Questions for Walker shooters

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DrakeGmbH

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I've been getting the bug for another cap and ball revolver lately. I've got an Uberti Navy London and recently picked up a Cimarron Model P. I'm torn between a Walker and a Remington New Army - truthfully I'll end up with both eventually but I'm wondering which of the two is a better buy in terms of grin-factor.

The 60gr capacity of the Walker looks to offer more impressive smoke and flash and it will also fit the fancy capper I'm considering. The Remington's easier cylinder removal looks nice for faster turnaround with reloading - but I've been loading my 1851 with the built in rammer and I'd need to invest in a cylinder loading stand to really take advantage of it.

I've heard mixed reviews about the loading lever issue on the Walkers - some folks say they've never had a problem, some say it's an easy fix by adjusting the latch spring, some say they got rid of the gun because of it.

This is honestly the only detail that's making me reconsider the purchase. Well, that and the 4.5 lbs weight! My heaviest handgun at the moment is a 6" Raging Bull which only weighs in at 3.3 lbs.

Thoughts and opinions welcome!
 
Get a small leather strip and tie it around the barrel & latch when shooting, or, alternatly, use a rubber band.
To some extent, the screw that attaches the cylinderical rammer to the lever can be tightened and this might help ... but if too tight will bind up the loading arm, and in any case multiple loadings will eventually loosen it.
 
I saw a Walker that was bought used on the net. The loading lever had been cut off to a nub about 1 inch or so long. The new owner had fired the revolver with no drop down problems. You could make a lever that would slip over the nub to lengthen the lever for loading. You would have to carry it with you but Ive seen the Walkers drop the lever almost every shot. Sure looked irritating. If I had one, I would probably look into adapting a Ruger type latch. Or just get a Dragoon.
 
Mr. Drake, while many Walkers do drop the lever, there are also many who do not. Bigbadgun's Walker dosen't drop the lever, never has, not once, and he fire's 55 grains of black powder. My Walker has never dropped the lever and my standard load is 48 grains of Triple Seven. Another cowboy here in Wyoming has carried a pair of Walkers for several years, one holstered and on his pony and the other one holstered and around his waist. I don't know what charge he uses but it is real black powder that he make's for himself and he has told me a couple of times that neither of his Walkers have ever experienced the problem of lever drop. So, that's 4 Walkers right there with no problems. Anyway, you can bend that pin (don't get too happy with it. there's a possibility that it could snap off. I'vd never tried it myself) just slightly and that will cure your lever drop. If you bend it too much it may be rather difficult to pull down and/or to snap back up into place....PS- Just thought of something else while I'vd been sitting here. An old sourdough I knew a little in Alaska brought his Walker into Fairbanks and got a welder to put a tiny tiny tit around the end of the clip and made it a little fatter. (just a tiny tiny little bit) That solved his problems. He liked to carry a full load of powder because of the type of country he lived in and he experienced lever drop. Not every time but now and then....
 
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I'm sorry, but bending the Walker latch spring will not correct the problem. The cause of the problem is the angle of the bulb on the end of the latch where it meets the front face of the vertical leg; it's not flat enough. It can be corrected by simply filing the top of the bulb to form a better step for the lever to sit on when latched.
 
Yes, Mr. MyKeal, the filing part may work also, But bending the clip will to if it's done right. Like I said, I never tried it (never needed to) but it will work. I don't know exactly how well or how long it will last, and hope I never have to find out. The filing part does sound a little more permanent and the best way to go if it is as I'm picturing it in my mind, I must say....
 
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First off, the loading lever shortcomings are part of the game. If mine drops, which it sometimes does, and sometimes doesn't, then I'm just experiencing what the Texas Rangers and US Army experienced. And I can live with that. That's why I fool around with the old guns.

Someone here posted a year or so ago that to solve the problem just remove the dang thing before shooting. It's only one screw. Then put it back on for re-loading.

As far as which to buy, well I'm prejudiced toward the Colt replicas. The Remington is a wonderful gun, I just like the looks of the Colt better. Your mileage may vary.
 
Yes Mr. MyKeal, I can see that you are right. As I'vd already stated for the umpteenth time I have never had the problem and so had never thought about it but I can certainly see exactly what you're talking about here. Hell, I keep two small three sided files in each one of my packs. (I don't know the right name for them. Hell, 'three sided files' I guess)..The gunsmith worked all over both of my Walkers as I have stated on here before but I don't know past the hardening and polishing and setting the trigger pull what all he done to them but I know he done a lot. But as I was sitting here thinking I do remember distinctly that he mentioned something about 'touching up the levers a little'. I'd bet a shiny new penny he was talking about exactly what you just said. Can't tell by looking at them BUT I remember holding and going all over the new Walker I got in the deal for the .338. (remember, the gunsmith got hold of it to for me. I'vd got the 1st Model laying up here but I just don't feel like digging it out) I got the Walker out and looked at it a while ago and it does seem to me there is more of a step there than there was when I first got it. I bow to your superior wisdom sir. I can load them and I can skin them out of that leather and I can shoot the living hell out of them and I can clean them, but I cannot build them..Have a good night sir....
 
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If i shoot my usual load of 45grains of pyrodex then it wont fall or if i switch to 45 grains of 777 then it may fall halfway once thru a cylinder. not a big deal i love my walker its a real pretty pistol. its a historical problem then uberti built into their replicas. if you think it might be a big deal then just get a dragoon those are almost as cool...
 
Thanks for all the feedback, guys. I think I'll go with the Walker and pick up a spare loading lever latch to file on. I always hate modifying a part if I don't have a spare - just in case I hamfist it.

I've looked at the Dragoons as well but I know if I buy one I'll always thing just what TheBigAR2003 said - they're almost as cool as a Walker.

I saw an interesting solution for the dropping lever in another thread. One of NobleSniper's Walkers has a clip around the barrel with a loop for the rod. I assume this would work just like the rawhide or rubber band trick - just a bit fancier.

Here's a link to the thread as I don't want to just repost his photo:

Gettin' The Ol' Walker Bug!
 
A few weeks ago my Walker lever spring broke. As i was kind of bored with this system, I decided to fix it:










 
Mr. Drake, you won't have much trouble with your Walker past maybe the lever drop. They're not that much trouble to detail strip and clean and re-assemble after you'vd done it a few times and have gotten used to it. EXCEPT WATCH OUT FOR THE MAINSPRING. By and large if it dosen't break on you there's no real reason to ever remove it. If you ever do remove it and of course replace it then make sure you don't make any little 'notches' in the spring as you replace it. Best thing to do with the spring is just clean it and otherwise leave it alone. (just my opinion)....
 
Get the Remmie. They are a thing of beauty and a joy forever, get the stainless if you're a practical man, get one of the ones with the fancy engraving if you've the soul of a poet, but get one...
 
did said:
A few weeks ago my Walker lever spring broke. As i was kind of bored with this system, I decided to fix it:
Click to expand...

Nice job on installing a Navy style latch. These started to show up on later 3rd model Dragoons.

I filed my Walker, it still drops on rare occasions, but it's all part of shooting the Walker.
 
So, is that a Dragoon lever and latch on there, or what did you use? Very clean and a positive latch arrangement!
 
did, your loading lever mod has rekindled my love of the Walker. I like the longer cylinder of the Walker, but not the lever drop problem. Now I don't have to get a Dragoon. I can just get a Walker and install a latch and catch from a Navy. I have a Pietta .44 51 Navy basket case I was going to try to fix, but may just use it for the latch and catch assembly. Now I just need to get a Walker. And a LeMat, and a Spiller & Burr, and an ROA, etc, etc, etc, etc.

Then I need a pepperbox. My dad has an actual Allen & Thurber pepperbox. Forget whether it's an 1837? 1845? Just know that I've always loved that pepperbox.
 
@A.Walker: I made it from scratch: the barrel catch is made from a little piece of steel and lot of file work, the latch srping comes from a pen, the latch is also made from a little piece of steel, and I had to drill the lever. The dovetail joint (barrel/catch) took some time becauase there was no way back if I removed to much steel from the barrel.

I really wanted to make it the old way, but someone else can buy spare parts at dixie for example: catch, latch, spring. Drilling the Walker lever is quite easy, file the barrel to make the dovetail joint is a just a little more difficult.
 
DrakegmbH said:
I've heard mixed reviews about the loading lever issue on the Walkers - some folks say they've never had a problem, some say it's an easy fix by adjusting the latch spring, some say they got rid of the gun because of it.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but no REAL Walker owner would get rid of his because of the lever dropping. It's part of the mystique of the weapon.
 
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