Colt Woodsman Box SN 103002-S

Here is the second Colt Woodsman Box without it's gun.  Somewhere out there you know this gun 103002 is looking for it's box.  Wonderful test target, Colt screwdriver "thing" and some grip parts.  Based on my research it looks like this belongs to a second series gun manufactured in 1950.  For a 4" barrel, that group at 15 yards or 45 feet is pretty darn impressive even with an arm rest.  WOW!

Wonderful old piece of history. I have not heard from anyone yet looking for this or the other box, First series, SN 100193 as I wrote about HERE.

Lyman moulds 429215 vs 429421

Well, I have been in search of a non gas check bullet for the 44.  Seems the gun does well w/o the GC so why not find a mould that is a non GC mould.  Well, I got one but wow.  Huge lube groove and, 251 to 252 gr.  It is a bigger bullet no doubt.  I am questioning if I should even mess with it.

Here are some of the issues.  First, it is heavier.  Second, it drops a full .434 vs the 429215 which drops .4305 to .431.  You can really see the sizing push the lead around on the 429421.  The good news, it makes for much more driving band surface area.  So, it will eat lube, kick like a mule and perhaps get better engagement in the barrel.  This bullet, if I had the dies, could be sized .431 or .432 and I think it would still engage in the sizer.  More variables to chase.  I figure I will load up 10 and see if the results warrant further investigation.  I also find it odd that two Lyman 429XXX moulds drop such a different diameter bullet. I guess that is why serious shooters move to custom moulds.

I also read that the 429421 is too long to cycle through a Marlin 1894CB.  Well, I put this in two empty cases and it has no handling issues.  Fast, slow, careless, careful.  Cycles fine.  I do see some marks on the bullet but I loaded them through the tube feed and that very may well have been the culprit.

As I review the options for my "skinny" 215 mould, I found this Beagling PDF which seems worth at least a short experiment.  Others might find it to be an interesting read.

Colt Woodsman Box with SN 100173

Going through old stuff of my Dad's and buried amongst all the artifacts in the attic of 60 years, I found a bit of history.  To my amazement, he kept the box for a gun that had been stolen out of his car almost 70 years ago.  He had purchased the gun before WWII but it was stolen sometime after the war but before he married my mother.  Let's assume late 40's the gun was stolen but that is a guestimate.

The only reason the story came up and I have any recollection of what happened was because whenever the replacement gun was brought out for some plinking, the loss was remembered.  I assume in an effort to replace what he lost, he picked up the best possible facsimile which was a 4 1/2" barreled "Sport" version mfg in 1937 vs the one he lost which had the "Target" 6 1/2" barrel.  I learned the story only through hearing how the replacement was not half the gun his first one was.  And that is about as much as I can remember.

I decided the old box, manual and price tag would be fun to share with others.  Almost akin to opening a time capsule.  The SN on the box is 100173 and it is labeled TARGET with an additional label of PARTRIDGE SIGHTS.  Something I may research should time permit.  There is a wonderful Woodsman website HERE which tells me the box and gun were produced in early 1936.  It would be fascinating to attempt to locate the original gun with today's modern marvels courtesy of the internet.  I am trying to flush such fantasy and continue on more pressing projects.  I hope you find these pictures as interesting as I do.  As always, click on the image for the full picture.

Cheers!

Vintage NH Match Results from 2003

John sent me some great old results including the 2003 NH State Pistol Silhouette results.  Way cool!  Check out some of those results!

Got some old score sheets?  Scan them in and send them to me to post.  It is interesting to see old and new names.

Go HERE to see all NH Silhouette results, 2003 at bottom.