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Walker or Dragoon ?

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Thinking of adding another .44 cal cap & ball to my collection.

Cant make up my mind if I should pick up a Walker or Dragoon. Pietta or Uberti

So would like your pro,s and con,s of each model and what your preferences are.

Thanks in advance for sharing your advice and wisdom.

Bill
 
I have three Walkers, two ASM and a Colt Black Powder Series. And one Uberti First Model Dragoon. Walker all the way. The Uberti Walkers are excellent.
Thanks ! I have been leaning towards a Walker from reading up on the 2. But still interested in hearing from everyone here and gaining more information before I pull the trigger.
 
Pros vs. cons-

The Walker is very big: 4.9 pounds,15.5 inches long and a full cylinder will hold nearly 350 grains of powder. The loading lever will occasionally drop with heavy loads.
Dragoon is big, 4.2 pounds, 13.5 inches, full cylinder holds 300 grains. No cons with either, in my book!
 
Comparison: Colt Walker, top, Uberti 1st Model Dragoon, bottom. Note difference In barrel and cylinder length and lack of rammer latch on the Walker.
FF89350E-609E-4472-A374-959EC55DD003.jpeg
 
Well... the Walkers can hold more powder, so if you wanna maximize power levels, it's the Walker. That said, very few people really want to touch off a revolver with a 60 grain charge in it more than once. Also, the Walker's loading lever often comes loose under recoil and locks up the cylinder. It's a design defect that even the originals had. Remember, it was designed in what.... 1847? It was the first practical revolver... or some would say anyway.

The Dragoon(s) had a more effective loading lever that did not release under recoil. Their sights were better as they actually had a front sight and not a bead/post. They were also a bit lighter than the Walker. Other than that, they are very similar revolvers. Both of them were considered "horse pistols" and were commonly carried by a horse in a pommel holster. They are both very heavy guns.

If you plan to carry it in a belt holster, I implore you to consider the Colt 1860 Army instead. You can load up respectable charges capable of doing whatever you might task a revolver chambered in .44 Special or .45 Colt to do and it won't require you to visit a chiropractor after a day of carrying it. Along with the 1851 Navy, it was kind of the first practical man-carried revolver.

Years ago I acquired a Walker made of stainless steel by an Italian company now out of business whose name I cannot recall.... something San Marco (sucks gettin' old). It was dirty and missing parts, but I manage to clean it up and scrounge the missing screws. I fired it with the sixty grain charge once, but only the one time. Charge weights of forty to fifty grains are more practical.

Getting the things to shoot where they look can also be problematical in my experience. My Pietta 1860 Army hits right on the money with standard charges of thirty grains or so.

I have long since sold my Armi San Marco (yea! memory is slow, but not broken) Walker, and honestly, I don't really miss it.
 
Due to less weight hanging out front, the Dragoon does. Nothing like the "extension of the arm" pleasantries the 1860 or 1851 Colts offer. But the Walker is just So. Much. More. Fun. I bought my first ASM Walker nearly fifty years ago and still shoot it. And it's still fun! I own a number of cap & ball revolvers, the Walker gets shot the most.
 
Well... the Walkers can hold more powder, so if you wanna maximize power levels, it's the Walker. That said, very few people really want to touch off a revolver with a 60 grain charge in it more than once. Also, the Walker's loading lever often comes loose under recoil and locks up the cylinder. It's a design defect that even the originals had. Remember, it was designed in what.... 1847? It was the first practical revolver... or some would say anyway.

The Dragoon(s) had a more effective loading lever that did not release under recoil. Their sights were better as they actually had a front sight and not a bead/post. They were also a bit lighter than the Walker. Other than that, they are very similar revolvers. Both of them were considered "horse pistols" and were commonly carried by a horse in a pommel holster. They are both very heavy guns.

If you plan to carry it in a belt holster, I implore you to consider the Colt 1860 Army instead. You can load up respectable charges capable of doing whatever you might task a revolver chambered in .44 Special or .45 Colt to do and it won't require you to visit a chiropractor after a day of carrying it. Along with the 1851 Navy, it was kind of the first practical man-carried revolver.

Years ago I acquired a Walker made of stainless steel by an Italian company now out of business whose name I cannot recall.... something San Marco (sucks gettin' old). It was dirty and missing parts, but I manage to clean it up and scrounge the missing screws. I fired it with the sixty grain charge once, but only the one time. Charge weights of forty to fifty grains are more practical.

Getting the things to shoot where they look can also be problematical in my experience. My Pietta 1860 Army hits right on the money with standard charges of thirty grains or so.

I have long since sold my Armi San Marco (yea! memory is slow, but not broken) Walker, and honestly, I don't really miss it.
Thank you Dale Allen Raby. Very good information. I appreciate you sharing it. I have an 1851 and 1860 and love shooting both. I agree that the 1860 feels great in the hand and has proved to be very accurate. Just thinking I want to add a "Horse Pistol" to the collection. Wasnt sure which one i needed/wanted till i heard what y,all had to say.
I truely appreciate everyone's input and advice. That's what make this forum so great
 
Just posted an ad in the classified for either. From your post and advice, I am confident I will be happy with either model. Will let you know what I end up with, and will give an update when I get some range time.

Thanks again
Bill
 
The answer you’re looking for is simple. You have two hands. Get one for each. Problem solved…or not. I have both. Sometimes I spend hours arguing with myself which one to shoot. One is for odd numbered days, while the other is an even day shooter. Unless of course the odd day falls on a Saturday, or a Sunday. It’s like choosing your favorite child. :doh: :cool:
 
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