Coltwood VS Wood

p0838

September 08, 2002 13:46

When in the 1960's did Colt stop using Coltwood grips on the Commanders and switch over to wood??

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  RancheroPaul

  September 09, 2002 04:55

  This question you have may be very difficult to answer. There is no information regarding grips in any of the descriptions for this gun in the Blue Book of Gun Values.
  
  So, in checking in "The Book of Colt Firearms" by R.L.Wilson, I came up with a rather vague reference. This book talks only to the guns made from 1949 to 1970, all of which were the "Coltalloy" lightweight aluminum from Alcoa. The following was found:
  
  FINISH -- Dual-Tone blue. Coltwood grips with encircled rampant colt motif.
  
  There is no other reference to wood grips in any way. I would take this that, at least until 1970, these guns only came with Coltwood grips. What happened later on, I can't determine from my reference books. If you were to call Colt's Historical Department, they could tell you. Whether or not they would charge for that information, I don't know.
  
  
  
  Fish Shudder at the sound of my Name!
  
  Edited by - RancheroPaul on 09/09/2002 19:29:16

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  JudgeColt

  September 09, 2002 22:08

  I doubt that Colts Historical Department could tell you when the switch was made to wood stocks. If you received an answer, I would be suspect of it. The Historical Department really only does shipping record research on particular guns for a fee.
  
  I have a pretty complete collection of Colt catalogs, but I may have a hole or two in it during the time (1960s) I was in college and the Army. I will try to go through my catalogs and see when the change to wood first appeared, and report back.

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  Piadea

  September 10, 2002 05:17

  My info on Colt Woodsmans indicates that Coltswood grips were used from 47-50 then injected molded wood grain/brown plastic 50-55. 55-60 black plastic and wood thereafter. I realize that this info may not apply to commanders but it may help.

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  JudgeColt

  September 10, 2002 06:44

  Note to Colt Aficionados: those things applied to each side of the butt of a Colt are not grips, they are stocks! (Although I have seen the word "grips" used once in a while in Colt literature, probably put there by a guy fired from Smith & Wesson!)
  
  Piadea is right. The Woodsman stocks material sequence has NOTHING to do with the Commander, and does not help because the Woodsman line got wood stocks long before the M1911-pattern pistols did. Question: if you have one Woodsman, and acquire another, do you then have two Woodsmen? Surely you do not have two Woodsmans, do you? I avoid this grammatical delimma by saying Woodsman pistols, etc..
  
  I regret to say that there are enough holes in my catalog collection that I cannot say for sure exactly when the change to wood occurred. In a folder dated 11-70 (would this be the 1971 folder?), the Combat Commander is introduced and is shown with the sandblasted wood stocks, but the picture of the Commnader still shows the Coltwood stocks. The next catalog I have is dated 8-72 (would this be the 1973 catalog?) and shows the Commander with the sandblasted wood stocks. It appears the year of general change of Commander stocks from Coltwood to wood was either 1972 or 1973. However, knowing Colt, I suspect that the stock of Coltwood stocks was used until it was gone so it is possible there was some overlap and no clear change date.
  
  Anybody have a 1972 Colt catalog for sale so I can see what it shows?

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