Colt Woodsman Mods

D

dmatamorosq

Inactive
This is my first post. I just purchased a Colt Woodsman .22 LR pistol from my grandfather (for $100.00 hehe). It is identical to this one:

http://www.eskimo.com/~rayburn/woodsman/waltsguns/2005_0217_140854AA.JPG

I want to make it look more modern, like this one:

http://www.eskimo.com/~rayburn/woodsman/waltsguns/2005_0217_141851AA.JPG

I would also really like to leave it like this one:

http://www.eskimo.com/~rayburn/woodsman/featured/index.html

Question is, where can I find these weight tubes, grips and/or ventilated ribs?

Thanks!
 
Do not alter your woodsman

The second woodsman you pictured is one my dad once owned. Its a 3rd series match target. You can't just buy the parts for a totally different woodsman and make yours like that. Yours is very cool and I would LOVE to own it, even for $600. You know why? Yours is an ORIGINAL SURVIVOR and a collectible. Its also a family heirloom. Of course perhaps the match target with a slab side barrel looks better, but yours is older and is very unique and awesome as is. I would not alter it at all, maybe buy a different set of grips but NEVER get rid of the original ones. Colts are becoming very collectible and there are so many colt aficionados out there that it would be sinful to "upgrade" your colt and sacrifice its original style. Do you know that your woodsman was the basis for the whole High standard company? High standards founder was a Colt gunsmith originally and he borrowed the "pre woodsman" design and made a copy of it. Be happy that you 1) own a great collectible colt and 2) that you paid $100 for it. Sometimes a gun should really just be left alone.

To some it up, you have a totally original 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible: There is no reason to make a hot rod out of it, its in a different class of vehicles as is.
 
The first gun illustrated looks more like a Huntsman or Challenger than a Woodsman. You got a picture of what you really got from Grandpa?

You cannot make it look like the second; the frame in front of the trigger guard of a post WW II Match Target Woodsman is entirely different to match up with the barrel underrib.

The third gun is a King's conversion of a Woodsman as made before WW II. King's is long since out of business. I cannot imagine what it would cost to have a tube weight and ventilated rib made to that style now. The grips alone would be a couple hundred bucks. And that is not counting several hundred dollars worth of engraving at today's prices.
 
I´m getting the gun today, so yeah it might be a Huntsman, since I am sure it´s a "something" - man, could be Woodsman, could be Huntsman, but I am sure it´s identical to the one in the first picture since I borrowed it for like a week about six years ago.

The thing is, I don´t really like the pistol much, I would much rather have the Match model, it just looks way cooler. It´s not really a heirloom pistol, or at least I don´t consider it to be, since it´s been in my grandpa´s drawer for the last 30 years, I´m the only one who´s ever shot it I believe, as I said, about six years ago. No one has ever even paid attention to it. Maybe I am just not appreciating it as I should.

I really like guns and pistols, but I am more into modern handguns than collectibles, although I do own a S&W .357 in stainless steel with Pachmayr grips that my dad gave me, and I don´t think I´ll ever sell it, I practically grew up wishing for that gun, and it was the first I ever shot when I was about seven years old.

Anyways, any advice on how I could "refresh" this pistol without ruining it will be very much appreciated. Thanks again!
 
[I just purchased a Colt Woodsman .22 LR pistol from my grandfather (for $100.00 hehe). ]

Why are you gloating, after your Grandfather thought enough of you to let you have a $400+ pistol for a pittance ? :mad:

Do you REALLY think he doesn't know what they're worth ?

If, as you stated, you didn't like it - why didn't you do the right thing, and just politely decline ?



.
 
++1

In your grandpas drawer for 30 years and that somehow disqualifies it from being an heirloom?

I sure wish I had ANYTHING that belonged to my dad or Granddad. Much less a fine classic pistol.

If you can't respect that fine old pistol as it is give it back to your granddad and get your 100 bucks back.

Do not BUBBA this fine old gun, leave it alone.

I am guessing you are a teenager from the tone of your posts.

Sheeeeesh!!
 
What we have here is a failure to communicate

dmatamorosq:

I don't mean to be rude, but can you read? Obviously you're not even into firearms if you don't think your pistol is significant, well made and 100% an heirloom. Do you know the historical significance of Colt as a firearms manufacturer? Do you realize a ton of dedicated shooters don't own one Colt either because they're rare, expensive, etc. You are so lucky and you don't even know it. And after people with knowledge explain your situation to you, you still want to upgrade it and don't see why its an heirloom because it sat in a drawer? Maybe the people in your family don't think its a great gun, but that doesn't mean that its not.

Anyways, any advice on how I could "refresh" this pistol without ruining it will be very much appreciated. Thanks again!
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Refresh it? how about clean it out and then oil it.

If its not anything to you, sell it to me for $300. Obviously you cannot fully appreciate it.
 
Geesh! Why don´t you guys just eat me already! :barf: Wow, EXCUSE ME if I don´t like the gun the way it is right now, as I said, I am more into modern guns.

I just wanted it to look cooler and/or modern without ruining it, I did not mean to pizz anyone of, even less had someone call me a teenager :confused: I´m a lawyer, 25, married and have a son, so SORRY if I just like being nice.

The Chevy example was good, I don´t want to turn it into a hotrod, but I wanted new leather on the seats, maybe new rims, tires, an engine tune-up, the works.

Well anyway, I decided that I´ll keep it and not do anything to it, because maybe someday I´ll get to appreciate the pistol as you, the "experts" (as someone here posted), do.

Thanks to all!
 
I do apologize for the teenager comment. Am glad to hear you will keep the old Colt intact and unmolested, they are great pieces of history. When you are 50 you will be glad you left it alone, I promise:)
 
Heres why I said what I said

I don't consider myself an expert, but I do have an appreciation for fine firearms. Your gun is in my opinion a fine firearm - without any modification. Why? Because they are quality made. Between the action, trigger, magazine, finish, barrel - everything. This is not a cheap wannabe target pistol. To be honest with you I cannot afford most colts. Does that mean I could not pay $600 for yours? No, it means I cannot justify spending that much even though its approx the going rate for a targetsman in excellent condtion. The woodsman, huntsman, targetsman and challenger all are similar with subtle differences. The reason why I myself was so upset is flat out because I feel that you are lucky to get it, and it almost seems unfair that you would get it, criticize it, and then heres me willing to pay $400 for the same gun that I will never find (at least for that price) You paid $100!!! You may not like the looks, and some 22 autos look better I admit but you have quality which is more important. Your function is superior to most other 22 autos. If someone had a ruger mk II or some browning buckmark and said how great it was, and I had your pistol, I would just simply laugh at them. I own a ruger mk III, but its not meant to be top of the line, its meant to be good value. Ruger, browning, S&W and for sure high standard all borrowed concepts in varying degrees that were introduced by the colt woodsman line of target 22 autos. In short, I wish I had that gun and since you do, I just wanted to give the best advice possible since it will be difficult to ever replace and its NOT replaceable for anything less than $400 unless you get struck by lightning twice. I think your gun is an original survivor. If it was restored, it is worth somewhat less but would still be a classy target gun. Also, your gun is over 30 yrs old and could be over 50 yrs old. If you want to customize a gun buy a ruger or a browning not a collectible that will never be made again.

And I'm sorry if I offended you, I really wanted you to know specifically what you had, and after reading your posts I became frustrated with your desire to upgrade a great old gun. I try to give advice to help others and I thought in the long run if you did a minor/major permanent modification you would regret it because the gun is a classic as is and you ruin its value by messing with it.

Show you appreciate it by respecting its originality ;)

+10,000 on keeping it as is. Its the best thing you can do with it. I would shoot it some but more importantly take care of it you lucky ________ :eek:
 
Thanks Ricklin and Winchester 73!

I will, as you say, appreciate it by respecting its originality. ;)

You know, you guys are right, if I want to upgrade a .22, I can just buy another one someday and upgrade that one.

This is a keeper, I´ll never ever sell it, I´ll pass it on to my son. I don´t think I could ever find this gun again if I sold it.

A million thanks for knocking some sense into me!
 
The only way he could have gotten you all fired up more, was to say-"I got this here Colt Bisley that my grandad bought in 1903, I want to make it into a comp gun with chrome plating and one of those big heavy match barrels, and these grips suck....."
 
I got this here Colt Bisley that my grandad bought in 1903, I want to make it into a comp gun with chrome plating and one of those big heavy match barrels, and these grips suck.....
Click to expand...

I'm currently experiencing a stroke, a heart attack and a grand mal seizure at the same time....
 
And while we are on the subject of classics
Here's a couple more
 

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Live it up and customize a rugged, accurate new Ruger like a modern Harley. Chop it, hotrod it, pimp it out, personalize it in every way you can imagine. A lot of Rugers come from the factory pretty slick already. Great guns.

Use that old Woodsman daily and respect it like a tarnished BSA. It's already very cool. You'll be glad someday that you resisted the urge to cut it up. Which would make a precise, classy, unique pistol sadly common.
 
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