Hi all BP newbie here!

Bonesaw · February 9, 2007, 09:39 PM

Well I'm not new to firearms but I am new to the BP types. I was referred to this site by marcseatac, who found me over at the sksboards. I just bought my first black powder revolver, the Colt Walker. Its a kit gun made by Uberti, cost me $265 from Dixe Gun Works. Here's a "before" pic: (cellphone for size comparison)

This thing is enormous! I don't think I've ever seen a handgun this big. Right now its in pieces in a box downstairs resting after a cleaning. Apparently DGW test fired it and didn't clean up, but the bore is still mirror bright.

Question, does anyone know anyone who makes grips for this gun, the walnut ones it came with are pretty crappy.

marcseatac · February 9, 2007, 10:11 PM

Welcome to the board! Man that thing is awesome. I wish I had known they were available as kits. I never have seen one like that. What a fun project. Nickel plated Walker maybe?

Bonesaw · February 9, 2007, 11:02 PM

Oh yea I'm goin the nickel plated route. That cylinder is just too pretty to go and use cold bluing on

Purists may hate me for it, but hey, its my gun

marcseatac · February 10, 2007, 01:42 AM

Those grips should turn out nice. All my Uberti's have fantastic looking grips. It looks like your kit may even require some shaping, but I'm sure the wood will look great when finished.

For the amount of money you save as a kit price I would almost be tempted to do some light sanding on the grips tung oil them, then Duracoat the rest flat black then take it out and shoot the living hell out of it! LOL

MPP1423 · February 10, 2007, 02:09 AM

You Can Maybe Find Some Grips For Your Gun At Westernandwildlifewonders.com .i Have Ordered 2 Sets For My 1858 Rem's And They Look Really Good.his Name Is Don.

arcticap · February 10, 2007, 02:49 AM

Icy from Slovenia on thehighroad.org just posted
pictures of his new Uberti Walker with a high polished
steel finish and it's beautiful. Except for yours, this finish
is not available in the U.S. yet either.
BTW, your's is a beauty too!

Icy · February 10, 2007, 05:15 AM

Thanks arcticap

. And the other pics are here.

What I don't like are the clear varnished grips on my Uberties. They are slippery, too. I'm thinking about purchasing a semifinished (without clear varnish) grips and than give them some oiled finish or fake ivory grips. Hmmmm, will see ...

Oh yes ... and I will put silver plating on that ugly brass triger guards, too

Steve499 · February 10, 2007, 08:00 AM

Personally, I'm a sucker for the old look. Except for an 1858 Euroarms Remington I just got about a month ago, I've antiqued all mine. There was no finish on my Pietta with the 'patina' finish when I got it. It didn't really look bad but really should have been advertised as unfinished. Then I screwed the bluing up putting a higher front sight on a Uberti pocket navy, so I just plum browned both of them. I bought a Uberti 1873 Colt copy with the millineum finish later on. Hated that look! I reminded me of those old Enfield .303s they used to paint black. I removed the factory finish and liked how it looked that way so I haven't browned it yet.

That Walker kit would be a perfect candidate for browning, bonesaw, and just sand those grips off good before you oil them. Everyone would think you were shooting an original!

How was the timing on that kit, anyway? I've always been afraid to buy one but if they are correctly timed, just unfinished, one might be in my future.

Good to see you back on here, MPP1423. Sounds like you need a gunbearer when you go shooting these days!

Steve

Bonesaw · February 10, 2007, 11:01 AM

the timings perfect, its just unfinished. I'll look into browning, haven't really heard of it :-p

marcseatac · February 10, 2007, 11:22 AM

I know Birchwood Casey make a product called Plum Brown. I don't know details about it either just seen it in the store.

Old Dragoon · February 10, 2007, 01:47 PM

Plum Brown works really well. Follow the diretion and apply several coats, then take it back as far as you like (remove browning to that well used look) .

Steve499 · February 10, 2007, 03:38 PM

Here's my plum browned Remington and Colt pocket navy.

Steve

marcseatac · February 10, 2007, 06:53 PM

Those are nice Steve. I like that. They look like they seen a few cattle drives. I may have to get me a kit too!

Bonesaw · February 21, 2007, 01:15 AM

Here's the finished product! I left the bottom lever alone, I kinda liked the heat treated look, everything else (aside from the brass) got nickel plated.

still working on staining the grips. Oh and those arn't scratches or marks on the reciever, the camera flash is just weird. The nickel plating came out great!

arcticap · February 21, 2007, 02:13 AM

Wow, excellent! The case coloring really does balance well with the brass. That's truely a unique and wonderful piece.

mykeal · February 21, 2007, 08:27 AM

Did you use the Birchwood Casey product on those revolvers, and if so, how many coats?

I've used it on several long rifles and some single shot wood stock pistols and been quite satisfied. I've never considered it for a revolver, however. I do like the result you got; it looks like you did not take it to a deep brown, just enough to start coloring the metal, correct?

I'm doing a double barrel sxs shotgun at the moment, and I'll probably use the Laurel Mounting cold process to avoid differential heating problems or loosening the solder between the barrels and the center rib. I've been advised to set up a high humidity environment. Do you have any experience with that product?

Steve499 · February 21, 2007, 09:30 AM

Mykeal, yes, I used Birchwood Casey Plum Brown on both of them. I heated the parts with a propane torch and applied the brown with cotton swabs. After I got the brown applied to the level I thought I wanted, ( I used more coats on some parts, less on others, just went by eye) I buffed the gun on a cloth polishing wheel to 'wear' the edges and corners to make the finish look more like one a well used pistol should have.

Something I discovered accidentally about the Birchwood Casey Plum Brown is that it works pretty well as a remover for bluing if applied to the cold, blued surface and rubbed in. I removed the millineum finish on a Uberti 1873 Colt peacemaker replica with it and decided to forgo browning since I like the way it looks without browning.

I have zero experience with any other products but I think you are wise to stay away from heating your shotgun barrels due to the solder. It probably could be done if you used an oven to closely regulate the temperature, however if I tried that, my oven thermostat would choose that time to go postal and I'd wind up with two single barrels.

Steve

February 9, 2007, 09:39 PM	#1
Bonesaw Junior Member Join Date: February 9, 2007 Posts: 5	Hi all BP newbie here! Well I'm not new to firearms but I am new to the BP types. I was referred to this site by marcseatac, who found me over at the sksboards. I just bought my first black powder revolver, the Colt Walker. Its a kit gun made by Uberti, cost me $265 from Dixe Gun Works. Here's a "before" pic: (cellphone for size comparison) This thing is enormous! I don't think I've ever seen a handgun this big. Right now its in pieces in a box downstairs resting after a cleaning. Apparently DGW test fired it and didn't clean up, but the bore is still mirror bright. Question, does anyone know anyone who makes grips for this gun, the walnut ones it came with are pretty crappy.

February 10, 2007, 05:15 AM	#7
Icy Junior Member Join Date: February 7, 2007 Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia Posts: 13	Thanks arcticap . And the other pics are here. What I don't like are the clear varnished grips on my Uberties. They are slippery, too. I'm thinking about purchasing a semifinished (without clear varnish) grips and than give them some oiled finish or fake ivory grips. Hmmmm, will see ... Oh yes ... and I will put silver plating on that ugly brass triger guards, too __________________ The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his George S. Patton Last edited by Icy; February 10, 2007 at 07:21 AM.

February 21, 2007, 08:27 AM	#16
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	Steve499...questions Did you use the Birchwood Casey product on those revolvers, and if so, how many coats? I've used it on several long rifles and some single shot wood stock pistols and been quite satisfied. I've never considered it for a revolver, however. I do like the result you got; it looks like you did not take it to a deep brown, just enough to start coloring the metal, correct? I'm doing a double barrel sxs shotgun at the moment, and I'll probably use the Laurel Mounting cold process to avoid differential heating problems or loosening the solder between the barrels and the center rib. I've been advised to set up a high humidity environment. Do you have any experience with that product? Last edited by mykeal; February 21, 2007 at 08:29 AM. Reason: Spelling. Or is it speling?

February 9, 2007, 10:11 PM	#2
marcseatac Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2006 Posts: 225	Welcome to the board! Man that thing is awesome. I wish I had known they were available as kits. I never have seen one like that. What a fun project. Nickel plated Walker maybe?

February 9, 2007, 11:02 PM	#3
Bonesaw Junior Member Join Date: February 9, 2007 Posts: 5	Oh yea I'm goin the nickel plated route. That cylinder is just too pretty to go and use cold bluing on Purists may hate me for it, but hey, its my gun

February 10, 2007, 01:42 AM	#4
marcseatac Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2006 Posts: 225	Those grips should turn out nice. All my Uberti's have fantastic looking grips. It looks like your kit may even require some shaping, but I'm sure the wood will look great when finished. For the amount of money you save as a kit price I would almost be tempted to do some light sanding on the grips tung oil them, then Duracoat the rest flat black then take it out and shoot the living hell out of it! LOL

February 10, 2007, 02:09 AM	#5
MPP1423 Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2005 Location: GOODLETTSVILLE,TN Posts: 298	You Can Maybe Find Some Grips For Your Gun At Westernandwildlifewonders.com .i Have Ordered 2 Sets For My 1858 Rem's And They Look Really Good.his Name Is Don.

February 10, 2007, 02:49 AM	#6
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	Icy from Slovenia on thehighroad.org just posted pictures of his new Uberti Walker with a high polished steel finish and it's beautiful. Except for yours, this finish is not available in the U.S. yet either. BTW, your's is a beauty too!

February 10, 2007, 08:00 AM	#8
Steve499 Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Central Missouri Posts: 533	Personally, I'm a sucker for the old look. Except for an 1858 Euroarms Remington I just got about a month ago, I've antiqued all mine. There was no finish on my Pietta with the 'patina' finish when I got it. It didn't really look bad but really should have been advertised as unfinished. Then I screwed the bluing up putting a higher front sight on a Uberti pocket navy, so I just plum browned both of them. I bought a Uberti 1873 Colt copy with the millineum finish later on. Hated that look! I reminded me of those old Enfield .303s they used to paint black. I removed the factory finish and liked how it looked that way so I haven't browned it yet. That Walker kit would be a perfect candidate for browning, bonesaw, and just sand those grips off good before you oil them. Everyone would think you were shooting an original! How was the timing on that kit, anyway? I've always been afraid to buy one but if they are correctly timed, just unfinished, one might be in my future. Good to see you back on here, MPP1423. Sounds like you need a gunbearer when you go shooting these days! Steve

February 10, 2007, 11:01 AM	#9
Bonesaw Junior Member Join Date: February 9, 2007 Posts: 5	the timings perfect, its just unfinished. I'll look into browning, haven't really heard of it :-p

February 10, 2007, 11:22 AM	#10
marcseatac Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2006 Posts: 225	I know Birchwood Casey make a product called Plum Brown. I don't know details about it either just seen it in the store.

February 10, 2007, 01:47 PM	#11
Old Dragoon Senior Member Join Date: October 31, 2005 Location: The Republic of Californi Posts: 581	Plum Brown works really well. Follow the diretion and apply several coats, then take it back as far as you like (remove browning to that well used look) .

February 10, 2007, 06:53 PM	#13
marcseatac Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2006 Posts: 225	Those are nice Steve. I like that. They look like they seen a few cattle drives. I may have to get me a kit too!

February 21, 2007, 01:15 AM	#14
Bonesaw Junior Member Join Date: February 9, 2007 Posts: 5	Here's the finished product! I left the bottom lever alone, I kinda liked the heat treated look, everything else (aside from the brass) got nickel plated. still working on staining the grips. Oh and those arn't scratches or marks on the reciever, the camera flash is just weird. The nickel plating came out great!

February 21, 2007, 02:13 AM	#15
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	Wow, excellent! The case coloring really does balance well with the brass. That's truely a unique and wonderful piece.