A very nice 1947 Colt Woodsman Sport.
It looks like you have (3) C type "Tombstone" magazine and (4) E type 3rd Series magazines.
A proud owner as you should be.
If you have any issue's with disassembly or assembly, feel free to get in touch.

Regards,
Tom Platt
prewoodsman@gmail.

 

Nice pistol there! they sure are fun to shoot

 

Yes, Woodsman series of pistols are fun to shoot. So much fun I purchased three of them in the last year and half (1968 Huntsman, 1950 Match Target and 1948 Target). The Woodsman pistols are like peanuts can't just have one.

 

Thanks Tom. I plan on NOT disassembling until I have to - when it becomes to dirty to run reliably. Or am I overly cautious?

 

Overly cautious.
One should not experience a failure of reliability before you decide to service any firearm. That's how things break.

Regards,
Tom Platt
prewoodsman@gmail.com

 

Okay, thanks for your advice. I'll take a look at the disassembly instructions.

 

When 'that' happens, remove the grips and hose it out with WD-40 - it'll melt whatever built-up detritus in there - then let drip-dry and wipe away any excess before putting the grips back on.

 

I thought WD-40 was bad juj-ju for firearms? Doesn't it leave a mucky deposit behind, and suck up dirt?
I use the G96 aerosol gun treatment (a CLP) if I gotta spray something.

 

I used to have one of those...until my Child Bride claimed it as "Her Gun" after shooting it the first time.
I do remember it being really accurate and a lot of fun to shoot.

 

WD-40 is bad for primers. It’s a penetrating oil…not a lubricant. It’s good for certain things to free up frozen or rusted metals then be cleaned off dry and a proper lubricant used.

 

WD-40 is also bad for the moving parts on guns in long-term storage. It will lacquer up and "glue" the parts together. Then you get the Hoppe's out and soak it well.
Yes, it happened to me with a Ruger MK1.

 

Still - WD-40 does a great job in cleaning/washing out the internals - especially if you can't/won't detail-strip the piece.

You can follow on with 'BreakFree CLP'.

 

Can't see the "heel of the butt on the two "2nd Series Woodsman" posted above here with pics but have a question for the posters:

Do yours have what appears to be an attachment point (actually a slotted opening with a hole for a stud or screw above it) at the heel of the backstrap of the frame? It looks a little like the attachment points for a shoulder stock on some WWII Belgian Browning 9mms. What is it for?

If for a shoulder stock, would it be legal to fit the stock to it if you should have one? I seem to remember a reference to a shoulderstock for the Woodsman someplace (But I'm 80 and memory is a sometime thing....)

And what IS the proper plural for this pistol? Woodsmen? Woodsmans? Woodsman? Woodies? (Ain't English fun?).

 

The slotted opening is a lanyard loop.

 

Yep:

And that screw I believe would hold this back strap addition in place to assist in your grip.

 

The Grip Adapter/Palm Swell shown above is a modern aftermarket product and not a Colt Factory Original.
Two sizes (lg & sm) would have been supplied when the Woodsman shipped.

As a study and for all information Woodsman related (1915-1977) go to Bob Rayburn's most excellent website at:
www.colt22.com

Regards,
Tom Platt
prewoodsman@gmail.com

 

The Grip Adapter/Palm Swell shown above is a modern aftermarket product and not a Colt Factory Original.

Tom, when I was over at Bob’s I showed him some grip palm swells that were solid in back and he told me they were original and higher quality than the ones that are skeletonized (?). Of course I could be misremembering, perhaps Bob will chime in on this.

 

Those palm swells must've been just the thing back in their day - I have several.

Installing one and shooting the piece is different, though - not comfortable to 'my' shooting hand - but that's 'me'...

Back when the 2d Model Woodsman came to light, Colt employed a few desireable features - great adjustable sights, a frame-mounted magazine release, thumb-rest grips and the lanyard loop - all geared towards the returned GI as a sportsman, and popular.

I always liked the Match Target Sport, but never ran across a nice enough one to pursue.

 

Just playing around. Here are pics of those same 7 magazines I showed in the first photo and in the same order:

 

And the (3) "C type" magazines are are of the "C type II" variety

When servicing your "E type" magazine be sure to not allow the "Base Lock" shaped like an "S" to go aerial.
One can tell by your photographs that they are all in place because the Magazine Spring Guide Nipple is not hyper extended/pass through the Base Plate.
If you lose any, I do manufacture replacements.

Regards,
Tom Platt
prewoodsman@gmail.com

 

Thanks Tom. When I disassembled one of the "E" types a week-10 days ago, the spring guide with the nipple end that fits in the hole in the base plate launched across my basement room. Luckily i sorta, kinda noticed the direction it went. I was so, so, lucky to find it and reassembled it correctly.

 

I have a Colt 2nd model Woodsman Magazine with 2 notches? and 3rd type round follower? Does not seat in my 2nd models but will fit my 3rd Models. Is it factory or not? Jackson

 

Years ago I generated this tutorial to enhance Bob's Magazine Compatibility Chart in his Colt Woodsman Pocket Guide, The Red Book..
Your "D type" magazine would not have had any notch cut and was added later.
The magazine may function correctly if you push the magazine catch button again after it has caught the first notch. Measurement are critical when adding a notch.
Regards,
Tom Platt
prewoodsman@gmail.com

 

Thanks Tom.
Highly informative and concise information.

 

Ok thanks.

 

Thank you Tom for ID'g my Colt Magazine Type "D". I also have 2 early Type 1s for my 1st year MT Woodsman. However, both had their 5 shot "eliminators" removed by the previous owner to shoot 10 shots. Never saw the 5 shot Magazine spring guide (Part #50091) before, as the instructions did not show them. Thanks again, Jackson

 

The 5 shot limiter as shown in photographs #3 & #6 above, functions in the "C type I and C type II" as well as the Challenger "D type" magazine.

Not shown is the 5 shot limiter for the "C type I" Magazine which is a lengthened version of the Magazine Spring Guide displayed with the C Type I magazine above.You will note that the "C type I" Magazine Spring Guide does not have a extended nipple that aligned into the Base Plate hole. The Spring Guide Nipple acts as a Base Plate locking mechanism and the "C type I" magazine is designed without a removable Base Plate.

The 5 shot limiter was not shipped with any C type or D magazine. It was supplied when specifically ordered.

Regards,
Tom Platt
prewoodsman@gmail.com