PDA

View Full Version : New to me Colt Woodsman



Dieselbuilder
02-15-2011, 09:45 PM
Back story to set the stage.
Back in 59 or 60, my dad was stationed in Texas. He and some friends went to a bar one night and happened to notice a package on the back bar. They asked the bartender what it was and he said he didn't know, some guy had ran up a tab and couldn't pay it and had left the package for collateral and would be back to pay the tab, but it had been 5 or 6 months. They convinced the bartender to let them pay the tab of approximately $25 (which was a little more than a weeks pay for a PFC making $90 a month back then)and take the package. He agreed and they ended up with a nice little 2nd series Colt Woodsman.

Fast forward about 14 years, I was living at the "line camp" for want of a better term, of the ranch we were the caretakers of, riding pastures in the summer and feeding cattle after school in the winter. I had borrowed the little Woodsman for hunting squirrels and rabbits.

While feeding the horses one day I almost fell from the haystack when a bale broke as I was pulling it from the pile. I turned the fall into a controlled jump, unfortunately the bale hit the ground before I did and I lit right in the middle of it breaking my ankle. It was a bad enough break that I had to stay with my grandmother, a retired RN, for several weeks before I could get back to the ranch. During that time a "friend" and some of his friends came to see me at the ranch, I wasn't there and when they left, neither was the Woodsman. :( So I have been looking for a replacement ever since.

Checking the auctions sites for Woodsman I found several 1st and 3rd series pistols, but most of the 2nd series pistols were of the sport model with the 4 1/2" barrel or the 6" Match Target and not the 6" model that I was looking for.

Recently on Gunbroker I found what I was looking for with a $200 starting bid, Minimum reserve wasn't met with my $250 bid. It ended and was re-listed with the same $200 start. $400 bid still didn't meet reserve so once again it ended unsold. Last week I got my income tax return so I looked and it again had been re-listed. This time knowing I would have a little extra cash I bid $500 and this time it said reserve met!

Today I stopped by the gunshop that is doing the transfer for me and it was here. :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Dieselbuilder/pix667329214.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Dieselbuilder/pix638498762.jpg

And after all this time... It cost me just a little over one weeks take home pay! The equivalent amount that my dad paid for the original one adjusted for inflation. ;)

El Duce
03-24-2011, 03:39 PM
Nice looking pistol. Glad that it brings back some good memories.

old Grump
03-24-2011, 04:30 PM
One of my cop students used the one passed down to him from his grandpa. I shot it and found it to be more than adequate for our 50' indoor range. Wasn't quite up to target pistol standards but then the gun was bought new by his grandpa after he came home from WWI. Heaven knows how many rounds had been through that gun or how often it had been cleaned. It wasn't as nice as the one you pictured and it had no finish at all on the grips but it was a shooter. You need to get some targets shot and post them on the 22 forum.

HDR
03-24-2011, 05:17 PM
Nice pistol and they are a pleasure to shoot.

Schuetzenman
03-24-2011, 08:25 PM
I had one once, sold it. Wish I hadn't.