Author Topic: Walker cylinder gap  (Read 657 times)

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Offline Rum River

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Walker cylinder gap
« on: October 04, 2006, 12:44:20 PM »
I've shot cap & ball for years, but always with Remingtons.

When reassembling my Walker replica, do I use a gauge to set the cylinder gap, and then take it out once the wedge is in place?
So far, it's so tight that the cylinder turns ok when clean, but just a shot or two causes severe binding.

If this is a dumb question, I apologize in advance.
Rum River

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Offline StrawHat

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Re: Walker cylinder gap
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2006, 03:11:48 PM »


I shot a bunch with the colt style revolvers.

If the wedge is tapped in too tightly and the cylinder binds I have lightly tapped it outward then used the rammer to move the barrel away from the cylinder and went back to firing.

I never used a guage.  Guess you could but I don't see the need for it.  With the bent arm style of shooting I prefer the colt is plenty accurate with eyeballing the gap.

Good luck
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Offline Will52100

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Re: Walker cylinder gap
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2006, 06:01:38 PM »
One thing may be lack of lube or fouling building up on the cylinder pin, or uneven cylinder face.  Most likely just to tight a gap.  You can use a thick buisness card to set the gat or just hold the cylinder back against the hand and look for a little light between barrel and cylinder.

I did have trouble with one, and it seems to be a problem I've run into several times with Uberties, and that is the step down on the cylinder arbor sticks out just a hair to far in front of the cylinder face.  A little work with a file has curred it.  One of my Walkers could go all day, the other would bind up in 3-4 shots.  Finaly figured it out when cleaning after looking at the flame cut on the arbor.  Also with the Walker's genoruse powder capacity it helps to add plenty of lube over the balls to keep them running smooth.  I'm cheap so I generaly use Crisco, I don't fill the chambers, just a good swipe seems to work good.
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