Mike, I finally got myself an Uberti Walker, my first cap and ball six gun. I've got to say, shooting it might have been the most fun I've had shooting in a while. Thanks for getting me into these guns, I love them.
Other than being an excellent pistolero your great contribution is that everybody can clearly see you keep both eyes open when shooting even opposite handed well done sir! This I believe is one of the greatest losses over time for shooting. I believe that is the way it was done in the past. Everybody should learn to shoot every type of sight with both eyes open. Kudos to you sir.
I've only owned one bp revolver..an 1858 remmy, and to learn how PROPERLY load, Shoot, and clean it I watched your video..and now that I just ordered a uberti 1847 walker I had to see if you had a video for that model as well..thank you for making these videos, and showing a new generation such as myself how to safely enjoy and properly care for these classic and amazing firearms.
Loading these guns is easier if you have a powder flask with removable ends. I just use my 20 grain end and give each chamber 2 shots of 20 grains. The ends are narrow enough that it makes it easy to pour powder into each chamber. I also polished the face of the hammer which helps eliminate the problem with the cap jams. That and tilting the gun up as I pull the hammer back. I found my Walker really likes 40 grains of Triple Seven but like every one I have seen, they shoot about 6" high at 15 - 20 yards. The weight of the Walker helps with shaking when shooting as one gets older. I will admit that I was surprised at the accuracy of the Uberty 1847 Walker I have. Fun fact, this was the most powerful hand gun in the world until about 1937 when the .357 magnum came out. Still, it is more powerful then modern 9mm and .45ACP pistols. It was originally intended to be capable of not only killing an enemy soldier but his horse as well. These are more then capable of being used for hunting deer and the like.
If you bend the loading lever latch forward slightly (putting more tension in the latch) it holds the loading lever in place while firing SO much better. I ALWAYS run 60 grain loads (the gun is BUILT for it...why not??), and my lever never falls out of place with that slight modification!! Happy shooting!
I am new to reenactment and cap and ball. Your videos are a great help and hopefully will keep me from hurting myself and hurting my pair of Pietta 1860 Armies and my 1858 Remington.
The 1848 Walker Colt was an improvement over the Paterson Colt. Having a trigger guard, a fixed trigger and a loading lever, it was a very advanced weapon for it's day. After watching this video, I prefer the 2nd and 3rd Model of Walker because of the improvement made in the loading lever for the revolver. Thanks for making the video, I now know what type of Walker I will put in my collection of black powder weapons.
I've always been interested mainly in fowling pieces, but I have to admit that your eclectic presentations are truly magnetic. I started reading up a bit on the Colt Paterson and have now moved onto the Walker. The one fact I find most thought provoking is that Captain Walker was killed in battle in 1847, very shortly after taking possession of his new revolvers.
My very first black powder revolver was an Armi San Marco Walker purchased about '78 or '79. Loved it without reservation. I put literally thousands of rounds through it and wish I had never parted with it. Picked up a Uberti Walker about eight years ago and also enjoyed it very much, though it had a few cosmetic issues that the san Marco did not. Thank you for the videos. I've found them informative and entertaining!
I've read very little on extra cylinders being used, except that the Army bought an extra cylinder for every Colt Paterson revolving rifle, and they were carried loaded by the troop for faster reloads.
Good video Mike. I know this is an old video, but whoever is questioning the distance of your targets really needs to get a life. Sometimes people amaze me. And not in a good way.
Sanford Hoffman Whoever questions the distance of Mike's targets is probably the kind of person who claims they shoot at 25 yards when they actually shoot at 25 feet.
Probably questioning the distance because they couldn't make similar hits at the same range, ignoring the fact that Mike has decades of practice & experience on them... ::)
A tiny,strong magnet will hold that lever solid when shooting,maybe not a period correct fix,but they did have magnets back then.Col. Colt just didn't have time to think of it, dying as young as he did.
I have the same trouble with the loading lever dropping under recoil. Finally started putting a rubber band around the barrel & loading lever. Uberti makes some nice replicas.
The intended load for these was originally 50 grains. But this gun was made to shoot special conical bullets, which were hard to ram down straight. So what the Rangers who were issued them tended to do was load the conical bullets in backwards, which would allow 60 grains to load. This tended to rupture the cylinders, and was not advisable. Colt shortened the cylinders to make them only hold 50 with round balls when they released the second version, the Whitneyville dragoon to the public. They shortened the barrel, too.
Hey Mike I really enjoy your videos...I pray the Lord Jesus will give you a speedy recover from your surgery and I look forward to more videos...Take care. Tom
Mike, thanks for the tip. I've got a spring vice, but it never occurred to me to use it! Now, I just need to figure out where I put it. :-) Thanks for all of your excellent videos!
I was on here enjoying some of the older content Mike. But I must say that direct shooting kind of at the camera angle. That is awesome thank you for the education.
I have a pair of Uberti Walkers too. I shoot the Era's gone Dragoon healed bullet in paper cartridges. I love the guns. Thnk you for the fine work you do with the videos
I had one of these once, the Uberti was so well crafted. When I was going to compete with black powder revolvers I traded it off so I could use an 1860 Army from Pietta. Eventually I want another.
I have a Uberti Walker that I've had for over 20 years, and I love it. It's always fun at the range when someone walks up and asks, "What the hell is that cannon?"
Taylor's don't inspect these guns before shipping them out although I'm sure they did for this guy since he has a channel on YT, so you might just as well buy it anywhere because it's all the same outcome and you might find a better price!
Mike, I gotta say, that loading lever dropping like it does under recoil (and I know it's common) would just bug the heck out'a me (in today's world), that's why over 40+ years I have prefer the '58 Remington & '51 Navy Colt models and their like - because the lever don't drop on 'em... However, with this said,,,, Yes,,,,, it would be fun to own a Walker! Thanks for the video - even though it took me seven years to getting around to watching it... Timeless however!!! Thanks a bunch!!!
I used my Walkers at a CASS in the gun fighter event and found shooting them at the waist was easier than my 1860 Army since I could see the barrels better.
I can make a video of it if requested, but a cure for the loading lever falling is to take about 2" of metal shipping strap (which is usually black, anyways) and make a clip that encircles the barrel, with a slot to hold the loading lever in place.Kinda shaped like an "8" except the bottom of the 8 is cut and bent to form a tab. :)
I've never had on go off while pushing it on, but I do know of instances where that has happened. It will severely injure your thumb or finger, which is why the dowel is a good idea.
good video I bought a used Uberti Walker 10 + years ago for the incredible price of $125 with a holster. The fixins to fire cost me more than that. What an incredible piece.
Smmmmokin' deal! [Pun intended! X-D] I lucked out similarly on a ROA target model [original, cardboard box issue.] Hard to believe Ruger gave up making the ROA; I'd rather have the later Vaquero-based version just for CAS/SAS competition suitability, but I'm not complaining! Pity that the Ruger can't be retrofitted w/ the loading-gate style Kirst Konverter cylinders, but that's just not possible w/ the way the ROA is designed, so hot-swapping a pre-loaded Taylor's conversion cylinder is the way to go. Search "black powder magnum" for what some have done w/ the Kirst cylinder in the Walker for some BPCR fun! ;-)
if you're used to cartridges it's kinda a pain. I come from both military, and actually more Elizabethan through Golden Age of Piracy reenactment. So between this, and matchlocks, doglocks, and wheel-locks... it ain't so bad :D but between it and a 1911 or Glock, yeah.... :D
P Murphy Well if you're used to cartridges and want to shoot black powder revolvers, make your own cartridges. It's pretty simple to make em, just look up how.
Brian, the Walkers are bigger all over. The cones of the nipples are considerably longer than, say 1860 Army cones. I don't think Slix Shot makes a Walker-sized set of nipples.
I dont remember exactly but if i recall colt eventually went to the lock mechanism thats seen on a 51 or 60 navy/army On the walker And if thats the case then why do the replica companies chose to produce the loading lever that for 160 years has been known to fall. ??
Colt never changed the Walkers. They only made 1,100 of them. They refined the loading lever while producing the Dragoon series, but the loading lever latch on the 1851/1860 made its debut on the 1849 pocket model.
Too cool!! I had an ASM, and I shot it with heavy loads a lot, and yes the wedge deformed and it is a loose gun. But it can be fixed. I now have a Uberti also and am chomping at the bit to shoot it. I am geared up to load combustible paper cartridges, so I will do they first and then shoot. I think I will make 50 grains my top load that way this one will stay tight for a long time. I want to see a ballistic comparison between the walker, the '58 Remy and an 1860 army sometime, round ball/ conical/ and hunting conical! That would be most excellent to see!!
I once saw an old Daguerreotype of my second great uncle who rode with Mabry Gray's Texas Mounted Volunteers during the Mexican War. He was holding what looked like a Walker Colt. The pistol had a length of cord or wool yarn tied around the barrel and the ramming rod. I always wondered why a guy would tie the ramming rod. I guess, after viewing your video, that this was to secure the ramming rod and keep it from dropping down. I also suspect that the wool or cord loupe could be tied with just enough tension to keep the rod in place yet be able to be slipped on and of the ramming rod. Of course, my uncle might have just liked the looks of the decoration. Have you ever seen a Walker with the ramming rod tied in this manner?
I have a TON of binding issues with my walker.....right at the pin, right below the forcing cone....I LOVE the super magnet idea for the loading rod ! Where to get a super magnet? Small pieces of tubing slid down over the caps will retain the caps....Blue & Gray use to make them, but I think they are 3/16 (?) tubing....snip off small sections, slip over the cap and bottom of the nipple....Hold the cap pieces on....
Amazon, eBay for the rare earth magnet. If you have an old computer hard drive, they use them in those & they can be salvaged with a little effort & some esoteric tools [tiny Torx screwdriver; I got the right size by just taking the defunct hard drive w/ me to the hardware store & trying the various sizes til I found the one that fit...]
The walker was prone to many problems. 1) the walker tended to explode about 300 of 1000 were sent back to colt for repair. 2) the loading lever catch was inadequate and it would drop under recoil and jar the action preventing fast follow up shots. 3) the Colt Walker was issued with picket bullets which were sharply pointed cones like a candy corn essentially and if you if they weren't properly loaded it would destroy your accuracy. Even though the Paterson and Walker Revolvers were flawed they were the 1st practical revolvers they could fire more than 1 shot without reloading making them revolutionary weapons shooting 10 12 rounds a minute in the 1830s and 40s was unheard of.
I fired my Uberti 3rd Dragoon today. Had a blast, literally. I'm going to have to modify the latch on my loading lever as it was falling down between shots like your Walkers were doing.
It seems that slight mod on the lever retainer has worked better than with the original revolver, keep us updated if that slightly tweek works long term :)
FYI: Late production Armi San Marco products suffered horrible quality control especially on the internal parts such as the hand, bolt stop & triggers, which seemed "soft" lacking sufficient hardening needed.If you handling a later made gun (as evidenced by 2 lettered code date of manufacture) be wary of timing and lock-up.Well hardened replacement parts readily available, but as with all revolvers some "fitting" of parts indicated.
Most people don't realize in the 1800s during the Civil War you became very good at reloading and I mean very damn good at reloading those six dots namely during the Civil War most soldiers carried already loaded Spirits owners so by swapping out a cylinder and replacing a new one as much like a modern double action revolver with speed loaders
I got one of the Taylor Walkers a couple of years ago. Then I got a conversion cylinder to go with it so I can shoot cartridges in it. I'm basically lazy and don't like to go to the trouble of loading percussion -- or the cleanup, either. With my R&D cylinder I can shoot Cowboy loads (.45 Colt or Schofield) and have fun with less work.
Are you able to push your wedge all the way through the frame without issue? The cylinder is free if the wedge is flush on the left hand side (although it sticks out quite a bit) But if i tap it in any further, the cylinder won't turn.
It is expensive to do it properly. Some of them use chemicals instead of heat, but even the ones who use heat overload their equipment to get more volume through.
I presume this was a reply to a question about bluing or color-casing? Hard to figure out since it seems to have wandered away from the original post you were responding to! ;-)
Thanks for the idea--I will look into this (I'm learning this new "era" of firearms (to me that is) after years of being a "contemporary" firearms aficionado...
The writers for Guns of the Old West really know what they write and talk about. I usually wait to see what they have to say about new products before I buy.
"I'm going to do a Josie Wales"; Now that would be a good setup for a match a saddle on a wooden "horse". Still I can see that most of our Cowboy ranges are not set up from shooting from horseback. Thanks for the vid.
Mike , you are one of the main reasons I got into Black powder revolvers. I have 2 Uberti's . A Walker and a 1861 Navy. Do you think a .460 ball in pure lead will fit ok in the Walker? I found a mold maker that has multi caliber molds. I have a dragoon mold coming from Era gone and the base is 457. thank you for all you do, I have learned so much!
I read somewhere that after hearing of the cylinders explode from the 60 grain charges during some test firing, Sam Colt issued a warning stating that one should not load more than 40 grains. I guess a lot of people ignored it for more power.
No, but he did reduce the cylinder length on the Dragoons [1st, 2nd & 3rd models] that succeeded the Walker so as to reduce the max charge to 50gr. The method used by the British revolver making industry was to take the steel bars to be used for cylinders, heat them to red heat, & then twist them. This led to the possible grain imperfections in the steel once the cylinder was finished to run across the chambers at an angle, reducing the likelihood of a chamber failing & splitting lengthwise. American manufacture at the time was more advanced, but the British steel-making industry to 2nd to none in the world during that time frame...
Back in the 1970s, I shot a lot of cap & ball. I never used a wad or packing. My lube and chain fire retardent was Crisco Shortening. I never had a problem.
I've consistently shot my Uberti Walker with 50 grains of FFF, and now I think have noticed some abuse on the wedge holding the barrel on. The barrel is not loose, but the wedge sometimes comes almost out after a shot! Slightly bending up the metal catch on it has tended to keep it in all right. I take it that it is possible to order a replacement wedge, right? There's something about shooting it with a rifle load!!!! A real magnum of the 19th century it truly is! Fouling management after shooting a dozen shots becomes a bit burdensome, however.
That thing looks like an artillery piece, a true hand cannon. Aside from looks, have you ever had the urge to lock down the ram rod to the barrel with a good ole hose clamp ?
Extremely period un-correct; I high doubt it has even crossed Mike's mind, let along been considered for a microsecond if it had. Piece of rawhide thong was done at the time, & unsurprisingly, still works a century & a half later! ;-)
I got my Texas Ranger company marked Cimarron example yesterday. I have to say that the action is superb and the fit and finish is better than my Colt SAA. Whoever built my gun took a LOT of pride in their work. It’s pretty unbelievable as to the quality, and I’m super picky and analytical.
Hi Mike, I've been enjoying your video's for quite some time. I realize that corn meal can be used to fill space in the cylinder, but do you know what the minimum load on this gun is before there is space between wadding and powder? I bought mine used so I didn't get any info with it.
Hey Mike. You have knowlege on this. I recently read an article in a Shoot Magazine special edition from 2002. Anyway, where do you suppose/know to be how it has come to be, where it is believed that the original Walker cylinder was made of iron? This is contrary to historical documents, logic and sensibility. Meaning,- Colt was 10 years plus established in gun making (Paterson rifle cylinders held 130+ grains of powder), why would he backslide and make about the most powerful handguns cylinder of iron? The failures included the barrels too. Iron as well? Low carbon steel (later refered to, in part, as Bessemer) was available then. as was Iron, cast iron and wrought iron. There is v e r y distinct differentiation between these metals inColts records during manufacturing of the Walker. So?
maybe this seems like a dumb question, but with this and the 1860.. these guys were riding horses etc. doesn't the ball and powder shake itself loose pretty regularly? Was there some trick to keep them seated all the way while riding a horse.
Great Fun with the Walker Colt Revolvers! However, I also have trouble with the tamping lever coming down. Until I saw an old coot with a leather strap around the shooting lever and barrel. Works nice because the blade is so high the leather doesn't get in the sight picture...much. Then for reloading I just move the leather strip off the tamping mechanism and procede. Simple. But, leather has to be tight. I used buckshin. He used rawhide. His was better...lol But mine looked cooler...more cool...coolest?
Mike, Great videos! I absolutely love them. Which manufacturer do you prefer? Uberti or Pietta? I'm looking to pick up several different models soon (1858 New Army and several different Colts) and want to get what you feel would be the better of the manufacturers for the cap and ball. I had a Uberti Richards/Mason Conversion and loved it.
Just reviewing an old video and got a question about the load you mention. You said the original load for the Walker was 60 grains of musket powder so... what grain size was that equivalent to in modern BP? 1F, 2F or... ? If it was more like 1 or 2F, 60 grains would develop less pressure than 3F correct? Stuart
are the dimensions of this gun accurate to the original in the grips and did the originals have hammer rests pins in between each nipple or just one like the uberti
A small super magnet placed between the barrel and loading lever will stop it from falling.
+Mike Fitzgerald That is a really cool tip that would probably hide very well...
Mike Fitzgerald I think adding the latch mechanism from the dragoon would be cooler
A rubber O-ring is a lot less of a pain. The Texicans actually tied then with a shirt strip of leather.
@@TheGunrunn3r how long was it and it work from the holster ??
@@dennisbentley4214 very few people carried Walker Colts on their belts. The Rangers carried them in saddle holsters. The barrel is around 9 in long
If i Remember my history correctly the loading lever falling was a downside to the original Walker as well.
Mike, I finally got myself an Uberti Walker, my first cap and ball six gun. I've got to say, shooting it might have been the most fun I've had shooting in a while. Thanks for getting me into these guns, I love them.
Other than being an excellent pistolero your great contribution is that everybody can clearly see you keep both eyes open when shooting even opposite handed well done sir! This I believe is one of the greatest losses over time for shooting. I believe that is the way it was done in the past. Everybody should learn to shoot every type of sight with both eyes open. Kudos to you sir.
I've only owned one bp revolver..an 1858 remmy, and to learn how PROPERLY load, Shoot, and clean it I watched your video..and now that I just ordered a uberti 1847 walker I had to see if you had a video for that model as well..thank you for making these videos, and showing a new generation such as myself how to safely enjoy and properly care for these classic and amazing firearms.
Well I guess he didn't appreciate your praise very much? lol
I prefer Pietta for Remington replicas and Uberti for Colt replicas.
Loading these guns is easier if you have a powder flask with removable
ends. I just use my 20 grain end and give each chamber 2 shots of 20 grains.
The ends are narrow enough that it makes it easy to pour powder into each chamber.
I also polished the face of the hammer which helps eliminate the problem
with the cap jams. That and tilting the gun up as I pull the hammer back.
I found my Walker really likes 40 grains of Triple Seven but like every one I have
seen, they shoot about 6" high at 15 - 20 yards. The weight of the Walker helps
with shaking when shooting as one gets older. I will admit that I was surprised
at the accuracy of the Uberty 1847 Walker I have.
Fun fact, this was the most powerful hand gun in the world until about 1937 when
the .357 magnum came out. Still, it is more powerful then
modern 9mm and .45ACP pistols. It was originally intended to be capable of
not only killing an enemy soldier but his horse as well.
These are more then capable of being used for hunting deer and the like.
If you bend the loading lever latch forward slightly (putting more tension in the latch) it holds the loading lever in place while firing SO much better. I ALWAYS run 60 grain loads (the gun is BUILT for it...why not??), and my lever never falls out of place with that slight modification!! Happy shooting!
I am new to reenactment and cap and ball. Your videos are a great help and hopefully will keep me from hurting myself and hurting my pair of Pietta 1860 Armies and my 1858 Remington.
The 1848 Walker Colt was an improvement over the Paterson Colt. Having a trigger guard, a fixed trigger and a loading lever, it was a very advanced weapon for it's day. After watching this video, I prefer the 2nd and 3rd Model of Walker because of the improvement made in the loading lever for the revolver. Thanks for making the video, I now know what type of Walker I will put in my collection of black powder weapons.
I've always been interested mainly in fowling pieces, but I have to admit that your eclectic presentations are truly magnetic. I started reading up a bit on the Colt Paterson and have now moved onto the Walker. The one fact I find most thought provoking is that Captain Walker was killed in battle in 1847, very shortly after taking possession of his new revolvers.
He was an officer in the U.S. Mounted Dragoons during the Mexican/American war; rapid & unexpected demise was part of the job description...
My very first black powder revolver was an Armi San Marco Walker purchased about '78 or '79. Loved it without reservation. I put literally thousands of rounds through it and wish I had never parted with it. Picked up a Uberti Walker about eight years ago and also enjoyed it very much, though it had a few cosmetic issues that the san Marco did not.
Thank you for the videos. I've found them informative and entertaining!
I've read very little on extra cylinders being used, except that the Army bought an extra cylinder for every Colt Paterson revolving rifle, and they were carried loaded by the troop for faster reloads.
Good video Mike. I know this is an old video, but whoever is questioning the distance of your targets really needs to get a life. Sometimes people amaze me. And not in a good way.
I never doubted that he's shooting at the distances stated. As long as the video is informative and fun who cares how far away the target is?
Sanford Hoffman Whoever questions the distance of Mike's targets is probably the kind of person who claims they shoot at 25 yards when they actually shoot at 25 feet.
Probably questioning the distance because they couldn't make similar hits at the same range, ignoring the fact that Mike has decades of practice & experience on them... ::)
A tiny,strong magnet will hold that lever solid when shooting,maybe not a period correct fix,but they did have magnets back then.Col. Colt just didn't have time to think of it, dying as young as he did.
I have the same trouble with the loading lever dropping under recoil. Finally started putting a rubber band around the barrel & loading lever.
Uberti makes some nice replicas.
The original Walker shooters learned to slip a little loop of rawhide or leather over the barrel and to hold the loading lever in place.
The intended load for these was originally 50 grains. But this gun was made to shoot special conical bullets, which were hard to ram down straight. So what the Rangers who were issued them tended to do was load the conical bullets in backwards, which would allow 60 grains to load. This tended to rupture the cylinders, and was not advisable. Colt shortened the cylinders to make them only hold 50 with round balls when they released the second version, the Whitneyville dragoon to the public. They shortened the barrel, too.
Great video Mike!
I couldn't stop grinning while watching it.
I have two Dragoons and just started shooting CAS with them.
Keep up the great work.
Hey Mike I really enjoy your videos...I pray the Lord Jesus will give you a speedy recover from your surgery and I look forward to more videos...Take care.
Tom
Got an Uberti Walker that I love shooting. I've heard that it was common to tie the rod down with a strip of leather.
Technically, think that should be "tie the lever up," shouldn't it? ;-)
@@nunyabidniz2868 You are technically correct, the best kind of correct!
Mike, thanks for the tip. I've got a spring vice, but it never occurred to me to use it! Now, I just need to figure out where I put it. :-)
Thanks for all of your excellent videos!
I love my Walker and use it along with my 1860 Army at least once a year at a Cowboy Action Shoot. Great video Mike thanks.
pass the whisky
cubil36 lol
If you’re dual wielding walkers, you’re doing it right. Also, I’m running away from you.
It has been at least 15 years since I chronied that load. I think it was around 1,500 FPS
I was on here enjoying some of the older content Mike. But I must say that direct shooting kind of at the camera angle. That is awesome thank you for the education.
I have a pair of Uberti Walkers too. I shoot the Era's gone Dragoon healed bullet in paper cartridges.
I love the guns.
Thnk you for the fine work you do with the videos
I had one of these once, the Uberti was so well crafted. When I was going to compete with black powder revolvers I traded it off so I could use an 1860 Army from Pietta. Eventually I want another.
I have a Uberti Walker that I've had for over 20 years, and I love it. It's always fun at the range when someone walks up and asks, "What the hell is that cannon?"
It was built for me by Trailrider Productions about 15 years ago.
Say Dualist, love the Colt Walker! I'm from Texas, love the results of accuracy, Gel tests and steel targets and paper targets. Chrono tests as well!
Taylor's don't inspect these guns before shipping them out although I'm sure they did for this guy since he has a channel on YT, so you might just as well buy it anywhere because it's all the same outcome and you might find a better price!
Agree
Same conclusion here.
Mike, I gotta say, that loading lever dropping like it does under recoil (and I know it's common) would just bug the heck out'a me (in today's world), that's why over 40+ years I have prefer the '58 Remington & '51 Navy Colt models and their like - because the lever don't drop on 'em... However, with this said,,,, Yes,,,,, it would be fun to own a Walker! Thanks for the video - even though it took me seven years to getting around to watching it... Timeless however!!! Thanks a bunch!!!
I used my Walkers at a CASS in the gun fighter event and found shooting them at the waist was easier than my 1860 Army since I could see the barrels better.
I can make a video of it if requested, but a cure for the loading lever falling is to take about 2" of metal shipping strap (which is usually black, anyways) and make a clip that encircles the barrel, with a slot to hold the loading lever in place.Kinda shaped like an "8" except the bottom of the 8 is cut and bent to form a tab. :)
I've never had on go off while pushing it on, but I do know of instances where that has happened. It will severely injure your thumb or finger, which is why the dowel is a good idea.
good video I bought a used Uberti Walker 10 + years ago for the incredible price of $125 with a holster. The fixins to fire cost me more than that. What an incredible piece.
Smmmmokin' deal! [Pun intended! X-D] I lucked out similarly on a ROA target model [original, cardboard box issue.] Hard to believe Ruger gave up making the ROA; I'd rather have the later Vaquero-based version just for CAS/SAS competition suitability, but I'm not complaining! Pity that the Ruger can't be retrofitted w/ the loading-gate style Kirst Konverter cylinders, but that's just not possible w/ the way the ROA is designed, so hot-swapping a pre-loaded Taylor's conversion cylinder is the way to go. Search "black powder magnum" for what some have done w/ the Kirst cylinder in the Walker for some BPCR fun! ;-)
You know...that Walker is almost cartoonishly big! Makes you look like Yosemite Sam LOL! 🤣
I’m gonna have to get me at least now. 💕
Seems like a pain in the ass to load, but it looks incredible and fun to shoot.
if you're used to cartridges it's kinda a pain. I come from both military, and actually more Elizabethan through Golden Age of Piracy reenactment. So between this, and matchlocks, doglocks, and wheel-locks... it ain't so bad :D
but between it and a 1911 or Glock, yeah.... :D
P Murphy Well if you're used to cartridges and want to shoot black powder revolvers, make your own cartridges. It's pretty simple to make em, just look up how.
+Maestro Casts
Yeah try some combustible paper cartridges, they are one of the best ways to load and shoot these babies.
Brian, the Walkers are bigger all over. The cones of the nipples are considerably longer than, say 1860 Army cones. I don't think Slix Shot makes a Walker-sized set of nipples.
I dont remember exactly but if i recall colt eventually went to the lock mechanism thats seen on a 51 or 60 navy/army
On the walker
And if thats the case then why do the replica companies chose to produce the loading lever that for 160 years has been known to fall. ??
Colt never changed the Walkers. They only made 1,100 of them. They refined the loading lever while producing the Dragoon series, but the loading lever latch on the 1851/1860 made its debut on the 1849 pocket model.
Authenticity.
Too cool!! I had an ASM, and I shot it with heavy loads a lot, and yes the wedge deformed and it is a loose gun. But it can be fixed. I now have a Uberti also and am chomping at the bit to shoot it. I am geared up to load combustible paper cartridges, so I will do they first and then shoot. I think I will make 50 grains my top load that way this one will stay tight for a long time. I want to see a ballistic comparison between the walker, the '58 Remy and an 1860 army sometime, round ball/ conical/ and hunting conical! That would be most excellent to see!!
I once saw an old Daguerreotype of my second great uncle who rode with Mabry Gray's Texas Mounted Volunteers during the Mexican War. He was holding what looked like a Walker Colt. The pistol had a length of cord or wool yarn tied around the barrel and the ramming rod. I always wondered why a guy would tie the ramming rod. I guess, after viewing your video, that this was to secure the ramming rod and keep it from dropping down. I also suspect that the wool or cord loupe could be tied with just enough tension to keep the rod in place yet be able to be slipped on and of the ramming rod. Of course, my uncle might have just liked the looks of the decoration. Have you ever seen a Walker with the ramming rod tied in this manner?
Apparently this was a very common occurrence for the Walker. More than likely to retain the loading lever.
I have a TON of binding issues with my walker.....right at the pin, right below the forcing cone....I LOVE the super magnet idea for the loading rod !
Where to get a super magnet?
Small pieces of tubing slid down over the caps will retain the caps....Blue & Gray use to make them, but I think they are 3/16 (?) tubing....snip off small sections, slip over the cap and bottom of the nipple....Hold the cap pieces on....
Amazon, eBay for the rare earth magnet. If you have an old computer hard drive, they use them in those & they can be salvaged with a little effort & some esoteric tools [tiny Torx screwdriver; I got the right size by just taking the defunct hard drive w/ me to the hardware store & trying the various sizes til I found the one that fit...]
The walker was prone to many problems.
1) the walker tended to explode about 300 of 1000 were sent back to colt for repair.
2) the loading lever catch was inadequate and it would drop under recoil and jar the action preventing fast follow up shots.
3) the Colt Walker was issued with picket bullets which were sharply pointed cones like a candy corn essentially and if you if they weren't properly loaded it would destroy your accuracy.
Even though the Paterson and Walker Revolvers were flawed they were the 1st practical revolvers they could fire more than 1 shot without reloading making them revolutionary weapons shooting 10 12 rounds a minute in the 1830s and 40s was unheard of.
I'm glad you're enjoying the magazine. Have fun with your Walker.
I really enjoy your videos. Thanks for doing this.
I fired my Uberti 3rd Dragoon today. Had a blast, literally. I'm going to have to modify the latch on my loading lever as it was falling down between shots like your Walkers were doing.
Forty grains is fun, but fifty is funner!
they are born to live at 60 =D
A spring vice really helps. Dixie gun works or Track of the wolf can supply you with one...they don't cost much.
And reasonably priced, IMHO: www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1038/1/TOOL-VISE
Another great video. Taylors and Co is about an hour from me. Great people!
Got to love the Walkers! Merry Christmas Mike.
It seems that slight mod on the lever retainer has worked better than with the original revolver, keep us updated if that slightly tweek works long term :)
Thanks Mike. My most favorite revolver. Git those Zombie pop bottles!
Really enjoy your vids and a lot of great info!
FYI: Late production Armi San Marco products suffered horrible quality control especially on the internal parts such as the hand, bolt stop & triggers, which seemed "soft" lacking sufficient hardening needed.If you handling a later made gun (as evidenced by 2 lettered code date of manufacture) be wary of timing and lock-up.Well hardened replacement parts readily available, but as with all revolvers some "fitting" of parts indicated.
I held one at a gun show yesterday, and the was the heaviest pistol I've ever held, weighing at 6lbs
It helps lesson the recoil from 60 grains of black powder, being nice and heavy. And, you can bash someone's skull in with it too.
That was great Mike! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
That was some rally good 2 hand shooting . I am thinking some velcro between the lever and the barrel might work .
Most people don't realize in the 1800s during the Civil War you became very good at reloading and I mean very damn good at reloading those six dots namely during the Civil War most soldiers carried already loaded Spirits owners so by swapping out a cylinder and replacing a new one as much like a modern double action revolver with speed loaders
BP revolvers are legal hear for muzzle loader season I'm thinking about taking my uberti walker for deer
bosstube You can also buy conversion cylinders that take cartridges.
I got one of the Taylor Walkers a couple of years ago. Then I got a conversion cylinder to go with it so I can shoot cartridges in it. I'm basically lazy and don't like to go to the trouble of loading percussion -- or the cleanup, either. With my R&D cylinder I can shoot Cowboy loads (.45 Colt or Schofield) and have fun with less work.
A brace of Walkers, very cool. What I read is that the Walker was never meant to be a side arm but strictly a saddle pistol.
Are you able to push your wedge all the way through the frame without issue?
The cylinder is free if the wedge is flush on the left hand side (although it sticks out quite a bit) But if i tap it in any further, the cylinder won't turn.
Have you considered having those tuned by Taylor’s or Goons? Some issues I see you are having can be alleviated. Love your videos.
It is expensive to do it properly. Some of them use chemicals instead of heat, but even the ones who use heat overload their equipment to get more volume through.
I presume this was a reply to a question about bluing or color-casing? Hard to figure out since it seems to have wandered away from the original post you were responding to! ;-)
@@nunyabidniz2868 I'm sure it is. I wonder what happened to the original question.
Thanks for the idea--I will look into this (I'm learning this new "era" of firearms (to me that is) after years of being a "contemporary" firearms aficionado...
There is a .31 caliber Baby Dragoon, and a .31 caliber model 1849.
The writers for Guns of the Old West really know what they write and talk about. I usually wait to see what they have to say about new products before I buy.
"I'm going to do a Josie Wales"; Now that would be a good setup for a match a saddle on a wooden "horse". Still I can see that most of our Cowboy ranges are not set up from shooting from horseback. Thanks for the vid.
Mike , you are one of the main reasons I got into Black powder revolvers. I have 2 Uberti's . A Walker and a 1861 Navy. Do you think a .460 ball in pure lead will fit ok in the Walker? I found a mold maker that has multi caliber molds. I have a dragoon mold coming from Era gone and the base is 457. thank you for all you do, I have learned so much!
You should be able to get it in, as long as you stick to pure lead. I load .457" ball in Colts without any real difficulty.
I thought so too , as I am loading the Richmond Lab conical which is .390 in the Navy without too much troublel. thank you for all you do Mike!
Sam Colts recommended powder load was 50 grains if im not mistaken.
thanks for sharing; I always wonder what it takes to shoot and have one of those. I loved the straight ahead shots. :-D
I love my Uberti walker. that was nice two handed shooting also.
The diligence of US Cav is proven in this demo. Their focus with this tool, changed our country.
I read somewhere that after hearing of the cylinders explode from the 60 grain charges during some test firing, Sam Colt issued a warning stating that one should not load more than 40 grains. I guess a lot of people ignored it for more power.
No, but he did reduce the cylinder length on the Dragoons [1st, 2nd & 3rd models] that succeeded the Walker so as to reduce the max charge to 50gr. The method used by the British revolver making industry was to take the steel bars to be used for cylinders, heat them to red heat, & then twist them. This led to the possible grain imperfections in the steel once the cylinder was finished to run across the chambers at an angle, reducing the likelihood of a chamber failing & splitting lengthwise. American manufacture at the time was more advanced, but the British steel-making industry to 2nd to none in the world during that time frame...
Back in the 1970s, I shot a lot of cap & ball. I never used a wad or packing. My lube and chain fire retardent was Crisco Shortening. I never had a problem.
Thanks Dave. Merry Christmas to you too.
I have a suggestion. Inbed a strong industrial magnet into the top front of the loading lever.
Thank-you. BTW, I like the article on kaido conicals. I am reading the Winchester 1886 article right now.
Love that ending!
I've consistently shot my Uberti Walker with 50 grains of FFF, and now I think have noticed some abuse on the wedge holding the barrel on. The barrel is not loose, but the wedge sometimes comes almost out after a shot! Slightly bending up the metal catch on it has tended to keep it in all right. I take it that it is possible to order a replacement wedge, right?
There's something about shooting it with a rifle load!!!! A real magnum of the 19th century it truly is! Fouling management after shooting a dozen shots becomes a bit burdensome, however.
keeping it old school leaving one cylinder empty! way to keep the tradition alive.
it is more of a common sense than tradition tho
That thing looks like an artillery piece, a true hand cannon. Aside from looks, have you ever had the urge to lock down the ram rod to the barrel with a good ole hose clamp ?
Extremely period un-correct; I high doubt it has even crossed Mike's mind, let along been considered for a microsecond if it had. Piece of rawhide thong was done at the time, & unsurprisingly, still works a century & a half later! ;-)
If evil Roy overloaded his cannon and battered his wedge would he end up a loose cannon?
Good question? You would think so!🇺🇸🤔😁
Awesome vid,Mike! (as usual!) Merry Christmas!
I got my Texas Ranger company marked Cimarron example yesterday. I have to say that the action is superb and the fit and finish is better than my Colt SAA. Whoever built my gun took a LOT of pride in their work. It’s pretty unbelievable as to the quality, and I’m super picky and analytical.
Josey Wales it whooped em again awesome guns and great videos thanks for sharing
Pretty cool stuff mate
Hi Mike, I've been enjoying your video's for quite some time. I realize that corn meal can be used to fill space in the cylinder, but do you know what the minimum load on this gun is before there is space between wadding and powder? I bought mine used so I didn't get any info with it.
Will you be sending this one to Alan for an action job?
Hey Mike. You have knowlege on this. I recently read an article in a Shoot Magazine special edition from 2002. Anyway, where do you suppose/know to be how it has come to be, where it is believed that the original Walker cylinder was made of iron? This is contrary to historical documents, logic and sensibility. Meaning,- Colt was 10 years plus established in gun making (Paterson rifle cylinders held 130+ grains of powder), why would he backslide and make about the most powerful handguns cylinder of iron? The failures included the barrels too. Iron as well? Low carbon steel (later refered to, in part, as Bessemer) was available then. as was Iron, cast iron and wrought iron. There is v e r y distinct differentiation between these metals inColts records during manufacturing of the Walker. So?
The original 44 magnum/automag/wildey
maybe this seems like a dumb question, but with this and the 1860.. these guys were riding horses etc. doesn't the ball and powder shake itself loose pretty regularly? Was there some trick to keep them seated all the way while riding a horse.
Hi Mike, is there enough room for 50grs with a wad under the ball?
Thanks
joshjamesPUsniper Yes
Great Fun with the Walker Colt Revolvers! However, I also have trouble with the tamping lever coming down. Until I saw an old coot with a leather strap around the shooting lever and barrel. Works nice because the blade is so high the leather doesn't get in the sight picture...much. Then for reloading I just move the leather strip off the tamping mechanism and procede. Simple. But, leather has to be tight. I used buckshin. He used rawhide. His was better...lol But mine looked cooler...more cool...coolest?
Mike, Great videos! I absolutely love them. Which manufacturer do you prefer? Uberti or Pietta? I'm looking to pick up several different models soon (1858 New Army and several different Colts) and want to get what you feel would be the better of the manufacturers for the cap and ball. I had a Uberti Richards/Mason Conversion and loved it.
Just reviewing an old video and got a question about the load you mention. You said the original load for the Walker was 60 grains of musket powder so... what grain size was that equivalent to in modern BP? 1F, 2F or... ? If it was more like 1 or 2F, 60 grains would develop less pressure than 3F correct?
Stuart
2Fg with the 60-grain load
Exelente arma Mr.Mike, yo tuve uno...
are the dimensions of this gun accurate to the original in the grips and did the originals have hammer rests pins in between each nipple or just one like the uberti