Keeping Walker cylinder turning freely

[Dexterado]

Just curious, how do you Walker shooters keep your cylinder turning freely during a shooting session? My wedge is just barely pushed through, and it rotates freely for the first six shots, then starts to stiffen. I don’t have this issues with my other 2 revolvers. I feel like I may be missing something on the Walker. I only use oil on the arbor and cylinder face, so maybe that’s where I’m messing up?

 

[45D]

Just curious, how do you Walker shooters keep your cylinder turning freely during a shooting session? My wedge is just barely pushed through, and it rotates freely for the first six shots, then starts to stiffen. I don’t have this issues with my other 2 revolvers. I feel like I may be missing something on the Walker. I only use oil on the arbor and cylinder face, so maybe that’s where I’m messing up?

2 things -
1- Wedge "barely pushed through" means barrel assy is loose so probably a lot of fouling from too big of a "gap" at cyl / forcing cone getting between arbor and cylinder (the thin oil / grease everyone wants to use for some reason can't stop it . . . ). Look up "short arbor" and have fun!!!

2 - The grease should have some consistency to BLOCK fouling rather than the afore mentioned "thin" stuff !

Fix these 2 things and you can shoot max loads all day no problem.

Mike

 

[Dexterado]

2 things -
1- Wedge "barely pushed through" means barrel assy is loose so probably a lot of fouling from too big of a "gap" at cyl / forcing cone getting between arbor and cylinder (the thin oil / grease everyone wants to use for some reason can't stop it . . . ). Look up "short arbor" and have fun!!!

2 - The grease should have some consistency to BLOCK fouling rather than the afore mentioned "thin" stuff !

Fix these 2 things and you can shoot max loads all day no problem.

Mike

 

[Dexterado]

2 things -
1- Wedge "barely pushed through" means barrel assy is loose so probably a lot of fouling from too big of a "gap" at cyl / forcing cone getting between arbor and cylinder (the thin oil / grease everyone wants to use for some reason can't stop it . . . ). Look up "short arbor" and have fun!!!

2 - The grease should have some consistency to BLOCK fouling rather than the afore mentioned "thin" stuff !

Fix these 2 things and you can shoot max loads all day no problem.

Mike

I see, so thicker grease is the way to do it? I have some over the ball grease that I don’t use. Maybe greasing the arbor with it is a better option?

 

[wiscoaster]

...... I only use oil on the arbor and cylinder face, so maybe that’s where I’m messing up?

Agreed with @45D that's where your main problem lies. And you don't need to use oil on the cylinder face. Just keep it clean so it clears the forcing cone.

 

[wiscoaster]

.......Maybe greasing the arbor with it is a better option?

Research "chamber lube" and grease the arbor with that stuff.

 

[Ed C.]

Follow @45D's advice and that will cure one of the Walkers cylinder rotation problems. The other problem with Walkers is they do not shed spent caps very well and they will often jam between the cylinder and shield which causes you to have to stop and fiddle with them vs my '58 Remingtons which causes me almost zero problems with caps. I use grease on all my revolver cylinder pins, run a close gap on the guns I can control and have no problems with cylinder fouling.

 

[Dexterado]

Follow @45D's advice and that will cure one of the Walkers cylinder rotation problems. The other problem with Walkers is they do not shed spent caps very well and they will often jam between the cylinder and shield which causes you to have to stop and fiddle with them vs my '58 Remingtons which causes me almost zero problems with caps. I use grease on all my revolver cylinder pins, run a close gap on the guns I can control and have no problems with cylinder fouling.

I have noticed that with the caps. I don’t shoot it all that often, but I did today. I really like my ROA and my 1860 sheriff.36.

 

[M. De Land]

Just curious, how do you Walker shooters keep your cylinder turning freely during a shooting session? My wedge is just barely pushed through, and it rotates freely for the first six shots, then starts to stiffen. I don’t have this issues with my other 2 revolvers. I feel like I may be missing something on the Walker. I only use oil on the arbor and cylinder face, so maybe that’s where I’m messing up?

I haven't really shot my Walker enough to have settled on an extended fouling control but the bit I have shot it she has responded well to 1/8th inch Mathews soak lubed, felt wads, under ball or bullet.
I much prefer the volume consistency that lube soaked felt wads bring to each chamber as opposed to the ever changing lube volume of greased over balls or bullets. The bullets of course have the benefit of the wad lube plus their own grease groove lube for each shot.
The balls are making much less area contact ( mid-drift ring) with the bore wall and may not need as much lubing.

 

[Smokerr]

Go with 45D as he is both a tuner and a shooter.

I have some NRA syn grease that works well. I don't have issues.

I am overstepping a bit here as that is 45D expertise, but.........

I think you should check your forcing cone to cylinder spacing. Per 45D (all hail) you want a good tap on the wedge. Your arbor may be so short that you are not getting the lock up on the Wedge/Frame you need.

 

[D Yager]

You most definitely need to check the arbor length. The wedge needs to seat firmly. Other things that help are addition of a cap post and action shield. Once the arbor is properly seating the barrel/cylinder gap can be set around.002 to .004. This will keep the fouling going down the barrel rather than all over the cylinder and building up where it doesn't need to be. The other issue with the Walker and the Dragoons is the frame stretch from the short arbor. This can happen from shooting full house loads on a short arbor. Symptoms are a loose wedge that won't tighten and a huge barrel/cylinder gap. It gets a lot more labor intensive to fix it when the whole problem was an easy to fix with a simple shim.

 

[Smokerr]

Keep in mind if you shim your arbor too long (not doing the correct fix like I have not) you can also get a wider gap.

You can deshim or grind shims to fit. 45D has some fantastic fixes that are precision. I would love to send him my gun but I would have to do it well in advance and then can't shoot until I get it back, sigh.