Range report Walker

[Rikeman]

Its not the guns getting the attention! :haha:

You are a lucky man! I am as well my wife isnt quite the enthusiast that your girlfriend is, but she does enjoy shooting and encorages me to get out and shoot whenever I can.

 

[Sham66]

Thank you,

Seriously, I am lucky, she's a good one! She loves shooting the Black more than modern stuff by far. Already has her own .58 Enfield Rifle and .36 '61 Navy. This winter we have been casting balls like mad because she even really enjoys doing that! 60lbs so far with another 60lbs to go! Over 800 .454 and .375 round balls and 800 .575 minies done so far.

I mean a girl that twists my arm to get out to the range??! Can't beat that I say! :grin: :wink:

Quote of the year!

Seriously, convert her to MRS status as soon as possible.

James

 

[mukluk]

When I first got interested in cap&ball pistols I pored all over the available information, first hand experiences and the available wares on the market... ended up having to make the decision between an 1860 and a Walker. A few days later a beautiful Uberti 1860 showed up at my door and a few months of discovery and fun ensued... but there was always this nagging curiosity in the back of my mind about what the Walker could have been like. So finally I bit the bullet and ordered one up. In the time since that first outing with the Walker the poor ol' 1860 has rarely seen the light of day, it just doesn't hold a candle to the big horse pistol. Fifty-five grains of Goex FFFg, CCI magnum caps, Hornady .454 balls with Crisco over the chamber mouths and a good day gives me this at fifty yards: 50 yard target

What more can I ask? :thumbsup:

 

[jeepwj992002]

They can still get the job done! :thumbsup:

 

[Rikeman]

Nice shooting mukluk.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Original Walker's were notorious for blowing up, both cylinders and barrels, poor metal in them.

TANSTAAFL - Do you have a reference for that? I've been doing some reading about the early Colt horse pistols but haven't come across much about Walkers blowing up. Would appreciate a link if you have one.


The source reguarding the loading of conicals reversed is from "Rip Ford's Texas" by John Salmon Ford, Edited by Stephen B. Oates. It is currently available from the University of Texas Press, Austin. Rip Ford got his name from writing "R. I. P." after his name on notifications of death to trooper's families. Being the admin. officer for the Texas Mounted Rifles during the Mexican War, he was privy to a lot of info including all the pertinate info concerning the Walker revolvers. In spite of all the guff that's been written about how many were actually issued, Ford specifically recorded 180 guns were issued to the troopers and about 90, as I recall without looking it up, were turned back in. Many went back to Texas in ditty bags. There's an old tin-type of Ford with two very long revolvers hanging in front, they gotta be Walkers...two went home with him!

Ford didn't make any particular accusations about bad steel being involved but Colt never considered involving Eli Whitney in the manufacture in any guns or even parts in any future guns he made. Best guess now is Whitney may have used second grade steel in the making of the Walkers. Again, that's only a guess at this late date but is pretty probable considering the later history of the guns.

Thanks.

 

[mykeal]

Original Walker's were notorious for blowing up, both cylinders and barrels, poor metal in them.

TANSTAAFL - Do you have a reference for that? I've been doing some reading about the early Colt horse pistols but haven't come across much about Walkers blowing up. Would appreciate a link if you have one.


The source reguarding the loading of conicals reversed is from "Rip Ford's Texas" by John Salmon Ford, Edited by Stephen B. Oates. It is currently available from the University of Texas Press, Austin. Rip Ford got his name from writing "R. I. P." after his name on notifications of death to trooper's families. Being the admin. officer for the Texas Mounted Rifles during the Mexican War, he was privy to a lot of info including all the pertinate info concerning the Walker revolvers. In spite of all the guff that's been written about how many were actually issued, Ford specifically recorded 180 guns were issued to the troopers and about 90, as I recall without looking it up, were turned back in. Many went back to Texas in ditty bags. There's an old tin-type of Ford with two very long revolvers hanging in front, they gotta be Walkers...two went home with him!

Ford didn't make any particular accusations about bad steel being involved but Colt never considered involving Eli Whitney in the manufacture in any guns or even parts in any future guns he made. Best guess now is Whitney may have used second grade steel in the making of the Walkers. Again, that's only a guess at this late date but is pretty probable considering the later history of the guns.

Thanks.

I suspect this was simply a mistake in formatting your post, but just to set the recored straight, you erroneously quoted me. I did not post the information regarding RIP Ford. Not a complaint, just making sure nobody misunderstands.

Thanks for the information.