Colt Woodman gunsmith needed

30-30remchester · December 9, 2010, 10:35 PM

I am looking for a Colt Woodsman gunsmith. What I am needing is a smith qualified to remove the barrel and weld up a dent in the breech face, then rechamber and reinstall. Anyone have any ideas?

Jim Watson · December 9, 2010, 10:57 PM

What, is the barrel breech indented by dryfiring to the point you get misfires?

If so, welding will be a huge job, I don't know anybody who would undertake it. You might try Jim Milks at
http://innovativecustomguns.com/
He is carrying on the weld repairs that he used to do while working at EGW which has a tremendous reputation in the field. Don't know if he would care to work on a mere .22 though.

Is the dent still all there, with displaced metal cratered up and burred out into the chamber? If so, Brownells has a little tool that will roll the burr out and hopefully get enough metal under the rim at the firing pin to shoot.

If it is too bad for that or if somebody has filed off the burrs, you might look into having the whole barrel relined instead of welded. It is not cheap but it is a standard procedure, $175 from Alex Hamilton.

30-30remchester · December 11, 2010, 08:37 PM

Thanks for the reply Jim I will give them a try. The old prewar Woodman was my guide gun during my guiding carrer. It has been with me for more years than I care to admit. Kinda attacted to that old gun though it doesnt have much bluing left and the checkering is flat. Just one day it started misfiring, upon close examination I noticed that a small piece of the breech face was missing. The area I call the anvil. Apparently after 75 years of hard use it finally had enough. The are no burrs in the chamber area like you would expect from dry firing. The many adventures I have had with this gun makes me want to get it back in the game. I have other Woodsmans of this era that are in far better condition but none have the panash this old warrior has. I was lucky before, when I lived close to a master gunsmith and former president of the custom gunmakers guild. All I had to do was bring a project to Jack and tell him I had finally found a project he probably couldnt do. That was all it took. I lost track of him as he moved away, however I did see him on tv, he was the proffesional witness that was interviewed in the Remington 700 trigger special. This old gun is like an old dog that I am wiling to spend money on to keep him alive.

James K · December 11, 2010, 10:35 PM

I didn't check their web site, but Gun Parts catalog shows new barrels for several models of Woodsman.

It depends on the model, but another way to skin that cat might be to pull the barrel, cut away the chipped place, then set the shoulder forward, replace the barrel and rechamber. Since there is no barrel lug (like on an S&W Revolver), setting the barrel back should not present any problems.

Jim

WESHOOT2 · December 12, 2010, 12:38 PM

I also am in line suggesting Mr. Alex Hamilton at www.tenring.com

Jim Watson · December 12, 2010, 12:49 PM

Hey, I like the Keenan approach. Probably less expensive than a reline, if you can find somebody to take on the job. Which was your original question, and I do not have a name for you.

Cowboy_mo · December 12, 2010, 09:13 PM

If you know your (go to guy's name and he sounds pretty famous) why not just do a google for his name and see if you can't come up with an address and/or other contact info?

Hunter Customs · December 13, 2010, 02:25 PM

Hey 30-30 if you are refering to Jack Weigand go to the American Pistol Smith Guild I believe you will find him listed there.
Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

December 9, 2010, 10:35 PM	#1
30-30remchester Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2009 Location: mountains of colorado Posts: 977	Colt Woodman gunsmith needed I am looking for a Colt Woodsman gunsmith. What I am needing is a smith qualified to remove the barrel and weld up a dent in the breech face, then rechamber and reinstall. Anyone have any ideas?

December 12, 2010, 12:38 PM	#5
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	I also am in line suggesting Mr. Alex Hamilton at www.tenring.com __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

December 12, 2010, 09:13 PM	#7
Cowboy_mo Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,039	Don't have a name but here's an idea If you know your (go to guy's name and he sounds pretty famous) why not just do a google for his name and see if you can't come up with an address and/or other contact info?

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

December 9, 2010, 10:57 PM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,528	What, is the barrel breech indented by dryfiring to the point you get misfires? If so, welding will be a huge job, I don't know anybody who would undertake it. You might try Jim Milks at http://innovativecustomguns.com/ He is carrying on the weld repairs that he used to do while working at EGW which has a tremendous reputation in the field. Don't know if he would care to work on a mere .22 though. Is the dent still all there, with displaced metal cratered up and burred out into the chamber? If so, Brownells has a little tool that will roll the burr out and hopefully get enough metal under the rim at the firing pin to shoot. If it is too bad for that or if somebody has filed off the burrs, you might look into having the whole barrel relined instead of welded. It is not cheap but it is a standard procedure, $175 from Alex Hamilton.

December 11, 2010, 08:37 PM	#3
30-30remchester Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2009 Location: mountains of colorado Posts: 977	Thanks for the reply Jim I will give them a try. The old prewar Woodman was my guide gun during my guiding carrer. It has been with me for more years than I care to admit. Kinda attacted to that old gun though it doesnt have much bluing left and the checkering is flat. Just one day it started misfiring, upon close examination I noticed that a small piece of the breech face was missing. The area I call the anvil. Apparently after 75 years of hard use it finally had enough. The are no burrs in the chamber area like you would expect from dry firing. The many adventures I have had with this gun makes me want to get it back in the game. I have other Woodsmans of this era that are in far better condition but none have the panash this old warrior has. I was lucky before, when I lived close to a master gunsmith and former president of the custom gunmakers guild. All I had to do was bring a project to Jack and tell him I had finally found a project he probably couldnt do. That was all it took. I lost track of him as he moved away, however I did see him on tv, he was the proffesional witness that was interviewed in the Remington 700 trigger special. This old gun is like an old dog that I am wiling to spend money on to keep him alive.

December 11, 2010, 10:35 PM	#4
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I didn't check their web site, but Gun Parts catalog shows new barrels for several models of Woodsman. It depends on the model, but another way to skin that cat might be to pull the barrel, cut away the chipped place, then set the shoulder forward, replace the barrel and rechamber. Since there is no barrel lug (like on an S&W Revolver), setting the barrel back should not present any problems. Jim

December 12, 2010, 12:49 PM	#6
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,528	Hey, I like the Keenan approach. Probably less expensive than a reline, if you can find somebody to take on the job. Which was your original question, and I do not have a name for you.

December 13, 2010, 02:25 PM	#8
Hunter Customs Senior Member Join Date: March 26, 2005 Location: Osborn, Missouri Posts: 2,697	Hey 30-30 if you are refering to Jack Weigand go to the American Pistol Smith Guild I believe you will find him listed there. Regards Bob Hunter www.huntercustoms.com