Colt Walker in .45 Colt, Part 2: Kirst Konverter Range Test

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Check out the Guns of the West store here: gunsoftheweststore.com

[@ericgleixner4074]

When an expert takes pride in their work, as they should.

[@mikepoteet1443]

That gunsmith treated that gun as if it was his own. Good man.

[@Grandmaster-Kush]

Gunsmiths are a special kind of craftsmen, never met one that didn't go all out

[@Dr4gon2000]

I guarantee that he did not. Gunsmiths tend to be far more careful with a customers guns than their own lol

[@shashidharmurthy2226]

Yes, a wrist watch repair honest man treated my 35 year old "Reiko 5" watch as his own & repaired the very little defect,& returned to me honestly,may their tribe increase 😃

[@traetormenta]

What's the problem..

[@jw-sigp2258]

Thank you sir. Did mod to my 1860 army front sight and now my groups are noticeably smaller at 25 yards. I can still run steel with it quick too. Did rear sight for elevation. Still have it set up for 6 o’clock hold but it’s hitting 2” high at 25 yards now. My standard load is 30 grains of 3F black powder and a .454 roundball. Love your videos!

[@dennisatkins9837]

Perfect excuse to buy another Walker!

[@thomasgellos1732]

Governor Hochul of No York stole the election by making a news story how the voting equipment was hacked and because of that Lee Zeldin lost. Watch New York politics closely

[@thomasgellos1732]

My point was she made black powder guns illegal to buy even though they were exempt from the 1968 gun control act...

[@johnricheson2796]

Nice Dustin! I just completed a .45 Colt, Kirst Conversion on my 1860 army Sheriff's model w/the 5.5" barrel. It took 3 hrs give or take and turned out well. It is nice to have as a backup gun for CAS. I use it with a replica CSA period holster in cross draw. I could have bought a Taylor & Co Richard Mason conversion cheaper, but it was more satisfying to do it myself. Congrats on your Walker and great video.

[@SlickSixguns]

I need to get myself a kirst conversion for my 1860

[@discipleochrist4202]

kirst makes a excellent product, amazing craftsmanship from the 22 lr to the big 45 lc to the new 45 acp open top konverters!

[@traviscochran6280]

Finding revolver ammo has been hard. I haven't seen .45 colt, .44-40, .38 S&W, or any of the .32's in a long time. Only primers I have seen in a year have been 209's. Percussion cap have been thin on the ground too. Makes me think I should get a flintlock blunderbuss.

[@Sam-xt1wu]

This is such a good channel. Every video is high quality.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thank you!

[@josephpace8816]

Just bought the Lonesome Dove Walkers.

[@mikek8089]

Kirst makes fine products. I did my 1851 & 1860, and also left the loading levers in place so I can still shoot C&B. I feel your pain as far as primer availability! My three presses have been sitting idle for almost a year now.😕

[@williammccaslin8527]

Did you notice a big difference in recoil between the 200's an the 250's, thx for the vid

[@Matzah1982]

I got me a couple of boxes of the same brand of HSM .45 colt 200 grain cowboy loads a few months ago for my brand new Uberti 1858 new model army revolver to shoot with my brand new Howell fluted .45 colt drop in cartridge conversion cylinder. I bought them both also a few months ago and I’ve taken her out shooting a couple of times and I much prefer shooting cowboy loads instead of cap and ball. It’s nearly impossible to get the good Remington brand caps nowadays as well as 3f Swiss black powder so I was lucky to score the 2 boxes of cowboy loads that I did and I made the right choice spending a few hundred bucks more on the conversion cylinder. I had to drive nearly 300 miles to the Cabela’s outlet in Hamburg PA. to score the ammo

[@Beamos12]

Thanks Dustin, now I want to send my walker in to get the conversation! Lol great video keep up the awesome content!

[@baconatordoom]

I miss the days when craftsmen took pride in customer service like the smith who did the work here. Now it's all about the $$$. People like that are a dying breed.

[@aurteekay6339]

That 45 colt would’ve been blowing your loading lever down all the time. Common thing on those guns with more powerful rounds or gunpowder loads. He hooked you up. Good dude

[@snappers_antique_firearms]

Lol yeah the walker looks a bit odd without its loading lever. Great video dustin

[@jimsmirh2406]

Pretty cool Dustin. It seems to shoot good.

[@rebeccaback3287]

I like this conversion.I also like the original. The gunsmith done verry nice work.David Back.

[@jackpitw]

A first it sounded like you were saying "CURSED" converter... lol Looks like a really high quality outfit.

[@therightisright8276]

I will try 250 gr conicals in my New Model Army .45 I now see people wear hearing protection at ranges to block out loudmouths and other guns that distract, not to protect hearing.

[@michaelpierson7256]

I haven't fired my uberty walker in many years (1980s, its something how time slips by), i recall the loading lever unlaching while shooting, good tip about the catch shape. Thanks. I got some balls a while back so il test it again😊

[@thomasgellos1732]

The kick on that Walker is saying That ammo is hotter that CA Good review

[@kylethedalek]

I don’t get the point of it in .45 Colt. That big of a gun I would rather just shoot another smaller gun in that caliber. I get it easier to load and such, but it’s a shame the gun won’t handle hotter loads. Especially with its size.

[@paulkopacz5051]

@@kylethedalek It's not a Ruger but the Uberti's and Pietta's are made of modern steel. Standard .45 Colt ammo is fine but no "RUGER ONLY" loads. .45 Colt can be loaded to pressures greater than .44 Magnum (If you handload) but only for guns capable of handling it, hence the "RUGER ONLY" and even then that means OLD Vaquero's not the NEW Vaquero's and Blackhawks, Redhawks in that caliber.

[@kylethedalek]

@@paulkopacz5051 Why can’t they make some of the older styles Colts that can handle more powerful loads? I don’t get how they can’t anyway with modern steel, but I’m sure I’ve seen other Walkers chambered in more powerful calibers. And I never knew that about .45 Colt, how much more powerful than .44 Magnum can’t it get?

[@thomasgellos1732]

@@kylethedalek 44 magnum are for the movie theater folks 45 colt are for gun enthusiasts

[@kylethedalek]

@@thomasgellos1732 I know more gun enthusiasts who prefer .44 magnum, and .45 Colt is a close second for most of them. And I would bet they have more guns than you?

[@troyjanise9051]

I recently bought a conversion cylinder for my Uberti 2nd Model Dragoon. I kind of wish I'd spent a bit more and gotten the Kirst. That gunsmith did a really fine job on Dustin's Walker!

[@alanhope1190]

Great fun, Pard! So glad for you, and a little jealous, too! Might have to get my Second Dragoon done. But I already have four converted Remingtons, lol! Best Regards, hope we meet up somewhere down the trail.

[@Snuffy03]

The Walker is my favorite of the Colts

[@Remy-de8kl]

It’d be a cool project for you to do a colt Dragon or even an 1860 army like InRange did

[@Touchstarvedguy]

Awesome video, Dustin! It's like shooting 22s 🤣

[@woodsmanforlife1677]

Gus'es gun. It lives!

[@johnshipley9755]

Any chance you can do a 45-55 conversion cylinder on your Walker,,Thanks

[@milesmanges]

Now the new kirst konverter cylinders can handle standard pressure 45 colt in the walker and dragoons 🇺🇲👍

[@gunsnwatches]

Awesome Vid!!!!

[@killern3rd422]

Great follow up video my guy, i always saw the colt walker as the proverbial dragon slayer of the west and it's always fun to just see people screw around and shoot this behemoth of a gun. Waiting for the moment you start blasting some 45-55 walker on this baby, see yah soon old top

[@louisianagray8618]

Yeah I want to see if the loading labor is still fixed after that

[@paultrimble9390]

Got 45 acp 1858 pietta from Walt gated one needed little work to fit right worked but was tight certain cylinders rotation called kurst Walt called back put me right through it . They are awesome people out there had several conversations with Walt . It felt to me like I was talking to my Gramps he took his time out of day called me back made sure I got it right. Like a a great person would like my grandpa. R. I. P. But yeah there a great group he's got working out there. Can't wait to get few more parts from them. 45 long Colt for my piette colt. And 22lr for both Remington and Colt. Then possibly another cylinder in 45 long Colt for Remington love ACP but need long Colt to reason got acp because son got Kimber 1911 and we could get 45 acp at time when it looked like nothing was coming back out. Lol

[@kmorris180]

I think it's cool. If you look just before the bullet leaves the frame, you can see it. I'm thinking about having Gary Barns do a 45-60 conversion on my Walker. He bases it off of the Krist conversion.

[@garymiller5416]

10 thumbs up

[@gerrypowell2748]

Nice work on it👌

[@slingshotwarrrior8105]

Awesome revolver bro!

[@robertriley1327]

That’s is awesome. I have a Colt black powder Walker. But I think I might have to get a Ubert and try the conversion Cylinder

[@johnt.chambers4204]

Nice. I have been wanting one for a while. Just haven't got around to it yet.

[@dylanschulz2404]

45 Colt brass is hard to find now. If you keep loads at or below 13,500 psi (1st tier loads) you will be fine IF they took care of the arbor nonbottoming issue. It looks like the wedge should not just pop out with your fingers and should have to be tapped out and in place! If that wedge doesn't fit tight with the arbor bottomed out in the barrel then the accuracy will suffer. Thanks for the video.

[@TheModernDayMountainMan]

Excellent! Have you found any primers yet? I’ve seen a bunch of large pistol around but never buy any because I don’t use them.

[@charlesharper7292]

I shoot 45 colt in my Ruger Blackhawk. I can find ammo, but it's damn expensive now.

[@Wildwest89]

Nice shooting

[@mikeashely8198]

My 45 Colt I have I have some 1977 new I have always shot 250 grain bullets but it's been a few years since I fired it

[@dalesearcy5734]

May I suggest that you add a small sticker of some kind to the target in the area that you are aiming at, for reference. Small target, small miss. As always, I enjoy your videos. Please keep them coming.

[@kamikaze00007]

I wonder if it's possible to further modify something like this so the cylinder loading mechanism becomes a swing out, for easier loading and easier casing ejection? It would be really cool to see something like that. A combination of the old classical design and profile on the outside, but a modernized functional design on the inside.

[@kennethhowell1272]

Be interesting to chronograph the 45 Colt (cowboy loads) against say 50gr 3f and a conical in the Walker Colt replica. Realize it's not period correct, but it would be much more functional to have a 3rd Model Dragoon rammer on a Walker.

[@lostonessoul5154]

gotta say...I like the look of the walker. Uf I'm right this is the gun that comes before the Navy right?

[@GunsOfTheWest]

It was before the Navy, but there were also a few models between this and the Navy. A couple of pocket models and a few Dragoons. Thanks for watching!

[@AllenTaskForce]

I use the Black Hills Cowboy Action Ammunition 45 LC 250 Grain Round Nose Flat Point in my dragoon they seem to shoot very accurate for me. If you reload I recommend using 255 wadcutters there great for blowing up fruit and water jugs.

[@troyjanise9051]

I have a 1978 Armi San Maro Walker that I woukd like to find some #12 nipples for. The original Walkers and Dragoons and the early reproductions came with #12s but then they were changed to #11s. In my research I learned caps were made in sizes #9-#13. 10s and 11s are the only ones made for cap and ball pistols now...as far as I know.

[@nikitamckeever5403]

You running nitro through that black powder revolver 😳 . The space time continuum will rupture buddy 😂

[@davidhomen6204]

Will you be shooting 45-55 Walker ammo later on?

[@jeffshootsstuff]

Have you found that HSM ammo to be consistent? For me every other round feels like a squib. Very sensitive to powder position, possibly.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

I haven’t had that problem myself, but I’ve heard of others having it.

[@HitokiriRaiden]

Seen where some have been reaming the cylinder's for the walker conversion cylinder's and using smith & wesson 460 brass with 60gr of black powder, seems to work pretty well and keeps from the bullet having to go so far before it gets to the forcing cone.

[@garymiller5416]

Loading 60 grains is doable but really pounding on the firearm. Most suggest keeping it down to 50 grains which is still quite powerful and not so hard on it.

[@longrider42]

I suspect if you loaded your own ammo, you could tweak the powder charge and get them right on target. That's the joy of black powder.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Agreed.

[@garygabrielle1056]

Question. With the milling out for ammo at loading gate frame. Can you still go back to old cylinder and shoot old school loads?

[@BogeyTheBear]

Looks like you can. If anything, putting caps on the nipples should be easier now.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Absolutely! The ability to use the cap-and-ball cylinder is not affected.

[@jeffshootsstuff]

Are those SMALL PRIMER .45 Colt brass? For heaven's sake. Why do they do this??

[@dadinkle]

Dear god please tell me where to get percussion caps! Please lolol i bought a 44 navy colt to shoot bc of your channel, love firearms but cannot find percussion caps for 2 years now lol please god help me

[@GunsOfTheWest]

I feel your frustration. The best for that gun are the Remington #10 caps and they’re very scarce now. You can also use CCI #11, which are a bit easier to find.

[@dadinkle]

@@GunsOfTheWest cant even find cci around here, east texas has been dry for 2 years

[@edgarkeck3010]

Is that conversion SASS LEGAL for cowboy action shooting? Very nice pistol. Definitely a serious shooting iron!

[@grendeldog01]

The original 80% lower! 😉

[@yearight1205]

Did you hear about how Cabelas and Bass Pro Shop halted all sales of Black Powder Revolvers?

[@GunsOfTheWest]

I didn’t. When was that? I was in Cabela’s over the weekend and there were plenty available.

[@yearight1205]

@@GunsOfTheWest I live in the state of Illinois, and was told that corporate made the decision due to a convicted felon buying one from Cabela's and committing a shooting with it. So they will no longer be carrying them he said to me. Because in Illinois Black Powder Revolvers are treated as firearms, so we can't ship them around. And so it's REAL hard to get them here, unless you have them shipped to an FFL.

[@snappers_antique_firearms]

Hey dustin i just noticed the notches on the Kursk converter are not the oval of the walkers. Did they change out the bolt or did they do a modification that makes the bolt work for both. My dragoon was modified and the mid-1850s so that the bolt can use a normal 3rd model style notches and the ovals of my first dragoon. So I'm curious if they did something like that. Also i ordered the cartridge boxes you sell. Do they fit conical bullets? I had some loaded up and they didn't seem to fit. but they were not loaded from your paper cartridge kit. I had them from long before. So I don't know if they're too long or if that's normal. Thanks

[@LarryTalbot_1313]

I have thought about buying an extra '60 or maybe an NMA and converting it, but I wasn't sure because of the high cost, but I'm sure now. I think I'll do it if the economy ever gets better where I might have a little extra to save to get it done.

[@2525Hudson]

A great piece, due to being in the UK i had to give up my firearms years ago, but i still keep and interest in the subject, i shot practical pistol with a Colt 1911 series 80 which had many modifications, happy times. I am of course not familiar with the supply of ammo now in the US, why is there such a short supply ?

[@johnnydjiurkopff]

Because our government is artificially inflating the market. We've got like 8 different non military or law enforcement government agencies dropping millions on ammo per month here in the states. That, and a lot of ammo manufacturers got the constituents for their priming compounds from Ukraine so the war has slowed production significantly.

[@yearight1205]

I have a weird question for ya. Do you know of or have any experience darkening the wood grip on these old black powder revolvers? Reason I ask is because I got an Armi San Marco 3rd model Dragoon that was made in 1974, and the wood handle has been darkened some how. And man I gotta tell you, the gun looks so incredible that all I can think of is how in the hell do I do it to my 1860 Army. Any knowledge on this would be greatly appreciated.

[@johnnydjiurkopff]

If it was done at home it was probably stained or charred. Some varnishings can darken pretty nicely as well.

[@chaecoco2]

Does this converversion preclude switching out the conversion cylinder and shooting as a cap and ball revolver? I don't want to do it if it permanently converts to a cartridge revolver.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

No, you can switch back to the original cap and ball cylinder very quickly. The entire conversion slides right off of the arbor, just like the original cylinder.

[@michaelchambers7691]

Try getting that loading lever replaced with a cartridge ejector.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Kirst does offer them, at least for a lot of these revolvers.

[@JRCOBRA]

So you'll need a gunsmith to cut it for the door for loading?

[@garymiller5416]

yes, and to modify the arbor

[@brianpartlow5530]

It's interesting to see how they convert to modern ammo. I wouldn't do it if I had a walker because they had to cut into it. I already have a taurus judge if I want to shoot 45 colt ammo. The walker is a beast, you could probably shoot some hot ammo with it or would you worry about metal strength.

[@troyjanise9051]

I wouldn't trust it with hot ammo. It's not so much the metal as the design of the arbor that the cylinder rotates on. It's only screwed into the frame a half inch or so and then has a keeper screw to keep it from backing out. Then the wedge holds the barrel on through the othervend of the arbor. Although I like the looks of the Colts better, the Remington is a much stronger action because of its design.

[@garymiller5416]

@@troyjanise9051 Those pistols were designed to shoot 60 grains of cap and ball, and that's with metallurgy from the 1800's. I'll be having mine converted to shoot 460 S&W shooting 50 grains which will also allow me to shoot 45 colt as well. These guns are built like a tank at 4 1/2 pounds empty.

[@troyjanise9051]

​@garymiller5416 I have 45 Colt cylinders for my ASM Walker and Uberti 2nd Model Dragoon. You're right about the Walker being built like a tank. My Dragoon is much more comfortable and the loading lever latch design is MUCH better than the Walker's. My brother has a 460 S&W. It's one of the only pistols I don't enjoy shooting. It has the worst recoil of any pistol I've ever shot. The 45 Colt is one of my favorite rounds. I have a Uberti 1866 Winchester rifle with a 24" barrel chambered in 45 Colt. Shooting cowboy loads, the recoil is about like a bolt action 223. With hand loads though, the Cresent shaped buttpad has a tendency to punish my shoulder.

[@irishinnj72]

So, it's not possible to convert the Walker Colt to fire .44 magnum rounds?

[@robertrobert7924]

Thank you for shooting @25 yds. and giving us that information. Shooting at a lesser range is a waste of powder. Imagine shooting @50 yds. with an attachable butt stock with 250 gr. bullets. I bet it would be accurate too.

[@StrengthAndConditioning61]

I'd like to see how that shoots with about 6gr of titegroup behind a 250 gr cast Lee bullet

[@graypatriot1299]

the conversion looks sweet, but it is spendy

[@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike]

It would be nice if Uberti got on the band wagon and made a conversion model of the Walker and Dragoon.

[@garymiller5416]

True enough

[@valmy2784]

O colt dragon e revólver mais lindo de todos os tempos 👏🇧🇷 love 🇺🇸❤️

[@john8495]

Would it be possible to email you with some pictures with help identifying what I believe is an early uberti 1950’s-1960’s navy arms co colt navy .44cal? Picked up from a private seller who didn’t know much about it.

[@edmarmohr3611]

Muito legal esse Colt👏👏👍👍😄😄🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@ianhale4466]

Isn't a hot blackpowder walker load more powerful than a cowboy 45 load?

[@garymiller5416]

Far more. History claims it to be the first magnum handgun and the most powerful production pistol issued up until the advent of the 357 mag in 1935

[@ianhale4466]

@garymiller5416 I forget why I even asked, it was probably a rhetorical question. Hell a standard cap and ball in .44 is just as powerful as a .45 colt out of a schofield, one just has a copper jacket 🤷

[@mr.e.2175]

Taller front sight??

[@GunsOfTheWest]

That would fix it. Colt eventually did that on later guns.

[@dangernoodle139]

Whats the muzzle velocities on those cowboy loads?

[@greenbroccolistudios1275]

I like the colt revolver and henry rifle tho ;)

[@garymiller5416]

I really want to like mine, but the tube feeding process is not my favorite.

[@thebestbadness420k6]

If you don't mind my asking, what specific cylinder is this? Everytime I try to find the Walker cylinder it just says it's for the 1st through 3rd model dragoons.

[@rustyauerswald1069]

I own 4

[@garymiller5416]

Lucky you!

[@shashidharmurthy2226]

Sir,though these revolvers are made in these modern times why the important Safety catch has not been installed? Plz. reply.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

These are replicas of historical firearms.

[@DonaldWyman]

I imagine this big hog of a pistol is smooth as silk to shoot with .45LC vs a SAA (not that a SAA is bad but comparatively) since it is heavier.

[@shinigami117s8]

Did you do a comparison yet ?

[@plaguepandemic5651]

So odd to see a Walker fire without any smoke.

[@iowafarmbros]

Is your ammo black powder or smokeless?

[@GunsOfTheWest]

@@iowafarmbros These cartridges are smokeless.

[@ХасанДаудов-х8я]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@lyndonfisher1974]

what pistol rest is that please???

[@mtskies8077]

On a scale of one to ten, how much did it make you feel like Gus? I mean TV mini series Gus, not book Gus who used a Dragoon. :)

[@GunsOfTheWest]

I’d say 10!

[@pyromain]

so this is what happens when heisenberg plays red dead redemption 2

[@MrEddienoe]

How accurate is it with black powder

[@garymiller5416]

Minute of bad guy...or his horse

[@thomasmanson1119]

Where’s the smoke!?

[@garymiller5416]

He's shooting smokeless

[@justincolt2558]

The question is that if the Walker is more powerful in 45 Colt than black powder?

[@darylnahorny8326]

The Walker spots high because it is zeroed in for 100 yards just as the originals