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Old February 10, 2017, 06:28 PM   #1
Oliver Sudden
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Walker lever fix

Shooting a Walker often has the loading lever dropping at each shot. I noticed the lever on this one doesn't come up to the barrel so I knocked the lever spring out and filed the base down were the lever contacted it. Reinstalled it and now it lets the lever come fully up to touch the barrel. Shooting full loads today the lever stayed in place as it should. Easy fix.

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Old February 10, 2017, 07:35 PM   #2
Beagle333
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Do you have pictures of the modified area? Nice looking fix on that Walker!

I got one that has a little slack in the loading lever too.
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Old February 11, 2017, 08:36 AM   #3
4V50 Gary
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Ditto what Beagle333 asked.
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Old February 11, 2017, 01:22 PM   #4
Oliver Sudden
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You can see on the first photo the spring base is convex and in this photo the base is flattened. This is were the lever was stopped and so the lump on the spring couldn't fit fully into the lever. Knocking the spring out allows the base to be filed then cold blued. when placing it back in just be sure to center it with the hole in the lever.
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Old February 11, 2017, 07:22 PM   #5
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I see! The base itself wasn't letting the loading lever come all the way up to the barrel. I'll have to check that on my Palmetto. Thanks!!
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Old February 12, 2017, 11:33 PM   #6
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Many thanks.
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Old February 13, 2017, 09:50 AM   #7
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Why did you have to remove the spring from the barrel to file the base down?

Steve
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Old February 13, 2017, 10:35 AM   #8
Oliver Sudden
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That's the easy way to do it. The spring taps out with little effort and then clamping the base in the vise allows a few strokes of the file with out worrying about scratching the barrel. As lazy as I am you can be sure I wouldn't do it if I thought there was a better way.
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Old February 13, 2017, 12:09 PM   #9
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Old February 13, 2017, 02:59 PM   #10
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Hose clamp.
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Old February 13, 2017, 05:50 PM   #11
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Is that the tool that Doc Hoy was making?
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Old February 13, 2017, 09:32 PM   #12
Bishop Creek
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Quote:
Is that the tool that Doc Hoy was making?
Looks like it, I bought one from Doc too and they work great on my Walker.
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Old March 18, 2017, 05:27 PM   #13
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I shot my walker for the first time today. What a beast.... The recoil of full loads of 777 is NOT a problem ... It's the weight of the gun!!! Those guys must have been 'he-man' to shoot these revolvers off hand!! My forearms and wrists are already a little sore as I type this! I didn't count but I went through only around 30 rounds (3 cylinder full + then loading full loads only one chamber at a time like a single shot for fun). The lever only started to come down once. Shoots way high though. 15Ys was 4" high, but nice group off-hand for a BP revolver.

I didn't shoot my ROA but I did bring it along. After hefting the Walker, and then just picking up the ROA later... The over built ROA seemed light and fluffy!
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Old March 18, 2017, 10:07 PM   #14
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Not unusual to be high at 15 yds.
From what I've read, they were sighted in to hit at 75 yards.

Tons of fun though, aren't they!!
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Old March 19, 2017, 12:54 PM   #15
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RClark
since these don't have adjustable sights you have to pick a range you want to zero in at.

might be high at 15 and dead on at 45.
so decide before filing etc, at what range do you want it to be poa - poi?
If you are always going to shoot at 15 yd then adjust (file) the sights for that.
actually in this case a taller front sight.

Or the other option. LEARN WHERE THE GUN SHOOTS AT VARIOUS DISTANCES.
then you adjust your aim to compensate I've done that with all my BP guns with none adjustable sights.

Course I rarely shoot at paper targets anymore. My common target is a 4x4 by 8" long
I drive a piece of rebar in the ground. I drill a hole in the end of the 4x4. set it on the rebar
I now have a target 3 1/2" wide and 8 " high.
If I only nick the edge, it will usually spin a little side ways. Now my width may be only 2 1/2'
Learn where the pistol shoots.
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Old March 20, 2017, 09:28 AM   #16
rclark
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Yep, it is fun... But not fun enough to make it my 'primary' BP revolver due to it's weight. I look at the Walker as experiencing a bit of history. Not one that I would pack into the field. I have my ROAs for 'general' purpose BP shooting. Much more enjoyable to shoot.

As for learning where the revolver shoots, that is why I start at 15Ys. Whether it shoots high or low, it is bound to hit the paper target (well, usually as I have shoot at least one revolver that missed the paper plate entirely at that distance!). Then backup to more normal shooting distances.... once you know where it is shooting. I was shooting steel at 25 to 70 yards at our range with it. It really knocks down the 25Y targets with authority.
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Old August 17, 2018, 01:33 AM   #17
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Yep

Just a brief comment after about three years absence. Making these clips from copper now. First steel version too hard on the blued finish on the pistol. Brass was too expensive to make. Selling them on the ebay. Production still too slow to do much volume. I am opening the bids at 9.00. They sometimes go for more.

Thought about a patent but it isn't worth the 800.00.

Apparently a new Walker from Uberti now has a plastic clip supplied with the pistol. Did they steal my design or did I steal theirs?

Steve (Maillemaker) is selling a 3d printed version on a bulk site. I think it is Shapeways. He and I worked together a little on the design and he has my full support. He is quite a craftsman and I admire him.

Anyway, nice to be back among friends.
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Old August 17, 2018, 11:29 PM   #18
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Good to hear from you again Doc! I'm going for one of the copper ones too!
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Old August 18, 2018, 04:18 AM   #19
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Beagle,

If you are interested you can PM me from this forum rather than wait it out over at the eVilbay.
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Old August 18, 2018, 06:26 AM   #20
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Old August 18, 2018, 08:26 PM   #21
Doc Hoy
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You speak the truth, 2DO4T

It could easily be said that the tendency of the Walker to drop the loading lever is not much worse, or perhaps not even as bad as the tendency of Colts to swallow caps.

Mankind developed the "Colt wave" as an almost subconscious hand movement to rid the pistol of the cap. The wave has become an integral step in the firing sequence. Why not a similar action to deal with the dropped lever?

So after firing, the shooter (assumed right handed) lowers the right arm pointing the muzzle toward the ground, bends the right elbow at a 90 degree angle (Walker trained safely down range) then cradles the pistol in the left palm with the thumb on the left side of the cylinder and the fingers touching the right side of the cylinder, making sure to retain a firm hold on the grip with the right hand. He (or she...after all, my academic expertise is in Human Resources Law.) then quickly slides the left hand forward along the frame and trigger guard and finally to the barrel, using the action to ensure the loading lever is still in the upright and locked position, or to return a dropped loading lever to its battery position. The action is complete when the shooter firmly wraps thumb and fingers around the hot barrel and listens for the reassuring click as the lever snaps into place. Call it the "Walker Squeeze".

So the firing sequence becomes:

1. Cock
2. Aim
3. Fire
4. Walker squeeze
5. Cock
6. Colt wave
7. Aim
8. Fire

This action might actually facilitate the Colt wave, since the first wave frequently fails to dislodge the offending cap fragment requiring a second action, the "Inverted revolver shake". As we all know, that shake performed using the five pound Walker requires two hands in all but the most robust of shooters.

Don't forget to follow the shake with either one of two exclamations:

1. "Aaaaah, their it is!"
or
2. "Com'on you *&^%$" generally prompting a second shake.

.

.

.

Sorry guys...Running a restaurant does nothing to abate an overactive sense of humor.
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Last edited by Doc Hoy; August 20, 2018 at 04:08 AM. Reason: remove possibly offensive passage
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Old August 19, 2018, 10:48 AM   #22
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: ) Nothing wrong with a sense of humor.
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Old August 19, 2018, 12:10 PM   #23
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It was cold in February and March of last year.
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