CVA Walker Parts... Hand and Spring

[Ed Gallop]

I have a CVA Walker that I built over 20 years ago. The "Hand & Spring" has broken and I can't find a replacement anywhere. I bought a "Colt Walker" hand & spring from Dixie Gun Works but it doesn't fit. The hand & spring is the lever that slides up to turn the cylinder when pulling the trigger. Can someone here please help me? Ed.

 

[Plink]

Have you tried CVA themselves? They still have a lot of parts for the older guns. Also you might try www.vtigunparts.com. Numrich might have them too e-gunparts.com if I remember right. Good luck and let us know if you manage to find the parts you need.

 

[Donny]

The Gunworks web site has CVA/ASM parts and may have the parts you need. I've always gotten prompt servise from them.

Don

 

[Ed Gallop]

Thanks for the response. I can't get help at CVA. They must be swamped with after holiday phone and email. There is a very long waiting list on the phone and email is returned because their box is full. I will keep trying though. It may be my only hope. VTI helped with my Pietta Spiller & Burr parts but they don't have CVA parts. Numerich has only the Walker mainspring, no other parts. Nothing found at e-gunparts or gunworks.com. If nothing at CVA then I may have to retire the Walker. That is a shame. Ed.

 

[sjohns]

The best place I have found for this is:

http://www.thegunworks.com/

They seem also to have LOTS of ASM parts for you folks with those Italian Model T's...

here's the CVA index:

http://www.thegunworks.com/custprodgun.cfm?SubCat1ID=4&Cat1Name=CVA

 

[Ed Gallop]

Thank you... Thank you... Thank you! I thought I was going to have to retire the old Walker but they had the part I needed. Very nice site. Much appreciated. Ed.

 

[Ed Gallop]

Need AMS (CVA) Walker Hand and Spring...

I thought I had my problem solved but The Gun Works route didn't work. I bought 2 of them and one broke putting it in the Walker. I compared and the sizes were different. Apparently they were for the Dragoon and thought to be the same. I honed the second hand to fit perfectly but the spring broke on the second cock of the hamer. Joe and Suzie were very nice. They shortened the springs and sent 2 more at no cost. I was impressed enough to make a couple more orders of various items. Well... I honed the first hands to fit and it broke after the first 3 shots. I honed the second one down at an angle to lessen the spring tension and it went 14 shots before breaking. Now I am out of hand and springs. I bought a "Colt Walker hand and spring and it is not even close to what I need. I don't want to waste another $30.00 or more so if anyone knows a source other than CVA, The Gun Works, VTI, or e-gunparts... Please let me know. Ed

 

[mykeal]

Deer Creek Products MAY have something

Deer Creek Products at 765-525-6181.

I bought a CVA shotgun kit about 25 years ago that I put into storage and just pulled out for some recreation this winter. I was unable to find the locks. I called CVA and they said they had no parts left for that kit but to try Deer Creek.

Deer Creek had the locks and have had several other parts for CVA stuff I've needed since. They do not have a web site, so you'll need to call and talk to them directly. They have a catalog but it doesn't list the CVA parts, so I can't tell if they might have Walker parts or not.

Good luck and let me know what happens.

 

[LEE3370]

Howdy,
I repair blackpowder revolvers as my hobby and some of them are CVA. All of them that I have worked on were made by Armi San Marco. I have found a supplier for Armi San Marco revolver parts. CVA sent me to them when I was looking for parts for CVA revolvers.

Deer Creek Products
6989 E Michigan Rd
Waldron, IN 46182
(765) 525-6181

They have no internet site or e-mail. So you have to call them. I did and they assured me that they have a good supply.
Every thing I ordered came in correct.
Good Luck,
Lee

 

[sjohns]

Ed!
If the hand is breaking when new, something else may be wrong inside the works that is putting too much pressure on the parts. That's weird. I've never heard of that till now. Please keep us posted.
You built this from a kit originally right? Could you possibly have some weird burr up that channel where the hand spring goes? What exactly broke?
I'm really sorry the Works didn't work for you. (hehe) Yeah, they are good folks there though aren't they?

 

[Old Dragoon]

Sometimes the hand must be fitted to the gun (i.e. it comes too long, too wide too whatever) if you just stuck the new hand in the gun without working on it at all that may be your problem. Hope you have the broken parts to compare it to. Some on this forum have made new hand springs out of cheap steak knife blades, Hammer springs too (Not Walker, but Colts and Remy's).

 

[Ed Gallop]

Old Dragoon... That is exactly what happened the first time I tried but honed down the hands after that. Actually, the honed down hands were smootherd and the reach was even more perfect for the bolt to drop in than the original hand. I can push the hand and spring up and down easily with the hamer. It is a spring defect, not the hand or chanel they travel in.

sjohns... I bought the Walker (not a kit) over 15 years ago from a reenactor friend. I shot a couple hundred rounds before breaking the spring. It breaks at the attaching point of the hand every time. Greg, from The Gun Works, called today with a lot of excellent information. Apparently the ASM springs are defective (brittle). He explained that I could get a 1095 high carbon clock spring and shape it to fit. He went on about how to soften and harden spring metal to shape it. Great information but quite a project. I may have enough springs to supply all ASM Walker owners before this is over.

Lee3370... Thank you very much. I'll call them the first chance I get. Might not have to take on the spring project after all.

mykeal... CVA's number had o couple hours waiting time a week ago (too busy after the holidays) but my son called this morning and they do not have the part. Thanks for Deer Creek's number.

 

[Ed Gallop]

The friend I bought the Walker from builds guns as a hobby and he sent me a Colt spring that he trimmed to fit the ASM hand. I learned a lot by helping him build a couple revolvers many years ago, including the ASM Walker, and I built a couple smaller revolvers on my own soon afterward. Never had a problem with any except the ASM. Their hand and spring is certainly inferrior to the Colt Walker. It is not nearly as flexable and half the size. I received the spring today, installed it, and fired over 50 rounds, so the problem is solved. Now that my interest has rekindled, I'm looking for another kit project, but it wouldn't be an AMS if they were in business.

 

[Old Dragoon]

EG,
Glad you fixed your Walker! Neat to have gunsmith friends Huh?

Dixie Gun works has some kits that I think are Pietta, Don't buy Palmetto they're JUNK!

 

[Jim K]

I have replaced those springs with wire springs. You bend the wire into a "U" shape, with the ends tight together, bend the "U" at a right angle and insert it into the slot in the hammer (thin with a file as necessary). The other ends are sharp, but when bent properly will work fine. Spring wire is a lot easier to work with than a flat spring and a whole lot cheaper, selling for a buck or so a yard at hardware stores.

Jim