Uberti Walker Colt----help!

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

MO-REB

Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
5
Hello: I recently received the gift of a brand-new Uberti Walker Colt .44. I have never fired black powder in my life. I am very interested in learning and am no stranger at all to center-fire revolvers and rifles---have hunted all my life etc. I have read a great deal about the care, loading, shooting etc. but am still confused about the following:
1. What is the best way to remove the factory grease? (Have learned how to remove barrel and cylinder)
2. After it is removed, then what? (crisco, olive oil?????)
I'm fairly clear on the powder, ball size, bore butter etc. but cap size seems to be fuzzy--10 or 11? I've done a lot of reading and find so many different opinions and ideas---confused. ANY help, tips, suggestions based on your actual first-hand experience with a Walker would be gold to me. Although I am retired and this is not "my first rodeo", the world of black powder is brand spanking new to me. I am VERY willing to listen and learn. Thank you!!
 
I will keep it simple to get you started. This what you need to get started.

Caps Remington #10 (they will fit the best) CCI #11 will work just give them a little pinch before you put them on.

Some Goex fff or Pyrodex P

Powder flask or a plastic ketchup bottle will do

A small paper clip to use for a nipple pic.

powder measure or you can use a 45 Colt case 41gr or a 38sp case23gr just put two case fulls in each chamber 46gr

some Crisco to put over the balls after you seat them.

.454 balls


To load the gun make sure there is no oil in the chambers. If there is remove it using 95% alcohol from the drug store.

Put a cap on all six nipples and fire them to dry any oil you might have missed.

Now put 40-50gr of powder in each chamber.

Seat a ball in each chamber make sure there is no air space and the ball is touching the powder.

Fill the rest of each chamber with Crisco.

Put a cap on all six nipples.

You are ready to shoot.
 
1. What is the best way to remove the factory grease? (Have learned how to remove barrel and cylinder)
2. After it is removed, then what? (crisco, olive oil?????)
Click to expand...
There are many ways to remove the factory preservatives - I've always used brake cleaner (cleaner, not fluid). Just enough to coat the surface will do. Then wash it down with plain water, dry thoroughly and coat with Ballistol or Barricade. Part of the 'dry thoroughly' step is to use some alcohol - it will remove water that patches can't get to. The 'dry thoroughly' step is the most important one to get right.

As for caps, frankly that's a crap shoot. The odds are that CCI No. 10 will be the best choice, but don't be surprised if they're too small.
 
Thank you for your quick response and good advice! In removing the "grease/factory oil", do I need to immerse the barrel, cylinder and frame in the 95% alcohol or just wipe them down well? After removal do I rub crisco or olive oil or something similar all over the internal and external parts of the revolver? My "center-fire" mind wants gun oil but I am told that is not at all a good idea with black powder guns. Is hot soapy water the way to clean after firing and again, is immersion needed or just wiping down---thank you so much
 
Use cotton patches and a gun cleaning rod to apply the brake cleaner, water, alcohol and Ballistol. There is no need to immerse the gun or it's parts in any fluid.

Ballistol or Birchwood Casey's Barricade are my choices for rust preventative treatments after cleaning, but there are many good products that work well. Olive oil or Crisco will work, but they're much too messy for my taste and will deteriorate over long periods of time.

You are correct to stay away from 'gun oil', but be advised even that can be used. The problem with gun oil, or any of the lower distillate petroleum based cleaners/lubricants is that they do not burn completely when exposed to black powder combustion. That incomplete burn results in a tar like substance that can be a real bitch to remove. The trick to using gun oil is to remove it from the chambers and bore before shooting the gun.

Note that the issue is combustion chamber temperatures - that means that gun oil can be used on the gun's internal action parts as they will not see those temperatures. But most people, myself included, prefer to use the black powder lubricants on the internal parts as well since they work just fine. The gun oil can sits on a different bench and I'm too lazy to walk over and get it.
 
First off, I'm not saying using alcohol is wrong, just that there are other ways. All of the ways work quite well.

There are other ways to "completely dry" your gun besides using alcohol. Put your oven on 200 degrees, put the parts on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven. Or, use a hair dryer, or put the parts out in the summer sun.

Since you're new to this, chances are you don't have Ballistol. But you can get Bore Butter pert near anywhere. After drying my gun, I wipe everything down with Ballistol, but Bore Butter will work just as well. And I rub a big gob of it on the cylinder pin.

Another product, not mentioned yet, is SweetShooter. Very expensive, but very good. It is a metal treatment. When you put it on hot metal, it supposedly soaks into the metal and protects it somehow. I'm not a chemist or a metallurgist, but it seems to work. Plus it is a good solvent for either black powder or smokeless powder.

I never pop caps to clear nipples. Before putting the gun away after cleaning I just hold the cylinder up to the light. If you can see light through the nipple flash holes, they're clear. If you can't see light, then I clear them with compressed air. Caps cost 2 or 3 cents each, and I'm a cheapskate.:D

One other thing, if you can't find genuine black powder in your location, any of the subs ( American Pioneer, Shockey's Gold, Triple7, Goex Pinnacle) will work just fine. I'd probably avoid Blackhorn, as it's designed for in-line muzzleloaders with 209 shotgun primers, but heck it may work fine also.
 
Last edited:
My VERY sincere thanks to all of you who have so kind as to respond and help me out. As a lifelong shooter and gun enthusiast, I just knew that the same kind of good-hearted, down-home folks are found in the black powder world as well. Truth be told, there's probably a good many of you who live in both worlds. I will apply the good advice given and get back to you all after my first trip to the river bank with my new Walker----I feel like a kid at Christmas and can't wait to expand my gun enjoyment via black powder!!!
 
Just a word about Bore Butter. It's a great product, but it's not the same as Ballistol. Bore Butter doesn't mix with water - it covers it up. It's entirely possible for Bore Butter to cover up water left in the corners/threads/cracks in your gun. Ballistol, on the other hand mixes with the water and removes it; it will evaporate without causing rust.

I used Bore Butter for years and was quite satisfied, but it's important to be sure the gun is dry first. If you're meticulous about cleaning your guns - and you should be - Bore Butter will work fine. If you're lazy like me, you might be better off seeking out some Ballistol.
 
MO-REB,

Welcome to the darkside! :D

You can pretty much take with a grain a salt anyone that specifically tells you which "cap works the best" with your firearm. The fact is, they don't have YOUR firearm in their possession therefore they don't know exactly what the best cap in for YOUR firearm. Their best guess is a good place to start but in reality you should purchase caps from different manufacturer and in different sizes and try them out for fit-n-function. I'm not a big believer in pinching caps to make them fit. Sure, that might work in a pinch but it is unlikely that you have the right nipple/cap combination if you have to pinch them. You'll increase the odds of a chain fire situation if you don't have the right nipple/cap combination. Try out CCI/Winchester and Remington caps in both #10 and #11 size and get back us as to what your findings are. :)
 
Caps

Just the other night when shooting my 51 Colt navy, I found out that remington #10s are to large for it. That kind of surprised me. Every one of my revolvers use rem #10. Think I may have to try the CCI #10s that seems to be to small for everything else. Another little tip I picked up along the way. Most every one of these Uberti, and Pietta revolvers use rem #10 caps. Why not use #11s to clear out the nipples so you don't have to wast the #10s. You can buy the #11s just about everywhere. Not sure about other folks, but I have to order my caps, if I want #10s. Once you get to shooting that Walker your gonna need some caps! :neener:































tta
 
Dellbert said:
Why not use #11s to clear out the nipples so you don't have to wast the #10s.
Click to expand...

I use a nipple pick. It costs less to use and there's zero chance of cap debris blocking the nipple hole being caused by firing one off to clear it.
 
Last edited:
arcticap said:
I use a nipple pick. It costs less to use and there's zero chance of cap debris blocking the nipple hole being caused by firing one off to clear it.
Click to expand...

He may have been referring to using a cap to blow out the oil in the nipple area after a firearm had been previously cleaned and oiled for storage. This performed just prior to loading it up for the first shots of the day. I use some otherwise worthless Winchester/CCI caps for this very function.
 
My Second Dragoon uses #10 Remington caps, which is surprising, as many of the online websites that sell it recommend #11s, which fall off unless you pinch them. As was mentioned, loose caps are the #1 cause of chainfires. If in doubt, buy one of each, or find someone who might have some and see if the 10 will fit. If it does, use it.
My Dragoon likes the .454 RB, but some have been known to eat .457s. You want it to be a tight enough fit that you shave a tiny ring of lead as the ball seats, but you shouldn't have to push so hard you'd give yourself a hernia. Again, I'd recommend the .454s to start, and if they seem too loose, use the .457s. Powder; you can use real black, or Pyrodex (my choice as it is non-progressive fouling, which means you won't have fouling building up to the point where things don't rotate after 50+ shots. I would start off with around 40 grains as a starting point, although the Walker will hold up to 60 grains. With charges above 45 grains, you may start dropping your loading lever due to recoil, which will freak you out 'cause the cylinder won't rotate with the ram stuck in a cylinder bore....if it does, just lift it up and carry on.
I'm surprised nobody mentioned Wonder Wads....simply insert a WW over the powder, seat it with the loading lever, then seat the ball. You can then skip the messy ol' Crisco or Bore Butter (unless you're using real black; it will help soften the fouling but it makes a hell of a mess IMHO). Powder, Wad, Ball in all six and you're ready to cap at the line. I don't recommend loading all six if you're not at the range, keep the hammer on the empty chamber and load five.
Colts tend to swallow caps, so after each shot it's a good idea to lift the muzzle and tilt it to the right; most time the cap frags will drop right out. If you do swallow a cap, don't freak. Pull the barrel and cylinder, cock the hammer, and in most cases you can dig it out with the pocketknife you're gonna remember to bring 'cuz the Cap'n told ya to.
I strongly recommend getting a good set of GUNSMITHING (not Craftsman or Home Depot) screwdrivers (these are specially ground to fit gun screws without boogering them up....which you didn't do yet...did you?) and disassembling the gun. Why? Because you're gonna need to disassemble it to clean it, and it's much easier to take it apart and learn how it all works NOW when it's clean, and you haven't been out shooting all day and you're tired, etc...and not when you're trying to clean it at the same time. This way, if you eat a cap at the range, you can decide whether or not you want to really delve into it there, or call it a day, knowing how it works and what's inside it.
I would echo everyone else's recommendations on the degreasing and cleaning. I lube the cylinder teeth and arbor with white lithium grease and use Rem Oil on the outside of the gun. Most folks clean up with soap and water but I prefer Hoppes #9 Plus Black Powder Cleaner and patch lube. Face it; water+steel=rust. You pays your money and you takes your chance. You will also need a nipple wrench (one that fits the Walker)...Traditions nipple wrenches have a handy nipple pick in the handle...and when you clean the nipples, put a little dab of anti-seize on the threads. You'll thank me later. (You're welcome). A standard pistol cleaning kit in .44 cal will work, but get a toothbrush as well.
Here is a link for a parts breakdown on the Walker:
http://www.coltparts.com/pt_walker.html
If you get stuck or have any other questions, please don't hesitate to PM me. I'll help any way I can.
FYI- here are a couple of You Tube links to give you an idea of what it's all about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPMr8ix3aZ0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2N6FoKB4a0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDPa-539JQ0
Enjoy it!
 
Hello Cap'n---Many thanks for your sage and friendly advice!! Today I disassembled the Walker and soaked the cylinder and barrel assembly in hot soapy water and then gently scrubbed and cleaned the grease off. The frame I wiped off carefully with a hot soapy cloth and was careful not to get water down into the trigger assembly, etc. I wiped it all dry after it drained a bit in the dish drainer and then took a blazing hot hair dryer to all of it. When completely dry, I lightly coated the entire Walker (inside and out) with Ballistol and ran light-coated cotton flannel cleaning patches through the bore and the cylinder. I have a Walker nipple wrench coming, so will not shoot it until I can pull the nipples and clean again in that area. I plan to use FFFg Pyrodex, .454 balls (to begin with) and CCI #10 caps (to start with). I really like the advice about the Wonder Wad! At first, I don't plan to shoot a full 60gr. charge (definitely will later :). If I load around 40gr, use a Wad and then seat the ball, do I need any extra "filler" (cornmeal or cream of wheat)? See-----I AM learning but going ever so cautiously and not at all afraid to seek experienced advice. Won't use a filler unless somebody who really knows what they are doing advises it. I absolutely do not want to do anything that would in any way damage this beautiful Walker revolver. Plan to shoot it sometime next week when my black powder buddy can come along and will get back with you all at that time. Again, I really, really appreciate the sound and friendly advice I am getting---thank you one and all!!!
 
You wouldn't HAVE to use filler with a 40gr load, especially when using wads, as they take up some of the space between the powder and ball, but the coloser the ball is to the chamber mouth, the better your accuracy.
If it was me, I'd get on a first-name basis with your Walker and worry about accuracy later.
 
A 40 grain load is about the smallest you can seat without Wonder Wads or filler. That's what I use for Cowboy Action. As mentioned before I'm a cheapskate, so I don't use Wonder Wads, just some Bore Butter over the bullets.

BTW, a 40 grain load will give you very close to 1000fps with the round ball. Even though that is pretty much the minimum load for a Walker (without filler or wads), compared to a whole lot of modern handguns, it's still a Magnum.

There's a ton of videos on youtube of folks shooting Walkers. I've got a few of them. Mine can be found by typing blackpowderpulp in the youtube search bar.
 
I have six cap and ballers dating back 20yrs as well as two new colts and a two year old Walker. #10 cci caps do not fully seat on any of my guns. Twenty years ago when i started shooting cap and ball revolvers where live the only caps you could buy were #10 and #11 caps that's it thats all you could find. In twenty years the only chain fire i have seen and yes the guy was using #11 cci caps but he was shooting a colt in poor condition, dumped powder all over the gun when loading and was proud of the fact that he enlarged the nipple holes so his gun would shoot better.:eek: If your gun is well lubed has a good hammer spring and has good nipples not shot out with the holes enlarged don't think twice squeezing #11 cci caps and using them. I have shot thousands #11 cci caps over the years and never had any problems with them. A few years a go we got a Bass Pro Shop in town they carry #10 Remington caps they are right in between a #10 and #11 cci caps they fit all my revolvers well and will work on my #11 rifle nipples they just don't quite seat all the way.
Mike
 
I cannot tell you all how good it is to know you all are out there and interested in my learning the ropes about black powder. I made a note about the Remington #10s---will try a CCI (easier to find right now) #10 and also the #11 if 10s don't fit well and will search out the Remington caps as advised. I would NEVER alter the nipples in any way---just don't believe in doing that. Captain, your advice is sound in that all I want to do right now is get a feel for the gun---learn to shoot it and experiment with loads and caps and find out what works the best----accuracy will come later, I hope :). Again, many thanks for the kind advice!
 
Be advised; your Walker will likely shoot quite high to the uninitiated. Most Colts (esp. the "horse pistols") were zero'd at 75 yards, so when you begin shooting at 25 yards and you wonder where the hell your shots are going...right OVER the backstop. It helps to have a spotter watching for dust weevils (where the bullet hits). Most folks figure those old slow black powder-driven lead slugs are dropping like a rock and continue to raise the line of sight so they'll print on paper....and wonder why they don't. They usually waste 25 balls or so before they figure it out. Don't be THAT GUY.:uhoh:
My Dragoon will ring the gong all day long if I hold about six o'clock at 50 yards. This is with 45gr Pyrodex "P".
Do let us know how it goes, OK?:D
 
Walker

I am a new member to this forum, and grateful to be so. If I may offer a small bit of my thirty plus years of experience to you with your Walker, there are several points to take into consideration. 1) The hammer should NEVER actually come into full contact with the nipple. This is known to cause cap disintegration and premature nipple wear. Instead, adjust your nipples so that an ordinary piece of typing paper (.0050" or so) will pass between the nipple and the hammer when the hammer is in the full down position. Don't forget to check your nipple spacing each time you clean the weapon and start a new shooting session. 2) Remember, you do not have to use 'overball' grease to prevent chainfires, although you MUST use something. In thirty-five years in the blackpowder sport of shooting I have NEVER met anyone who has ever experienced a chainfire, perhaps that's because they're dead, but all that aside you can use a Wonderwad over your seated ball, or if you need to use a lighter load, say 40 grains instead of 58 and you wish to bring the seated ball closer to the cylinder end (which does increase accuracy and wear and tear on your breech) then you may use a wonder wad (or similar lubricated felt wool wad) after the powder charge, before the ball, and after the ball as a final safety measure, it's a whole lot less mess, less fouling, etc. These wads can be bought from Dixie Gun Works and their $ 5.00 catalogue offers a wealth of shooting infor for blackpowder, as well as supplies at fair prices. If you must, use the grease, wonderlube, bore butter etc. as these gentlemen suggest, but make sure you are aware of the effects of a chainfire and what it COULD do to you (if you live).
GOOD LUCK with your new Uberti they make nice pieces, probably some of the better repliguns. Nothing like firing an old Walker at twilight or on the range and seeing the heads turn when a two foot belch of flame erupts from the barrel. Also recommend Pyodex FFFg as a cleaner safer alternative to black powder, but that's a choice you'll have to make on your own.
Best wishes,
CRAFTMARINE - USA (Cavalry)
 
Plenty of folks have experienced a chainfire without being "dead". They may have had to change their underwear afterwards, but usually they could still use both hands to do it.
If you are using a tight cap and a tight ball (little "Saturn Ring" of lead being shaved off during loading) chainfire will likely be a non-issue.
That being said, you make a number of very valid and interesting additions to the conversation!
MO-REB, if you REALLY want to get inside the mind of your Uberti, read these articles:

http://www.theopenrange.net/articles/Tuning_the_Uberti_Open_Top_Revolvers_Part_1.pdf

http://www.theopenrange.net/articles/Tuning_the_Uberti_Open_Top_Revolvers_Part_2.pdf

http://www.theopenrange.net/articles/Tuning_the_Uberti_Open_Top_Revolvers_Part_3.pdf

http://www.theopenrange.net/articles/Tuning_the_Uberti_Open_Top_Revolvers_Part_4.pdf

More info here than you probably ever wanted to know. But it makes you ever so much more aware of what you are holding in your hands. Makes for a good evening of BP reading, as well. Enjoy.
 
You can thank google for leading me here. great bit of info going on! :D

Ive got a Walker waiting for my permits to go thru and i cannot wait to make some noise!

so 40gr minimum load without filler? The first vid captain*kirk posted up, he is using about 30gr without filler and it seemed to go ok? Is it more of an accuracy thing? what would be a minimum load with filler?

Also with the loading lever quirk with it falling on larger loads, what options are there to stop this? apart from the obvious but not really time correct rubber band. ive also heard of giving the clip that hold the lever a bit of modification like filing in a sharper angle or bending it just a little more?
 
Freddy - welcome to the forum.

There's a great thread on here called the Official THR Walker Club. Just about everything imaginable relating to Walkers is discussed at some point, plus some great pics. Worth the time to page through with a good single malt and fine Cuban.

The minimum load without filler is essentially the least amount of powder that can be loaded and still seat the ball firmly on the powder with the gun's ramrod. It's about 30 grains by volume, perhaps a bit more (powder measures vary somewhat). It has nothing to do with accuracy, just the physical limits of the chamber size and plunger length. A minimum load with filler depends, of course, on the amount of filler one wants to use - I'd imagine it would be about 10 grains, although why anyone would want to use that little powder in a Walker is beyond me. This is a hand cannon, meant for stopping horses, not a squirrel gun.

If you're looking to establish a minimum load that can be shot accurately, well, that's a matter for each shooter to determine for each gun. I think it'll be in the area of 40 to 45 grains, but it's going to vary greatly and depend on many factors: chamber size, bore land and groove depth, powder type and brand, use and type of wad, lubrication, ball size & weight, etc.

I shoot 50 grains real black powder with a dry lubed felt wad in both my Walkers. For both guns it's the most accurate load, which is surprising because they have very different chamber and bore dimensions. I do not claim that load will be best for your gun - you need to find that out yourself.

The most 'traditional' solution to the loading lever problem is a piece of leather thong tied around the barrel and lever. The long term, even permanent, solution is to file the upper face of the loading lever latch where it meets the front surface coming down from the top so that it's flatter - not quite so rounded - so that there's a well defined right angle at that joint. Don't overdo it because it can become so tight that it won't unlatch! There's a picture in that Walker Club thread. If I come across it I'll post a link.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

ChasMack
  • Locked
Uberti Colt Dragoon vs. Colt Walker
Replies
13
Views
14K
JohnnyCremains
JohnnyCremains
W
  • Locked
Colt Walker questions
Replies
11
Views
917
mec
M
J
  • Locked
Uberti Walker and Colt's Patent?
2
Replies
27
Views
2K
StrawHat
StrawHat
S
  • Locked
New Walker user needs Holster and belt
Replies
6
Views
501
bigbadgun
B
S
  • Locked
Nipple size on a Colt Walker
Replies
4
Views
2K
SixShootinSam
S
Back
Top