Walker results and questions

[Manyirons]

Pietta makes a special version of the Remington New Model Army, called the "Shooters Revolver," that was intended for World Championship Shooting Matches. Special attention is paid to its construction, and the barrel is rifled with a progressive (gain) twist. Bore dia. is .440" Groove dia. is .456" Rifling is cut, and .008" deep. Chamber dia. is also .456"... and this revolver will shoot...!

But it has a suggested retail price of $615.00

And yes, your 'smith is on the right track. His theory matches my experience.[/QUOTE]

Dixie has these "Shooters" on sale this month for 350.00, i have four of them already!

You are right about the bore/chambers of these guns, but really disappointing elsewhere, omitted case hardning to hammer, two of the four need help to fully index&lock, nickle plating in triggerguard already wearing off in spots, alltogether, many file and fitting marks, more so than most!

Two needed "Throating" as the throats did not exist!

On sale, they might be a buy, at full retail? What i would call a dog!

 

[TexasRifleman]

What are you using the rubber mallet for?

Oh, you'll find out soon enough

Getting that wedge in and out can be a bit of a pain. If you only use finger pressure you don't have it in enough. I use the end of a wooden screwdriver handle, but I had to use a mallet when the gun was new, it was REALLY in there.

 

[hogship]

Oh, you'll find out soon enough

Getting that wedge in and out can be a bit of a pain. If you only use finger pressure you don't have it in enough. I use the end of a wooden screwdriver handle, but I had to use a mallet when the gun was new, it was REALLY in there.

I've used a Lyman Tapper, but I'll have to admit that I haven't disassembled the revolvers more than once or twice.....since they are new. The Lyman Tapper is among tools I always bring to the range anyway, but usually for drifting sights.

Is it necessary to dissassemble the revolver at the range?

 

[Old Fuff]

Manyirons:

Interesting (and disapointing). The ones I have examined didn't have the conditions you outlined. Maybe that's why they were on sale.

So far, with the possible exception of some of the Pietta "Shooters' Model" and Ruger's Old Army, no one has gone to the trouble of turning out a product for serious shooters. I once wrote a draft of a book for one of the larger importers on how to accurize/tune a cap & ball revolver, but it was never published for various reasons, the largest one being that they lost interest - apparently believing that there wasn't enough interest within the market to justify it.

I think that there is also a general perception among many shooters that these revolvers are not capable of offering accuracy anywhere close to that expected of modern guns, so therefore there isn't any demand for anything better. I haven't had any experience with Uberti revolvers since they became part of the Beretta empire, but I understand that recent examples are better them before relative to chamber/bore sizing. I think maybe it's time I found out.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Is it necessary to dissassemble the revolver at the range?

I would use a Lyman Tapper if I had one, the mallet was just what I had laying around when I went as well. I'm assuming Peter used it for the same thing.
I use the handle of a wooden screwdriver now just for a little bit more than my fingers can provide.

As for taking it down at the range, I find that I have to now and then.

Seems like the Walker more than others is bad about getting chunks of cap stuck down in the works. I've had to take the cylinder off and give everything a good wipe with cloth or blast of air to get pieces out after every 2nd or 3rd cylinder full.

 

[Old Fuff]

Is it necessary to dissassemble the revolver at the range?

Generally no, but it is best to be prepared in case something does come up.

Also, one should not drive the wedge all of the way in. If you examine one you should notice it is tapered, and as it is driven in it becomes tighter. However it shouldn't be driven past the point where it is simply snug. Going further will ruin the wedge and may crack the basepin near the slot. The purpose of the taper was so that over time the barrel could be kept acceptably tight as the wedge wore in. To many owners don't understand this, and ruin a new revolver in short order.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Going further will ruin the wedge and may crack the basepin near the slot.

I wish the fine folks at Cimarron Firearms knew that. Every time I buy a revo from them it takes me a hammer and some time to break it down the first time. On my Walker I truly thought I was going to have to use a hydraulic press when I took it out of the box.

 

[Old Fuff]

Well again we have a problem with perceptions about what is right. I think that most customers expect the wedge to be super-tight because they don't know any better, and no one is going out of their way to tell them otherwise.

So Cimarron and others make sure to meet those expectations.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Mine was not tight, but smooth. It does take a hammer and a punch to get out, but I figure that is because it is new. I put it back in just barely tight enough to maintain a reasonable clearance to the cylinder. Basically I put it back about where it was and that seems to work great. Very light taps with the small hammer I am using. Interesting that the clip is just barely engaged right now. It is not tight by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Sorry my poor writing did not come through. The fouler shot is low center.
1 cylinder of 60 grns is top center
2 cylinders of 50 grn is low center
3 shots of 55 grns are to the left (only 3 because I was piddling and intentionally aimed left at color change between the number 9 and 10 rings.

This was at 10 yards. I know it was a short range, but I was just a piddling with the gun and trying to figure it out. Next time I drop back to 15 or 25 and make it a challenge. The point of aim was dead center target every time.

If you are curious about the gun, it was still seeping in oil and hence the lint and color on it.

 

[Manyirons]

Manyirons:

Interesting (and disapointing). The ones I have examined didn't have the conditions you outlined. Maybe that's why they were on sale.

So far, with the possible exception of some of the Pietta "Shooters' Model" and Ruger's Old Army, no one has gone to the trouble of turning out a product for serious shooters. I once wrote a draft of a book for one of the larger importers on how to accurize/tune a cap & ball revolver, but it was never published for various reasons, the largest one being that they lost interest - apparently believing that there wasn't enough interest within the market to justify it.

I think that there is also a general perception among many shooters that these revolvers are not capable of offering accuracy anywhere close to that expected of modern guns, so therefore there isn't any demand for anything better. I haven't had any experience with Uberti revolvers since they became part of the Beretta empire, but I understand that recent examples are better them before relative to chamber/bore sizing. I think maybe it's time I found out.

Yep, one of them the checkering on hammer was absent, the other three, varying amounts. No problem! It's what Brownells and grobet checkering files are all about, so, i ordered some, at urging of local smith who thinks i should learn rather than bother him!

Really a great guy, i think all the eye rolling and muttering about "time wasting pita" is just a show?

 

[hogship]

Does Uberti offer spare parts for the Walker?

I had the Idea that if I had a spare loading lever, and hacked off a couple of inches in loading lever length, the problem of it flipping off the hook would be eliminated.

hog

 

[mec]

It's listed on VTI GunParts. Funny you should mention it. Just a few minutes ago, I put in an order to them for spare springs and lockwork.

 

[Manyirons]

Does Uberti offer spare parts for the Walker?

I had the Idea that if I had a spare loading lever, and hacked off a couple of inches in loading lever length, the problem of it flipping off the hook would be eliminated.

hog

I'm thinking of a Walker/Dragoon or "Walkerdrag" or Walker in drag, or ANYWAY! same type of catch&hook used on Dragoons!

 

[hogship]

It's listed on VTI GunParts. Funny you should mention it. Just a few minutes ago, I put in an order to them for spare springs and lockwork.

Thanks, I put VTI in my favorites for future reference.

Yep, I see it.

At 35 bucks, I think I'll just go the leather thong route. I don't see any leather thongs in my stuff, so I found an unused piece of nylon shoelace, and threw it in with my BP stuff......that ought to do the trick.

hog

 

[hogship]

I'm thinking of a Walker/Dragoon or "Walkerdrag" or Walker in drag, or ANYWAY! same type of catch&hook used on Dragoons!

Do you mean install a Dragoon type of lever catch on the Walker. That sounds like a lot of work.

hog

 

[Old Fuff]

At one time I considered the possibility of mounting a Dragoon barrel (and rammer assembly) on a Walker revolver, but I never went on with it. I need a fence post to hold up the darn things, and am awed by a picture of Texas Ranger John (R.I.P.) Ford with two of 'um on his belt. He must have been something else in a fight...

 

[mec]

sometimes you get a dragoon with the nice little hook on the lever and it goes ahead and drops down anyway. I deepened the notch, pinched the frame so it wouldn't drop too far and tie things up. Then I took out the lever catch spring and dropped a spent small pistol primer behind it to give it more force. This seems to have worked.

 

[Manyirons]

Do you mean install a Dragoon type of lever catch on the Walker. That sounds like a lot of work.

hog

Not for me! it's what the local smith is for! Really, looking at the thing, just modify the original to include a catch&hook.

 

[Manyirons]

At one time I considered the possibility of mounting a Dragoon barrel (and rammer assembly) on a Walker revolver, but I never went on with it. I need a fence post to hold up the darn things, and am awed by a picture of Texas Ranger John (R.I.P.) Ford with two of 'um on his belt. He must have been something else in a fight...

I'd just like to have the belt to hold em! Must've been four inches wide!

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Why change it unless you are going to shoot 2 of them "duelist style"? At my or any reasonable rate of fire, reaching up with the off hand to snap it shut is no big deal. It is not like I am trying to compete or rush anything.

Heck considering how long it takes to load and cap up, I am not going to rush through the firing FUN!

 

[Manyirons]

Why change it unless you are going to shoot 2 of them "duelist style"? At my or any reasonable rate of fire, reaching up with the off hand to snap it shut is no big deal. It is not like I am trying to compete or rush anything.

Heck considering how long it takes to load and cap up, I am not going to rush through the firing FUN!

It's why i use the rammer as a forward grip now, since i have more than one Walker, modifying one for fun no big deal.

 

[TexasRifleman]

If you want to avoid the whole problem, drop the load down just a little bit.

At 45gr, my Walker loading lever stays up 99% of the time. Follow the tightening advice from mec, and between these 2 things you can make the whole issue go away.

That small adjustment doesn't take from my enjoyment of shooting it.

 

[Manyirons]

If you want to avoid the whole problem, drop the load down just a little bit.

At 45gr, my Walker loading lever stays up 99% of the time. Follow the tightening advice from mec, and between these 2 things you can make the whole issue go away.

That small adjustment doesn't take from my enjoyment of shooting it.

Yah but it's just not the same! Going to start a movement! FULL LOADS FOR WALKERS!

 

[Old Fuff]

Manyirons:

I'd just like to have the belt to hold em! Must've been four inches wide!

Ah no... With those revolvers it looks like a shoestring...

I may try to post that picture so Peter can see what a real Tex-a-can looked like...

Them was men...