Tom Haas's Walker Replicas

[elhombreconnonombre]

I have read that one and perhaps more Walkers taken to the TGCA Parade of Walkers were determined to be non authentic reproductions/réplicas by the late gunmaker/.Colt restorationist Tom Haas. One of his "Walkers" was for sale in One of the Cabela gun libraries for thousands of dollars. What is the full story behind Mr. Haas and his replicas?
What manufacturer did he use for the basis of his antiqued réplica Walkers?

 

[Crawdad1]

Here is an interesting discussion;

http://blackpowdersmoke.com/revolvers/index.php?topic=25.0

There were only three American manufacturers of replica revolvers that did not use any Italian parts.
The first was L.A. Jensen in Lake City, FL, who produced a replica Spiller & Burr in the 1950's. He produced it in .44cal. in order to not be confused with the original. These were of excellent quality. Many were sold as cased sets. Only five of these revolvers have surfaced to date.


The second was Witloe Precision Inc. in Collingdale, PA, who produced the Remington New Model Army as the Grant Model and the Lee Model. The Grant Model had a steel frame and the Lee Model had a silicone bronze frame. These were the very first Remington New Model Army replicas manufactured by anyone. Witloe Precision Inc. discontinued making these revolvers after only two years because of the cheaper cost of the Italian revolvers. R. T. Lane of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. purchased the remaining inventory of partially assembled revolvers and parts. These revolvers are marked WITLOE COLLINGDALE, PA. in two lines on top of the barrel. Lane was given the right to only use the WITLOE name since Witloe Precision Inc. was still in business with government contracts. Because of the exceptional quality of the revolvers, R. T. Lane targeted the competitive shooter as his market, so most "2nd Generation" Witloes have target sights. So far only twenty 1st & 2nd Generation Witloes have surfaced.


The third was the 1860 Army that was produced by Firearms Specialties in Michigan. This was in around 1959 just when William B. Edwards was setting the ground work for the Centennial 1860 Army to be manufactured in Belgium. Only one of these revolvers has surfaced. It bears the serial number 7. See a discussion here about the Centennial 1860 Colt

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=729848&highlight=Centaur


All three of these pioneer American Companies met their demise because they could not compete with the prices of the Italian manufactured revolvers.

 

[Crawdad1]

Additional information states that Tom Haas also built Walkers from American parts.

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

From American parts you say. Could Haas have based his distressed and antiqued Walker replicas on the Colt 2nd generation Walker? Weren't they selling for as little as $300 when they first came out? Seems that would be a fine choice to be customized by a talented gunsmith and engraver to come up with a near spot on Walker replica.

 

[Crawdad1]

Click on that discussion, he revised his original estimate about how many companies built revolvers from American parts. Given this revision, there could be more.

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

Very interesting.

 

[Crawdad1]

I believe the story is when Val Forgett approached Colt to start making their percussion revolvers again, and when Colt saw the samples Mr. Forgett provided they rejected his offer immediately as the samples were completely built in Italy stamped with their proof marks and "Made in Italy" markings all over them.

Colt then offered to take the rough forgings from Italy and build them here under varying degrees of Colt's direction, leading to the difference between the 'C' series 2nd generation Colts and the 'F' series 2nd generation Colts. Both series are, beautifully made and excellent shooters and will "Letter" from Colt. I'm surprised that the Remingtons dominate competition where these 2nd Generation Colts are great shooters. I guess way too many people are buying these Colts and simply putting them away as collectors pieces. I'm guilty of that myself. Of course that discussion is better left to the experts... the guys that compete and the cowboy action shooters.

He could have gotten his hands on some of those rough forgings, I don't know.

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

Well most Colt guys would probably not want to ruin a $800-$2000 2nd gen Walker to create a fantasty "antigued" replica now, but 35 years ago when they were $300...quien sabe?

 

[Crawdad1]

I agree.
A lot of good but contradictory stories floating around out there about these Colt revolvers and a lot of these guys are starting to pass away so we may never have the entire story.