Assembling a Walker

[Sham66]

Howdy,

What is the best way to re-assemble a Walker? I am talking about the mainspring, triggerguard, and backstrap area. That spring can be tough to compress!!

Thanks!

James

 

[kaac1221]

James, Funny you should ask about the Walker and that #%$#^& mainspring!! :cursing: I shot my new Whitneyville Dragoon yesterday and as you know it has the same mainspring setup as the Walker. I had a devil of a time getting the mainspring re-installed.

After several failed attempts I loosened the three screws holding the triggerguard in place. Only a few threads engaged in the frame, so the triggerguard was "dropped" away from the frame. Then I just squeezed the mainspring until the hook was under the hammer; then while holding everything in this position I hurried and tightened one of the rear screws of the triggerguard. The mainspring engaged the hammer and then I tightened the other two screws. It would have worked a lot better if I had three hands. And more muscle.

Several weeks ago someone posted on here how they installed a Walker mainspring but I can't remember exactly how they said they did it. But I THINK they used one of those plastic ties used for holding bundles of wiring together. They compressed the spring toward the front gripstrap, out of engagement with the hammer, then tied the compressed mainspring to the gripstrap/triggerguard with the plastic tie so that the spring stayed right with the triggerguard.

If that person reads this post maybe he will do humanity a kindness and repost his method because it sure seemed a lot simpler than what I struggled with.......and what you're obviously going thru! And I do hereby thank that ingenious individual in advance!!

Hope this helps...........

Dryball aka Ken

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

When disassembling the Walker, go to full cock and tie off the spring. Then release the hammer and the spring will stay with the front strap.

 

[kaac1221]

Thank ye! Thank ye!! :bow:
Knew you'd come thru!

Dryball

 

[bavarialand]

i have used the really small plastic zip ties to hold the spring compressed.

Dave

 

[Tallship]

Much easier way- get a pair of vise grips (why do they call them a pair when it's one tool? :youcrazy: ) and find a piece of plastic that will fit ove the lower jaw and tape it in place. Then just set the vise prips to the right opening to clamp the spring. With the spring clamped, tap on the top of the spring with your small brass or plastic mallet to release, or on the bottom of the spring to put it back on. Takes me about 5 seconds.

 

[Titus]

The advice in this thread helped me a lot to diss- and reasemble my 1858 New Army for a good cleaning without any problems. :thumbsup: cept for the trigger spring I could figure out for a bout 20 minutes. :cursing:

 

[Colt 4pounder]

Here is good easy to make tool that you can keep in your "Walker shooting box". Somewhat like the idea Tallship suggested. Find a small cheep pair of pliers. Take them apart and grind out the teeth on a bench grinder. put them back together and slide a piece 3/8 rubber gas line over each of the now toothless jaws, and wala, you now have a Walker mainspring tool!