Author Topic: Why was the 1847 Colt Walker discontinued? (Read 1486 times)

hogship · « **on:** October 29, 2005, 11:18:53 PM »

Was there anything about the design of the 1847 Walker that was problematic.....or was it replaced by the dragoon pistols because of weight issues?

hog

kjeff50cal · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2005, 05:50:04 AM »

Weight issues and the loading lever has an unnerving habit of coming down tying up the cylinder at discharge :eek: .

kjeff50cal

hogship · « **Reply #2 on:** October 30, 2005, 06:20:54 AM »

kjeff50cal....

You know, now that you mention it, it does look like the loading lever should have had a way to positively secure it.

I'll bet more than one Cavalryman met his end because of that!

hog

Flint · « **Reply #3 on:** October 30, 2005, 08:29:12 AM »

The Walker used the same loading lever latch as the Patterson, but the largest Patterson caliber was 36. The Walker with its bodacious powder charge had too much recoil for the latch.

The Walker also had serious cylinder strength problems with the 60 grain powder charge, and were known to blow up. The steel quality in the late 1840s was not that great.

Weight was also an issue, and the barrel, lug and cylinder were cut down to reduce weight and reduce the powder charge.

The Dragoon was still a Horse pistol even after the weight reduction.

Dalton Masterson · « **Reply #4 on:** October 30, 2005, 04:47:15 PM »

Actually the cylinders were iron, not steel. Its not so much a discontinuation as an evolution. DM

hogship · « **Reply #5 on:** October 30, 2005, 05:33:42 PM »

Iron cylinder, eh?

Well, I'm assuming my Uberti replica has a steel cylinder.

Also, the supplied manual lists the recommended black powder charge as 22 to 30 grains......so that ought to be a pretty mild charge. Can I safely exceed that?....or, should I even want to?

hog

Dalton Masterson · « **Reply #6 on:** October 30, 2005, 05:36:10 PM »

Yep. the modern ones are good steel. The listed loads are very mild. I have loaded up 60 gr loads, but it tends to tear up the pistol quickly. 40-50 is about right. With 777 cut it down to 40-45 as its quite a bit hotter. DM

Flint · « **Reply #7 on:** October 31, 2005, 08:56:24 AM »

I have read that a diet of 60 grain loads can crush the wedge.

Dalton Masterson · « **Reply #8 on:** October 31, 2005, 03:48:07 PM »

I can attest to that Flint. Replaced wedge and had to peen the barrel back in where the wedge got jammed against it. 60 is fun for a cylinder full, just to know what it was like. Then its lighter loads for thereafter. DM

Will52100 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 01, 2005, 06:39:37 PM »

Mine gets a steady diet of 55 grain loads and haven't had a problem yet other than faster fouling build up. But it doesn't get shot nearly as much as my 36 navies. It's fun to take it out everyonce in a while and blast away.

OH yea, a bread tie around barrel and loading leaver keeps the leaver up with no problem, looks kinda funny though.

I've seen an original that had a Dragoon loading leaver grafted onto it and I may do that oneday if I ever get the time.

unspellable · « **Reply #10 on:** November 03, 2005, 07:55:40 AM »

In addition to the reasons given above, it should be remembered that Colt did not manufacture the Walker but farmed it out. The deal provided him with seed money to get his own factory started, so with the next production run he started with a clean slate and could easily make any changes that were desired.

sharps4590 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 04, 2005, 12:05:18 PM »

I believe Eli Whitney manufactured the Walker, thus the "Whitneyville Walker"....unless my memory has failed me again. Seems I also remember reading that Whitney and Colt had some major disagreements regarding maunfacture of the Walker. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Vic

long · « **Reply #12 on:** December 20, 2005, 04:08:26 AM »

Don't believe you are wrong about that. Walker's chief desire was to get a supply of the pistols issued to his company (C company) in Vera Cruz. He and Colt had disagreed on some points and by the time the guns were ready to ship (October 1847) Jack Hays had become Colt's new poster boy. The firse 360- odd went to Hayes with 180 more issued to walker's C company a few days later.
Hays put the Walkers into spectacular use in November and, by that time, Colt was already modifying the Walkers with later Dragoon features including a front latch for the loading lever. By March 48, the second contract was well underway and there were still 500 Walkers stored in the Baton Rouge Armory. This came about because the original plan was to issue a pair of pistols to each soldier with one flask, and combination tool for each. The decision was made to issue one revolver per troop instead leaving half the contract of 1,000 un-acoutered. In spring 1848, Colt supplied the extra flasks and the revolvers were issued to the US Army and federalized Texas rangers stationed on the Texas Frontier.
Discussion/loads here:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=168811&highlight=Walker