Walker colts

[whiskey]

In Susan Magoffins journal of her trip west in 1846, she describes the small arsenal in her tent while in new Mexico. She mentions double barrel shotgun, belt pistols, holster pistols and colts new six barreled pistol. I don't believe a walker would have been available yet. Her husband was a wealthy and successful Santa Fe trader and earlier in 1846 they honeymooned and bought supplies for their trip in New York and Philidelphia. Could Sam Magoffin had gotten a colt walker that early?

 

[biliff]

My understanding is the Walker didn't go into service until 1847. Then again, there's always the possibility that they picked one up "preproduction". Sam Colt was known to grease the wheels of business with expensive gifts of firearms to people he felt could help out his sales. Not sure if the Magoffins would qualify.

Second possibility is she was talking about an out of production (1842)Paterson, but they would have been a 5 shot.

 

[LaBonte]

I would suggest an error in memory perhaps, since Walker did not meet with Colt until November of 1846 at which time they hashed out the design so there wouldn't have been any prototypes until that time.
As noted by Bakeoven Bill production began in 1847 by Eli Whitney.

Curious though - perhaps a prototype six shooter that Colt had been working on????? a far fetched possibilty at best though IMO...

 

I'd guess Pattersons and a mix-up on the number of shots, too. I'm no pistolero, but Carson was carrying Pattersons on one of his jaunts with Fremont and they were much more common than the Walkers.

The other option at the time, and maybe a more common one for 1845-45, was a pepperbox. Here's a 6-shot .32 dragoon pepperbox that would qualify as a 6-barrel pistol, but not a 'six-barrel colt':
http://www.cwslagleantiques.com/view_detail.cfm?catid=67&id=3284

Ceran St. Vrain carried a pair of fine dragoon pepperboxes like this with pommel holsters around 1845-47. They are in a private collection but were pictured in the Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly a year or two ago. Mark Twain's companion on his first western trip carried such a gun. He said they were horribly inaccurate and had a tendency to chainfire. During a bout of target practice, his companion accidentally 'fetched a mule' that was some distance from his intended target and was required to pay the irate owner for it.

Sean

 

[Rancocas]

Yep. When I read "six barreled pistol", my first thought was some kind of pepperbox.
I would say "no" to the Colt Walker at that time.

 

[Emet Huntsman]

Walker didn't get with Colt until '47 and the first 1000 were commissioned for the Texans fighting in Mexico (two each for the 500 members). there were another 100 made that were sold to other buyers, but in either case I doubt she would have seen a Walker.
I agree that the "six barrel" reference was probably to a pepperbox.

 

[crockett]

William Hamilton, Josiah Gregg(sic?) and I think a few others dubbed the early Colts "six shooters" although from all evidence they were five shot revolvers. These folks wrote their memoirs after the fact, at a time when the current revolvers had six chambers and simply called the old guns six shots- or at least that's how I imagine the confusion arose.

 

[LaBonte]

While the Paterson revolvers were 5 shooters the rifles were 6, 7, and 8 shooters........this may be part of the confusion

 

[Pigman]

I though that colt produced a revolver befor the Walker but it was under powered and unreliable. I may be wrong.
Mark Foster

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The Paterson came in a couple of frame sizes and calibers and some models were unreliable. Maybe this is what you are thinking of?

 

[redwing]

Would the 2nd. Mdl. Dragoon be a better choice than a Walker? I am not a Perc. revolver shooter so maybe I am missing something. In looking at both guns it seems the 2nd Mdl. is much improved grip,lever latch etc. The chambers looked to be about the same for heavy charges.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The Walker is more powerful than the Dragoon models due to its longer chambers. The Dragoons have a more positive rammer latch. For most users, it's really a matter of choice as the power difference doesn't matter in today's world for most people and the Walker's latch is easily modified so that it holds firmly.

The Walker is really a Dragoon revolver--Colt's first and biggest. But the weight difference between the Walker and the Dragoon models is about 5 ounces--4 lbs. 9 ozs. for the Walker against 4 lbs. 4 ozs. for the Dragoons. Not enough to matter. The three Dragoon models that are named as such are basically the same in most respects. The first model has the Walker's oval unramped cylinder stops and the third model has the classic Colt stops and the rounded trigger guard. I like the 2nd model which shares the third model type cylinder, but a "square back" trigger guard. Strictly a matter of taste. But the Walker is my all time favorite of the bunch. The most powerful revolver in America until the mid twentieth century!

 

[redwing]

Russ thanks. That is a very fine explanation on the Colt Dragoons. Which is the best reproduction on the market? The Walker by Uberti or Pieta? :hmm:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Uberti. I didn't know Pietta made one. A used 2nd Generation Colt is best of all if you can find one, and it's a real Colt. The 3rd Gen or Signature series guns are of mixed quality and aren't considered real Colts by most people nor by Colt, who had nothing to do with their production.

 

[Coot]

There is a nice looking 2nd generation Colt Walker on Gun Broker at $799. Not inexpensive but seems in line with value guide.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

There is a nice looking 2nd generation Colt Walker on Gun Broker at $799. Not inexpensive but seems in line with value guide.

I'd grab it. It's hard to find a Sig Series Walker for this money and this is a real Colt!

 

[redwing]

Russ T. I think I will order a Uberte from Cabeles. I have enough club credits so it will cost me $200.00. What do you think of the Uberte Walker?

 

[Stophel]

As I understand it, Uberti made the parts (along with the parts for the "Colt" 1860's and whatever else they did in the Signature Series), and the parts were finished and assembled here by Colt.

 

[William McConagher]

I'm a "frontiersman" category shooter in SASS. And for style points I shoot the big and heavy, one Walker and one 2nd generation Dragoon.

Personally, I love them both, but the action is much more precise on the Dragoon, it's just more advanced. Colt took what he learned from the Walker and improved upon it for the Dragoon.

When it comes to style, nostalgia, people gawking, and just the "feel" of the gun, however. I'd pick the Walker any day.

Also, as a side note, I've taken a look at authentic original Walkers and Dragoons. The Uberti models are close, but not quite exact. But, they are very nice weapons, and the forging is much better than the originals.

Personal favorite power combo: 40 grains FFFg 20 grains of cornmeal 451 self molded ball and cisco on top. I figure they didn't have "wonder wads" back then and I don't mind the grease.

Hope this helps.

 

[redwing]

Will, have you ever had a break down with the Walker? Have you ever had to replace any parts?