Woodsman Mainspring Housing
Judging from the lack of success on my web searches this may be a mute question. Does anyone know where I could find a first pattern Colt Woodsman mainspring housing that allows the use of hi-speed ammunition. So far, all my searches have been in vain. Thanks!
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That's going to be really hard to find. You might come across one at a gun show but unlikely. They haven't been made by Colt since WWII timeframe. Best bet is just to shoot standard velocity 22s. Other option, if you really want one, will be to buy a beat up 1st model that has the correct housing and change it out with yours. 0 -
They used to show up all the time on Nazi Bay but I don't go there any more. 0 -
Can't just the spring be changed out? 0 -
This may or may not be true, but my understanding is that the issue is more than the spring. Involves the heat treatment of the housing. I had an early Woodsman with the same problem years ago and a gunsmith offered to heat treat the housing for me. I passed; used regular speed ammo, and eventually traded up to a high speed sport model. Don't know if the heat treating is a viable option or not. Worth checking into though. 0 -
RCrosby is right. It is not the main spring. Because the main spring housing is what takes the impact of the slide as it reaches its rearmost travel, the later main spring housing is heat-treated to stand the extra impact generated by the higher slide velocity imparted by high speed ammunition.
Colt sold accessory high speed main spring housings, but they are valuable collectors items now. They are stamped "A" instead of having the gun's serial number number stamped on the body of the housing.
Unless you are lucky enough to find a high speed housing, or buy a pistol from the high speed era from which you can borrow the main spring housing, just shoot regular speed ammunition. The only disadvantage to that is the higher cost of the regular speed ammunition.0 -
A spring having a heavier spring constant will reduce slide velocity and impact to the housing but one may lose the ability to use standard velocity ammo.
A collector who has both could do us a service by measuring both.
We would need the free length, wire size, spring diameter, number of active coils and note whether ends were finished or not.
That would put the spring issue to bed.
The low speed housing could probably be professionally case hardened.0 -
Sounds like I'm likely stuck shooting standard velocity ammo. 0 -
I collect and shoot 2nd generation Woodsman(s)-primarily the Match Target-and never use the "harder on the gun" hi-vel ammo. I use CCI subsonics and other target ammo, finding them more accurate and just as functionally reliable as the high velocity rounds. I kill paper targets with my Woodsman(s), leaving the dispatching of various vermin that require the hi-vel stuff to my rifles. Your choice, of course, but I'd stay with the standard velocity housing and have fun. -Asa 0
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