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Colt Walker: Working Toward 100 Yards
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- Опубліковано 16 чер 2023
- I'm working my way toward reaching my 100 yard goal with the Colt Walker. But this time with the period correct Picket Ball conical bullet. It's a frustrating bullet to load due to its odd shape, but proved to be accurate. I went 6 for 6 on the steel plate at both 25 and 50 yards. Because all of the 100 yard bays at the range were taken and the final test had to wait, I altered my plans and compared the performance of the Picket Ball to a .457 round ball just the see the difference. That also went fairly well. Knowing that percussion revolver sights aren't exactly made for long range shooting, I'm pleased with this morning at the range. Also check out the perfectly timed video frame showing the powder flash from the barrel, the front of the cylinder, and the nipple all at the same time.
Bullet mold photo is taken from:
Serven, J. E. (1964). Colt Firearms from 1836 (p. 83). Foundation Press.
Wrap the handles of that mold with suede and still wear the gloves, several popsicle sticks the wooden ones from ice cream bars and some ranger bands to hold them on can also help.
And anyone that says they never burnt themselves running ball, has never ran ball, that burn blister is a trophy be proud of it. Getting scope bit or having a lariat wear through your gloves is all the marks of being a man, and chicks dig it!!!!!!! Also if you have a surfboard bitten by a great white, the broads really go for that, not as much as a leather eye patch but close, and if they ask always claim it was a red Ryder bb gun accident.
Really good work on these Walker Colts, which I’ve always liked the look of. Glad to see they shoot as well as they look. Was going to suggest putting liners on the handles of the mould, but someone got ahead of me. Looking forward to seeing how they shape up at 100!
I'm 71 years old I have been shooting these guns guns for more than sixty years since I was 12 I shot original Hawkins and all of them from shooting these guns at a hundred yards is no problem if you have a stock unit for it you can actually shoot a lot further
Doc, I agree with you about FF vs FFF powder. I started with black powder about 47 years ago. I was and still shoot a replica 1863 .58 rifle and an 1858 Navy .36. Money was short, so when I got the Navy I tried the FF. No problem with range or accuracy. Thanks to you, and all my bills paid I'm about to upgrade to an 1858 Army .44. I'll still use FF. I like minie ball in the rifle, but get good results with round ball in the pistol. Besides, they are less expensive.
I used 2 peaces of hose and put them on my brass molds to keep from burning my hand while casting picket bullet! Just to let you know!
I'm really digging this.
If you study the manufacture of black powder you will find it is Fg, FFG, FFFG, FFFFG, based on how long it takes for a 12" line to burn. Pistol powder needs to be at least FFFG in order to complete combustion in a short barrel like a handgun, FG is for cannons, FFG for rifles, FFFG for pistols, FFFFG for priming flintlocks. On another note, try whip cocking your Walker and get back to us on accuracy that way. I think you will be surprised, as that how they were generally used in a cavalry charge. Sign me retired SGT Texas State Guard, I served with the Rangers C.I.D. for a couple of years quite an interesting group of LEO's.
The only way I could enjoy this more was being out there with you shooting also.
From what I can tell the closest mould I can find to the original Walker bullet is the Old West Bullet Moulds 44 Walker revolver mould. It is 225 grains which is close to the original weight at 219 grains. Also the shape of the bullet looks to be more accurate. The only other thing that is different is this mould has a heel for the bullet, which from what I can tell, the original bullet never had
Man, imagine trying to load that bullet on horse back in the middle of a battle. Just crazy that they would if issued it like that. I know its not original, but i found the Ruger bullet made for the Ruger black powder pistol to shoot the best out of it. I have thought of making a rear sight for mine that dovetails on the barrel and is either like a express sight or a flip up slider. The gun is way more accurate than that hammer sight allows it to be.
I see you figured out the solution to the loading lever (I posted a similar one in the older video):
I had a walker replica that I fired many times. The loading lever fall was a PITA. So I made a sleeve out of thin suede I happened to have that surrounded the lever/barrel & kept the lever in place on firing. It'd slide forward/off for loading & was thin enough to not affect the sights. Worked fine. Found out later that was what the troopers did in the mex-am war
I use corncob handles on my steel mold, they work well for me; the Walker is sighted for 200 Yards from the factory, that's why it shoots so high. It was intended to replace both the single shot Dragoon pistol, and the single shot carbine. I shoot my Walker with 40 grains of 3fffg, a lube infused felt wad, and a .220 grain Lyman soft lead conical. i.e.."44-40" I modified my revolver with a higher front sight, and sighted it for fifty yards.
Thanks John, I hadn't thought of corn cobs. Do they stay on? You're absolutely correct about the sights being set for longer distances. The frustration is the dent Uberti calls a rear sight. Opening it up would help a lot and I might do that. I like your higher front sight modification. Thanks for watching, Todd
I like the twist tie to hold the loading lever in place.
Excellent work 'Doc' - A great demo of how many fun variables are able yo be tried when shooting black powder. Thanks for sharing.
You might consider sending a few of those to Mark at Eras Gone Molds and see if he would consider making the mold for this bullet.
Thanks Doug, I might do that. But, then again, how many people would buy a mold for such a frustrating bullet. I would for historical reasons, but many others would not want to mess with it. Maybe I can sell the idea better with a successful trial at 100 yards. We will see. Todd
Very cool that was some great shooting Very nice looking pistols love that loading stand thanks for sharing 👍
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
great looking loading stand 😉
bonjour superbe vidéo malgré que youtube a eu un problème je n'ai pas put mettre le sous titre en français donc je n'ai pas tous compris ce que vous avez dis je parle pas anglais. j'espère que youtube modifiera ce petit soucis. pars contre magnifique performance de tire vue le colt walker son poids c'était joliment groupé. je pense que un tireur qui s'entraine beaucoup pourrait faire de magnifique cible a ces distances encore merci d'avoir partage votre expérience. ah oui magnifique votre selle en arrière fond dans votre bureaux ou vous avez présenter le colt walker bonne fin de journée a vous cordialement
open top Colts have always done better with round ball rather than bullets for me. 44s and 36.
When I saw the video by Mike Beliveau you referred to I was really confused by what he said about the difficulty of loading causing men to turn the bullets around, but back then, like you, I was thinking Dragoon bullet. When I later got to handle a Picket bullet I realized exactly what Mike meant, as you found out. They couldn't have been consistently accurate if only because they wouldn't sit straight all the time. It was great to see you actually casting and shooting them! I feel your pain (literally) about using the mold; I have a copy of a brass Colt mold, and I gave it up as a lost cause after one attempt; I cannot imagine how they used those molds.
Pliers, most carried them. Needed for fences, horseshoes, dentistry. 😁
That was a really good session! If you make up wooden handle extensions for your mould you will have no more burned hands, I just made up the handles with a groove to go around the handle section and fixed them with steel plates which clamp it all together, it does not look very pretty, but it works, obviously these projectiles were devised when the system was not fully understood, but to get a flat base projectile started square in the chamber is more luck than skill, as for projectiles loaded backwards causing cylinders to explode, I think that is just someone's inflated imagination, the original Walker cylinders were of wrought iron and marginal strength anyway, so a lot blew up, that is why delivery was held up, and they were never blued. M long range ballon busting was done with a Dragoon, so I had no loading problems like you have, but getting that conical seated square is very difficult, when you think that reloaders cry if a projectile is running .002" out of line they would have a fit to see how much misalignment you are getting here. Stay safe! Chris B.
Thanks Chris, I'll try a few methods to insulate the mold handles. It's a borrowed mold, so I need to be careful not to scar them up. Handles with a leather wrap should do it. Todd
@@frontierwesternheritage1356 I am glad you are persevering with this mould, the only shortcoming with it is the lack of a spigot, the dynamics of it are rather strange with a very light nose, and very little to engage the rifling, was the fragile nose deformed much on loading ?
I tried all types of insulation but found the hide wrapping little better than gloves, in the end the only thing that worked well was the crude wooden handles, I attached those to the handles without any mutilation of the mould by cutting a handle width groove in the wood, then attaching them with flat plates screwed into the wood like handlebar clamps, that worked very well, but if this projectile gives good accuracy I will make one with a short starter spigot, I make the brass moulds to fit into a standard handle unit, stay safe! Chris B.
Great video as always ! Walkers are so cool. I've found FFF seems like it works the best with at least round balls. Thanks
excellent work with the walker, just picked up a first model dragoon 44 , im shooting high at 50 yds .454 rb 45 gr fff goex
Thanks Mike, the Dragoon is the next gun I'm going to work on. It sounds like you gave me a good place to start. Thanks for commenting, Todd
Quit resting the firearm on the bottom of the grip. My favorite firearm, has always been the Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 Magnum. I found very early on that how hard you grip the gun has an effect on where the gun groups when you're shooting it. Because of the seven and a half inch barrel the standard model, the bullet is in the boar long enough that if you're holding the firearm more intensely, it will shoot lower than if you're holding it where it will easily roll up in the hand and all you have to do is lift your thumb, grab the top of the hammer and Let the Rain Fall Down as you cock the hammer. It's also very sensitive to light herbalist spending less time in the gun during The Recoil impulse while the bullet is still in the pistol. If you add to that that you now have the recoil bouncing off of your rest because you have it rested on the bottom of the grip, it's not going to bode well. It will cause it to shoot High. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
Thanks Hawk, I've tried resting on the barrel and couldn't hit the hill. Then I tried the frame and sprayed bullets everywhere. Resting the grip in my hands did the best. I never published the video where I rested the barrel and then the frame because it was so horrible. I can't speak for heavy recoil smokeless, but I wonder if black powder is different. I know it is in long-range black power silhouette where guys rest the barrel of their rifle on crossed sticks. That would destroy accuracy with smokeless. All your points are right on, but the Walker performed better resting the grip. Thanks for watching, Todd
There is a fix video for the dropping rammer; it's careful filing of the catch. Supposed to make it tight as you want. I have done it with some success, need more range time in the near future, hopefully.
Thanks Lee, I've considered filing the the catch on the spring. But I've also seen where it didn't work. If I were carrying Walkers as a weapon, I'd come up with something. Some originals were retrofitted with a latch like later models. Others used a leather strap - which I imagine sliding off in the pommel holster. Thanks for commenting, Todd
Nicely done. Looking forward to the 100 yard shots. I hit my Walker with the dremel and a dab of cold blue. Didn’t take much at all.👍🏻
Thanks, that's good to know. Todd
Noticed the string around the barrel and the loading lever. Also, it seemed that the caps were setting back and interfering with cylinder rotation. ☹️
The fired caps were giving me the most trouble. I was, however, seeing the unfired caps jumping back a little. If I were betting my life on this gun, I would do a lot of testing to find the most trouble-free loads and caps. I think I could fix a lot of problems. Thanks for watching, Todd
Everybody needs a blue ribbon for their smokewagon
I didn't have a black one. But blue does dress it up a little. Todd
Yeah I was hoping to see you do something at a hundred yards after last time Adventure
It's coming. I think I can make it happen judging by the performance last week. Todd
I totally agree I know you can do it
We had a uberti 1873 7.5in 45c out for its first time and we had to line the sights roughly a foot below the 6in circle target from a rest, of 15 rounds we hit it 3 times, was funny as we never expected to hit it once, load was orginal army load.
I bet part of the elevation issue is the long barrel and significant recoil. The bullet is in the barrel long enough to be influenced by the recoil. I imagine it's similar with the Walker I was using. A six inch circle is a challenge regardless. Thanks for commenting, Todd
@@frontierwesternheritage1356 definitely a fun challenge and I believe your correct. I always enjoy your videos man, dont mind the small audience.
Looks like you might be doing as well with it as you was with the 86 lever gun.
Thanks Steven, there's a lot of room for improvement on both. Thanks to watching, Todd
Do you think that loading the Picket bullets upside down could produce a "shaped charge" effect and contributed to the burst cylinders? DJ
Yes. I would also worry about a bullet tipping on barrel entry, allowing too much gas escape passed it, and not exiting the barrel. The next shot would be catastrophic. Thanks for watching, Todd
Great video. Wow glad to see they are decently accurate. I wonder if that’s because they are similarly sized and weigh close to a round ball these reproductions are optimized for being they are what most modern shooters use.
Can’t wait to see how they shoot at 100. I’m now set up for casting(finished 2nd in my division in a black powder cartridge rifle silhouette match yesterday with my own bullets I cast) so once you’re finished and send the mould back I can burn myself trying to make some as well lol.
I bet if I really tinkered with loads I could tighten up that group. Filing open the rear sight would help too. I can hardly see the front sight through what's more of a dent than a notch.
I'll take inventory and might need to cast a few more. But should get the mold back to you in a month. Is that soon enough? I'd like to say two weeks, but, looking at my schedule, I need to be honest. Todd
@@frontierwesternheritage1356 no hurry. When you do send it back I am going to send it and a bullet to accurate molds and have them make a few modern molds that drop these bullets so it’s easier to cast and i’ll put this reproduction back on display in my walker case. Maybe a 3 cavity with 2 picket bullets and 1 round ball. Not sure gotta see the cost. And also others will be able to buy these molds if it gets put in their catalog since there isn't a current mould being made for these bullets.
Blacksmith supply, Kevlar glove will do the trick
I would have used the old traditional bailer twine to keep the load leaver up I had to laugh at the blue ribbon but I know something funnier I knew a guy that used grease gun grease to smear over the face of his 1860 cap and ball cylinder after loading it what a mess and another guy that used pyrodex in the flash pan on his flintlock it makes a fizz sound for the longest time till it goes off it seemed funny at the time
The blue ribbon was all I could find. I it stole from my wife's gift wrapping box. I had a leather shoelace that was a little more manly, but it covered too much of the front sight. Thanks for watching and commenting, Todd
@@frontierwesternheritage1356 well I thought that you might get a giggle out of the the funny things I have seen friends do with there black powder guns
Contact Lee Precision see if they can make you a mold for the Picket Ball. Their molds come with handles, wooden, I have cast a couple hundred rounds of various calibers per session without getting any blisters. A fellow I knew years back had an original Walker that he shot frequently, it was a monster, don't remember a lot about it though. He past away and the kids fought over his gun collection for years. The youngest finally got it all and they were sold within a week, what a waste as far as the others went. Great video, keep at it, I am anxious to see where the Walker shoots at 100 yards.
Thanks Ray, I'll look into a custom mold. It would be nice to have. It's a shame what unappreciative heirs do with lifetime collections. But someone in the market got a very sought after antique. Todd
Who sells the picket mold?
I had one mailed to me by a viewer. It was a reproduction that came in a boxed set for a 2nd or 3rd generation Colt Walker. I'm sure there are originals out there, but a good one would be extremely spendy. I used it and mailed it back. Thanks for watching, Todd
I would think in Montana you could shoot on your own land and not have to depend on going to a range.
That would be nice. But in Bozeman, Montana, you can't afford land. The median home price hit $700,000 last summer (thank you Hollywood). Down slightly now, but not affordable. If I could, I would own a place with a 100 yard range. But it's not possible unless I retire and move somewhere else - which is getting tempting. Thanks for watching, Todd
@@frontierwesternheritage1356 Sounds like Washington state where I live. A high school buddy of mine recently moved from Dallas to Utah. Can't remember the town, but seems like your dollars go a little further outside of Salt Lake. Western Arkansas isn't too bad if you don't mind heat and humidity in the summer.
You guys are so lucky to have your newly manufactures BP guns considered like the originals as for shooting them. Here North of the border, thay are restricted and even prohibited if the barrel is under a certain length. I still can't understand as they are even safer to shoot and impossible to load faster than an original built before 1898. Hey, who's to really understand the logics in politic anyway? I can't wait to see that 100 yard shot.
Josh, I'm sorry to hear about the restrictions you face. I am fortunate indeed. Thanks for watching. Todd
I'll stick to round balls with my walker , thank you very much!
Mike, I can't argue that. Thanks for watching, Todd