Colt Woodsman Questions

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USBP1969

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Howdy.

I very foolishly sold my Colt woodsman way back when to fund college and have missed it ever since. The prices now are quite high, but just maybe I'll be able to obtain one.

Questions:
1) Does anyone know of a good gunsmith for the Woodsman?
2) Is there a good location for obtain spare parts for the Woodsman? (I am particularly interested in the Sport Model's ramp front sight.

Thanks much,
-kent
 
Don't mean this as an insult to the Woodsman or the OP, but I owned a pristine 3rd Gen Woodsman Target, which I inherited when my father died in '81.

I loved that Woodsman, and thought it was the slickest, best .22 pistol made....until I gave it to my youngest son and acquired a Ruger Mark III, 22/45.

The Ruger, in my humble opinion, is a much better .22 pistol. Try one at about 1/3 the going price for a nice Woodsman. You won't be disappointed!
 
I have quite a few 22 pistols, the Woodsman that I own (actually a pre-woodsman) is one of the best shooting hand guns that I do own. The quality of that little gun out shines my newer browings, and far outshines the rugers IMHO. It just has a feel of quality about it, made in the early 20's and shoots just fantastic to this day. In my hands it holds better, points better, and has a better balance.

All that said if I could only have one I would buy a newer gun, just because you can go into any walmart and get a new mag for one.
 
I recently bought a very nice 6" Huntsman. It is well made, feeds 100%, and is pretty darn accurate. At $375, it was a deal. However, for a shooter I prefer a Ruger MK...parts are easy to find, a slick trigger is not hard to get, and using Youtube videos a monkey could learn to work on one.
 
I loved that Woodsman, and thought it was the slickest, best .22 pistol made....until I gave it to my youngest son and acquired a Ruger Mark III, 22/45.

The Ruger, in my humble opinion, is a much better .22 pistol. Try one at about 1/3 the going price for a nice Woodsman. You won't be disappointed!
Click to expand...
I had a real nice Ruger Target model, the Competiton with the 6 3/8 barrel that I sold to fund a Colt Woodsman and I couldn't be happier. The Ruger shot well and functioned all the time but it was the ugly stepsister. My Colt is slim and sweet albeit a little worn in the finish but it shoots as well as or better than the Ruger.

pairof22s.jpg
 
Hmmmm. My experience is that, among rimfire aficionados, the Woodsman isn't known for it's "superior" accuracy. No doubt my old Woodsman is a "prettier" pistol than is my new 22/45. However, the 22/45 with Gold Cup grips, looks pretty good.

The 22/45 seems more accurate than the Woodsman to me.

As I said in my first post, I'm not besmirching the Woodsman; however if a guy wants a great shooter at 1/3 the price of a Woodsman...let me repeat, "a great shooter," then the Brownings or Rugers should be considered.
 
I own 3 variations of the Colt woodsman right now. If the gun functions, then usually just doing the recommended cleaning will make them shoot for as long as you own the gun. My 3rd series Match Target is the gun I shoot when I want to beat my buddies.
 
I've owned several Ruger semi auto 22 pistols, i wouldn't trade my old Woodsman even to get all of them back! In fact, the Ruger 22 pistol is my "never buy again" handgun!

My Woodsman is my never sell 22, it's been just that good...

DM
 
The old Woodsman pistols were beautifully made and very accurate, but they also had the old "breaking glass" trigger pulls that are no longer accepted as the best for target shooting. The later Woodsman (including the Huntsman, Challenger, etc.) were not as well made but were also accurate. But Colt's production method (milling from a forging) just was way too expensive to compete with Ruger, even when Colt cheapened the Woodsman system as much as it could. Colt's people disparaged the Ruger as cheap stamped junk but I do note that the Woodsman is no longer being made while Rugers are selling well.

One drawback of the Woodsman is that after the unneeded metal is milled away that frame is surprisingly thin and subject to being bent if dropped.

Jim
 
I have both the Ruger MKII Target 512 and a Colt Huntsman Gen III. The MKII has the VQ accurizing kit in it, the Colt is bone stock.
After comparing the two, I gave the MKII to Wifey. The Colt just has way more MoJo than the Ruger.

Bruce

121_zps7cb2f34b.jpg

DSC_0416-1.jpg
 
I can assure all of you that, had I not gifted my Woodsman to my son, I'd still own it. It'll remain in my family.
 
Hmmmm. My experience is that, among rimfire aficionados, the Woodsman isn't known for it's "superior" accuracy.
Click to expand...

Neither are Rugers or Brownings. They are all plinkers.

The Colts have style and grace in spades - that's what makes them so special.

Woodsmans.jpg
 
^^^^^^Beautiful Woodsmans!!!

I have found that my Ruger Mk II Target model (5.5 in bull barrel) with a few VQ trigger parts installed to be slightly more accurate in my hands than my Third Generation Colt Woodsman Match Target.

Hard to beat the panache and class of the Woodsman, however.
 
The Colt Woodsman is my favorite handgun. I have shot one all of my life.

The model that I have had the longest and used the most is an old model Target with the 6" bbl.

When hunting I carry the Woodsman with it's chamber empty, clip loaded some and it's butt down in a back pocket.

When taking a long careful shot steady your aim by supporting the barrel with your thumb and finger under the front sight.
 
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OMG!!!

I hope you aren't carrying those elephant ear grips on that gun upside down in a backpack!!!

There are WAY more broken elephant ears left then whole unbroken ones left!!

rc
 
The Colt Woodsman is my favorite handgun. I have shot one all of my life.

The model that I have had the longest and used the most is an old model Target with the 6" bbl.

When hunting I carry the Woodsman with it's chamber empty, clip loaded some and it's butt down in a back pocket.

When taking a long careful shot steady your aim by supporting the barrel with your thumb and finger under the front sight.

The Colt Woodsman Bullseye Match Target. My best woodsman.

woodsmandscn2713.jpg


The ist model Target. My favorite.

14700592_1_l.jpg
 
But? But? But?

You edited your post #19 and took the picture of the early Match Target with the elephant ear grips out, where you said you carry it in your back-pack up-side down.

Then posted it in post # 21.

So my post #20 10 minutes earlier cautioning about not breaking them in your back-pack makes no sense at all now??

Not that it really matters much.
But it's annoying!

Dang Nab It! :banghead:

rc
 
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Great! Just checked back and didn't expect any additional posts. Big Surprise!

I remember a story in "Sports Afield" or "Outdoor Life" back when I carried my 4 1/2" Sport Model. The author had story after story about his favorite gun, The Colt Woodsman. One was about being chased on his trap line by a large wolf. When it was apparent that he was about to become lunch he stopped, turned and emptied the magazine (.22 LR Hollow Points) into said wolf. Since he was writing about the encounter I suspect the wolf lost.
 
i too have had a vintage woodsman, a ruger mark 1 bull barrel, and several high standards, including a military HD. my favourite is a vintage high standard model b in 22 short. i call it my "porch squirrel gun".
 
I have always had an affinity for the Woodsman and have owned 4 or 5 of them. I more recently purchased a Ruger MK III bull barrel and threw in a few VQ parts just for the fun of it. I will always prefer the Woodsman's for their quality of build and material. I am equally adept at missing anything I shoot at with each type of gun.
I must say that it really baffles me that it is still possible after all these years to pinch one's self while cocking the Mark III. It would seem as though after the thousand or so years the Mark series of guns have been made, they could have rectified that by now.
 
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