Colt woodsman jamming problem

[nickelanddime]

I just bought my first woodsman, a nice series 2. When I got it it fired fine for 300 rounds, but now it is jamming, the cartridge angled half in the chamber, half in the clip, with the slide wedging it in place. This happens about 1 shot in ten. The problem started after I disassembled and cleaned the gun and switched ammo. I was using cheap blazer ammo, but ran out. I cleaned it and since then have tried a variety of ammos, Hi-v and standard v(but no blazer). Can anyone help me with some info?

[jrothWA]

and chucked in a drill and LIGHTLY spin the brush inside chamber. patch dry and cycle.
Sounds like a dirty chamber may retarding the forward motion of cartridge sliding along the top of chamber.

Did you detail the magazine and reassembly correctly?

Consider using CCI standard ammo, as the slide recoils is poor and doesn't allow fresh round to present itself for pickup by lower edge of slide.

www.colt22.com , try it you like it.

[rtpzwms]

Is it always the same shot in the magazine? For instance the last one? Before you go crazy trying to fix the pistol try a few different mfg's ammunition to see if it likes one more than the other.... if that works keep buying the ammunition it likes. :D KISS

[PSP]

Hi-v and standard v(but no blazer). Can anyone help me with some info?

I have three suggestions;

Do not shoot high velocity rounds. Stick with standard velocity. Your accuracy will likely be better and you won't put unneccesary wear and tear on your Colt.

Try a new magazine, (CDNN), if the one you use is original then it is pretty old.

Stick with ammo that feeds well. Sometimes a gun just will not function right with certain brands.

[Daryl]

Mine is a series 1 (1941), rated for hi-velocity ammo (backstrap has horizontal lines), so I don't know if it's relavant, but...

Mine won't feed the first round from a full magazine unless I use higher velocity ammo (CCI mini-mags work great). The exception is Aguila subsonic sniper ammo, which seems to work the slide just as well.

I would clean the gun again, oil it lightly, and buy more Blazer ammo to try. Always go back to what works before trying anything else.

If the Blazers don't work any more, then it's likely the magazine or gun that are having an issue. If they do, then it's the ammo.

Daryl

[cougar gt-e]

I have one that works perfectly ... with 2 of the 3 magazines. The third one turns it into a jam-o-matic. I don't know what the diff is with that one mag, but I know it's the problem.

Have you taken it apart and cleaned it? Have the instructions with you as they don't go back together super easy.

[jrothWA]

Depress follower down until the thumbknob on side matched the cut-out in wall,

pull thumbknob out with fingers and SLOWLY relax the follower, it will rise up thur lips, pull gently out the rest on the way.
sok, spray whatever to clean interion, get a solder flux brush, and modify buy turning bristles 90 degree with a close turn, trim brush as short as possible and use to scrub interior. flush and lube spring and follower side and reassemble.

Done.

[cougar gt-e]

jroth,

thanks for that info. I was wondering how to detail strip the mags. I've been just giving them the brake cleaner hose out.

[nickelanddime]

Hmmm...tricky. My problem started after I thoroughly cleaned the gun, but I will try the mag cleaning trick. Thanks for the info...

[Motownstan]

My Challenger was jamming where the slide would hit in the middle of the shell and put a kink in it. I noticed the mag was not being held all the way up causing the slide to miss feed. I put a little dab of JB Weld on the mag latch where it hits the mag so it holds the mag all the way up nice and tight. You can't see it unless you're really looking for it. I haven't had one jam in a couple of 500 boxes of cheap Ferderal from Walmart.

[nickelanddime]

Motown, that kinking thing is just what mine does. Oddly, It doesn't happen during rapid fire, only if I pause between shots. I will try pressing up on the mag next time I shoot to see if this is the prob. -Thanks

[Motownstan]

Yeah, before I tried the JB weld thing, I was at the range and stuffed a little piece of an ammo box in there and it worked fine so I made it "permanent".

[Motownstan]

Hey Nick, I just realized the "Woodsman" might have a different latch. The arrow in this picture shows where I did my "fix".
http://i721.photobucket.com/albums/ww215/MotownStan/ColtLatch.jpg

[James K]

Look at a magazine from the side. See that ramp going up from the middle to the front? The rim of the cartridge is supposed to ride up on that ramp, not go in between the sides of it. If the ramp is too wide or the rim of the round is not shaped right, the round will be forced between the sides of the ramp and jam rather than riding up on the ramp.

The problem may be the ammunition (rim shape) or the feed lips may have spread out, something that can sometimes be corrected with careful use of pliers. If that is the problem, no amount of cleaning the gun or the magazine will make any difference. Worse, many new magazines have the bodies made from regular steel rather than spring steel, so the feed ramp cannot be hardened and tempered like it needs to be. Those mags will work only until the lips spread, then they fail.

Jim

[nickelanddime]

Thanks again, guys. I'll do as you recommend, jim, and look at the ramp and feed lips. It seems that the two pointy prongs at the top middle of the mag are tight rather than loose. When I load in the tenth round, i have to press a bit to snap in into the mag. Anyway, the jamming problem does seem to go away if I press up on the mag while firing. There is a little vertical play there...

[ravarner]

Good to know there are a bunch of Woodsman owners out there. I have a Series 2 which I inherited from my Dad. Not only does it jam and crease the cartridge, but before it jams, typically on the 2nd round, it will go full auto and send out a 3rd round, then it jams. Guns smiths have looked at it as have everyone else and no one has been able to permanently resolve the problems. Anyone out there have any new suggestions or do you have exactly the same issues as mine? Thanks.

[10-96]

Ravarner- There's a couple possibilities that could be the culprit here. My first question is: Has the pistol been dry fired very much? This can damage/deform the firing pin which will keep it from sliding back and forth as it should and possibly leading to your runaway. See about a new firing pin.

Also, if it has burred the edge of the chamber from firing pin strikes- that will cause feeding problems. Chamber irons can be bought to remove the burr or pucker and put the chamber mouth back into round.

Maybe try a new magazine if one is available- but check on those other issues first as they can make you think you have bad mag lips.

Now, just in the off-chance you don't know... Do not use the slide catch to release the slide. Pull it back and release like a slingshot. Also don't ride the slide forward- that may not give you a clear picture of what's going on in the feeding process. Also, do not dry fire that or any rimfire unless you have it in writing from the manufacturer or owners manual that says it's OK. And lastly, I know this is a resurrected thread, but don't even try what was said in Post #2!