Walker/Dragoon Loading Lever
- Thread starter jaxenro
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I looked in the RL Wilson colt book. the cased walker that was sold to a sea captain has the shield with "United States Mounted Rifles" clearly visible and the roll engraved scene very faint. Wilson also reported that Transition walkers and early first dragoons had cylinders left in the white " for some reason."
So, it looks like the orignal walkers had blued cylinders.
So, it looks like the orignal walkers had blued cylinders.
mec said:
I'm not sure why you would say that the original Walkers had blued cylinders just because some of the Whitneyville Hartford Transition Walkers had cylinders "left in the white".
Beyond the comment you mentioned above which deals with the Transitional Models, Wilson doesn't seem to say much about the original Walkers cylinder finish.
Quoting Wilson (pg 25) "...Blue and case-hardening (latter on frame, hammer, and loading lever) were the standard finishes on the Walker and on Dragoon military pistols..." which may be what led you to assume the cylinder was also blued.
As I look at the beautiful pictures of some of Walkers in Wilson's book, it appears to me that the cylinders on several of them are rather silver colored as compared with the blueing on the adjacent barrel (ref photo facing page 25) and photo on the top of page 25).
For what it's worth, Flayderman's Guide describes the Walker as
"One piece walnut grips, Casehardened frame, hammer, and lever: balance blued: excepting plain brass trigger guard, and the cylinder "in the white"."
Then, adding to all of this, here's a photo of Ole' Zonies CVA Walker pistol.
You guys don't think Ole' Zonie would have something that isn't "Historically Correct", do you? :rotf: :rotf: :grin:
zonie
" One of his friends has the opinion that e39 is the best surviving walker but I believe colt has one that was a private sale item that is in like new condition" Dont know why people think all walkers have pics or are known abot kind of like Hawkens, we have a Walker up here in E Tex that maybe 2 dozen people have seen (Im one) since it was bought in 1948 or 9, he also has 2 Hawken's, no pic has been ever taken of those since he bought them, Im betting a hand full of these type are out and about, oh ya this Walker was shot 6 times. Fred :hatsoff:
the one I remember as Like New is in the RLW book. I looked again and it is very nice-in the case with flask but not "Like New."
A lot of published material indicates that there are something like 160 remaining walkers in various condition and completeness. the implication is that all of them are well known on a first name basis. I can understand why this might not be true. Something that brings six figures does tend to draw a lot of attention though.
A lot of published material indicates that there are something like 160 remaining walkers in various condition and completeness. the implication is that all of them are well known on a first name basis. I can understand why this might not be true. Something that brings six figures does tend to draw a lot of attention though.
Six figures also brings a lot of forgery.
I believe the Italians and Spanish reproduction guns all have features like the number of grooves, the direction of twist, the length of the cylinder etc which are intentionally made different from the original guns as a method of foiling the would be gun forgers.
Unfortunately there are very few people who really know all of the ins and outs of the original guns so every year, some folks get burned by buying what they think is a "real" original. :shake:
zonie
I believe the Italians and Spanish reproduction guns all have features like the number of grooves, the direction of twist, the length of the cylinder etc which are intentionally made different from the original guns as a method of foiling the would be gun forgers.
Unfortunately there are very few people who really know all of the ins and outs of the original guns so every year, some folks get burned by buying what they think is a "real" original. :shake:
zonie
The reason I really like this one up here is the letters and dairy that went with the sale that cost the same as a new car back in 48/9, it was from father to daughter,and all the way down like that from 1871. And it looks new the old Army (I guess holster,horse type hasnt held up to well its hard as a rock) but ya I bet a bunch of fakes are around seems like they had more than 160 of them in the TEXAS RANGERS MUSEUM till they shut that part down. The one thing about this old guy is he isnt trying to sell them and in almost every case got them before 1950 so price was something else like he said back then (right before the war you could buy Hawkens for under 100 if ya kept your eyes open, this guy along with his gun shop has over 2000 MLs in mostly shooting shape. I was just wondering out loud "how many guns have never had pics taken of ect that someone knew about back when - I saw on the "ROAD SHOW" some really great org flintlock made by a really well known maker (by the expert they had to ck up on it(seems they had a few others come look at it before show time)) and it was worth ? 100,000 plus, no body had ever seen it before too, but everyone knew who made it ect and when. just my 2 cents. FRED :thumbsup:
I did add a front latch to my Italian Walker,as others have noted it was not an uncommon period modification. It solved a lot of dropped lever problems, but I still occasionally get the loading lever hangin' down. Usually shoot about 50 grs 3F, but at 60 nothin' but a tie-up will hold the lever. My Colt 3rd generation has less lever dropping problems & I don't intend to modify that one. It's also surprisingly accurate w/ round nose bullet.
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