Some Walker Help.

[Wildfire]

Hey There;
I am looking at getting a new Walker. Uberti.....
Anyway,,, What is the deal with these ?
I want accuracy and power for deer shooting at reasonable ranges. 20 to 30 yards. Likely round ball only... Do I need the Walker or a 3rd Mod. Dragoon ?

Also , do the loading levers still fall down ? Or did they fix that ?

Next , Also looking at an 1860 in .44 cal. Would consider taking deer at close range aslo ...
I do not need , Any info on how to kill deer with a hand gun.... This is done on a regular basis. I have killed likely in the nudreds of deer. I just want to know if any of you hunt with these particular revolvers.

Thanks.

 

[Tommygunn]

The falling loading levers is a function of the design. Originals did it too, from what I've heard.
You can ameliorate the problem by tightening the screw that attaches the lever to the plunger, or wrap a small leather thong around the lever and the barrel.

I suspect a Dragoon would serve equally well for your purposes -- and the loading lever problem wouldn't exist in the first place.

 

[mykeal]

I'd pick a Walker over a Dragoon (I own multiple examples of each). The relevant comparison data:

Barrel: Walker - 9", Dragoon - 7 1/2"
Cylinder: Walker - holds up to 60 gr fffg, Dragoon - holds up to 50 gr fffg

The Walker will put a heavier conical or a faster ball on target more accurately due to longer barrel (sight radius) and ability to shoot heavier charge.

I would not use the 1860 Colt - the cylinder will only shoot up to 35 gr fffg, although it might actually be more accurate at that shorter range.

 

[madcratebuilder]

mykeal, have you ever filled your Walker or a Dragoon with triple 7, or is that pushing the limits?

 

[mykeal]

In fact I have shot one of my Walkers and my 2nd Dragoon (both Ubertis) with full chamber loads of 777. Frankly, it wasn't worth the effort. Real black powder gives a louder report and a much bigger flame/smoke visual effect, in my opinion. Recoil was significantly larger, but still not as bad as a snubby .357 magnum.

Only shot one cylinder in each gun and have no desire to abuse my guns like that again. Accuracy was poor, although that could have been all my fault.

 

[Pulp]

I'd go with the Walker. I've chronographed mine with just a 40 grain load and got 1000fps. I haven't chronyed anything hotter.

You mentioned a lot of handgun hunting experience, so I probably don't need to tell you this, but: Do not expect an instant kill, unless you can cut the spine or brain. Do not expect the deer to bleed on both sides. It probably will, but I wouldn't count on it. Know and respect your abilities. I wouldn't try a new type of weapon on a deer until I'd shot it a bunch before hand, and new it's limits and my limits with the weapon. The sights on any of the three revolvers you've mentioned are not like sights on a Python or S&W. While they can be shot well, they are harder to shoot well with, and require a longer learning curve.

And finally, realize that all of the above is NOT coming from a deer hunting expert. I'm about the world's worst deer hunter.

 

[Wildfire]

Killing deer.

Hey There:
Thanks guys. We went and looked at one Walker.( Dealer.) They said it was never fired but, I have used BP guns for over 25 years now and that gun had been fired. The dealer was not being honest. There was soot in corners and small places. The finish was ruff. We will order a new one. Man that thing is a two hander. It is heavy. I love the style and looks of the 1860 Uberti.
We have killed many deer with hand guns .357 > .44s > .45acp. etc.
We only do close shots. But I did drop a very nice 8 point 196lbs with a .357 at 80 yards some years back. It was only because the deer had been hit by a 12 ga. that failed to stop him. Poor shot.. I since have not used that 12.
The .357 was a colt King Cobra that I know very well and knew I could do it.
It did.
Any BP handgun deer would be very close. We hunt 2 farms 155 and 180 acers. We have many stands and get very close to many deer. Many times way too close for the .50 cal. Encores. We would also use these only on smaller does and not on bigger bucks as we would not want to risk loosing one.
We also looked at 3 new Rugers BP guns that were .45 cal. They look well made and have adjustable sights. Do any of you know what loads they will hold and are they accurate ?
We do really like the Walkers... The 1860 is very handsome. And feels so good.

I have a safe full of guns and my son does too. The last thing we want or need is a gun that can not perform or will not hold accuracy.
Many times we will use a different gun to hunt with just to spread the love.
The BP revolvers just seem to be a new option.

 

[fineredmist]

Re; the dropping loading lever - if you look closely at the point where the lever and the spring engage you will see the spring is rounded on both top and bottom and that is where the problem lies. Useing a fine file slowly cut the top curve until it is even with the spring and cut it down half way to the top of the curve. Do this slowly and swing the lever up as you go and when you hear a definite click the lever is locked in place. I have fired 55 gr charges of 3fff and the lever stays in place.

Slow is the key.

 

[sundance44s]

I`ve made the same fix for the loading lever fineredmist has ...it does fix the dropping loading lever problem .....If they put up with the lever falling back in the day ...well maybe they just didn`t know how to use a stone and a file .....this rubber band and duck tape stuff sounds so easy even a caveman could do it ....LOL

 

[mykeal]

The Rugers you saw are called Old Armys, and they are, in my opinion, the best black powder revolver that has ever been made. They will accurately shoot .457 round balls at 50 yards from 30 gr of fffg; they will hold 35 gr fffg real black or fffg 777. I do not know the velocities from those loads.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I've owned two ROA's both with adjustable sights, as accurate as any center fire pistol I own. A adjustable sight Ruger in stainless would be hard to beat.
The V notch on the hammer of the Walker is a very rudimentary sight. I need to do some work on mine to help my old eyes. If you can make friends with that sight, the Walker does have a long sight radius for a pistol.

 

[Hellgate]

On rammer falling with the Walkers: you need to file a step in the top of the latch so the rammer has to crawl over it in order ot fall. Be careful, as a little bit too much of a step will make it where you can't pull the rammer down. It is a little touchy but once you get the rammer dialed in you will have no more problem with it falling under recoil. Also FFg has a softer recoil than FFFg and making that change alone might solve the rammer falling problem. For deer I'd use the FFFg but in CAS matches I use 44grs FFg with a lube wad and a .454 ball.

 

[Wildfire]

Thank You all.

Hey there:
Thanks guys. We will be looking at the Ruger or a pair of 1860s. The 1860s are very good looking guns. And I would have to agree that the Ruger would likely be our best one for hunting.

The Walker is just too big to carry along with the long gun. One or the other .
Not both.
Mykeal , Thanks and I trust your judgement.... Ruger makes very sound and heavy duty guns. The 1860s will be for fun....