Well I finally shot the Walker

Ben Towe · February 24, 2011, 04:22 AM

I finally got around to shooting it late this evening. Went ahead and loaded 50 grains of Triple Seven behind .457 balls. I didn't expect alot of recoil, as heavy as it is, but it was virtually nonexistant. Made a pretty good fireball though on most of the shots. Loading lever fell every shot.

Maybe this link will work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=g1eCGtsE4vs

EDIT: You'll have to excuse my expression of suprise at the beginning of the video.

Ben Towe · February 24, 2011, 07:21 AM

Since I have the video link up, anyone care to venture a guess as to why some shot blow flame and some do not?

mykeal · February 24, 2011, 07:32 AM

Guess: 777 is very sensitive to compression, even to the point of squib fires or FTF's if overdone. If the chambers were hand loaded (that is, using the gun's loading lever) that could very well be the result of inconsistent compression.

Ben Towe · February 24, 2011, 07:53 AM

I'll keep that in mind. I pretty heavily seated them all by hand.

sewerman · February 24, 2011, 10:20 AM

i owned a 3rd model dragoon which was a nice large pistol with a latch on the loading lever.

if i owned a walker i would use a piece of flat leather or thin strong string to hold the lever from moving down during recoil.

just slip it forward for reloading.

hey, maybe a large rubber band may do the trick?

i wonder if the real ones had the same problem?
i have't read personal accounts mentioning it but i think the walker wasn't in wide use for long before the upgrade was offered....a dragoon with a latch.

just a suggestion........

S.M.

ClemBert · February 24, 2011, 10:45 AM

Ben,

777 doesn't like heavy compression. You'll get inconsistent results. You want the projectile to just barely press onto the powder. Perhaps 1/16" and of course never an air gap.

Nice fireball on that first shot. Don't know why there wasn't any evidence of a fireball on your other shots. I guess no one saw one? I was going to say that sometimes the camera doesn't catch it but a human eye certainly will.

Jbar4Ranch · February 24, 2011, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Towe

Since I have the video link up, anyone care to venture a guess as to why some shot blow flame and some do not?

Because Triple 7, like other BP subs, produces much less flame than black powder?

Because you were using a digital camera shooting maybe 15 frames per second, and a BP fireball lasts such a short duration that it's hit or miss that it might actually have been wholly or partially caught on one of those 15 frames?

Ben Towe · February 24, 2011, 07:33 PM

There was no flame to the visible eye either. The video camera is a Droid X phone with an HD video camera.

Hellgate · February 24, 2011, 07:37 PM

JBar nailed the explanation of why not all flashes were caught on camera (just so many frames per second and quick flash).

Ben,
Check the condition of your wedge and the cylinder gap. My two Uberti Walkers started out pretty tight (about .005") then 30 shots each of 50grs FFFg BP and the gap opened up to about .015". I managed to crush a couple of wedges rather than stretch the wedge cutout in the arbor. Be careful with the big charges of 777. I know of one guy whose Walker came apart at the wedge cutout with a full load of 777 and sent the barrel assembly down range. I replaced my wedges and all is well but my current load is 44grs FFg Goex+wad+.454 ball.

ClemBert · February 24, 2011, 07:52 PM

Well, he said he and others didn't observe a flash. That's their naked eye doing the viewing....that is unless these guys are really androids with bionic eyes made from Droid X phones.

Ben Towe · February 24, 2011, 08:05 PM

ClemBert, you've exposed us! Our handlers won't be happy.

My cylinder gap is virtually none, but I've only fired those six shots through it so it may loosen up a bit.

mykeal · February 25, 2011, 03:49 PM

I recall from my working days that USAF pilots were able to identify planes whose images were flashed on a screen from total darkness for 1/220th of a second. That's IDENTIFY. Just DETECTING the occurrence of a flash of light out of darkness is much easier. I believe that someone with reasonably normal eyesight could detect a flash of light lasting just 1/300th of a second in total darkness. If there was a flash, I think they'd have seen it.

February 24, 2011, 04:22 AM	#1
Ben Towe Senior Member Join Date: March 6, 2009 Location: Middle Tennessee Posts: 1,128	Well I finally shot the Walker I finally got around to shooting it late this evening. Went ahead and loaded 50 grains of Triple Seven behind .457 balls. I didn't expect alot of recoil, as heavy as it is, but it was virtually nonexistant. Made a pretty good fireball though on most of the shots. Loading lever fell every shot. Maybe this link will work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=g1eCGtsE4vs EDIT: You'll have to excuse my expression of suprise at the beginning of the video. __________________ 'Merica: Back to back World War Champs

February 24, 2011, 07:21 AM	#2
Ben Towe Senior Member Join Date: March 6, 2009 Location: Middle Tennessee Posts: 1,128	Since I have the video link up, anyone care to venture a guess as to why some shot blow flame and some do not? __________________ 'Merica: Back to back World War Champs

February 24, 2011, 07:53 AM	#4
Ben Towe Senior Member Join Date: March 6, 2009 Location: Middle Tennessee Posts: 1,128	I'll keep that in mind. I pretty heavily seated them all by hand. __________________ 'Merica: Back to back World War Champs

February 24, 2011, 10:20 AM	#5
sewerman Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2005 Location: hurricane alley, florida Posts: 304	i owned a 3rd model dragoon which was a nice large pistol with a latch on the loading lever. if i owned a walker i would use a piece of flat leather or thin strong string to hold the lever from moving down during recoil. just slip it forward for reloading. hey, maybe a large rubber band may do the trick? i wonder if the real ones had the same problem? i have't read personal accounts mentioning it but i think the walker wasn't in wide use for long before the upgrade was offered....a dragoon with a latch. just a suggestion........ S.M. __________________ "When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government there is tyranny!" Thomas Jefferson "They that can give up an essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety!" Benjamin franklin The Armed Citizen PREVENTS tyranny!

February 24, 2011, 10:45 AM	#6
ClemBert Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2009 Location: Orlando Posts: 936	Ben, 777 doesn't like heavy compression. You'll get inconsistent results. You want the projectile to just barely press onto the powder. Perhaps 1/16" and of course never an air gap. Nice fireball on that first shot. Don't know why there wasn't any evidence of a fireball on your other shots. I guess no one saw one? I was going to say that sometimes the camera doesn't catch it but a human eye certainly will. Last edited by ClemBert; February 24, 2011 at 11:43 AM.

February 24, 2011, 07:32 AM	#3
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	Guess: 777 is very sensitive to compression, even to the point of squib fires or FTF's if overdone. If the chambers were hand loaded (that is, using the gun's loading lever) that could very well be the result of inconsistent compression.

February 24, 2011, 07:33 PM	#8
Ben Towe Senior Member Join Date: March 6, 2009 Location: Middle Tennessee Posts: 1,128	There was no flame to the visible eye either. The video camera is a Droid X phone with an HD video camera. __________________ 'Merica: Back to back World War Champs

February 24, 2011, 07:37 PM	#9
Hellgate Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Location: Orygun Posts: 869	JBar nailed the explanation of why not all flashes were caught on camera (just so many frames per second and quick flash). Ben, Check the condition of your wedge and the cylinder gap. My two Uberti Walkers started out pretty tight (about .005") then 30 shots each of 50grs FFFg BP and the gap opened up to about .015". I managed to crush a couple of wedges rather than stretch the wedge cutout in the arbor. Be careful with the big charges of 777. I know of one guy whose Walker came apart at the wedge cutout with a full load of 777 and sent the barrel assembly down range. I replaced my wedges and all is well but my current load is 44grs FFg Goex+wad+.454 ball. __________________ With over 15 perCUSSIN' revolvers, I've been called the Imelda Marcos of cap & ball. SASS#3302 (Life), SASS Regulator, NRA (Life), Dirty Gamey Bastards #129 Wolverton Mtn. Peacekeepers (WA), former Orygun Cowboy (Ranger, Posse from Hell)

February 24, 2011, 07:52 PM	#10
ClemBert Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2009 Location: Orlando Posts: 936	Well, he said he and others didn't observe a flash. That's their naked eye doing the viewing....that is unless these guys are really androids with bionic eyes made from Droid X phones. Last edited by ClemBert; February 25, 2011 at 04:15 PM.

February 24, 2011, 08:05 PM	#11
Ben Towe Senior Member Join Date: March 6, 2009 Location: Middle Tennessee Posts: 1,128	ClemBert, you've exposed us! Our handlers won't be happy. My cylinder gap is virtually none, but I've only fired those six shots through it so it may loosen up a bit. __________________ 'Merica: Back to back World War Champs

February 25, 2011, 03:49 PM	#12
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	I recall from my working days that USAF pilots were able to identify planes whose images were flashed on a screen from total darkness for 1/220th of a second. That's IDENTIFY. Just DETECTING the occurrence of a flash of light out of darkness is much easier. I believe that someone with reasonably normal eyesight could detect a flash of light lasting just 1/300th of a second in total darkness. If there was a flash, I think they'd have seen it.