Range Report - Colt Walker

[paulmarcone]

I was able to get to the range again this morning with my Uberti Colt Walker. I am finally getting used to shooting this big boy and was able to get some decent groups at 25 yards using 45 grains of FFFG Goex, wonder wad and .454 Hornady round balls. This was a new set of balls and they were a little loose -- just a little shave of lead. I may go to .457s.

I also got off 12 shots from 50 yards -- 7 hit the ring. Not enough time to dial her in from that range. Next time...

The target below was shot from 25 yards.

 

[paulmarcone]

Forgot to note that all shots were off-hand.

 

[LeMat1856]

.
. aug 6 / 00:50am

by the looks of it you are having consistency problems - doing something different with each shot such as changing grip, position, focusing on target rather than the front sight or being "uptight" (stressed).

try to relax and use the same stance, grip, load, focus, each time.. and try not to 'flinch' just as you pull the trigger.. this causes the muzzle to point in the wrong place even though you might not realize it.. also, don't forget 'follow through'.

here's what i do at home: just hold the gun (unloaded) at a single point (i have an old target on the wall) and concentrate on keeping the front sight in the groove of the rear sight for several seconds each time.. then rest and repeat over and over and over.

while holding this position, slowly "fake" squeezing the trigger (*do not dry fire the gun*) until you can do it smoothly and without straining your arm.. a walker is almost 4 lbs empty and that's a lot of weight to hold perfectly still for several seconds even..
other things to avoid: canting, uneven breathing, improper finger placement, recoil acticipation, heeling, riding recoil, jerking, bad body position, and thumbing.

i can explain each of these 'symptoms' if you'd like, but first just practice holding the walker, steady, on target, and build the muscle and nerve control that are needed for any form of target shooting.

remember, practice makes perfect.

~d~

 

[paulmarcone]

.
. aug 6 / 00:50am

by the looks of it you are having consistency problems - doing something different with each shot such as changing grip, position, focusing on target rather than the front sight or being "uptight" (stressed).

try to relax and use the same stance, grip, load, focus, each time.. and try not to 'flinch' just as you pull the trigger.. this causes the muzzle to point in the wrong place even though you might not realize it.. also, don't forget 'follow through'.

here's what i do at home: just hold the gun (unloaded) at a single point (i have an old target on the wall) and concentrate on keeping the front sight in the groove of the rear sight for several seconds each time.. then rest and repeat over and over and over.

while holding this position, slowly "fake" squeezing the trigger (*do not dry fire the gun*) until you can do it smoothly and without straining your arm.. a walker is almost 4 lbs empty and that's a lot of weight to hold perfectly still for several seconds even..
other things to avoid: canting, uneven breathing, improper finger placement, recoil acticipation, heeling, riding recoil, jerking, bad body position, and thumbing.

i can explain each of these 'symptoms' if you'd like, but first just practice holding the walker, steady, on target, and build the muscle and nerve control that are needed for any form of target shooting.

remember, practice makes perfect.

~d~

Thanks LeMat -- good advice. I have only been shooting for three years -- less than two years shooting revolvers. I don't get to go the range consistently enough to really get things like my stance down pat. I have already started practicing as you instructed in my home office (just have to make sure the wife doesn't walk in on me -- she'll think I've totally lost it! :shocked2: )

 

[LeMat1856]

.
. aug 6 / 3:55pm


i don't mean to sound like "mr. know-it-all" but as you probably know, the walker is considered a horse pistol, just as is a lemat - heavy is putting in mildly.

if i get to the range once a month, i've reached my usual quota but last july it seemed to all come together.. i put the first 9 out of 9 (the lemat cylinder holds 9 .454 rounds which is another reason it weighs a ton) in a nice 4-5" group.. no prize winner by any standards but i felt like i had finally found "the formula" that was just right for this gun and range.. all those minutes just holding steady seemed to be paying off (also, it's a great way to kill time during commercials).

for more detailed information look into getting a really small and to-the-point publication from the n.m.l.r.a. called "muzzleloading instructor workbook" and flip to the back.. pg 20 - 30 deal with live fire performance (especially for black powder) and p31-32 have target analysis where the shooter's results are matched with a specific technical error - most i've never even heard of.

frequently i exhibit "heeling" which looks like a group that is high and to the right.. this is explained as "... "helping" in anticipation of the shot by giving a slight push with the palm of the hand at the end of the trigger squeeze, thus causing the front sight to move up and to the right.. then it goes on with a corrective suggestion.. not bad for a few bucks.

there are 12 targets with both symptoms and corrections in all.

i've been shooting since grade school but never really learned how to do it right until i started using black powder just over a year ago.. can't imagine ever going back to smokeless.. nothing compares to that *KABOOM* followed by the firey red flash and choaking smoke (ha!, it ain't perfect but it's a lot of fun).

nice meeting you and see ya'round the forum.

~d~

 

[Zonie]

The human mind is a strange thing. Especially when it comes to pistol shooting.

The first thing the sub-conscious mind does is to decide the gun is going to jump out of your hand.

The next thing it decides is that your going to have to shove forward to offset the recoil.

Then, it decides that this thing is going to hurt when it fires.

While it is thinking, it decides that you can't hit what your not looking at so it tells the eyes to look exactly at the target.

Putting all of these things together it is no wonder that most folks have problems with shooting a pistol. They are all the wrong ideas if good marksmanship is the goal and the only way to improve is to get your conscious mind to over-rule all of them.

Keep a uniform grip on the gun and let it go where it will when it fires. Don't try to resist it. It won't hurt you and if your grip is firm but not real tight there is no need for pushing back or gripping harder when the gun fires.

Concentrating on the front sight is counter-intuitive but when you stop and think about it, that sight is the only reference you have to tell you exactly where the gun is pointing.
If you ignore it and look at the target who knows where it is actually pointing when the gun fires? Not you!

Whole books are written about how to shoot a pistol and it is impossible to cover all of the aspects here but next time, at the range, give serious thought to what I've said. It will improve the group more than you would imagine.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Some really good advice here already!

Are you shooting duelist-style (strong-hand only), or are you using two hands to hold the big Walker? When I use both hands, I place the pointer finger of my weak hand onto the underside of the frame just in front of the trigger guard. This helps to balance the weight of the hefty revolver so that you can concentrate on lining-up the front sight with the notch in the cocked hammer. Just remember to only use the tip of your pointer, and to not get any of your hand or fingers near the front of the cylinder :wink:

 

[LeMat1856]

.
. aug 9 / 07:20am


...."use the force, luke, use the force.."

ha! sorry, i couldn't resist, but truly it's almost like that.. i agree, zonie, when you just let it "happen" in a nice natural flow, they drop right in the center - round after round..

(doesn't hurt to practice a few hours every couple of weeks either.)

shooting a walker, however, is practically a sport in itself.. i still can't fully imagine what it must have been like back in '47, caught between a rock and a hard place, wielding one of those in each hand - for real.. they were some tough s.o.b.'s back then.. (kinda makes me feel whimpy for using two hands !)

~d~

 

[paulmarcone]

Some really good advice here already!

Are you shooting duelist-style (strong-hand only), or are you using two hands to hold the big Walker? When I use both hands, I place the pointer finger of my weak hand onto the underside of the frame just in front of the trigger guard. This helps to balance the weight of the hefty revolver so that you can concentrate on lining-up the front sight with the notch in the cocked hammer. Just remember to only use the tip of your pointer, and to not get any of your hand or fingers near the front of the cylinder :wink:

I have been using a two-handed grip. I am left handed but can only keep my right eye open (unless I use a patch), so, when using a two-handed stance, I hold the Walker with my left hand and brace with my right, raising the gun slightly to my right to aline with my right eye.

Should I simply keep the gun centered or am I correct to move the gun a little to the right?

 

[Zonie]

Sounds like your doing it right to me.

The gun must be aligned with the shooting eye or all is lost so, whatever it takes.

 

[paulmarcone]

Thanks -- I hope to get to the range with the Walker again at least once this week.

 

[whitedog333]

Here is one that you might get a kick out of seeing. I put it together out of parts from two different makers. You can't see much from the pictures, but I studied the photo's of dozens of originals from all angles and even had the opportunity to study an original in my hands, then using a mig welder, file, honing stone, steel hand stamps and emery, I put about 80 hours into this Walker and the result was kinda scary. I knew I'd never be able to own an original, so I made one as close as possible just to have. I made three others too. This one I designed as one of the 100 civilian Walkers whose stamping and serial numbers are different from the 1000 military contract Walkers made at the Whitneyville Armory in 1847. I even gave it a civilian number that hasn't been found yet. 1011. Just having fun, but it sure turned some heads at the annual antique gun show when I brought it in. I even added a preasure ridge on the cylinder that originals had from the scene being rolled on.I can tell you that they go to a lot of trouble to make sure that all reproductions are easily spottted because of their different contours than the orignals. I had to alter every one of them. Wasn't trying to skin anyone or get over on them. I just wanted to own a Walker reproduction that looked Good. :wink:

 

[whitedog333]

I was able to get to the range again this morning with my Uberti Colt Walker. I am finally getting used to shooting this big boy and was able to get some decent groups at 25 yards using 45 grains of FFFG Goex, wonder wad and .454 Hornady round balls. This was a new set of balls and they were a little loose -- just a little shave of lead. I may go to .457s.

I also got off 12 shots from 50 yards -- 7 hit the ring. Not enough time to dial her in from that range. Next time...

The target below was shot from 25 yards.

Paul, I found that my uberti Walker had chamber diameter's about what the land to land was in the barrel. Not having the diameter of the groove to groove measurement allowed a lot of blowby and loss of preasure. Not all of the chambers were the same diameter also. Some Uberti's might be different. THere was mention on another thread of a company that sells reamers to open up chambers a little. I think that I'll try to get some and make the necessary adjustments on my next Uberti, IF it's needed. It could be that I was not getting good accuracy because I'm not very good. I like your target though. I think at 75 feet, that's pretty good shooting.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Paul,

Do what works best for you, but remember to do it ALL of the time!

When I run the PPC League at a local club, we shoot from behind cover with support during one of the stages. You have to use both your weak hand with the strong hand helping to support, as well as the strong hand with the weak helping to support. As a result of this I can shoot with either eye as long as I close the other one while aiming.

Your target's shots aren't hitting to one side more than the other, so I'd have to say that all you need is more practice with that thing! The best advice I can give you is to aim in the same spot for a few shots, then check where the group prints on paper, then make an aiming adjustment to move the group closer towards the center of the bull.

My Walker shoots fine left to right, but I need to aim it 6.5 inches lower than where I want the shot to print (at 25 yards). This measurement is for my usual 50 grain charge of 3Fg Goex, a pre-lubed wonder-wad, and a .454 Hornady ball. I've won many competitions with this revolver using this load. I always use a custom-built loading stand, so as to maintain a consistent seating depth with each ball in every chamber. This helps to lower my standard deviation of velocity (SDV), making tighter groups happen!

Remember to do everything the same each time that you load the revolver, and you too will experience the true capabilities of this fine gun...I've already hit a torso-sized gong at 135 yards with regularity!

I hope that you find this advice useful in some way, and may you enjoy that mightiest of BP pistols!

Dave

P.S.: Anticipating the recoil can cause your groups to widen-up! Try to not let the blast bother you! :thumbsup: