Another Walker thread

[CyrusP]

Just picked up a new Walker by Taylor’s/Uberti. She’s a hefty beast! I might get her out tomorrow or Sunday latest.

 

[J dirt]

That is a beauty and a beast.

 

[kwc27122]

Very nice!

 

[Phil Coffins]

Everyone needs a Walker! Check your arbor fit.

 

[Boston Bill]

They are a handfull!

 

[Nobade]

A friend just bought one of those. Out of the box it wouldn't work - with the wedge tight the barrel would hit the cylinder. I had to deburr the hole in the barrel that the arbor goes into until it stopped binding, then was able to measure and find the arbor was .096" short. I made a spacer that drops into the bottom of the hole, now you can make the wedge as tight as you like and it spins slick with a nice .004" barrel/cylinder gap. I don't know why Uberti has to make them like that, otherwise it's a beautiful and well made revolver.

 

[Dude]

Nobade - how did you measure to know it was .096" short? Did you line up the barrel to the side slightly, then measure the 'step' between the frame and barrel with calipers?

 

[Nobade]

Nobade - how did you measure to know it was .096" short? Did you line up the barrel to the side slightly, then measure the 'step' between the frame and barrel with calipers?

Used a depth mic and measured the end of the arbor to the frame, and the depth of the hole in the barrel. My first spacer came out at .092" and it still didn't work. Made another one right at .096" and it's perfect just like the measurements said it would be, as a sanity check.

 

[CyrusP]

My arbor is at least .100 short. Out of the box the gun had at best a .001 B/C gap. I added a stack of 4 small, thin washers that made barrel and frame not fit, and filed until they just fit. B/C Gap is now .004 with hammer at half ****. However, driving the wedge in further did still close the gap a bit so I’m going to swap a thicker washer and try to sneak up on it again. I think I’m approaching this properly(?) I shot the gun today, just 2 cylinders but it was promising. I had a piece of cap fall inside and jam the works intermittently so a cap rake is in its future. I used what I believe are old #10 caps and they were tight and not fully seated so 2 hammer falls were needed for each cylinder. Just now at home I test fitted new CCI #11’s to the cones and they were loose but seated properly and a squeeze made them sit perfectly. I forgot to lube the chambers and boy did the big beefy girl let me know with a leaded barrel. It cleaned up well with a brass brush and elbow grease. I love this gun!

 

[Dude]

What's the gap when the wedge is driven in farther? At some point it should bottom and the gap remain the same.

.0025" or .003" is the gap some guys aim for.

Holding the barrel cocked to the side, how does it line up with the frame?

 

[morehops52]

Incredible info here on gaps et all. When my friend and I bought BP revolvers around 1978, he got a Walker and I got a ROA. While mine is now a safe queen, his was returned not long after purchase as the wedge wouldn't tighten up anymore. That's as much as explanation as I got. The places that sold these had staff that didn't know crap about BP guns and help was non existent. I don't recall the maker but it would have been Italian or Spanish. Back then the open top revolvers wouldn't take the pounding of max walker loads even if they were good when purchased.
I hope you have many years of great fun with your new friend. If anyone is around when you fire that first full cylinder you're going to have more friends right quick.

 

[CyrusP]

What's the gap when the wedge is driven in farther? At some point it should bottom and the gap remain the same.

.0025" or .003" is the gap some guys aim for.

Holding the barrel cocked to the side, how does it line up with the frame?

Good point. I will check the gap with the wedge fully driven in today and reply back.

 

[Robby]

https://capandballrevolvers.com/pdf/Wedge_Adjustment_and_Short_Arbor_Repair.pdf

 

[45D]

What's the gap when the wedge is driven in farther? At some point it should bottom and the gap remain the same.

.0025" or .003" is the gap some guys aim for.

Holding the barrel cocked to the side, how does it line up with the frame?

That doesn't work. The arbor won't go in fully unless it is correctly oriented. That's the main thing wrong in Pettifogger's articles.

Mike