Gettin' The Ol' Walker Bug!

[tpelle]

So far my only cap 'n Ball revolver is a Pietta 1860 Army.

It's kind of fun, but I'm looking for more boom and flash!

So, you Walker owners, what charge are you guys loading? Do you load the full 60 grains? If you load down to say, 50 grains, do you notice much less flash and noise?

The only thing holding me back (besides money) is that deal with the loading lever dropping down. I WILL REFUSE to hold it up with a rubber band - a loop of leather, maybe. Does re-contouring the spring latch for theloading lever work?

Maybe I'd be happier with a Dragoon, but that Walker hand cannon is sure attractive!

[bigbadgun]

First of all let me tell you what the Walker is about as much fun thats legaly allowed.
I shoot 50 grains with wad over and a .454 all day long. It eats lead and spits Fire.
Once you have a Walker you are gonna gonna have the Holy Black Bug even worse.
I have sent several hundred shots thru my Uberti Walker and have NEVER had the loading lever drop. But there are folks here that have had the problem but have come up with some purtty cool ideas to keep it from happening. you may want to do some reading in the Walker Club it is a very large thread on this forum. Good Luck.

[fineredmist]

Don't even handle one if you have any doubts as to wether or not you will get one. To handle one is to want one, to fire one is "I have to have one", it's that simple. I bought my first one and had such a great time I "had" to have a second.
I have managed to stuff 55gr of 3f in mine and I usually load 50 as it is easier to do. The difference in effect as well as recoil is not noticeable. The strange thing about the WALKER is that it puts on a great show but is very mild in the recoil department. The sheer size and weight make it a reall pussycat. When I take my WALKERS to the range it becomes a sideshow as the distintive sound attracts a crowd. It is great to have a 5' 95lb young lady shoot one and want to do it again and again.
The loading lever can be a pain but it is part of the mystic of the weapon. Personally, I load off frame and I snug up the loading lever screws and that will reduce the dropping of the lever. You mentioned modifing the retaining spring and that also works to some degree. If you square the top curve of the spring it will engage the lever better that rounded surface.
WALKERS, like most other BP pistols tend to shoot high as did the originals. They are dead on at about 50 yds, 12" high at 25. With reduced loads of 40 -45 gr they are extremely accurate and as the charge approaches max the accuracy starts to fall off. By that I mean instead 2-3" at 25 they open up to 3-4". Remember these were military pistols that were designed to shoot a rider off a horse or the horse from under the rider.
Remember, to hold one is to want one, to fire one is to become obsessed with THE WALKER.
WALKER club members always use capital letters in writing the name WALKER as it is the king of bp pistols.

[bigbadgun]

Don't even handle one if you have any doubts as to wether or not you will get one. To handle one is to want one, to fire one is "I have to have one", it's that simple. I bought my first one and had such a great time I "had" to have a second.

WALKER club members always use capital letters in writing the name WALKER as it is the king of bp pistols.

ROFLMAO very well said there Mr. finredmist

[messerist]

The WALKER is the pinnacle of the black powder revolvers(in my not-so-humble opinion). I have bought and sold a lot of guns in my years on this planet and my most favorite gun is my WALKER! How much enjoyment it has provided me is immeasurable. If you love shooting and relish firearms a WALKER is a "must buy!"

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

48 grains of Triple Seven 3fff, .457 swaged round lead ball, Remington #11 percussion cap. That is my 'normal every day' load. At one time or the other, between Triple Seven and BlackMag3 I have stopped, knocked down, and very thoroughly interrupted the heartbeat of every species of 'big' game on the North American Continent and many of them more than once, and some of them with me standing there wishing I was anywhere in the world except standing there looking at that big, mean, and ugly and thoroughly pissed off sonofab****..Believe me or not, I don't care. I'm too old and done been around too much to give a damn whether you believe me or not. I have NEVER had a problem with the lever dropping on the load I use. ( 48 grains of Triple Seven 3fff or the BlackMag3 is a pretty warm load)....

[NobleSniper]

There are blackpowder revolvers and then there is the Walker revolver........... As for the laoding lever dropping well that does nto always happen. My stock Walker has yet to loose a loading handle and teh fancy one, well I have not tried it without the bracket.

[scrat]

Once you go Walker you never look Back. You always take your Walker with you to the range. The oooohhhhs and aaaaahhhhhs will always be there when you start to shoot it. People will stop what they are doing and wait for you to finish. Partly due to the smoke and partially due to the blast. Car alarms will go off in the parking lot. AHHH to shoot a walker. As for the grains i could never get over about 52 grains in the walker. 60 grains is way to much you wont be able to seat the ball. Having an R&D cylinder increases the fun. Shoot six shots black and round balls. Then tap the wedge out remove the cylinder. Give the arbor shaft a wipe. Drop in the R&D and shoot another 6 more shots of 45 Colt. Gotta love the WALKER. BIGGEST BADDEST REVOLVER ON THE RANGE

[Pulp]

Someone here once posted the easiest way to prevent lever drop is just to remove the lever after loading. I wish my mind could see simple solutions like that.

Here's how I handle it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a68HbDLnftA

[SHIPCHIEF]

I have the 2nd Model Dragoon, Armi San Marco, 1975 ish. It was my first pistol, because I wasn't 21 then.
I wanted a Walker, but I read and re-read the history and details of the weapons.
I selected the 2nd Model Dragoon as the best compromise for a student that was going to school in a state that I didn't reside in.
Don't worry. It bellers and belches fire right along with a Walker.
It's also a bit handier, and has a loading lever latch like your 1860 Army.
The 2nd Model Dragoon also has the square bolt cuts like every modern revolver cylinder, yet retains the Ultra Cool Square Back trigger guard (a Must Have!!)
So there you have it. If you don't get a Walker, only a 2nd Model Dragoon will do!

[StrawHat]

The loading lever on mine has never dropped!



If the dropping lever is a problem, get the a copy of one of the Improved Walkers, ie one of the Dragoon Colts. I am partial to this one but there are others.



But be aware, the BP revolver bug is like a vampire bite, it will take over your life!

[Hellgate]

To repost an answer from 1997 CAS-L: " File a small notch in the business end of the latch spring so there is a
small "step" that engages the loading lever. (Frank Leaman suggested this
approach years ago.)
Tex, SASS #4"

Frank Leaman is a genius and card shark/magician. I've met him.
I've done this on both of my Uberti Walkers and neither has dropped a latch in about 5 matches I have shot them in since. The "step" is pretty touchy. If you make it too deep the latch won't come down at all and if there is too little step the fix won't work. The business end of the spring is rounded and you take a little off the upper end (toward the barrel) so when the spring snaps in place as the lever is lifted there is a more abrupt lip that it has to climb over for the rammer to come down. I bought an extra spring from Uberti before I got out the file.
Another suggestion is to lighten your loads to lessen recoil. If you insist on shooting heavy loads (50-55grs FFFg) if you are lucky all you will get is a crushed wedge that opens up the gap. You'll think your gun is really blasting but all you are getting is lost power blowing out the cylinder gap. New wedges will be in order. If you are unlucky, you will get the cylinder pin backing out of the frame or stretching of the wedge cutout. Lots of $$$ to fix. Drop the load down to 35-45grs.
Another way to reduce the recoil is to change to FFg powder. It is slower but has a smoother pressure peak.
A third suggestion is to hold the gun more firmly to prevent barrel lift from recoil. I'm not sure what effect that will actually have. If you DON'T grip the gun firmly the barrel tips right down due to the weight.
My Walker load is 44grs of FFg+lube wad+.454RB+grease on top. It's called a .44-44.
Hellgate

[messerist]

Pulp I bet you were a Mounted Dragoon in a former life! Your technique looks so natural, and especially so for a guy on horseback. You wouldn't have to raise your knee so much! Great Video!