helitack32f1
Member
Just picked this up, couldn't resist. I figured I would share some photos.
1933 Colt Woodsman
- Thread starter helitack32f1
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788Ham
Member
You did right nice, you lucky booger! There's a pawn close to me that has one with a shorter barrel, think he's a tad too high tho, it isn't as nice as yours, nice pistol.
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helitack32f1
Member
Thanks! Just outa curiosity, how much is the pawn shop asking? I paid $350, he was asking $400 but it was sitting next to another one in much better condition for $1000. I have owned 3 others but sold them when in need of money so I was happy to find this one. It was a bonus to me that not only did it come with the holster but the guy who had it on consignment bought it when it was new. It had a bit of rust under the grips and has some pitting but I love it!
mljdeckard
Member
I have my grandfather's old one, near identical to that one but with the shorter barrel, I had it appraised at a gun show, a few months ago, he said it should fetch between $400 and $600.
FourteenMiles
Member
Wow, that is beautiful.
How old is that leather? Does anyone know how long well taken care of leather will last?
How old is that leather? Does anyone know how long well taken care of leather will last?
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helitack32f1
Member
That is probably about right for price though supposedly the short barrel versions are considered more collectible than others.
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helitack32f1
Member
I am not sure how old the holster is. I am trying to figure that out. I was assuming he bought it around the same time he purchased the gun but have only found ones online going back to 1955 so far.
EDIT: Just found out that with the markings seen on my holster, it was made between 1930 and 1940 or so. So it was probably purchased when he bought the gun.
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bruzer
Member
Very nice!!! One guy at the gun show had one with a $950 price tag. Funny he hasn't sold it yet.
Mike
Mike
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
You lucky devil; nice find there my friend~! Enjoy 
Nice Colt for a decent price. Have a similar one (First Series Target model, 6 5/8") made in 1930.
You got a very nice flapped holster as an added bonus. It's not that easy to find a nice top end period-correct flapped holster from the likes of Lawrence or Heiser. I've been cruising ebay for one for about a year. The unflapped (strapped) versions are fairly common.
You got a very nice flapped holster as an added bonus. It's not that easy to find a nice top end period-correct flapped holster from the likes of Lawrence or Heiser. I've been cruising ebay for one for about a year. The unflapped (strapped) versions are fairly common.
1KPerDay
Member
Beauty! Congrats!
caldwellj1
Member
Nice gun. I like my shorter barrel, though. Received it as a college grad gift. As (the gifter) put it, "Me and Uncle Bill used to shoot this when I was a kid, and I'm 72!"
According to one of the guys at the local shop, mine was made some time in the late 1930s. Can any one help me verify this? The serial number is 180480. What is it worth in very good to excellent condition? Not for sale, though!
Best part is that I was able to buy two more magazines for it right off the shelf. This thing drives tacks, but definitely prefers plated ammo. Haven't gotten up the nerve to 'remove valuable bluing,' I mean 'polish,' the feed ramp yet.
-Justin
According to one of the guys at the local shop, mine was made some time in the late 1930s. Can any one help me verify this? The serial number is 180480. What is it worth in very good to excellent condition? Not for sale, though!
Best part is that I was able to buy two more magazines for it right off the shelf. This thing drives tacks, but definitely prefers plated ammo. Haven't gotten up the nerve to 'remove valuable bluing,' I mean 'polish,' the feed ramp yet.
-Justin
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helitack32f1
Member
Nice gun ya got there! It is kinda hard to pinpoint when it was manufactured but here is a quote from an authority on the subject:
"Shortly after World War II, from Oct, 1946 to June, 1947 a number of prewar type guns were assembled and shipped. Some were numbered in the 157038 to 159024 range. The rest were assigned a new block of serial numbers beginning at 180000, and continuing to 187423 (with some numbers skipped)."
So it sounds like it was built between 1946 and and 1947. Very nice.
As for value, that is a hard to figure out as well. There are a couple of 1st gen Woodsmans in the area that are in very good to excellent condition and they are asking $1000 for one and $1395 for the other. Your's however is the somewhat more collectible "Sport" version so could be worth a lot if you found the right buyer. Of course I must note that both of the Woodsmans I mentioned have not sold in quite sometime and I personally have never paid more that $400 for a woodsman.
Here is a link to tons of knowledge about Woodsmans. Maybe you can learn a bit more about your very desirable little gun on there.
http://www.colt22.com/index.html
"Shortly after World War II, from Oct, 1946 to June, 1947 a number of prewar type guns were assembled and shipped. Some were numbered in the 157038 to 159024 range. The rest were assigned a new block of serial numbers beginning at 180000, and continuing to 187423 (with some numbers skipped)."
So it sounds like it was built between 1946 and and 1947. Very nice.
As for value, that is a hard to figure out as well. There are a couple of 1st gen Woodsmans in the area that are in very good to excellent condition and they are asking $1000 for one and $1395 for the other. Your's however is the somewhat more collectible "Sport" version so could be worth a lot if you found the right buyer. Of course I must note that both of the Woodsmans I mentioned have not sold in quite sometime and I personally have never paid more that $400 for a woodsman.
Here is a link to tons of knowledge about Woodsmans. Maybe you can learn a bit more about your very desirable little gun on there.
http://www.colt22.com/index.html
788Ham
Member
helitack,
The local pawn wants $525.00 for it, like I said earlier, not as nice as yours!! Are you planning on shooting it? Might check with Wolff Springs and see if they have any for it, might be due for a set, will definitely make a difference!! Beauty my friend.
The local pawn wants $525.00 for it, like I said earlier, not as nice as yours!! Are you planning on shooting it? Might check with Wolff Springs and see if they have any for it, might be due for a set, will definitely make a difference!! Beauty my friend.
Smaug
Member
Great-looking gun.
My great uncle has one, a later model with a shorter barrel.
It was the first handgun I ever shot. I was about 11, and he only had Long ammo for it, so it was a Jam-O-Matic. We quickly switched to his revolver and Marlin 39A.
I think that if Colt would start making their classic guns again, they would make a MINT. But they are even more scared of lawyers and politicians than Smith & Wesson, it seems.
Some of their early Browning designs are especially nice; the single action pistols with enclosed hammers. Colt Pythons would also do well; same for the Anacondas, Detective Specials, King Cobras, etc. Too bad they don't have the guts.
My great uncle has one, a later model with a shorter barrel.
It was the first handgun I ever shot. I was about 11, and he only had Long ammo for it, so it was a Jam-O-Matic. We quickly switched to his revolver and Marlin 39A.
I think that if Colt would start making their classic guns again, they would make a MINT. But they are even more scared of lawyers and politicians than Smith & Wesson, it seems.
Some of their early Browning designs are especially nice; the single action pistols with enclosed hammers. Colt Pythons would also do well; same for the Anacondas, Detective Specials, King Cobras, etc. Too bad they don't have the guts.
Vern Humphrey
Member
Mine was made in 1938. Does yours have the high velocity mainspring housing?
For those who don't know, the mainspring housing is on the back of the grip -- the backstrap. The Woodsman had been in production for a long time before high-velocity .22 ammo was developed, and had to be upgraded for the new ammo.
The Woodsman mainspring housing has an oval right where the web of your hand goes when you grasp the gun. If this oval has horizontal striations, it's the standard velocity housing, and you should only shoot standard velocity ammo.
If it has a cross-hatched oval, you have the high-velocity housing.
The changeover came in 1932, as I recall and for a long time, Colt offered upgrades to earlier guns.
For those who don't know, the mainspring housing is on the back of the grip -- the backstrap. The Woodsman had been in production for a long time before high-velocity .22 ammo was developed, and had to be upgraded for the new ammo.
The Woodsman mainspring housing has an oval right where the web of your hand goes when you grasp the gun. If this oval has horizontal striations, it's the standard velocity housing, and you should only shoot standard velocity ammo.
If it has a cross-hatched oval, you have the high-velocity housing.
The changeover came in 1932, as I recall and for a long time, Colt offered upgrades to earlier guns.
jhvaughan2
Member
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lovely lovely, lovely. I just picked one up from '23 but not as nice as yours and no leather.
caldwellj1
Member
VERN,
Could you please include a pic or two? According to some folks, including Helitack, my Woodsman was made in the late '40s. (serial # 180480).
BUT according to you, my gun is the standard velocity version as it does have horizontal striations on the backstrap. There is, however, a very small crescent-shaped 'nub' just above it that has vertical (not cross-hatched) striations. However, I doubt this is what you are referring to as its purpose in life is to line up the backstrap (ms housing) for re-assembly by locking into a notch inside the frame of the gun, just below where the slide blows back.
Point is- if the change came in 1932, could my old friend's uncle have been sold a new gun in the late '40s with the earlier design? Seems unlikely to me, but who knows...
FYI serial # matches on the mainspring housing.
Thanks again,
Justin
Could you please include a pic or two? According to some folks, including Helitack, my Woodsman was made in the late '40s. (serial # 180480).
BUT according to you, my gun is the standard velocity version as it does have horizontal striations on the backstrap. There is, however, a very small crescent-shaped 'nub' just above it that has vertical (not cross-hatched) striations. However, I doubt this is what you are referring to as its purpose in life is to line up the backstrap (ms housing) for re-assembly by locking into a notch inside the frame of the gun, just below where the slide blows back.
Point is- if the change came in 1932, could my old friend's uncle have been sold a new gun in the late '40s with the earlier design? Seems unlikely to me, but who knows...
FYI serial # matches on the mainspring housing.
Thanks again,
Justin
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Then you have a Hi-Speed housing.
As Vern Humphrey pointed out, the HS housing has a Rectangle with horizontal parallel lines.
The standard velocity housing has an Oval with Checkering.
See FAQ #10 here for a definative photo of the differance.
http://www.eskimo.com/~rayburn/woodsman/cwpg.html
At any rate, I only use standard velocity Match ammo in both my pre-war HS housing Woodsman.
They are after all, 70+ years old, and there is no point in beating them to death with HS ammo at this late date just to save a few cents!
rc
bruzer
Member
Vern Humphrey
Member
That reminds me of a case in Viet Nam, where a young trooper dropped his M14 out of a helicopter over very unfriendly territory. The Army made him pay for it.
And that created an uproar in the news.
Someone asked me if I would have made him pay for it. And being a crusty old Infantry company commander, I said, "No. I'd have kicked him out of the helicopter and told him, 'catch it before it hits the ground.'"
Now imagine what I'd do if my wife sold my truck with my Woodsman still inside.
And that created an uproar in the news.
Someone asked me if I would have made him pay for it. And being a crusty old Infantry company commander, I said, "No. I'd have kicked him out of the helicopter and told him, 'catch it before it hits the ground.'"
Now imagine what I'd do if my wife sold my truck with my Woodsman still inside.
OP
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helitack32f1
Member
Very funny! It is fun to imagine a guy chasing an M14 from a helicopter.
devildog4329
Member
Very nice Woodsman you have there. I absolutley love the woodsman series pistols. Here is a link to a thread that has photos of my 1st series match target bullseye. The man. date on mine is late 1940.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=565133&highlight=colt+woodsman
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=565133&highlight=colt+woodsman
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