Could not help myself .44 Walker

[Rockingkj]

Almost made it through the whole weekend gunshow without buying a gun. Then I found this huge hunk of steel. Uberti.44 Walker. Nice gun but a rather rinkie dink spring to hold the loading leaver in place. Anyone have a decent solution to improve that?

[HWooldridge]

Google “Walker Colt loading lever fix”. Several good ideas.

[Gtek]

Seen a few threads on this over the years, I have a few of these. The best seems to be and works for me up to about 35-40 grains, over that, leather strap. A nice small file and sharpen and square the latch shelf, remember it's tough to put it back on. Little bit goes a long way in helping the situation.

[Rockingkj]

Thanks. The spring is loose in its dovetail so appears easily lost.

[2TM101]

Historically accurate. Only gun Colt had made up to then was a .36 and it didn't have enough recoil for this to be an issue. Everything after this had a loading lever that had a lock on the end.

[HWooldridge]

The Paterson also didn’t have a integral loading lever. It was separate.

I made a figure 8 out of a piece of steel banding strap that slips over the Walker barrel and lever. I can slide it forward when loading then slide back to fire. However, it does have a tendency to wear lengthwise marks in the bluing.

[Rockingkj]

Thank. Looking forward to shooting it. I tend to like my single shots mainly since cleaning is simpler but when you need 5 shots fast (yes I know it has 6 chambers) hard to beat a revolver.

[Bazoo]

Congratulations, it's pretty.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Now you need to buy a horse to carry it around.

[Rockingkj]

Got horses but doubt my wife will let me use one to haul the pistol around. Lol.

[cwtebay]

Nice revolver!!
If you look at the historical reports of the gun, your complaint was mentioned by several when it was a service weapon. Rawhide thong was the most common fix in the day.

[trails4u]

It is historically accurate, and I've done nothing to correct it on mine. It's part of the charm of shooting them, 'as they were', in my opinion. Might consider the rawhide....would have made sense in the day as a field fix, thus being, perhaps, even more historically accurate! :)

[Rockingkj]

Seems a darned inconvenient thing when the Comanche’s are bearing down on you. But better than a single shot.

[Bent Ramrod]

Oddly, the latch on my ASM Walker has never let the loading lever go, even firing 60-gr charges. That angle of engagement on the spring and latch has to be exactly right (I guess) in order to work. Too little, and the lever drops on recoil; too much, and the lever can’t be pulled down for loading at all.

Mine had a bunch of other “issues,” which were slowly worked through, and an uneasy truce exists between us now, in that the last couple shooting sessions have gone without a hitch. But the Walker is certainly in a class by itself as a black powder revolver.

[waksupi]

I've had several Walkers over the years. Fun, but heavy. Believe it or not, I used one for a concealed weapon for a period!

[Rockingkj]

I've had several Walkers over the years. Fun, but heavy. Believe it or not, I used one for a concealed weapon for a period!

Reminds me of a similar quote but changed a bit “pistol? That’s not a pistol. This is a pistol”. Lol

[bimus]

This works

[indian joe]

I've had several Walkers over the years. Fun, but heavy. Believe it or not, I used one for a concealed weapon for a period!

the walker is absolutely awesome ----- how the heck did you manage to "conceal" one ??????

[Battis]

10 or so years ago, James Julia auctions in Maine had a Walker in their antique gun auction. They actually let my wife handle it, without gloves. I don't remember what it sold for.

[LAGS]

I think it was the movie Lonesome Dove with Robert Duvall.
He had a Walker and had the loading rod tied in place with a piece of leather.

[Rockingkj]

I think it was the movie Lonesome Dove with Robert Duvall.
He had a Walker and had the loading rod tied in place with a piece of leather.

Yup Gus packed a Walker.

[cwtebay]

I've had several Walkers over the years. Fun, but heavy. Believe it or not, I used one for a concealed weapon for a period!Conceal!?
Not exactly a pocket pistol!

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[Hellgate]

I put a small step in the forward edge of the lever latch spring to stop the lever fall on my two Walkers. (A dremel can make you and break you)
Epoxy or threadlock that spring into its slot or you're gonna lose it.
My walker load for Cowboy Action shooting is 44grs FFg Goex+lube wad+.454 ball+ Remington #10 cap.

[Rockingkj]

Thanks for the load information. Appreciate that.

[Gtek]

Seen added detail of loose in dovetail, that's a pretty easy fix. Drive out to what would be the RH side of gun, backwards upside down. Take a 1/4" nice square clean punch and starting on left side (right side upside down) start peening dovetail lips at about on an eighty degree angle on edge lightning up coming across. Tap, tap, tap just enough and not crazy smacks leaving enough to still stick nose of spring in slot. When you think you have cold worked a couple thousandths clean oil free and red loctiite and send her home. Let it sit for a day and away you go. Holding it secure in padded vise or someone steady holding on non-marring makes all the difference in the world in process/outcome.

[waksupi]

the walker is absolutely awesome ----- how the heck did you manage to "conceal" one ??????

High ride shoulder holster, and a long jacket!

[Rockingkj]

Shot her for 1st time yesterday at our “winter shoot” in the cup of soup match. That’s a blanket shoot with the entry being two cans of food for the food pantry and a cup or mug for the blanket. Winner gets going of cup on down. They used a ten shot target intended for rifle shooting. Every one else used a rifle I shot the Walker. No loading lever drop with 40grs 3f. Cool thing is my target was not last! Out of 20 shooters was 4th from the bottom. Had fun regardless.

[LAGS]

You need to find a shoulder stock to fit that Walker.
It might help you in shooting against rifles.

[Rockingkj]

You need to find a shoulder stock to fit that Walker.
It might help you in shooting against rifles.

Oh I have plenty of rifles. My shooting the walker started as a joke between friends to give em a chance to beat me. Told em I was bring a rifle I had never shot but they did not think that was enough of a handicap. Lol. Been nice to have scored better but had no clue where it would shoot.
Sorta had it figured by shot no 8

[LAGS]

I was just looking at fleabay.
They had a shoulder stock for the 1860 model for sale.
It isn't very cheap considering how much people would actually use one of them.

[Boerrancher]

Love my Uberti Walker. 50 gr of 3F behind a cast Lee 200 gr RN, is some fun shooting. It has become my Tractor/4wheeler/Truck gun. I’ve actually rolled coyotes at nearly 100 yds with it.

[dondiego]

Love my Uberti Walker. 50 gr of 3F behind a cast Lee 200 gr RN, is some fun shooting. It has become my Tractor/4wheeler/Truck gun. I’ve actually rolled coyotes at nearly 100 yds with it.

That is simply amazing!

[Hellgate]

I can just see Boerrancher taking the hogleg to his deer stand next. Those 9" barrels are like shooting a rifle.

[dondiego]

I can just see Boerrancher taking the hogleg to his deer stand next. Those 9" barrels are like shooting a rifle.

.....and with 50 grains of BP...no problem!

[armoredman]

Dang, nice! The Walker was the most powerful handgun in the US until the .357 mag was invented. Nice that modern Walkers are steel, not cast iron!
As for concealed, well, I knew a guy years ago who would carry a 357 Desert Eagle in a shoulder holster with no one the wiser. :) But can you imagine the look on the thug's face when THAT smoke wagon got skinned?

[2TM101]

The Paterson also didn’t have a integral loading lever. It was separate.

The first models used a bizarre loading tool to take the gun apart to load it, but later models of the Patterson did have a lever. And had the same locking mechanism that the Walker did

Patterson model #5 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21hM6RyJMBs)

[HWooldridge]

The first models used a bizarre loading tool to take the gun apart to load it, but later models of the Patterson did have a lever. And had the same locking mechanism that the Walker did

Patterson model #5 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21hM6RyJMBs)

I stand corrected.

[2TM101]

I stand corrected.

You still know more than I do about just about all of this

[StrawHat]

The Walker is a novelty and I guess everyone should try one. I had two, lot of fun but less accurate than a comparable caliber rifle.

Here are mine.

324382

324383

Sold both last month.

Kevin

[Gtek]

I have an extra barrel and was toying the idea of 5". How did it feel and shoot, help with the balance at all?

[StrawHat]

I have an extra barrel and was toying the idea of 5". How did it feel and shoot, help with the balance at all?

If you are asking me, yes, the barrel on short mort was 5” long. It still shot fine and it still weighed like a boat anchor. I doubt the 4” of barrel amounted to a 6 ounce reduction. Easier to carry? Not really, it is still four plus pounds.

As I said, Walkers (and Dragoons) are an itch that many have to satisfy. Most, wise up and sell them later. Once in a while you will find someone who “…carries it everywhere…”. Okay! My edc is bigger than what many want to carry but it is lighter than what many actually carry.

It is all about trade offs. Me, I traded them both off…

Kevin

[Gtek]

Just have not had the courage to cut it, you know that can't back up thing with steel! Speaking of the itch, I am sitting om three and a half big bug bites and still fitting and tuning them up. EDC, no I don't think so, range toy and companion during BP season you bet. Does not feel that much different than the 44 SBH under left arm pit though.

[StrawHat]

…Just have not had the courage to cut it, you know that can't back up thing with steel! ...

Cutting is the easy part. Besides, you said it was a spare barrel. How are you going to load it with the short barrel? Look at short mort and determine how short the lever part of the loading lever is going to be. That is why I did not attach it. I used a tapered steel dowel to hold the full length loading lever in place for loading. Easy in and out. Loading off the frame is also an option.


… range toy and companion during BP season you bet...

Please, check with your DNR. In Ohio, a muzzleloader was strictly single shot, revolvers need not apply and were not permitted.

Florida might be different, but check.

Kevin

[Gtek]

The pin idea is used here also on several shorties with full length rods. In regard to a revolver/hunting/Muzzle season well, you park the airboat a touch off trail and walk in dark early, mid morning out, afternoon in after dark out. Sometimes there are these big smelly snorting cutter gnashing creatures that really don't like you invading their airspace. They sometimes make about six foot of waist to chest of grass move and then the cheeks get real tight. Can't see, don't know what or how big but we do know they are not bears, but I believe an almost similar pucker factor is there for one to fully enjoy! Never had a problem with Johnny being percussion, centerfire season has a 75B with a whole bunch of 147 Hydro-shocks in a upper left chest rig for rapid deployment. Having been around the sun 62 times one fantasizes about going out with a hot barrel verses cold sheets!