Uberti Walker Kit

[25cschaefer]

I finally scraped up enough money, thanks to ebay, to buy the Uberti Walker kit from Dixie Gun Works. This will work out great with school as we will be learning the ins and outs of single action Colts in repair class. My plan for this gun is to make it perform and be pretty; latter down the road I will do another to look ugly (real) and perform.

I will, finish to better than Colt standards, including case hardening.
Defarb/make close to original markings.
Tune and slick the action.
Ream the cylinders to the bore diameter.

What else should I do?

[rcmodel]

If you mark it with pretty good Colt markings?

Deeply mark it as a Repro too!

There are way enough counterfeit Colts around already.

rc

[25cschaefer]

RC, I will defiantly leave hints on the outside that it isn't quite right and proudly stamp or engrave under the grips with my info. I would never try to cheat anyone and I will make it very hard for anyone else to cheat someone with my work.

[horsemen61]

after seeing your other work I can't wait to see pics

[arcticap]

I think that the more original looking and defarbed the better. The screws and nipples are metric so it won't fool anyone.
Maybe something nice can be done with the grips like adding some handmade ornamentation such as a wire inlay, and/or along with a cast metal inlay or gemstone[s]. Even if it's only a geometric design to personalize the gun.
Silver, nickel or gold plate the trigger guard to match or offset the grip inlays.
Fix the loading latch so that it doesn't drop every time it's fired.
Or better yet, come up with an innovative solution to fix it even better and then show others how to do it.
If you could add an original front latch like the Dragoons have but using a Walker lever then that would be really innovative. Even if it were only an intregral swinging clip or wire mechanism of some sort that either attaches to or loops over the end of the lever, and then connects with the barrel, would be a great benefit to its reliability as a war weapon that an armed soldier could depend on when he needs the rapid multiple shot capability without any delays.
If not a clip or wire, then maybe a rotating, round block or knob of some sort that hollowed out on one side to retain or house the tip of the lever, and which then allows the lever tip to drop out when rotated. A quick turn of the rotating knob would lock the lever in place.
Even if you needed to change the shape of the tip to make it fit into the housing, or to work with a latch, then so what if wasn't like an original.
It would be an original one of kind Colt Walker prototype.

[25cschaefer]

I have a chunk of super nice exhibition walnut that might wind up as grips, I also have access to a large chunk of ebony, and a lot of cocabola.

I will defiantly look at the loading lever; I would try to make it look right but work better. I have some ideas but I want to try them out first.

[mykeal]

The screws and nipples are metric so it won't fool anyone.

Alas, not so. There are many who aren't aware of that rather subtle feature.

[TheBigAR2003]

the walkers italian markings are on the barrel underneath the loading lever so removing those might not be necessary because you wont see them unless you are really looking for them.
just a thought

[25cschaefer]

The semester is over and I finally started work on the Walker.

First thing out of the box, it was "assembled," but it did not work, nothing was fit.

I spent about 45 minutes deburring everything, the water table cut me pretty good. The hand would not fit into its slot and the angled clearance on the arbour was not deep enough to allow travel.

To my surprise, after getting the FCG into the frame, it timed up perfectly.

The arbor hole in the barrel assembly was burred and peened up on the inside from the wedge hole and retaining screw hole, I polished it very carefully to allow smooth assembly and a tight fit. I still need to lengthen the arbor by about .090" to get proper barrel alignment and I plan on doing that by soldering disc on the end.

I need to get some balls so I can test fire it! 44 cal that is.

[CraigC]

Very interested to see how this turns out!

[kituwa]

Just a few more idea's,,harden all the screws.And if you have the means,dove tail the rear of the barrel and add a two leaf site like some of the dragoons had.Then build a fancy walnut velvet lined presentation box with a silver texas ranger badge on the lid.

[45 Dragoon]

How about a spring loaded captured ball (detent) to catch the very end of the plunger when it's at rest to help the T spring. That way everything stays the same.

Had a Walker once. Wish I knew then what I know now!!!

[25cschaefer]

I like that idea, Dragoon, maybe even a leaf spring.

[Rojelio]

Or maybe a magnet.

[45 Dragoon]

Yep, leaf may work. What ever is the easiest to do. Looking at one of my Dragoons, looks like there would be plenty of meat at about the 7:30 position for a deep enough hole for a spring, ball (peened in two/three punches) and the ability to get to it to drill.

[Dellbert]

Can't wait to see the finished project 25cschaefer. I have a question would it be very hard to dovetail and put a taller colt sight on my Walker or Dragoon pistols so they don't shoot high any more or would it be better to cut and file the hammer down to get the POI where I want it. Not trying to highjack your thread but your doing this kind of work and it looks like as good place to ask the question as any.

[25cschaefer]

The front sight on mine seems to be staked in place; to keep looking correct, I think I would just pull the front sight and solder a new one that is taller and fits better there. You could probably dovetail one but it would have to be a small dovetail. Removing metal from the hammer, since it is hardened, would have to be done with a stone and it is much harder to find someone to re-case harden than it is to blue. If you don't care about looks, and depending on how thick the front sight is, you may be able to peen it a little taller.

[CraigC]

There's enough meat there for a dovetail front sight. Plenty of original guns were done this way too. This one has been regulated but I still need to knock it out and round off all the offensive corners. It should dress up nicely. Most important thing is that it shoots to point of aim.