Legit or fake? Walker on GB

[Noz]

The wedge is not installed correctly. It is simply inserted into the gun from the wrong side.

It is inserted from the left as would be correct in it's newer brothers but the retaining screw is on the right side of the gun.

 

[tarosean]

Someone please educate my as to why the beat up old pistol was thought to be worth over $4500? -As a fake even? Although I'd be interested in knowing why an original would be worth more? Looks pretty run of the mill to me and that one looked to be in horrible condition.

Some repos are valuable, esp the ones that are just as old as the originals where only few were made. That particular one? Probably just fishing, notice no one bid on it..

As for the originals, only 1100 were produced. Most were made to Arm troops in the Mexican-American war. An original Walker sold a couple years ago for 920,000 just A little above that 4500. repo auction price.... originals in good condition sell for six figures due to the fact there are only a 163 known examples in various conditions from poor to good, Dragoons made from Walker parts also command astronomical prices...

 

[Legionnaire]

Would a south-of-the-border period knock-off have serial (matching, no less) numbers? Serious question, even if it sounds a bit snarky.

 

[Jim K]

A few interesting thoughts. First, the wedge and loading lever screws are correct; the Walker is the reverse of later guns, and the wedge and screws go in from the right side.

The serial numbers are in the right place and seem to be in the right font. More interesting is the dovetail cut in the barrel where the original lever spring has been removed and replaced by the much later style lever latch. That was a common gunsmith/armorer fix with those guns as the original type spring very frequently broke, but there is no reason a faker should make that cut when he was not going to use it.

It could be a worked over repro, but why alter it in just the way those guns were altered back then? If the lever spring broke, why not just order one from Uberti or whoever?

If that gun were for sale at what some of the folks say it is worth, I just might be interested, but not at $4500. And I would sure like to get a good look at it.

Jim