Buying a Walker

[Cemetery]

So I want to get a Walker.   

Are they good out of the box, or do they need a gunsmith in order for it to work?   

Reason I ask, I got a pair of Uberti '58 Conversion Remmie's, and they're junk, and can't find a 'smith willing to work on 'em.   

So I'd rather not get another overpriced paperweight.

[Dick Dastardly]

From what I've seen over the recent years, Pietta has really tightened up their quality control.  I don't know if they make a Colt Walker clone or not, but if I were in the market for one I'd probably start there.

Good luck with your big pistol.

DD-DLoS

[Fox Creek Kid]

...Are they good out of the box, or do they need a gunsmith in order for it to work?   ...

ALL cap 'n ball revolvers need a good goin' over as well as CAS cartridge guns. Glocks they ain't. Usually the timing is off & the forcing cones need to be chamfered as well as the guts deburred. Par for the course.  

[Pettifogger]

Pietta doesn't make Walkers.  There are new Ubertis and you can find used Armi San Marcos without much trouble.  Most of the new Ubertis I have seen lately are pretty good out of the box.  New nipples and they will shoot pretty good.  Of course, whenever I pick up a new C&B I completely disassemble it and give it a thorough going over before the first shot goes down range.

[Fiddler Green]

As usual, I disagree with almost everyone on C&B pistols.

I've never had a C&B pistol that's need any work done to shoot "Right out of the box". I have seen two Uberti's and a Brass framed (Cabela's – Pietta) Colt that had the wedge pin so tight that it had to be pounded out: it still shot fine.

I've shot around two dozen CAS matches with my C&B pistols. Finished as high as second and shot my only clean match with a mismatched pair of guns (1860 and 1858): With out of the box Pietta's. I have had to repair my guns as they have been well used and parts break...order some spare TP1818's from Dixie Gun Works. Better to have them before you need them and you will need them.

I tried the "Hot" after market nipples and found they were a waste of time, money and caused more problems then they were supposed to fix. You just need to shoot the stock nipples until they get a little "ruffed up" and they will then shoot fine. Use Remington #10 caps.

Have fun ahooting the gun and if you don't ....send it to me and I'll have fun shooting it for you.

Oh, and for the record: I never liked Glocks. An 1851 will out shoot one, anyway.


Bruce

[MJN77]

I own several C&B revolvers and have never had one "gone over". Mine get used often. I have hunted with them in all kinds of weather, rain and shine and have not had a problem except for the occasional broken spring (3 in 14 years). To each his own.

[Flint]

Strange, but several local shooters have Uberti factory Remington conversions, and they are excellent revolvers.  The only difficulty is the authentic ejection system, which could be improved with a more Colt-like rod, but then wouldn't be authentic.

Uberti makes the Walkers, and they are pretty good out of the box, for one reason the size.  The larger parts make the action easier to work, and they smooth up well.  The oval cylinder stops aren't as good as the later Dragoon rectangular stops, and all more modern revolvers use the rectangular, the Walker and early Dragoons were part of a learning curve for Colt.

Walkers have a  tendency to drop the loading lever with heavier loads, and it can be fixed by sharpening the corners of the catch, or converting to a Dragoon lever and lug, or buying a Dragoon instead, which is a bit lighter and doesn't need as heavy a load to get the ball seated onto the powder.

[Major 2]

Flint I'm on the same page with you...

I have one of the first Uberti forged frame Conversion Remingtons, Taylor's sent it out as a test Mule.
You can read the Gun test in an old copy of the Cowboy Chronicle. Or I can send the text by Bernie Malloy if you'd like.

Out of the box it was an excellent revolver, with Black Hills 250 Grains. I have used 200 Grain bullets as well at CAS distances.
I've never had it opened up, smooth right out of the box....

As to Uberti's in general, I've purchased several dozen over the years*[/color] , Colt's mostly 1860's & 51's and several SAA's , Remy's, Henry's, 66's and 73's as a film Prop Master. I've have kept some, others I sold to re coop Production Budget. Had some Piettas as well, LaMats & a few Remy's.

I can honestly say, I have had not had a bummer in the lot. Oh!,  I've had a ill latching rammer on Fluted Cyl 1860  
and slightly stiff revolving Walker once, but both were minor tweaks.





1981-2004 my most active years

[Mako]

As usual, I disagree with almost everyone on C&B pistols...
Bruce

True, true...
As always
Mako

[will52100]

I've only had one that wouldn't shoot out of the box, but it was a minor fix.  Aparently the mill used to cut the hammer slot on the frame had a burn and the hammer wouldn't contact the cap to set it off.  A little dremal work and never looked back.

That's not to say that I haven't been over all my revolvers, they all benifited from a going over, though nothing like a real action job.  A prime example is my walkers, one the arbor kept getting loose and the other wouldn't go over 3 rounds without binding.  Minor fixes, but fixes non the less.  All get new tresso nipple rite out of the box.

[Fiddler Green]

True, true...
As always
Mako

That's because I actually shoot guns and CAS matches and not just post that I do on the internet, Mako. It makes a big difference.  

Bruce

[Mason Stillwell]

I have lots of Cap and Ball hand guns . And I even have a Walker and have shot CAS matches.


My Walker that I got from Larsen E Pettifogger works great. Always had. He got it out of the Cabelas bargain cave.  Most all my Uberti and Pietta cap and balls have worked great right out of the box.

The two guns that truly had to have work before I could even shoot a match with them are the two of the three ROA's that I have. They would lock up tighter than a smokehouse door if you did not get that hammer all the way back and let the  thumb slide off.

My reproduction guns all worked fine out of the box.

My $0-02  worth.

Mason

[Mako]

That's because I actually shoot guns and CAS matches and not just post that I do on the internet, Mako. It makes a big difference.  

Bruce

Oh Bruce...
I hadn't realized how much I had missed you!  You always know how to make us all smile.
As always,
Mako

[Fiddler Green]

Oh Bruce...
I hadn't realized how much I had missed you!  You always know how to make us all smile.
As always,
Mako

The only time I seem to miss you is when I'm shooting....why don't you come out and shoot with me sometime? You can show me how you do it and I can show you how I do. It might be fun. If nothing else, you get to shoot....for a change!

Bruce