Armi San Marco Walker Question

[rocklock]

I posted this question over on the Surplusrifle Forum a couple of days ago, but haven't got any answers yet.
The local gunshop got an estate consignment in last week. It included an ASM Walker that was unfired - just used as a wallhanger. The owner of the gunshop is a friend of mine and will sell it to me for $100. I have read that the internal parts of this brand tend to be made of soft metal and wear out very fast. Has anyone here tried surface hardening the wear surfaces with casenite? Seems some ASM owners have gone to other manufacturers for replacements of worn out parts, and maybe I could nip the problem in the bud before it starts. I probably won't shoot this pistol very much, I'm getting it more for the "History of Firearms" portion of the hunter safety class I teach, plus it looks cool and I've always wanted a cap and ball revolver. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[scrat]

there have been people who have hardened the internal parts. It does work. However its all about the gun too. When you own something that is built on a design that old thats what we get. The most important thing i always recomend is to order replacement parts now. There are places you can still get parts for. Regardless of what kind you own there are always some fitting that needs to happen. So what i do is order the parts now. Then when they come in i take out my originals and file and hone down the new ones until they not only look like the originals but function. So that if one breaks i have a replacement already sized and ready to go. An unfired Walker ASM for 100.00 i would jump on that.

 

[husker]

metal urgy 101

 

[mykeal]

Yep. Buy it or spend the rest of your life being haunted by the ghost of good deals let go.

There is a reasonable chance one or more of the action parts will experience premature wear due to poor or incomplete surface hardening. Kasenite will work well in accomplishing that requirement. Nonetheless, scrat's advice to purchase spares ahead is excellent counsel. ASM Walker parts are available at VTI Gun Parts. Get 'em while they're hot.

Then go join the The Official THR Walker Club. Dues are cheap and one or two of the members is still sober.

 

[Voodoochile]

Man am I jelouse, I want a Walker & that price would be a steal, I think that my wife would even let me buy it fot that price!

Buy it Buy it Buy it!!!!

 

[scrat]

deer creek parts also sells ASM parts
1 765 525 6181

 

[Old Fuff]

You can case harden the hammer, hand, trigger, and barrel wedge, but that's about it. Don't try to harden the cylinder bolt or any springs.

If you don't plan to shoot it much I wouldn't worry about trying to harden the parts, mainly because the ones that are most likely to fail are springs (hand and cylinder bolt/trigger springs in particular). Spare springs, hand, cylinder bolt, and maybe a nipple or two should see you through.

 

[scrat]

Agree with OLD FUFF

 

[mykeal]

Sorry guys, I can't agree.

It is true that the most likely parts to fail are the springs IF the other parts are properly heat treated. Unfortunately, a soft metal trigger sear will wear very quickly. Slower, but equally maddening is the bolt leg that rides on the hammer cam; the hammer cam itself is another quick wear part if it's soft, although there's more metal that has to be worn off before it starts to allow the bolt to slip prematurely. And, of course, the hand itself, the wear surface being the front face where it rides in the frame channel and the tip that contacts and drives the cylinder.

If they're properly hardened they'll last a long time, but if not, well, it's just a matter of how often it's used.

 

[rocklock]

Thanks Guys!

Just the kind of information I was looking for. Should have Walker in my possession today.

 

[sundance44s]

If you need any spare parts internals and such ...DeerCreek is the place for ASM parts .......VTI shows to have them , but I`ve not had much luck when I`ve called VTI for the ASM parts .