The Walker Colt

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electricfactory

electricfactory

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Much has been written about the Capt. Samuel Walker's Colt .44 revolver, both the original and reproduction guns have their own history and mystique. Original models are as rare as hen's teeth the reproduction Walker is, if not plentiful, available. I've had a couple of the years, am convinced that all Walker pistols are not created equally with some imports clearly better than others.
I personally became enamored with the Walker watching the film Lonesome Dove, Robert Duvall's character playing his Texas Ranger to a tee. At the least it's one of the few times in my memory a central character made a point of displaying, brandishing employing a Colt Walker pistol.
If you have shooting or collecting experiences I invite you to share them here, pictures always welcome. Are ASM's the most desirable of the imports, and how do Colt 2nd Gen Walkers stack up in your opinion? Are any of you shooting them with a full cylinder loads, are light loads with filler ?
Here's a couple of mine;

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I have only ever owned an ASM but I have handled and shot two Ubertis. I couldn't tell much difference. The ASM was used but not abused when I bought it. I was given to understand that internal parts and the barrel wedge were, for example, of inferior metal. That was not my experience, but it could well be true. Of the two Ubertis I have shot, one was brand new and very nicely finished and the other was well used and not very well looked after, but the wear was mainly cosmetic. Previous owner of the ASM had attached or had someone attached what appeared to be a later dragoon loading lever latch. One of the Ubertis seemed to have an effective original loading lever latch, likely modified and the other had a leather thong around the barrel to retain it in position.

I found that 50 grs with RB was pretty much ideal and that 60 grs made more mess than anything else. I really liked 50 grs 3F with the old Buffalo Ball-ets, no longer available.

I own other Uberti products and find them to be of high quality. I have never owned another ASM. I cannot speak to the Second Model Colts.
 
Well they're extremely heavy, they're best used if either you're very strong or they are the only gun you've handling for several weeks. After a bit, they start to become natural.
The boom they create is addictive, for sure. Like most percussion revolvers, the 9 inch barrel doesn't seem very long because the whole gun is proportioned in just the right way. It's not like modern revolvers where a 9 inch barrel really sticks out.
The grip is quite nice, being the father to the famous 1851 grip. I've found the grip is my favorite. On mine I sanded the Uberti finish off and redid it myself with olive oil. Makes it just right for me.
I'm curious in getting a conversion cylinder, but it's either that or paying 45 Dragoon to redo my revolver for me.
 
Not downing your choice in revolvers, but here is my take.

At 4 lbs. 9 oz. the Walker is a very heavy revolver. In addition, the poor spring design to keep the load lever next to the barrel is of poor design, and that is why Colt designed the "S" shaped vertical lever latch for the first models of the Dragoon, which did not work much better. When Colt designed the latch for the 1848/1849 Pocket Models and the 1851 Navy Models, he had a keeper and that is what the 3rd Model Dragoon revolvers had.

My BIL once owned a Uberti Walker revolver which we shot, but the load lever fell on nearly every shot, binding up the cylinder with the rammer. I know folks have used either a rubber band or a piece of leather to keep the load lever in place, but that is an oxymoron to me as to why I want/need a Walker.

The 3rd Model Dragoon (4 lbs. 2 oz.) has the improved latch and the cylinder will hold 40 grains FFFg and a round ball. I have an Uberti Whitneyville Hartford Dragoon that has the Walker grip assembly and the "S" shaped latch. It is a hoot to shoot. It still creates a lot of smoke, report, and attention at the range.

Regards,

Jim
 
I agree with every point made. Though hardly my favorite Colt revolver it retains interest with certain collectors inspite of its well known shortcomings. And speaking of early but unweildy Colts revolvers, I never undertood how the Paterson was employed in actual combat. From a horse.
Thanks Jim, really enjoy reading your posts.

expat_alaska said:
Not downing your choice in revolvers, but here is my take.

At 4 lbs. 9 oz. the Walker is a very heavy revolver. In addition, the poor spring design to keep the load lever next to the barrel is of poor design, and that is why Colt designed the "S" shaped vertical lever latch for the first models of the Dragoon, which did not work much better. When Colt designed the latch for the 1848/1849 Pocket Models and the 1851 Navy Models, he had a keeper and that is what the 3rd Model Dragoon revolvers had.

My BIL once owned a Uberti Walker revolver which we shot, but the load lever fell on nearly every shot, binding up the cylinder with the rammer. I know folks have used either a rubber band or a piece of leather to keep the load lever in place, but that is an oxymoron to me as to why I want/need a Walker.

The 3rd Model Dragoon (4 lbs. 2 oz.) has the improved latch and the cylinder will hold 40 grains FFFg and a round ball. I have an Uberti Whitneyville Hartford Dragoon that has the Walker grip assembly and the "S" shaped latch. It is a hoot to shoot. It still creates a lot of smoke, report, and attention at the range.

Regards,

Jim
Click to expand...
 
electricfactory said:
I never understood how the Paterson was employed in actual combat. From a horse.
Thanks Jim, really enjoy reading your posts.
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Thanks for the compliment, sir! I am not a student of the Paterson but I don't think it was meant as a "martial"/combat revolver. After all, it was only a .31 caliber or even a .28 caliber revolver, which to me signifies that it was a personal protection gun. The way the trigger dropped only upon cocking the revolver says to me that its was somewhat of a pocket gun, though fairly large. We must remember that this was Sam Colt's first foray in this realm and no other manufacturer had anything similar at the time. And he went broke producing it. It was only when Sam Walker approached him with the idea of a huge .44 caliber revolver that actually could contain rifle charges of BP (60 grains) that he created his market. One must remember that Sam Colt was a good inventor but he was more of a good salesman. That was his niche. Too bad he died in 1862; if he had lived longer we might have seen the prototype of the 1873 SAA much earlier.

Regards,

Jim
 
Sim Carstairs said:
I have a Uberti Walker that I shoot about twice per week at 50 yards. I also shoot it at 100 yards. It’s very accurate and the action is superb. 40 grains of 3f is extremely accurate at 50 yards and I increase it to 50 grains if hunting.
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And that is why I like Dragoons as the powder charge is 40 grains max. I have never used a BP revolver for hunting purposes so I cannot comment about your 50 grain charges.

Good luck in the coming hunting season!

Regards,

Jim
 
expat_alaska said:
One must remember that Sam Colt was a good inventor but he was more of a good salesman.
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Oh yea, salesmanship was definitely his field of expertise. He pioneered American advertising and American manufacturing.
He was a good engineer, with a saavy for mechanical tools but being a salesman was his foremost specialty.
He got his start by being a traveling salesmen for laughing gas, a job he took to raise money for his future projects. Along his journey he was always interested in mechanical design, especially that of firearms.
Late in his life, he had his own personal museum of repeating firearms. One he was fond of was the 1860 Henry.
The state of Texas was the big bulk of his early customers. They had used his Paterson design in combat, and it was Samuel Walker of course, a Texas captain, who become the patron for the 1847 Colt Walker. It was because of this relationship that Colt had roll engraved on the 1851 the scene of the Texas Navy victory (I think) to show his appreciation for the state of Texas.
 
DSCN1087.JPG Mine is an ASM, I saw it on an auction site at a really low price so I bid low and got it, never really wanted one, but the price was too good to pass up, was really hard to pull back the hammer and the trigger seemed a little hard, had the Outlaw kid do his magic and it's a real joy to shoot now, and the cap rake is a true blessing. I have since removed the make shift lever holder too.
 
Nice example! That loading lever thing is the design flaw that bugs me. At the shooting range it's just annoying, under combat it must have been very annoying. I'm sending my Dragoon to Outlaw for the same 'magic'.

robhof said:
View attachment 944209 Mine is an ASM, I saw it on an auction site at a really low price so I bid low and got it, never really wanted one, but the price was too good to pass up, was really hard to pull back the hammer and the trigger seemed a little hard, had the Outlaw kid do his magic and it's a real joy to shoot now, and the cap rake is a true blessing. I have since removed the make shift lever holder too.
Click to expand...
 
I too have an ASM Walker, I have done most of the tweaks and fixes to include fixing the arbor, the most important thing IMO for this model. It had started to stretch the frame and opened up the barrel to cylinder gap. It also tried to fold the wedge in half, giving it an odd crescent shape. I made a new wedge from a thick hydraulic hose retainer, reset the barrel to cylinder gap and everything seems good now. I used to ring an 18" gong at 80 yards on regular basis. It's by far my favorite C and B pistol.
 
expat_alaska said:
Too bad he died in 1862; if he had lived longer we might have seen the prototype of the 1873 SAA much earlier.
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From what I've read Sam Colt was not in favor of the "strap pistols" like the Remington '58. He much preferred his open top concept.

Dave
 
I bought a brand new uberti Walker and the loading lever has never dropped. I use 50 gr. Shoots way high. It would probably be ok at 50 or more yards, but I only have around 100’ on my little range. I enjoy shooting it. Somehow scratched the barrel which sucked.
 

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Well, I don't see the barrel scratch in your photo. I do see scratches in the wood and maybe the cylinder. As an aside:

I am a member of a French BP revolver site http://repliquesoldwest.superforum.fr/forum . The terminology there, in American English, is quite different than our terminology, and I use a translator browser. I do not speak French so these terms may be translator error, or not.

French: "barrel" is US: cylinder

French: "chimney" is US: nipple

French: "carcass" is US: frame

French: "tan" is US: bluing

French: "jasper" is US: color case

French: "cannon" is US: barrel

And so on. The folks on this site are a fairly tight-knit group, and when I became a member they were very curious about me and my American insights. I posted several threads and they were astounded at first, but after several months they pretty much ignored me. LOL.

If you become a member, the first protocol is to announce yourself in the Bar Room, then all will be well, and you will be able to start threads. They like obscure revolvers, especially pertaining to what is available in the US.I have found that they really have no problems finding ASM guns or parts in Europe, whereas we in the US have a scarcity.

Regards,

Jim
 
I like shooting mine a lot.But If I was going to carry something on my saddle I would opt for a carbine rifle. The walker is a real head turner at the range. People always come up and ask about it. I shoot it with a 40-45 grain load and a .457 ball
 
Russell13 said:
I like shooting mine a lot.But If I was going to carry something on my saddle I would opt for a carbine rifle. The walker is a real head turner at the range. People always come up and ask about it. I shoot it with a 40-45 grain load and a .457 ball
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Hey russell...is that the same gun one that was sent to me? How is it handling now that its been tuned? Ill always remember that gun lol...that cylinder gap was intense!
 
robhof said:
View attachment 944209 Mine is an ASM, I saw it on an auction site at a really low price so I bid low and got it, never really wanted one, but the price was too good to pass up, was really hard to pull back the hammer and the trigger seemed a little hard, had the Outlaw kid do his magic and it's a real joy to shoot now, and the cap rake is a true blessing. I have since removed the make shift lever holder too.
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And that is cuz its still using the stock main spring that wasnt adjusted at all....the internals on them older models can be very stiff.
 
TheOutlawKid said:
Hey russell...is that the same gun one that was sent to me? How is it handling now that its been tuned? Ill always remember that gun lol...that cylinder gap was intense!
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The walker was the one that just needed to be shimmed. The gun with the crazy cylinder gap was the .36 caliber. Both are working great now.
 
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