Dragoon or Walker?

[Captain*Kirk]

If you had your d'ruthers.......
Would you go with a Uberti Colt's Dragoon, or the Uberti Walker Colt? Why or why not? I've found the two with about a $20.00 price difference....insignifigant, in other words......and I've always wanted both.
The only "con" with the Walker is the fact that the loading lever has no latch (as with the original) and will drop down under a heavy (60 gr) charge, locking the cylinder. In other words, annoying.
Which would (did) you buy....and why?

[docone31]

I had a Walker, my wife loved it! At 100yds, with 60gns of powder, she could hit the target.
I found the loading lever awkward. I always wanted one, once I got it, it got boring real quickly. I got a .44 Navy instead. It also hits the target at 100yds.
Were it me, I would get the #1, or #3 Dragoon rather than the Walker. The loading lever still falls on severe shots, but I found the balance a little better.
Either way, they are one heck of a pistol!
No recoil, just lots of smoke and noise. Just what my 5'4" wife wanted. She just did not know it untill she did it. Her rifle takes the same charge. 60gns.
She was impressed.

[zardoz]

I got the 3rd model Dragoon just recently.

The loading lever catch and round back trigger guard is what attracted me.

But.......I can see the appeal of the Walker with an extra 10 grains.

[NickSS]

I've owned both in the past and found them fun to shoot but really heavy to carry for any practical purpose. They dragged my pants down when in a holster. I now use a 1858 remington replica that works good and shoots better than either of the big colt replicas. I also have an 1860 colt army that I love to shoot.

[Wayne Smith]

I don't have a horse to carry it, I'll take the 1860 or my Rogers and Spencer instead. They are carryable. The Walker and Dragoon were designed to be carried on the saddle, not the belt.

[docone31]

Wayne,
You have a very valid point!
Fun for a day, but I am not sure if the carry goes on for longer than that.
I like the .44 Navy. They were not made back then, but they make a nice wannabe. A little different heel than the Colt Army. I have large hands and the .44 army disappears in my hands. The Navy is a little different. I like it.
Like your cat.
We have Two Asian Leopard Cats/Bengals. The male, Ralph likes to sleep in the sink also. They are water cats.
Only been outside to escape their captors back when they were about 6 weeks old. Little kittens that fit in the hands. Now they are big! Ralph is about 30lbs. Almost a decade old now.
He guards me. Sleeps next to me at night. Won't sleep on the bed though unless we are not in it.
Your cat looks like he owns the place.
Good for him!

[405]

I don't have a horse to carry it, I'll take the 1860 or my Rogers and Spencer instead. They are carryable. The Walker and Dragoon were designed to be carried on the saddle, not the belt.

Agreed,
Seems while both carry very high premiums of value in their original forms, neither could be called most practical of the cap&ball revolvers. I never could figure the real reason for the "untamed" load lever on the Walker. Could it have been a rod bayonet on a pistol? or a shooting monopod? or an emergency tent peg? or maybe just an "ooops- that didn't work very well" design? :roll:

CapnK, No matter, if your preference is for the big boomer C&Bs and have narrowed to only the two choices, I'd lean toward the dragoon.

My C&B preference and a design often overlooked is the Remington 1858 NMA. Even in the original, collector form the NMAs are overlooked in favor of the Colt 1860s... yet oddly they were favored over the Colt during their time of use including the Civil War. go figure! Another model that doesn't get the attention of its larger cousins is the Colt 1851 (Navy). Such a sweet, easy to carry and holster and easy to shoot little gun! Wild Bill liked them :)

[Captain*Kirk]

Thanks for your input. Let it be known I already sport an 1851 Navy in .36, a Remington 1858 New Army in .44 and an 1860 Army in .44, so I've got that covered. Looking to fill the bill of Max Power Revolver. So far, I think Dragoon gets the nod, though I'm leaning towards the 2nd Dragoon.

[405]

With the others covered... the need for a Colt "4 pounder" makes sense now. IMO- The Dragoon seems more logical than the Walker. The first Walker I ever loaded, shot and messed with was in about 1974... not a kindred spirit for me and no bond with that "trot line sinker" :)

Then there are those who gotta have a 700NE :kidding:

[Mk42gunner]

The Walker has a loading lever latch; just not a very good one. I have an Armi San Marco Walker, and I would rather have a Dragoon. I have thought of putting a later style latch on the lever; but no more than I shoot it,it wouldn't be cost effective.


Robert

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Like was stated.. they are HORSE PISTOLS. But IF I had to make a choice I would deffinatly keep my Dragoon. BUT..
Get a Ruger Old Army and have the best of all !

[BruceB]

The Walker that I own is actually a Colt, one of the company's "Blackpowder Series" from back in the '70s or '80s.

Contrary to most experience, this revolver has NEVER dropped its loading lever, even with full-charge loads. Why, I have no idea. Howver, it does show that not all Walkers are afflicted with the "dropping lever syndrome". Just so's you all know.

[Captain*Kirk]

Well, from what I understand, Uberti deliberately did not correct that particular malady in keeping with originality:groner:
Personally, the thought of that lever dropping drives me bat-sh*t!
I've also read (but not experienced) that dropping charges below 50gr on the Uberti's cures the problem.....and I don't see the need to fire 60gr loads at paper or during plinking.
I've been reading everything I can get my hands on that last couple days on both the Walker and Dragoon, and I think the Dragoon is actually the better "horse pistol" of the two......of course, I'm sure there are those who would disagree!!!
Now; a related question:
The original 2nd Dragoons were split up into two groups. While both groups utilized the square cylinder notches, the early models utilized a Vee-mainspring with no wheel on the hammer, and no safety nubs in between the nipples as safety notches, while the later 2nd Dragoons utilized the wheel with a flat mainspring and had the nubs present. Do the Uberti repros have the early features, or the late features? This is important in my consideration, and might push me towards the 3rd Dragoon if they are not present....

[Captain*Kirk]

Update:
If seeing is believing, this photo off the Uberti site shows (look carefully) the li'l nubs present between the nipples. That would answer one question....

http://www.uberti.com/firearms/images/1848_2nd_model_dragoon_lg.jpg

Use the magnification function if need be.

[Captain*Kirk]

The Walker that I own is actually a Colt, one of the company's "Blackpowder Series" from back in the '70s or '80s.

Contrary to most experience, this revolver has NEVER dropped its loading lever, even with full-charge loads. Why, I have no idea. Howver, it does show that not all Walkers are afflicted with the "dropping lever syndrome". Just so's you all know.

Perhaps Colt, with it's second/third gen production runs, took steps (unlike Uberti) to correct this issue?

[Captain*Kirk]

I don't have a horse to carry it, I'll take the 1860 or my Rogers and Spencer instead. They are carryable. The Walker and Dragoon were designed to be carried on the saddle, not the belt.
You are quite correct. If I'm gonna carry, I'll take the Remington or the Navy any day of the week. I plan on shooting this at the range....with a bench nearby!:bigsmyl2:

[leadeye]

I have both and prefer the Dragoon, the big issue being all the weight. In a holster on your belt or at the end of your arm, a Walker is a heavy handful.:-)

[StrawHat]

There are a couple of ways to "cure" the lever dropping problem. One involves reshaping the spring that holds it in place and supposedly is an easy cure. I do not know specifically what is reshaped but perhaps a search would supply the answer. Colt solved the problem with the improved horse pistol, or as we know it the dragoon series of revolvers. He also solved the problem of the cylinders exploding. (This may be blashemy to some but the Wlaker was a financial boon but an actual failure for Colt.) I have both and enjoy them but admit I do not shoot them nearly as much as any of my belt sized 44s or pocket 36s.