Colt Walker 1847

northwestgrizzly · January 26, 2010, 03:50:30 PM

I know its probably already been covered and the search tool is my friend, but i'm gonna ask anyways.

Are there cartridge conversion kits for the Colt Walker 1847? If so where can they be gotten? Thank you!

Raven · January 26, 2010, 04:07:37 PM

Converters for the Walker are avilable from R&D (Taylors & company) and Kirst Company.
The R&D requires that you remove the barrel to reload!
The Kirst Converter can be installed to be a breach loader or you can remove the barrel to reload.

The Kirst comes with instructions to install it yourself or you can send it in and have the work done by the factory.

If you have any other questions or want to know about priceing of the Kirst converter drop me an E-mail and I'll fill you in.

Regards
Raven
jayandkara@yahoo.com

northwestgrizzly · January 27, 2010, 12:39:50 PM

I was looking at the Kirst Konverter. It says that the kit changes it from .... 1847 Colt Walker Percussion Revolver in .44 caliber.
It will convert this gun to a 6 shot .45 Colt cartridge...... How is that possible without a barrel change? This changes it to 45LC or 45 Colt? I know these may be basic questions but I am trting to formulate a cost/plan and need to know this information. Thank you very much!

Mogorilla · January 27, 2010, 12:51:25 PM

The ball for the 44 is actually in the case of what I shoot a 454, there are a couple of other diameters, but all 45. the barrel grooves are fine for the 45 colt.
On a Kirst note, is River Junction Trade no longer carrying Kirst?

northwestgrizzly · January 27, 2010, 02:26:06 PM

Quote from: Mogorilla on January 27, 2010, 12:51:25 PM
The ball for the 44 is actually in the case of what I shoot a 454, there are a couple of other diameters, but all 45. the barrel grooves are fine for the 45 colt.
On a Kirst note, is River Junction Trade no longer carrying Kirst?

I just went to their web site aand didn't find the kit, so maybe they no longer do.

Raven · January 27, 2010, 06:49:21 PM

Most reproduction .44's are between .451 and .454 so they convert to .45 Colt.

Kirst converters are available from the Kirst webstore http://www.kirstkonverter.com/default.asp
and VTI Gunparts at http://www.vtigunparts.com/

Kirst Company and River Junction have parted ways.

Regards
Raven

Cherokee Reb · March 07, 2010, 10:09:23 PM

I just finished a Walker conversion using a Kirst kit. It was a drop in kit and took all of two hours to complete, mostly in milling out the channel for the loading port. I did have to stone the leading edge of the hand to allow it to lock up tightly. I removed the loading lever and used a filler wedge in the loading lever latch dovetail. Been playing around with an ejector and think I can adapt the assembly from a Uberti Open Top by replacing the rod with one about an inch longer. Once the bits and pieces arrive, I'll post the results and a pic if I can figure out how to do it.

Deadeye Don · March 08, 2010, 09:25:46 AM

If you buy the RandD cylinder and the Walker from Taylors, the gun smith will make sure the cylinder fits and functions properly before they send it to you. You will have to ask them to do that though.

MissouriReb · March 09, 2010, 10:25:59 AM

Would they cut and polish for the loading gate as well?

Raven · March 09, 2010, 08:34:17 PM

R&D's conversion requires you to remove the the barrel to reload.

The Kirst has a loading gate and the factory will cut the loading groove, install and time it for a nominal fee.

PM me and I can fill you in on the details

Regards Raven

northwestgrizzly · March 14, 2010, 01:55:19 AM

Well I ended up buying an Pietta Remington 1858 repro awhile back.....I dont know why I did that since I wanted a Colt Walker repro or Dragoon.

Anyone want to trade...

MissouriReb · March 17, 2010, 10:58:22 AM

I wanted a Walker too, mail ordered one, got a stinker, argued for my money back, and went out and got a Pietta 1858 in person

Cherokee Reb · March 23, 2010, 06:14:48 PM

Here are a couple pics of the Walker conversion I just finished. I used a Uberti Walker, Kirst Gated Conversion and added the ejector assembly from parts from VTI and my parts box.

http://cid-0ed02c957fb623d7.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Walker/walker.38.jpg#resId/ED02C957FB623D7

Took it to the range last week and using handloads of 36 gr FFg under a 220 gr bullet it printed well at 15 and 25 yards and played havoc with a 50 yard gong.

Russ McCrae · April 11, 2010, 07:28:26 PM

Looks good care to tell the tale of how you put a ejector rod on there

Flint · April 12, 2010, 11:39:22 AM

He probably mounted the ejector housing as I have on 1851s, using the screw hole meant for the loading lever. Some fitting and a groove for the housing in the side of the barrel, and adjustments to the screw countersink may be needed...

Cherokee Reb · April 12, 2010, 02:13:37 PM

Just like he said

....only his looks better underneath the ejector housing. I also had to cant the housing slightly at the rear and thread a longer ejector rod because of the size of the Walker.

Reb

Russ McCrae · April 12, 2010, 09:29:23 PM

Looks great both of y'alls.... Ok another dumb question. I know that the .44 and .45 are close enough that you can't tell the difference in caliber (.454) but why are all conversions made (commerically) for .45 LC? Why not a conversion cylinder in say .44 special?

Montana Slim · April 12, 2010, 10:38:05 PM

Quote from: Tricky Ol Russ on April 12, 2010, 09:29:23 PM
Looks great both of y'alls.... Ok another dumb question. I know that the .44 and .45 are close enough that you can't tell the difference in caliber (.454) but why are all conversions made (commerically) for .45 LC? Why not a conversion cylinder in say .44 special?

Convenience is a good reason.
The bore diameter of the ".44" percussion revolvers is just about right for a .452 diameter bullet. So, the .45 Colt works well.
A .44 Special would be fine, as long as you used a period-correct heel-based bullet (which is closer to the cartridge used in many of the originals).

Regards,
Slim

Russ McCrae · April 12, 2010, 10:48:33 PM

Quote from: Montana Slim on April 12, 2010, 10:38:05 PMA .44 Special would be fine, as long as you used a period-correct heel-based bullet (which is closer to the cartridge used in many of the originals).

Regards,
Slim

Lol Inglés? So what your saying is the .44spl brass would work... just make sure you got the right bullets to load... Right???

Flint · April 13, 2010, 03:08:57 AM

The original loading for the 44 Colt used a heel type 45 caliber bullet (like a 22 rimfire, the bullet is outside the case, and the same diameter as the case) A 44 Special could be loaded that way too. Heel type bullets take a different crimping tool to squeeze the case mouth onto the bullet heel. A 44 case loaded with a heeled bullet is now a 45 caliber cartridge.

Cap & ball "44's" were bored 44 caliber, then rifled to a depth that made them 45 caliber by today's definition. When the firearms industry changed to metallic cartridges, they changed the caliiber definition from the land diameter to the groove diameter, creating the confusion people now have about the caliber of 19th century guns.

A 36 caliber revolver was rifled to .38, and that created a .375 bore, and conversions used a heel based 375 bullet, as that was the diameter of the cylinder bores. The modern 38 reduced the first bore and rifled to .357. The 45 Colt cartridge used the cap & ball's 45 caliber barrel and swallowed the bullet to make the cartridge case 48 in diameter. The 44 russian started the practice of putting the bullet inside the case, reducing the barrel to .430 diameter, and that cartridge fathered both the 44 Special and the 44 Magnum. Modern loadings of the 44 Colt are also now using 43 caliber bullets, but an antique 44 Colt needs to be loaded with a heeled 45 cal bullet..