Full house Walker loads

[hardway]

I finally got out to shoot my Walker today. She's been sitting new, in the box, in my gun safe almost two months now. What was I thinking?

I don't think anything will ever supplant my M14s as my absolute favorite guns to shoot, but this Walker is right up there. What a wonderful, visceral experience to pull the trigger on this horse pistol!

I used .457 rb's, and started with 35 grains of triple 7 fffg, working my way up to 55 grains.

55 grains of triple 7 makes a big boom!

I took her out to this old dump in the hills that's turned into a shooting gallery over the years, I didn't want to pay for range time as it was beginning to sprinkle.

I decided against targets as I didn't feel like slogging through the muck to set them up, and there was plenty of junk out there to shoot at. Once I figured out where to aim, she was accurate (aiming with the tiny front site and the hammer notch is pretty difficult, I'm going to try filing out the hammer notch a bit I think).

I was consistently hitting the screen area of an old TV that was out around 50 yards, and I even got a few hits on a street sign someone had placed in the same area (not a stop sign, but a street name sign). I would have been really happy making these shots with my Sig .40, so in my book this Walker is a shooter!

I have a question. The Walker is supposed to hold 60 grains of bp, and though I didn't go over 55 grains, it seemed like I could jam more than 60 grains in there under the round ball and still rotate the cylinder. I know triple 7 is hotter than standard bp, so I already felt like I was pushing it with 55 grains, but how much triple 7 has anyone here loaded in a Walker?

I love this gun and she won't be staying home when I go a' shootin!

 

[Snowdog]

Sorry this doesn't answer your question, but I'd like to say... I've GOT to get one of those!
It sounds like you're happy with yours. Who makes it (presuming there's more than one manufacturer)?

 

[Afy]

I use Swiss FFFG and while I dont measure my loads per se I am sure it does get about 60 grains in. Wierdly I use 65 grains in my .45-70.

 

[madcratebuilder]

how much triple 7 has anyone here loaded in a Walker?

I've read about guys shooting 60grs+ of T7. The most I have used is 55grs. You are correct, a big boom!

 

[hardway]

Snowdog: my Walker is an Uberti, there's a couple other companies that have manufactured them in the past (including Colt reproductions, but they are pricey).

Pietta is supposed to be making good repros now, and what seemes to be the consensus on the web is that Ubertis and new Piettas are the best Walker repros currently.

 

[TomADC]

I still haven't shot my Walker, should have had it with me Thursday when I shot the Smith Carbine, 55 grs of anything sounds like a handfull, I've going to start with 40 grs and see how that works.
Did the loading lever stay in place at those loads?

 

[hardway]

TomADC: thanks for reminding me, I wanted to mention that in my original post. My loading lever didn't drop once, regardless of load.

I have read that they begin to drop after a while as the latch loosens, so we'll see how she holds up after multiple shooting sessions.

That Smith Carbine is a dandy. Your pics (and shooting the Walker!) have me wanting a muzzle loading rifle!

The charge of 55 grains of Triple 7 is surprisingly manageable in the Walker, very comfortable to shoot. You just have to wait until the smoke clears to see your damage

 

[Tommygunn]

Pietta is supposed to be making good repros now, and what seemes to be the consensus on the web is that Ubertis and new Piettas are the best Walker repros currently.

Is Pietta now making Walkers? I thought Uberti was the only company currently making Walkers. I think ASM used to but that company is history.

 

[hardway]

Tommygunn: I remember reading that Pietta's quality was really improving when I was researching my Walker, but I was just looking at their website, and no mention of a Walker repro.

I must have misread. It happens from time to time

On a side note, how do you quote replies on this site?

 

[mykeal]

Pietta does not make a Walker replica. The only one currently in production is Uberti.

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[scrat]

Welcome to the WALKER CLUB. Even though they say the WALKER will hold 60 grains of powder. good luck. Using Goex i could barely get around 57-58 grains of powder. Other wise the ball will not press then there you are with a pocket knife trying to shave off some lead to get the cylinder to turn as the ball is sticking out. So becarefull going to the max. I usually just load up to around 55 grains. Where your at. It sure is fun to shoot.

OH as for the V notch. DONT DO A THING. you have to take it to the range. you have to understand how the gun was designed. If you set up some targets (preferably paper) maybe at 15 or 20 yards. you will see that the gun is shooting a tab to high. Thats the way its supposed to be. These are Horse pistols. If you aim a bit further out say 50 75 and 100 yards. You will aim right on the nose and it will hit right on target.

 

[hardway]

OH as for the V notch. DONT DO A THING. you have to take it to the range. you have to understand how the gun was designed. If you set up some targets (preferably paper) maybe at 15 or 20 yards. you will see that the gun is shooting a tab to high. Thats the way its supposed to be. These are Horse pistols. If you aim a bit further out say 50 75 and 100 yards. You will aim right on the nose and it will hit right on target.

Do you think I could open it up a bit without deepening the notch? I just have a hard time finding the front site, the V notch is really narrow.

 

[scrat]

COLOR.....

try getting some liquid paper. put it in the v notch. just to color the sides. Then look down the sites. Also the front site on the back. sometimes sanding it down to its metal then using some metal polish will bring it out. Then try looking through the site. you may find one of these will be easier to see through without modifying the notch. making the notch wider will throw you off on getting shots straight down center. you may shoot to the left or right on a wider notch


Some guys have a hard time with the 1851 navy as the front site is made off brass. in the sun it kinda gives off a reflection. People have found painting it black helps them out a lot. yours is different the Walker has pretty much a dull gray front sight. just by polishing up the rear of the site may make it easier to see through. At any rate if you could narrow the front site on both sides it will still shoot and aim straight and be easier to see. try the first two suggestions thouh. Now to keep it historically correct. if the liquid paper helps the most then i would try sanding very lightly the inside of both V notch to get it to steel. Then polish it out to give it a little shine. this will duplicate the liquid paper effect without changing the historics of the gun

 

[scrat]

Hardway i do not see you in the WALKER CLUB. you need to post a picture of your WALKER to join up. OHHHH and what part of california are you in. IM in the San Gabriel Valley.

 

[hardway]

Hardway i do not see you in the WALKER CLUB. you need to post a picture of your WALKER to join up. OHHHH and what part of california are you in. IM in the San Gabriel Valley.

Thanks for the tips scrat, I like the liquid paper idea, I'll give that a try. I will definitely get some more shooting time in with the Walker before I consider making any changes, the sights just felt awkward. On the other hand, I think the gun points well and will be a good, intuitive shooter.

I need to get her to the range.

I'm Walker Club Member 118 unless I've been kicked out I live in the north bay.

 

[Hellgate]

I ruined two wedges in my Walkers by shooting just 50grs FFFg Goex. 777 is even more powerful. I have read of one Walker coming apart with 777 and sending the barrel assembly down range. I found that both my Walkers had excessive cylinder gaps by the end of the match I used them in. The new wedges fixed it but I could have just as well stretched the wedge cutout in the arbor. My current load is 44grs FFg +lube wad+.454 ball+grease.