I know the whole story on this and how rare they are and how they fetch close to half a million in good shape. My question is,. Are there any Original Colt Walkers kickin' around in Canada? Private collectors, museums? Has anyone held one before? The Holy Grail of antique Revolvers.
Original Colt Walker
- Thread starter brooksy
- Start date
- Location
- St. Paul AB
So maybe you could settle an disagreement for me then. It's my understanding that there are only about 127 known specimens left out of around 1100 Holy Grails ever produced. An old friend of mine seems to think that there is closer to 30 or 40.
Closet I ever came to seeing one was many years ago at a local gun crank's house, he pulled from a drawer the biggest cap and ball revolver I'd ever seen. I asked "Is that an original Walker Colt?" He was surprised I knew what it was, chuckled and said "No, I wish." The thing is, it would not have shocked me in the least if this particular guy has one stashed away somewhere.
But the closest thing I've ever handled was an original 1851 Navy serial number placed it as the last Colt produced in England. I can still remember the serial number. Of course this was at the same guy's house. So it's become almost blase to go there and see exotic units there. What floors me is how he obtains them.
Closet I ever came to seeing one was many years ago at a local gun crank's house, he pulled from a drawer the biggest cap and ball revolver I'd ever seen. I asked "Is that an original Walker Colt?" He was surprised I knew what it was, chuckled and said "No, I wish." The thing is, it would not have shocked me in the least if this particular guy has one stashed away somewhere.
But the closest thing I've ever handled was an original 1851 Navy serial number placed it as the last Colt produced in England. I can still remember the serial number. Of course this was at the same guy's house. So it's become almost blase to go there and see exotic units there. What floors me is how he obtains them.
Yes I have held one in my hands with gloves on. It was an awesome pistol and owned by a friend here in Canada. It was not the rarest gun I have ever held though.
The Winchester 1886 Musket Hawaiian Police issue is the rarest I have examined...there were supposedly less then 125 made and only a handful known to exist...it was priced at 6 figures. The other rare gun I have held is a Confederate Cofer revolver...another 6 figure gun.
I could never imagine owning either one of these guns...way too valuable to buy let only store/display in a secure manner.
Cheers
The Winchester 1886 Musket Hawaiian Police issue is the rarest I have examined...there were supposedly less then 125 made and only a handful known to exist...it was priced at 6 figures. The other rare gun I have held is a Confederate Cofer revolver...another 6 figure gun.
I could never imagine owning either one of these guns...way too valuable to buy let only store/display in a secure manner.
Cheers
Of the 1000 produced there are approx. 85 that are known to exist. This is out of a black powder book I have from the 70's. Maybe more have popped up since then..
From what I have read they are extreamly heavy.
From what I have read they are extreamly heavy.
- Location
- St. Paul AB
Well they were called "horse pistols" because it was the horse that carried it. They weren't designed as a belt gun. Be like hauling a Desert Eagle around, but more awkward.
85 sounds low to me, I'm sure it's over a hundred. A few more probably surfaced since. Thanks for some numbers to work with though. Now the 1886 Hawawiian Police Musket. That's a good one. Somewhere there is another Tom Selleck movie in there that could use one... Magnum P.I. meets Matthew Quigley.
There are lots of stories of Henrys, Yellow Boys, Walkers, and other valued specimens that were fraudulent reproductions that were cleverly antiqued. Especially the low serial numbered reproductions that matched original production figures. I'd seen an Antiques Roadshow one time where a guy had been given a set of "Colt Navys" to settle a debt from the early 80's. He looked fit to kill when the appraiser told him he'd been had. The set of pistols to cover an almost $3000 loan (in 1980 dollars), was worth maybe four hundred, but you had to clean the crud off of them first. I knew he was screwed when he mentioned a "tacky" feel of the leather of the gunbelt that held them.
85 sounds low to me, I'm sure it's over a hundred. A few more probably surfaced since. Thanks for some numbers to work with though. Now the 1886 Hawawiian Police Musket. That's a good one. Somewhere there is another Tom Selleck movie in there that could use one... Magnum P.I. meets Matthew Quigley.
There are lots of stories of Henrys, Yellow Boys, Walkers, and other valued specimens that were fraudulent reproductions that were cleverly antiqued. Especially the low serial numbered reproductions that matched original production figures. I'd seen an Antiques Roadshow one time where a guy had been given a set of "Colt Navys" to settle a debt from the early 80's. He looked fit to kill when the appraiser told him he'd been had. The set of pistols to cover an almost $3000 loan (in 1980 dollars), was worth maybe four hundred, but you had to clean the crud off of them first. I knew he was screwed when he mentioned a "tacky" feel of the leather of the gunbelt that held them.
The Walker isn't THAT big, lol... ok, maybe somewhat awkward to carry, but I could very well see one in any Clint Eastwood western, lol!
Nice gun though... I'll wait for one to pop up on EE (hopefully with an excellent bore, no pits and for under $1000).
Nice gun though... I'll wait for one to pop up on EE (hopefully with an excellent bore, no pits and for under $1000).
Brooksy, I know of 4 in Southern Ont, and one is very close to where you live.
Road King
I know of one in Wpg (or it was there 20 years ago, I should say). Haven't seen another since. Bought a replica for a friend as a wedding gift some years back. I like them, not ungainly in spite of the bulk. - dan
Interesting Colt Walker myth?
Hey guys,
I just watched Eastwood's Unforgiven today (a classic!). In the scene where Big Bill (Hackman) is talking to the book writer near the jail cells, he mentions how English Bob (Harris) got lucky on one of his drunken exploits...
Big Bill basically tells the writer that Bob's opponent had a Colt Walker and pulled it on Bob (who was piss drunk at the time and couldn't shoot straight), but when the opponent proceeded to make the kill shot, the Colt Walker exploded in his hand, removing his hand alltogether. Big Bill then adds that it was a "common failure of that model".
Is there any truth to that? Did the Walkers really have a common failure where they'd jam/explode and take your hand when fired? If so, then I guess that any shorter variants also had a similar failure (like the 1860 Army/Navy Colts, etc).
Just curious... Thanks!
Hey guys,
I just watched Eastwood's Unforgiven today (a classic!). In the scene where Big Bill (Hackman) is talking to the book writer near the jail cells, he mentions how English Bob (Harris) got lucky on one of his drunken exploits...
Big Bill basically tells the writer that Bob's opponent had a Colt Walker and pulled it on Bob (who was piss drunk at the time and couldn't shoot straight), but when the opponent proceeded to make the kill shot, the Colt Walker exploded in his hand, removing his hand alltogether. Big Bill then adds that it was a "common failure of that model".
Is there any truth to that? Did the Walkers really have a common failure where they'd jam/explode and take your hand when fired? If so, then I guess that any shorter variants also had a similar failure (like the 1860 Army/Navy Colts, etc).
Just curious... Thanks!
- Location
- St. Paul AB
Yeah, the original load for them was 60 or so grains of FFg (or was it FFFg?), and my understanding is that a few Walker Colts met an untimely end with this load. When the load was reduced to 50 grains, guns stopped blowing up. I think I read that in a Mike Venturino article somewhere. So it was not just another movie yarn. I looked into that too when I saw the movie.
Not sure if it would take your hand off, but it would not be pleasent.
"Any man that don't want to get killed best clear on out the back."
Still a good movie, even though I hear Clint is an anti-gunner
Not sure if it would take your hand off, but it would not be pleasent.
"Any man that don't want to get killed best clear on out the back."
Still a good movie, even though I hear Clint is an anti-gunner
Clint an ANTI? After the "Man with no name" sequels, Dirty Harry and his latest role in Gran Torino??? ("Get off my lawn!" with the M1 Garand pointing right in the dude's face, lol) Come on... Clint is in line to being an NRA spokesman in my book (the next Heston), not a freakin Wendy-loving anti. If that was true, then I'd simply burn all my Eastwood Collection DVDs!
The general consensus is that he's not for an anti-gun agenda, he's simply for a more responsible way of handling firearm issues in some states. Here's a quote from an interview with him:
Thanks for the feedback on the Walkers though... it's appreciated!
- Location
- Algoma region
Hey guys,
I just watched Eastwood's Unforgiven today (a classic!). In the scene where Big Bill (Hackman) is talking to the book writer near the jail cells, he mentions how English Bob (Harris) got lucky on one of his drunken exploits...
Big Bill basically tells the writer that Bob's opponent had a Colt Walker and pulled it on Bob (who was piss drunk at the time and couldn't shoot straight), but when the opponent proceeded to make the kill shot, the Colt Walker exploded in his hand, removing his hand alltogether. Big Bill then adds that it was a "common failure of that model".
Is there any truth to that? Did the Walkers really have a common failure where they'd jam/explode and take your hand when fired? If so, then I guess that any shorter variants also had a similar failure (like the 1860 Army/Navy Colts, etc).
Just curious... Thanks!
I was told that that happened when guys loaded the conicles in backwards??
I have never heard of similar failures in the perfection that is the 1851-60 pattern open top colts.
- Location
- St. Paul AB
Clint an ANTI? After the "Man with no name" sequels, Dirty Harry and his latest role in Gran Torino??? ("Get off my lawn!" with the M1 Garand pointing right in the dude's face, lol) Come on... Clint is in line to being an NRA spokesman in my book (the next Heston), not a freakin Wendy-loving anti. If that was true, then I'd simply burn all my Eastwood Collection DVDs!
The general consensus is that he's not for an anti-gun agenda, he's simply for a more responsible way of handling firearm issues in some states. Here's a quote from an interview with him:
Thanks for the feedback on the Walkers though... it's appreciated!
Well crap!
I guess I was misinformed then. My apologies to Clint, and his fans everywhere. The thing about actors that use firearms in lots of movies, and television shows is that they are paid (quite handsomely) to appear with them on screen regardless of their personal views. Look at the Govenator. I couldn't think of a bigger hypocrite. Then these celebrites use the status thing to promote tougher gun legislation. That is why I take NOTHING that comes from the movie industry at face value. I probably misinterpreted the article. It might have been something about Clint showing concern over gun violence in the movies. I'll try to find it for a re-read. You're most welcome for the Walker blowup problem. It sounds the most plausable to me. Not sure seating the bullet in backwards would do it. Worst case would be the slug would fail to stabilize because that lead plug is the path of least resistance. Unless they left an air gap. But I'm not going to blow one up to find out. All this talk about Walkers has me fired up to buy one.
But there is no misinterpreting this.
