What cartridge for the Walker conversion ?

[P.A. Myers]

I have R&D cylinders for several of my pistols. They work well and usually dont need tweeking. I notice there are conversion cylinders for Walker Colts. My 44 Uberti is an actual 44 [.440]. What cartridge do the coversions use? I use HBWC 38s in my 1860 36caliber colts. I have recovered bullets and they do engage the rifleing, and are reasonably accurate. I dont think a 44mag or 44special would work in a .440 barrel. I know conversions some times use a lined barrel. Has anybody done this?

[curator]

Most Walkers are true "45s" in that the groove diameter of the barrel is likely .452 up to .458. My Uberti Dragoon is .458 and my Armi San Marco Walker is .462. The conversion cylinders for the Walker are chambered for .45 Colt that is usually loaded with .452 to .454 diameter bullets. You might slug your bore before investing in a conversion cylinder that won't shoot accurately without special reloading techniques.

[Flint]

I don't think Uberti has ever made a Walker with a .440 bore, unless you are referring to the land diameter.  The groove diameter of the Walker is more likely to be about .454.  The barrel likely has 7 lands and grooves, so if you slug it and mike it you will be measuring across one land and one groove opposite, so will not give you a direct measurement of either the groove or the land diameter.

As Curator said, the Walker conversion cylinders are chambered in 45 Colt.

[P.A. Myers]

Thanks, very interesting. A 45 colt cylinder would blow the barrel off this gun. This gun is thirty years old. This picture was taken in the summer of 1978.