Author Topic: colt walker/carbine? (Read 1188 times)

Will52100 · « **on:** October 25, 2003, 08:41:29 PM »

I've got a crazy idea, for a long time I've had the idea to convert a Ubertia Walker into a carbine.

The only thing holding me back is finding someone to rifle the barrel, and posibly the price. I can do all the work, I'm a part time bladesmith and have a good selection of tools and access to a milling machine, except line boreing and rifleing.

I figured on making a shoulder stock and new back strap/trigger gaurd something like the Remington carbine, and basicly just a whole new barrel with ajustable buckhorn sights at one end and a blade at the other.

I have a Ubertia Walker and love it, but at full house loads it eats wedges for dinner, I figure the carbine would be the same.

Am I just crazy, or would this fly?

anybody know where I can get the barrel made?

thanks

Flint · « **Reply #1 on:** October 26, 2003, 06:35:23 AM »

Get a barrel in the proper bore (.451-.454), deep black powder rifling preferred, probably from Dixie. lathe turn it to your desired diameter, taper, etc and step it at the breech end to fit into your barrel lug, which should be bored to match the barrel extension you turned (or vice-versa) after removing the round portion of the barrel and salvaging the sight and barrel latch.. You can sweat or solder the new barrel into the barrel lug and if the fit is good the joint will be almost invisible, as the barrel changes right there from Octagonal to round so you don't have to try to blend the surfaces.

I noticed that the Open-top 1872 barrel wedge is HARD as a file and has no spring, but uses a flat on the retainer screw head to let it pass after rotating the screw a half or so turn, the screw head fits into a groove cut into the screw end of the wdge. I use it now (bought parts from Cimarron and VTIgunparts) on my percussions and conversions. Though the 1872 wedge is too small for the Walker, you could get some tool steel (4140 or so_ and as you have a Mill, make some hard springless ('Cause that slot weakens the wedge) wedges, might even buy an 1872 wedge just to copy the concept from, if you don't have one to look at. If you have an 1851, 60 or 61 you can use it there. Get the screw too. Just gotta remember to turn the screw before driving the wedge out sso you don't break the screwhead.

Will52100 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 26, 2003, 07:11:12 PM »

Thanks Flint, do you think that he barrel and barrel houseing would have enough meat even after soldering together to be strong enough? Granted the barrel wall thickness would be unchanged, but would be two layers of steel laminated with silver solder.

I had in mind makeing a whole new barrel, but my try the composit rout, should be cheaper and easier to build.

Thanks, may have time to start on it after the first of the year.

HWooldridge · « **Reply #3 on:** October 27, 2003, 04:18:22 AM »

Will,

I think you could turn the barrel to .0005-0010 over the barrel lug hole diameter and shrink fit them together. Dry ice and acetone gives about -70 F and 400 in the oven will create enough of a differential to press together. They won't come apart after coming back to ambient. Use a round barrel blank and install the sight afterwards. Unless you just like the Walker look, I would also install a loading lever catch.

Is the 52100 in your name a reference to the blade material?

Hollis

Flint · « **Reply #4 on:** October 27, 2003, 07:00:07 AM »

Sweating in a barrel liner, which the lug end of your new barrel would be is common, even with modern smokeless calibers. With a black powder pecussion, the modern steel the repros use, and the barrel you would buy are more than strong enough. The lug just needs enough wall thickness to suppoert the hole you drill through it without being too weak to retain its shape. If you split the difference between the wall thickness of the lug and the barrel extension, it will probably be sufficient. A gunsmith's advise might be of help. A proper shrink fit will work without solder. As HWooldridge suggests, I would buy a Dragoon loading lever and latch from VTIgunparts or Cimarron and convert from the Walker loading lever which is too often dropping in the middle of a shooting string and stopping the gun. Get the later model Dragoon lever with the horizontal latch, rather than the earlier vertical latch, which is hard and sharp on your hand when loading. Took Sam Colt a few years to get it right.

Will52100 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 27, 2003, 05:18:36 PM »

Thanks guys, I don't know about the sweet fit, just how well it'd hold up to corosion and time, probly never have a problem, but I tend to be parinoid about some things. Know it'd be tight though. Will probably leave just enough clearance to silver solder together. Will also probly make a tapered hole and corisponding angle on barrel to keep from haveing a week spot at barrel-lug juntion.

Been going over it in my mind and I guess I'll have to give it a try, just need to talk to a buddy of mine who has the mill and lathe.

As for the loading lever I was planning on useing the existing lever and drilling the end out and modifing it to accept a 1860 army latch. Do like the smooth look of the Walker lever, but it can be agrivating when it flops down from recoil.

Hollis, 52100 in my avitar is indeed refering to the blade steel, so far I have found nothing better. :wink:

Flint · « **Reply #6 on:** October 29, 2003, 06:55:31 AM »

Will, it might be a better fit, since it's already round, to adapt a Ruger Old Army latch, which is tubular. You could get the parts from Brownells or Ruger. Look at a ROA and check out the possibility of modifying the end of the Walker lever.