.44 black powder for defense?

[Smokin .50]

At the shop that I purchase my revolvers, the Walker in the case is currently selling for $360.00 or more, so the $325.00 price tag is very fair! The revolver was imported by Taylor's from Uberti. To my knowledge, Pietta doesn't make the Walker, but I could be wrong.

As far as strength, how they hold-up, whether they shoot loose or not: After almost 1,000 rounds through mine, the only problem I had was a cap got stuck in the works cause I wasn't watching it good enough. I win competitions at two different clubs that my son and I belong to with my Walker, and it's out-of-the-box to boot! The 52 grains of 3Fg Goex, a wonder-wad and a .454 Hornady ball are the winning combination.

I think that my Colts are stronger than my Remmy's--they hold more powder and don't have tiny little pins in the loading levers that snap at the worst possible time. At one of the clubs that my son and I belong to we've seen it with our own two eyes...the Remmy is out of service and the Colt Dragoon keeps making noise!

My Walker is so accurate that I can reliably hit the lid of a tin of caps that's been glued to a target backer with the target range of 25 yards.

Have a good time making smoke!

[long rider]

Lets see how good your walker holds up after
14 years of shooting like my old remmy, my
remmys loading lever never drops after a shot
like the walker does, its well known for that,
i would take a rem over a walker anyday +
you can load a remmy in a sec, no need to
hammer out the wedge to change out cylinders.

[Smokin .50]

Sir,

Although I new here, I'm by no means someone to pick an argument with.

My Walker will last a long time, as I take good care of it.

My Walker's lever has been adjusted so it doesn't drop with every shot!

Have you ever heard of the "New York Reload" Sir? While you're busy changing cylinders with a stuck center pin, I just reach for my 3rd Model Dragoon with 40 grains of 3Fg in each chamber and keep on blastin! Then out comes my 1860 Army with another fast 6 the easy way!

You sound like someone stuck in a time warp where only your way is the correct way. I didn't single you out to create a problem, so why pick a fight with the new guy? Do you work hard at being obnoxious, or does it just come naturally?

[mykeal]

Hi, Dave.

It's the old Remington vs Colt game. There are those amongst the Remington crowd that must take every opportunity to reiterate the old "Remingtons are stronger" and "You can change the cylinder faster on a Remington" mantra. The facts don't seem to matter. You can whack them on the head all you want but they just keep poking back up; kind of like the old Whack a Mole game.

Of course, there are Colt fan counterparts out there...

[Major 2]

Before there was Ford VS Chevy

It was Colt VS Remy....

I have one 1860 that was issued to the 5 Iowa Cavalry ( lettered )
it is tight as a drum..has a tad of timing issue if cocked slowly, but cock it with athority and it's vault tight.
I have a Second Gen. Black Powered Series I bought new in 1978,
Thousand of C&B rounds...
3 years ago I dropped in a Kenny Howell Conversion it to shoot Cowboy Loads 45 Colt.... some were around 150 Long Colts every month...10 month a year.
Only issue a broke bolt spring twice is 32 years.
And another 1860 I bought used about 19 years ago... still C&B and several thousand rounds as well...
Same for 2nd Gen Navy.

I also have one of the Uberti Forged Frame factory conversions..
45LC and it is also one tough shooter.

[Smokin .50]

mykeal,

Greetings and salutations. I'm still laughing at the "Whack-A-Mole" remark.

If our paths ever cross, the coffee is on me!

My 12" Buffalo is a good shooter as well. Do I get points for that, or only if I use conversion cylinders with hand-loaded wimpy SASS smokeless ammo that only has to meet a power factor of 60?

[Smokin_Gun]

I have Remmy's too!

Welcome Smokin .50 ... good too know you too are a Rem Man who likes Colts too.
:O)

[Smokin .50]

Yeah,

If it uses black powder we just love it! Got my 20 year-old Eagle Scout infected several years and shoots ago! Sometimes he beats all of the adults too!. Bought him a Remmy first, then a 1860 Army Colt for last Christmas. Got to shoot the Colt when he was on winter break earlier this month. A high score put a big smile on his face, and I just love to watch him shoot! We compete head-to-head during the regular League shoots at a local club's black powder league on a monthly basis (when he's home from college).

Thanks again for the proper welcome!

Dave
Smokin .50

[noelf2]

I like both designs also. I have had the loading lever pin issue with one of my remis (a target model). Still love the gun though. My brass frame .31 baby dragoon has shaken a little loose over the years, and the wedge is a pain, but I still love the gun. I didn't know why I love shooting these guns until I saw The Matrix. "It's the smell !!!"

[Ironheart]

Be careful with shooting "just the wadding" I used a wad of paper towel and blasted it 3/4 of the way through a phone book from around a foot away

[arcticap]

That must have been one of those extra tough "Brawny" paper towels!

[Ironheart]

chwingnut Are you sure the " WILD DOGS" you are shooting are not the extremely endangered Red Wolf" there is only less than 100 out in the wild today they are a little smaller than a coyote & are unfortunately mistaken for them very often they both share the same habitat

[noelf2]

Wow, talk about resurrecting an old post. Just a thought folks, make sure you don't over write old pictures with new ones. Check out post #89... Sundance44s, you devil you....

[rodwhaincamo]

I was wondering where his pistol was!

On a side note, having read through the whole thing, I must disagree with a common statement about the power of a Walker.

"The Walker revolver was the most powerful revolver till the .357 Magnum cartridge was developed & used in handguns not the .45ACP.

Walker is capable of upwords of 1200fps. 455 ft. lbs. with a ball.
.45 ACP is only 835 fps. 355 ft. lbs. with a standard military ball load."

A Walker only has this type of power if either loaded light or with the weaker variety of powder.

I'm not sure what was available or used during the late 1840's, but I do know that during the Civil War the powder used in the pistols was more akin to Swiss, and often 4F.

With my stock ROA I can easily surpass that power level. With a reduced charge a 255 grn bullet nearly hits 500 ft/lbs. And from the side by side testing I've seen Triple 7, Swiss, and Olde Eynsford all give very similar results when comparing charges by volume.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP_dwo2nThA

[Doc Hoy]

A true cap and ball revolver guy loves them all.

[DD4lifeusmc]

im buying an 1851 in 44 soon since A. I want one B. I need a hunting sidearm. is there any expanding ammo or hunting rounds i can use or just the regular old round ball?
_____------------------------------------------------
1851 colt style is nice, but too small a grip for me. I have one.
Also have several 1858 Remingtons and a Walker and a Dragoon.
I love the 5.5 remington as a more or less daily carry, conceals nicely.
I like the oomph of the Walker but way too big and heavy
The Dragoon being bigger then the Remmie and smaller than the Walker
I feel would be a better sidearm for hunting than the 1851 or 1860 or the Remmie. But each his own.
As to bullets.
I cast and sell a 195 grain semi wad cutter design, that has a rebated base
making it somewhat easier to load than the Lee 45-200. I also cast and sell them also, Along with wads, and beeswax and a bunch of other accessories
-------
The 195 and 45-200 both seem to expand about the same,
I have my target in front of hay bales 4 high and 2 deep. I've dug both out of the dirt behind, and I'd say they are about equal with each other and a round ball. Course they are about 50 gr heavier than a RB.

[DD4lifeusmc]

Guys how do you do the quotes here. I haven't figured it out.

---------------------
I'd opt for the 137-143 gr Round ball myself...that's all I use in soft lead form.

And I do still keep a .44 1858 Rem or 2 loaded for home Defence, close at hand. They worked before the 1911 .45 Autos were around, so I guess it's jus' how much faith you have in your Rev, thumb, and Finger.

Yup there is a loaded 12ga Ithica Police D.S. in the safe and a Ruger .357mag also both loaded...but it's a Rem that sleeps with one eye open within arms reach.

SG
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Locked in the safe isn't of much use.
Revolver two: one butt sticking out edge of mattress to side, other under where head board would be. The shot gun at night while sleeping is within arms reach of bed, but is not visible to an intruder.
In the day, the ones not needed and I'm not home, then locked in safe.
A gun is a tool. If not handy right at hand or not loaded then it's basically useless.

[Hawg]

ROA, Colt, Remy ASOASF
A true cap and ball revolver guy loves them all.

Nope, not so.

[North East Redneck]

Hawg hating on the Rugers. I like mine, but less and less. '58 wins for me. Like me some Colts too.......