Shot the Walker for the first time on Sunday.

Gaz_in_NZ · May 7, 2014, 11:15 PM

Well, I shot the walker on Sunday and it appears that 24-30 grains of Goex and some space-filler gives the most accuracy at 25yds using .457 balls.
It's got no recoil at all at that load.

I haven't stoked up the cylinders to 50-60grains as yet... but I'm sure that will be happening soon-ish as everyone at the club wants to see it perform at full power (I have the only Walker at our pistol club).

Question(s).....

1) what do you guys use to clean Black Powder guns with?

2) what do you guys lubricate the cylinder Arbor with after you have cleaned the gun?

3) what grease/oil do you guys use to cover the ball when it's seated in the cylinder to prevent chain detonation?

Cheers
Gaz

hartcreek · May 8, 2014, 12:16 AM

I am using Oxlube right now for the arbor and to seal over the edges of an of a felt lubed wad. I shot my walker with 50 grains of FFF pyrodex.....no recoil .

MoGas1341 · May 8, 2014, 02:19 AM

Walkers are fun, as I also recently found out. As far as accuracy, 50gr works just fine in mine, but I did notice 60gr gets a little sporadic...

1) As far as cleaning, because I can't find any Ballistol locally, I saturate the pistol with Hoppe's #9 inside the barrel and cylinder chambers, then remove all the debris with cotton swabs (I mean cotton bore swabs, not Q-Tips) and then relubricate with Rem-Oil after all residue has been removed. Not a spec of rust yet, so I am thinking it works alright...

2) On the cylinder arbor, I use Outer's choke tube/gun grease. (after it has been cleaned and wiped down of course) I also put a light coat on the 'trough' of the frame. ( I say 'trough' and mean the cup shaped portion of the bottom of the frame where the cylinder rests) If someone knows the proper term, please enlighten me...

3) As far as the wads, I use pre-lubed wads (as advice when I was new to black powder was given to me) by HawgHaggen and FingersMcGee [2 other members on 'the firing line'] therefore negating covering the ball with pig lard, and spraying Crisco all over your gun! haha I have had no, absolutely ZERO problems, following their advice.

fineredmist · May 8, 2014, 07:15 AM

Order Ballistol on line then follow the instructions when you clean and you will be pleasantly surprised how well it works. I also spray in on the arbor as a lube when I go to the range and it works very well and also keeps the fouling soft. It is all you need to clean any BP weapon.

bedbugbilly · May 8, 2014, 08:14 AM

I don't have a Walker but have shot Navies for years.

For cleaning, I use hot water with a little ivory liquid soap and Windex added. Scrub well and rinse in hot water. Use a blow dryer to dry thoroughly and then oil down with gun oil.

For "grease" - I take a toilet bowel ring and a 1 pound can of Crisco - put together in a plastic bowl and melt in a microwave - mix well. I pour it in to empty musket cap tins and let it cool. I use that to lube the cylinder pin on my BP revolvers and for "over the ball". Have used it for years for revolvers and ML rifles.

For over the powder wads - I take scraps of leather from my leather work, use the appropriate size punch and punch out a large quantity of them. I melt some of the above lube - put them in for a couple of minutes and then take them out and pat dry with paper towel. When cooled down, I put them in an empty musket cap tin for storage and carrying. They work great for me.

You can cut your own over the powder wads out of felt, etc. - just make sure the felt doesn't have any man made fibers in it that will belt or crud up the bore.

Everybody has their own preferences, etc. that seem to work best for them. The important thing in cleaning your BP revolver is to make sure all of the fouling is cleaned up after shooting - if not, you'll see rust fairly quickly.

Sounds like you had a great time! Enjoy and have fun. Let us know how the heavier chages work for you.

maillemaker · May 8, 2014, 11:34 AM

With my Walker and 45 grains 3F Shuetzen I have achieved hole-in-hole accuracy off a bench.

I was able to hit a man-sized steel target at 120 yards off hand also.

I clean by dunking and brushing in a tub of hot soapy water, then wipe down the parts with Balistol. I used to lube the arbor but found it just made it harder to clean so now I don't bother.

Steve

DoubleDeuce 1 · May 8, 2014, 02:03 PM

I have loaded my Walker with 60 gr FFFG. That got a little hungry if you know what I mean. I settled on 45-50 gr FFFG. All of it was fun.

For cleaning I use hot water with dish washing soap. Everything gets dunked into the water except the grips. Scubbed down with an old tooth brush, pipe cleaners etc. and cleaning rod down the barrel.

WD-40 and a light oil with some RIG gun grease finishes the job.

For lube I use wheel bearing grease on the arbor and to seal the chambers.

Gaz_in_NZ · May 8, 2014, 03:10 PM

Thanks for all the replies, very much appreciated.

Lots of good advice and a lot to consider, cheers.

I got 2 1858 Remingtons as well (Uberti), I suppose the all same criteria will apply to them.

Regards
Gaz

rclark · May 8, 2014, 03:24 PM

Quote:

For cleaning I use hot water with dish washing soap.

Same here. Although for my cartridge revolvers and BP, I use the Murphy soap mix (Murphy's Oil Soap, Rubbing Alcohol, and Peroxide mixed in equal proportions).

Rigmarol · May 8, 2014, 10:16 PM

Another vote for Ballistol as well as soap and hot water.

I lube my arbor with Wonder Lube and I use prelubed over powder wads.

My walker (and my colts and remington) all clean up the same way.

I also remove the nipples every time and clean them well. Then apply Wonder Lube to the treads when I reinstall them. Do not over tighten these.

Everyone has great advice you really can't go wrong with any of the techniques given.

May 7, 2014, 11:15 PM	#1
Gaz_in_NZ Senior Member Join Date: September 3, 2012 Location: 40 miles North of Wellington, NZ Posts: 196	Shot the Walker for the first time on Sunday. Well, I shot the walker on Sunday and it appears that 24-30 grains of Goex and some space-filler gives the most accuracy at 25yds using .457 balls. It's got no recoil at all at that load. I haven't stoked up the cylinders to 50-60grains as yet... but I'm sure that will be happening soon-ish as everyone at the club wants to see it perform at full power (I have the only Walker at our pistol club). Question(s)..... 1) what do you guys use to clean Black Powder guns with? 2) what do you guys lubricate the cylinder Arbor with after you have cleaned the gun? 3) what grease/oil do you guys use to cover the ball when it's seated in the cylinder to prevent chain detonation? Cheers Gaz

May 8, 2014, 12:16 AM	#2
hartcreek Junior member Join Date: April 22, 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 1,549	what i use I am using Oxlube right now for the arbor and to seal over the edges of an of a felt lubed wad. I shot my walker with 50 grains of FFF pyrodex.....no recoil .

May 8, 2014, 02:19 AM	#3
MoGas1341 Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2013 Location: Missouri Posts: 201	Walkers are fun, as I also recently found out. As far as accuracy, 50gr works just fine in mine, but I did notice 60gr gets a little sporadic... 1) As far as cleaning, because I can't find any Ballistol locally, I saturate the pistol with Hoppe's #9 inside the barrel and cylinder chambers, then remove all the debris with cotton swabs (I mean cotton bore swabs, not Q-Tips) and then relubricate with Rem-Oil after all residue has been removed. Not a spec of rust yet, so I am thinking it works alright... 2) On the cylinder arbor, I use Outer's choke tube/gun grease. (after it has been cleaned and wiped down of course) I also put a light coat on the 'trough' of the frame. ( I say 'trough' and mean the cup shaped portion of the bottom of the frame where the cylinder rests) If someone knows the proper term, please enlighten me... 3) As far as the wads, I use pre-lubed wads (as advice when I was new to black powder was given to me) by HawgHaggen and FingersMcGee [2 other members on 'the firing line'] therefore negating covering the ball with pig lard, and spraying Crisco all over your gun! haha I have had no, absolutely ZERO problems, following their advice. __________________ Former USMC Engineer, Iraq War Vet, Afghanistan War Vet, NRA Life Member

May 8, 2014, 08:14 AM	#5
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	I don't have a Walker but have shot Navies for years. For cleaning, I use hot water with a little ivory liquid soap and Windex added. Scrub well and rinse in hot water. Use a blow dryer to dry thoroughly and then oil down with gun oil. For "grease" - I take a toilet bowel ring and a 1 pound can of Crisco - put together in a plastic bowl and melt in a microwave - mix well. I pour it in to empty musket cap tins and let it cool. I use that to lube the cylinder pin on my BP revolvers and for "over the ball". Have used it for years for revolvers and ML rifles. For over the powder wads - I take scraps of leather from my leather work, use the appropriate size punch and punch out a large quantity of them. I melt some of the above lube - put them in for a couple of minutes and then take them out and pat dry with paper towel. When cooled down, I put them in an empty musket cap tin for storage and carrying. They work great for me. You can cut your own over the powder wads out of felt, etc. - just make sure the felt doesn't have any man made fibers in it that will belt or crud up the bore. Everybody has their own preferences, etc. that seem to work best for them. The important thing in cleaning your BP revolver is to make sure all of the fouling is cleaned up after shooting - if not, you'll see rust fairly quickly. Sounds like you had a great time! Enjoy and have fun. Let us know how the heavier chages work for you. __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

May 8, 2014, 07:15 AM	#4
fineredmist Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2008 Location: Wethersfield, ct Posts: 128	Order Ballistol on line then follow the instructions when you clean and you will be pleasantly surprised how well it works. I also spray in on the arbor as a lube when I go to the range and it works very well and also keeps the fouling soft. It is all you need to clean any BP weapon.

May 8, 2014, 11:34 AM	#6
maillemaker Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2010 Posts: 1,635	With my Walker and 45 grains 3F Shuetzen I have achieved hole-in-hole accuracy off a bench. I was able to hit a man-sized steel target at 120 yards off hand also. I clean by dunking and brushing in a tub of hot soapy water, then wipe down the parts with Balistol. I used to lube the arbor but found it just made it harder to clean so now I don't bother. Steve

May 8, 2014, 02:03 PM	#7
DoubleDeuce 1 Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2013 Posts: 101	I have loaded my Walker with 60 gr FFFG. That got a little hungry if you know what I mean. I settled on 45-50 gr FFFG. All of it was fun. For cleaning I use hot water with dish washing soap. Everything gets dunked into the water except the grips. Scubbed down with an old tooth brush, pipe cleaners etc. and cleaning rod down the barrel. WD-40 and a light oil with some RIG gun grease finishes the job. For lube I use wheel bearing grease on the arbor and to seal the chambers.

May 8, 2014, 03:10 PM	#8
Gaz_in_NZ Senior Member Join Date: September 3, 2012 Location: 40 miles North of Wellington, NZ Posts: 196	Thanks for all the replies, very much appreciated. Lots of good advice and a lot to consider, cheers. I got 2 1858 Remingtons as well (Uberti), I suppose the all same criteria will apply to them. Regards Gaz

May 8, 2014, 10:16 PM	#10
Rigmarol Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 344	Another vote for Ballistol as well as soap and hot water. I lube my arbor with Wonder Lube and I use prelubed over powder wads. My walker (and my colts and remington) all clean up the same way. I also remove the nipples every time and clean them well. Then apply Wonder Lube to the treads when I reinstall them. Do not over tighten these. Everyone has great advice you really can't go wrong with any of the techniques given.