Colt pre war "Woodsman"

[moosedog]

Got this the other day. 1937-38 built. It has the stamp for High Speed ammunition.

[22hipower]

Now that is a very pretty 1st Model Target! Not many around in that condition, most were used and carried a lot and show it. Got to admire the genius of John Browning for designing it and the craftsmen at Colt who built them. Enjoy.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

[30-30remchester]

So that is what a new old Woodsman is supposed to look like. My old pre war Woodsman have very little bluing left at that that is remaining is weak. My walnut grips once had checkering but it has been beaten flat. My Woodman sleeps in an early Heiser lined flap holster that is showing the same usage marks. For over 30 years mine has never been out of reach. It was the only gun I could carry in my years escorting elk hunters. It was used to finish off close to 50 deer and elk. It has taken several of each that was not previously wounded. These were almost mandatory equipment for the Alaskan sourdoughs and helped civilized Alaska. The famous Castner's Cutthroats Alaskan scouts of WW II carried Woodsmen's. Very common with trappers. They are made of real milled steel, no plastic, stamped tin, pot metal, MIM parts, and ain't striker fired. All this and they only weigh @28 ounces. An old Colorado trapper I knew carried one exclusively from the 1930's till he went for the big sleep in 2000. His looked even worse than mine. His walnut grips were worn through one side from his years of woods carry. They don't make them any better. Now go out and give it some character marks.

[Chubbo]

Moosedog:
That beautiful woodsman is like the first handgun that I had the pleasure of shooting. My uncle let me shoot his similar Woodsman, the first time, when I was about six years old, that being about eighty years ago. The only notable difference in his woodsman was, that it had a gold bead front sight. My uncle lived on a farm, and It always accompanied him when he went afield, for any reason, until it was stolen. It was always a lifetime ambition of mine to acquire one just like it, but for many reasons I never did. Now after eighty years, it is too late and I probably never will, but, it sure brings back good memories. Love, cherish, shoot, and take care of yours. As they say, "She's a Peach".
Chubbo

[824tsv]

In 1933 the Colt Woodsman was upgraded with a case hardened mainspring housing and upgraded recoil spring to facilitate using high velocity ammunition. The horizontal lines on the mainspring housing indicate it has been upgraded and was standard on your particular Woodsman. Nice pistol.

[mauser9]

Beauty indeed. Everytime I see one of these I think of the Colt Woodsman Bulleye Target model I handled many years ago. Most Colts today sure seem to be solid gold real estate.

[chief38]

I owned one for many years but sold it about 8 or 9 years ago. It was one of the very few guns that I owned that never got shot much and since it was worth many times more than I paid for it I sold it to buy others I wanted more.

It was a good reliable and accurate Pistol that was magnificently manufactured, it just did not do much for me - don't really know why but I always viewed it as more or a plinker than a serious target gun. I think one of the things I disliked was the way it took down.

[kritter]

I have one too, but a " pre-woodsman" or if you want to get all fancy.. (A colt .22 automatic , at least that's what the colt guy lectured me on for a half hour)
Anyhow, too it in as part of a trade , ( I'm not really a "colt" guy ) . But took it out "plinking" with my model 41's . And I hate to say it. but, it made little tiny groups just like the 41's did..
I just need to try to warm up to it, it feels so petite compared to anything else I have

[catadjuster]

The very first gun I ever fired was a Colt Woodsman in my grandfather's basement. He would single load .22 shorts and let me shoot at a box of old phone books. The shorts wouldn't cycle the action, but it sure seemed like the big times for a five year old kid.

[OLDSTER]

OUTSTANDING !

[iPac]

Very nice condition. I love the "old world" quality. So well made.

I considered one previously when I was looking for a 22 handgun. Ended up with a 17 though for price reasons. Plus, I like revolvers more.

They are definitely some of the best 22s.

[DWalt]

Originally Posted by 824tsv

In 1933 the Colt Woodsman was upgraded with a case hardened mainspring housing and upgraded recoil spring to facilitate using high velocity ammunition. The horizontal lines on the mainspring housing indicate it has been upgraded and was standard on your particular Woodsman. Nice pistol.

I have understood that Colt would retrofit those components to older pistols free. How many took advantage of that offer I do not know, but I suspect that an old original unconverted Woodsman would have substantially greater collector value.

I have owned two Match Target Woodsmen, but sold both some years ago when I quit competitive Bullseye shooting. What was I thinking? I'd still like to have an earlier Woodsman but haven't seen one priced right to me.

[S&W ucla]

Beautiful gun! The pre-war Woodsmans are one of my favorites A lot of info can be found at Bob Rayburn's site-

22 caliber rimfire semi-auto Colt pistol: .22 calibre Colt Woodsman

Don't forget, Hot Chics Like Norma Jean Dig Woodsmans

[Valmet]

Very very cool- I've always liked the pre-war Woodsman autos. Thanks for sharing

[Tam 3]

When Stoeger sold the "HIGH SPEED MAIN SPRING HOUSING" no mention was made of a replacement recoil spring. The pistol was to fire standard velocity as well as high speed. I wonder, therefore, whether a replacement spring was necessary.

Regards,

Tam 3

[moosedog]

Good question. Maybe one of the resident Colt experts will chime in.

[gregintenn]

Yours is nicer than mine. Mine isn't marked Woodsman, nor does it have the high speed ammo mainspring housing.
My father picked this up somewhere with a busted stock, and made a new set of stocks for it. He saw I liked it, and later gave it to me. Colt sure made some nice stuff in days gone by.
I think he did a great job on the stocks.

[moosedog]

I like it. Your father was a better stock maker than Colt itself. Those are beautiful grips indeed.

[VaTom]

Nice! General George S Patton liked them also. If you search on line you will find a picture of him wearing one during tank field maneuvers prior to WWII.