Walker Revolver in the Civil War?

[paulmarcone]

I know that Samuel Colt only produced a limited number of the 1847 Walker Revolver (was it around 1,100??).

Does anyone know if there is documentation of this weapon being used in the Civil War?

Just curious.

 

[rebel727]

I seriously doubt it, they were too heavy. If there were it was a personal piece, not issue.

 

[paulmarcone]

I seriously doubt it, they were too heavy. If there were it was a personal piece, not issue.

Does anyone have any accounts of the Walker being used in combat (eg Indian Wars, law enforcement, etc)?

I am interested in how it held up and performed in real life conditions.

Thanks.

 

[bingo1952]

A number (# escapes me at the moment) exploded with maximum charges. These were iron not steel guns and 60 grains of 3F in a revolver is a pretty stout load. Power levels approach .357 figures.

 

[faw3]

Im bed bound 24/7 and cant get to my books they are boxed up BUT if you'll start with the Texas Rangers in 1860 you'll find some Walkers going with "Terrys Texas Rangers" (not really Tex Rangers just useds the name) one book list the weapons they had on hand, another has a story about a bear that crossed some and got shot with a unch of rifles and ran off till one guy on horse ran up on him and dumped him in the dirt with one shot. Lotsw of that stuff aroud like th story of Walker takeing his into Mexico, just read and you'll find lots of stuff. Fred :hatsoff: sure lots of guys can add to this on this one on here. Walker had his in hand when killed but most carried them in horse holsters, like dragoons.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

They weren't issue weapons in the war, but no doubt some were still in use on the frontier. Some did burst during the war with Mexico, but there is now a theory that they blew because the conical bullets were loaded backwards. Apparently the troops thought the pointy ends were there to make loading easier. I would expect that a Southern boy would be more apt to carry an old Walker around than his opposite number would. As to the weight--they weren't a bunch of pansies and a pistol that was effective at 100 yards in practiced hands would have been valued by any right thinking soldier.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

They weren't issue weapons in the war, but no doubt some were still in use on the frontier. Some did burst during the war with Mexico, but there is now a theory that they blew because the conical bullets were loaded backwards. Apparently the troops thought the pointy ends were there to make loading easier. I would expect that a Southern boy would be more apt to carry an old Walker around than his opposite number would. As to the weight--they weren't a bunch of pansies and a pistol that was effective at 100 yards in practiced hands would have been valued by any right thinking soldier.

I have read and heard this pointy thingy theory floated for years, but could someone please explain why this would make them blow up?

Once seated in the chambers, there is not enough room in the cylinder/barrel gap for a conical to get cocked sideways. I have shot full length trash can wad cutters for years in revolvers, and smokeless is one heck of a lot more unforgiving than BP, yet never a problem.

 

[bingo1952]

I don't think the reversed bullet was the problem. I believe it was the fact that there were iron guns at the edge of their performance envelope and if there was a minor flaw in the machine work or the metal itself it showed up as a blown up revolver. Wrought iron has a lot of silica inclusion in it. Modern revolvers have a forcing cone in the barrel the same as the Walker did but they don't let go because of better machine processes, quality control, and far better metallurgy.

 

[SAJones]

There's an interesting & entertaining small book titled "The Colt Whitneyville-Walker Pistol" by Robert Whittington. The narrative is about the production of the Walker & it's use in the Mexican War. He also cited several reports from the field, including from Capt Williamson, " They have been more or less damaged by firing, and the wear & tear of some eight months use in the field. In some cases the cylinders are entirely destroyed-in others the barrels are irreparabley injured where they join the cylinders-and again, having bursted at the muzzle, the barrels have been cut off to one half their original length."

I sorta conjectured that the cut-off barrels was a field expedient to make this handsome but unwieldy revolver easier to use.

PS: I also doubt many, if any, were used in the Civil War, & if so, probably some Texians who "liberated" them when their service was up in Mexico.

 

[Wes/Tex]

John Coffee "RIP" Ford started the rumor with speculation that the reversed bullets were thought to be the problem at the time. I also agree that the problem was probably shotcuts by Eli Whitney in the selection of iron for cylinder production. This is also speculation on my part but feel it's a better possibility than reversed bullets. For the record, Ford specifically reported the Texans were issued 180 Walkers and returned about 90 to stores when they left for the U.S. This is where he speculated about why so many went BOOM! in service. There's also a photo of Ford with two very large revolvers hanging in front of his belt. Judging from the size, they gotta be Walkers!

 

[paulmarcone]

John Coffee "RIP" Ford started the rumor with speculation that the reversed bullets were thought to be the problem at the time. I also agree that the problem was probably shotcuts by Eli Whitney in the selection of iron for cylinder production. This is also speculation on my part but feel it's a better possibility than reversed bullets. For the record, Ford specifically reported the Texans were issued 180 Walkers and returned about 90 to stores when they left for the U.S. This is where he speculated about why so many went BOOM! in service. There's also a photo of Ford with two very large revolvers hanging in front of his belt. Judging from the size, they gotta be Walkers!

Here's a picture of Ford (see below). Guess those are Walkers!

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I carried my Colt Walker Dragoon for a couple of days in a shoulder rig for work. It was awful heavy. It did get a lot of attention. Never had to use it... I switched back to my trusty 1911 Colt Government. It was a lot handier, shot a lot more and was easier to reload. Twenty-two years of carrying daily and over half a million rounds through the 1911, it is still going strong. The Dragoon sits in the gun safe. :thumbsup:

 

[paulmarcone]

I carried my Colt Walker Dragoon for a couple of days in a shoulder rig for work. It was awful heavy. It did get a lot of attention. Never had to use it... I switched back to my trusty 1911 Colt Government. It was a lot handier, shot a lot more and was easier to reload. Twenty-two years of carrying daily and over half a million rounds through the 1911, it is still going strong. The Dragoon sits in the gun safe. :thumbsup:

For the Texas Rangers, and Civil War cavalry, was it common practice to keep a holster on the horse?
If yes, they could have kept the Walker on the horse and carried a lighter weapon on their person. I know that Mosby's Raiders liked to carry several cap and ball revolvers on raids.

Just a thought...

 

[yellowdawg]

Gents,

The first pistol I wanted for civil war reenacting was a copy of the colt walker. I wore it on my left side with a butt forward holster. I would find myself walking to the left even after I took the darn thing off.


Greg Richardson

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Some confederate irregular mounted troopers were known to have carried 10-12 revolvers plus a shotgun or two. It was all about dispensing maximum fire power in short, but very violent encounters.

 

[White Cloud]

Only thing I have to say is that thing is heavy and until S&W came out with the 44mag. I'm told it was the biggest handgun ever made.Some say it was even bigger than the 44mag. depending on how brave you were in loading it.Any way if JOESY WALES can pack two of those things and fire one in each hand my "Hat's off to him" What I've always wondered is why they threaded the barrel the other way or was it rifled the other way unless it was unthreading the barrel from the frame with its big loads?????White Cloud :hmm:

 

[Charles D. Prokopp]

I've noticed some odd quirks like that in Colt handguns of the time. I suspect that there was at least one left-hander involved somewhere in the designing stage.

 

[White Cloud]

Just wondering maybe he/she might have been SMOKING those LEFT HANDED cigarettes also....... :hmm: Good day White Cloud

 

[billandbeaufort]

There's an interesting & entertaining small book titled "The Colt Whitneyville-Walker Pistol" by Robert Whittington. The narrative is about the production of the Walker & it's use in the Mexican War. He also cited several reports from the field, including from Capt Williamson, " They have been more or less damaged by firing, and the wear & tear of some eight months use in the field. In some cases the cylinders are entirely destroyed-in others the barrels are irreparabley injured where they join the cylinders-and again, having bursted at the muzzle, the barrels have been cut off to one half their original length."

I sorta conjectured that the cut-off barrels was a field expedient to make this handsome but unwieldy revolver easier to use.

PS: I also doubt many, if any, were used in the Civil War, & if so, probably some Texians who "liberated" them when their service was up in Mexico.

Cut off barrels? Oh no the dreaded" canoe pistol"

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I'll agree that the Walker is a handsome revolver, but I have never found them to be unwieldy. In fact I find them nice to carry and hold. And they are a pleasure to fire.