Colt walker shot

Good times. Looks like Prado?

I have been thinking about doing it. Here is a how-to video.

So how did you like shooting your Walker? What powder charge did you use? I took mine to the range last week. Mine liked 40grain charge of FFF or Pyrodex P I shot both and topped the chambers off with Cream of Wheat and lubed over the balls with goop hand cleaner shot great and stayed really clean.

I shoot my Walker , a 70s ASM beauty, with 42 Grains of FFF Goex and a .454" Ball over a pre lubed wonder wad . It shoot 12" high at 25 yards and is right on at 75 yards !

Russell, The Walker was a hand heald carbine for the Dragoons and Mounted Rifles think Navy Seals. It needed to be big to be able to be 44 caliber at the time the cylinders were made out of rout iron. The walker was the AR15 of its day Having a gun that could six shots without reloading was a radical concept most guns were single-shot muzzle loading pistols and rifles. Walkers were never meant to be belt pistols but I am sure some did they were mostly carried in saddle holsters that's where the term horse pistol came from. The Indians were very good with a bow and arrow it was common for a Dragoon to shoot an Indians horse out of the bow and arrow range them finish off the Indian on the grown.

From what I've read just over 1,000 of the Walkers were made, most of them going to Texas during the Mexican American War. Around 100 went to civilians.

It's possible they were used in the Civil War. But I'd say most people involved in that war likely never saw one because of how few were made, especially compared to the later model army and navy models.

"Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store not a government agency."

I love Mike 56's tag line. I couldn't agree more.

As far as AUTHENTIC Walkers go, there really aren't any out there unless you're a millionaire.

SlowFuse said:

From what I've read just over 1,000 of the Walkers were made, most of them going to Texas during the Mexican American War. Around 100 went to civilians.

It's possible they were used in the Civil War. But I'd say most people involved in that war likely never saw one because of how few were made, especially compared to the later model army and navy models.

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There is no way to know for sure but I would like to think that a few made there way to the Civil War. Dragoons were still being made during the Civil War and some were issued by the Union. The Dragoons were upgraded Walkers. The Union issued cartages for them.

Sorry, but I just have to chime in about "horse" pistols. It has nothing to do with killing a horse. The Walker and the 4 Dragoon Models were issued to the U.S. Mounted Rifles (USMR on the cylinder) or US Dragoons (on the cylinder) and were called horse pistols because they were carried in saddle holsters draped over the saddle pommel. The 1851 Navy .36 (Old Model Navy) and the subsequent 1860 Army .44 (New Model Army, the successor to the Old Model Army Dragoons) were "belt" pistols. Colt stopped production of the OMA Dragoons when he brought the 1860 Army into production in 1861.

Don't take my word for it. If you folks have access to Charlie Pate's excellent book The Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver (2018), on pgs. 20-21 you will see a list of Colt revolvers sold to the US Army (1858-1860) with dates of the contract deliveries. The 1851 Navies are referred to as belt pistols and the 1848 3rd Model Dragoons are referred to as holster pistols, and it also details how many were sold with the shoulder stock that Colt patented as the Type 3 prior to the introduction of the 1860 NMA .44, and then continued to produce for the 1860 NMA. The shoulder stocks produced for the 1851 Navy 4-screw CFS (cut for stock) would fit the new 1860 Army with modifications for the difference in the gripframe lengths, Those modifications would be a longer J-hook housing for the 1860 Army. The Dragoon OMA stocks do not fit the belt pistols because of the huge difference in frame thickness sizes.

There is a well-distributed theory about the Walker cylinders rupturing. The cylinders were made from wrought iron and did not hold up well with the large powder charge that could be loaded. The revolvers were also issued with Pickett pointed conical bullets. It has been stated that mounted troopers loaded them backwards as the rammer did not accommodate the pointed bullets well. Imagine that bullet being introduced into the barrel forcing cone butt first trying to enter the rifling. Disaster.

Regards,

Jim

Russell13 said:

I’ve read all that and know why they are called horse pistols. But I’m wondering why they were made to be so much more powerful then the Patterson’s ?? Pretty big jump in size and power between the two.

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Well, Walker knew what was needed (or what he wanted) in a war situation. You don't go to war with a .22 . . . you want something that will devastate the enemy! Thus the Walker was born. I would also expect the Walker would be a better long range weapon over the Paterson. Why wouldn't you want to take care of the enemy at distance?
It was designed as a Military weapon, not a "fun gun"!
Mike

Just my nickel,s worth, I have an ASM Walker, I have rang a gong at 80 yards many times with it. I believe that Walker wanted the knock down power as Mike pointed out, shooting a Comanche or his horse, either way the man was out of the fight. Full house loads and good shot placement will definitely take out horse or rider.

Horses can be pretty tough critters, even and probably especially, the scrawny ponies ridden by Comanches back in that day... so, will a Walker pistol kill a horse?
Like Jay Massey once said when asked if a .357 magnum would kill a grizzly bear, “Eventually.”

SlowFuse said:

From what I've read just over 1,000 of the Walkers were made, most of them going to Texas during the Mexican American War. Around 100 went to civilians.

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And today, only 1400 "genuine" Walkers survive.

Russell13 said:

I’ve read all that and know why they are called horse pistols. But I’m wondering why they were made to be so much more powerful then the Patterson’s ?? Pretty big jump in size and power between the two.

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Stopping power was what they needed I guess. Sort of a one-handed repeating carbine.

I dunno about that antique finish. Not sure its worth it. I mean you can technically just dip a walker in white vinegar and it will do the same thing...strip the bluing and once in the white just shoot it a few sessions and it will patina real quick just like in the pic. Might as well just do that instead of paying almost twice the price

If you want a patina finish you need to do it yourself. There are some good youtube videos on how to do it. I did a brass frame Colt in polished white with a Johnsons past wax finish with a casehardened loading leaver. Looked sweet with the polished brass frame.

I've found the OE powder to be pretty good.

Considering its usually only $2-$3 more per lb over regular Goex, I think it's worth grabbing if you see it. Seems cleaner burning.