All my uberti .44s measure .450 at the chamber mouths- as close as I can read a caliper- same for balls and bullets I have tapped through. Dixie says they are .449" which may be right. All I know for sure is that whatever the odd ten thousanths, they shoot little bitty groups.
 
Mec,
I just realized that I had talked to you on another forum about the Walker. I was going to buy a Walker Whitneyville Dragoon and convert it....bought the '58 rem.s instead. Still want that Whitneyville though. A walker is a might too heavy for my small hands. "58 Rem better, but none like the '51 Navy.

SG
I have always wanted a Patterson. When we get thoghter to shoot (wow! today would have been a good day, no wind and warm) We need to bring all our artillery..LOL (That'd be my two '58's and all your bp guns.....LOL, ROFLMAO!) I'll bring a can of Elephant BP. 2FG or 3FG?

I really do get a kick out of loading 40 grns in my '58's and having at it. One guy asked me. "Is that some kind of Magnum? I said "Yes 1858 Remington BP 40 grn.s of BP Magnum."
 
Thanks guys. I changed my order to 454 in the wish list. I will call my local friendly dealer tomorrow to see if they have one in stock. If not, Cabelas here we come.

I have been wanting to get a Walker for a few years now and also a Henry Iron frame. I looked at a Henry Iron frame (Uberti/Cimarron) today and something did not feel right. I figured I better regroup first and get the Walker in the mean time.
 
Peter, Please believe me when I say you don't need an Uberti to have a great Walker or any other revolver. The Piettas today are just as good and in some cases they are better. There was a time that Uberti had a better finish and better fit all the way around but that's no longer true. Awhile back Pietta installed all new machinery in there factory and have come a long way in the direction of being equal or better than Uberti.
 
Is Pietta making a Walker now??? Seems like the only ones are Uberti and Palmetto.

Jack Hays was 5'8" and not very heavy. I bet a walker did look big with him holding it. He was a surveyor by trade and after the War, went to California and laid out the city of San Diego.
During the negotiations over the Whitneyville Walker, Colt and S. Walker got a bit put out with each other and Colt transfered his affections to J.C. Hays. Hays ended up with the first issue of walkers and the bulk of the first 500. There were 180 left over for Walker's C-company.
 
Here I go again with the chamber-land-groove diameter thing. I had intended to get a dragoon (Uberti) from Dixie but decided against it due to the printed dimensions showing the chamber diameter (.449) was smaller than the groove diameter (.456). The lands are shown at .440. The Walker was worse. It's chamber diameter and land diameter was the same as the dragoon's but the groove diameter was shown at .466. I don't know how much the deformation of the .009 the ball is larger than the lands would fill the .007 it's smaller than the grooves (dragoon) or for the Walker, .017. Does it matter? I want to be told it don't. I still want a dragoon but I had a bad experience or two with guns you couldn't get a group at all out of, even when it wasn't me shooting, and want to cover as many bases as possible to have some accuracy. The Pietta Remington showed the same dimensions for chamber and grooves and turned out to be quite accurate.

Steve
 
Mec. I'm not sure if they do or not. I was told a while back that they were going too. Just something for Peter to check into. If they do then it will probably be cheaper than Uberti's.
 
Screw the Bore Size It's a Walker

Steve if you really want a Walker don't sweat the .010 Walkers are just damn accurate.A Friend of mine reams his chambers and shoots .460 balls, but I don't do it I leave um alone. I believe it would be more accurate probly but I like the way they shoot just like they are. If it bothers you get the Whitneyville or the First model Dragoon...Between the Almost 5 lb. Walker and the 4.1 lb. Dragoon I choose a Dragoon... My 1st model Dragoon is dead accurate...even with .45LC and the R&D, so which ever you want most, diameters or the choice of a Walker and the improved Walker, the Dragoon...it's only preferance. I watch the Numbers too, but a Dragoon ain't my fast draw gun...My 1858's and My 1860 & 1851 are...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top