Race Gun Restoration

Race guns, open guns, and most forms of competition guns are far outside my wheelhouse. I have shot in competition and even won a few pistol matches, but for the most part I used firearms close to stock and competed in the corresponding division. Heavy recoil springs and good sights were my main modifications. Race guns, however, are another thing. Pin guns especially designed to knock back (not just tip over) bowling pins off a table using heavy loads have held a fascination since about 1979.

That is long enough to have cracked a frame on a Series 70 Colt. I learned from that experience and later set up the once popular 45 Super and also a 460 Rowland without difficulty. There is a huge difference between what Bill Wilson’s crew, and a what custom ‘smith does, and what I do—like the difference between a Dodge and a Ferrari! Just the same, both need gas to run and each has a firing order. Lets look at a restoration I approached humbly and with great respect.

The work wasn’t difficult as I had a beautiful piece to work with that had been done correctly. But it is a tale of how to get out of the wheelhouse and do your own research. And to understand limitations and also perhaps have a respect for originality of purpose. The story begins with a visit to consult at a pawn shop. Quite often the fix is simple. I may do something like spray a little cleaner into a High Standard revolver and unstick the sear, or might repair a stock at greater length.

Occasionally a firearm has a serious problem. Very seldom does a true gem show up. The pistol illustrated is the exception to that rule. The owner was a bit upset as he had let out too much cash on the loan and the fellow had abrogated his responsibility and not paid the loan and interest. Pawn shops loan money. The gun or other merchandise goes into a data bank to check to see if the gun or jewelry is stolen.

Even in a straight up sale to the pawn broker, the firearm or item purchased cannot be re-sold for 30 days in most states. In most places the gun is held up to ninety days after the loan defaults and registered letters are sent out. It isn’t all gravy. If the firearm was purchased on a short margin the shop keep doesn’t realize much profit. Often enough, a short call is made. The pistol in question was a rather nice Colt Series 70. I noted it had no sights and the shop keep may not have noticed.

The frame was drilled for mounts but no mount was present. The decision was made to purchase the pistol long before I was able to nail down the particulars. The work is gorgeous and among the best fitted pistols I have examined. Once in hand, I began with the stylized logo on the slide. I consulted associates and contacts, sent emails to Wilson Combat, Nighthawk, and my friend Massad. Nothing. Finally, after a few weeks of digging someone on 1911Forum. com told me that it was Dr. Steve

Above center: The trigger and extended magazine release are well done and positive in operation. Woods, a psychologist who built custom guns until about 1996. The logo is the Scottish Lion with a stylized "W" for Woods. In common with the author, Mr. Woods was proud of his Scot heritage. Attempts to locate or contact Mr. Woods were fruitless. Perhaps a reader knows more? The slide is very nicely finished. The work is flawless.

Since this is a Series 70 Colt the ejection port was scalloped and the cut and polish is nicely done. The rear deck of the slide is faced off as if the pistol never had sights, and the front of the Government Model length slide doesn’t provide any indication the slide held a staked on sight. This is because, to the best of my knowl- The magazine well is Smith & Alexander. edge, the Government Model slide was cut to Commander length.

A tremendous advantage of the pistol is a Bar-Sto Precision barrel with compensator. This Government-length 45 ACP barrel offers the ability to handle heavy loads for knocking down bowling pins without the danger of cracking a frame. I have seen quite a few cracked frames and don’t wish to see another. The barrel is tightly fitted.

On aside note, out of curiosity I attempted to slip other Colt and Springfield slides on the pistol without any luck indicating that beyond any question the slide and frame are mated together for precision. Since the Woods gun features a compensated barrel in 45 ACP I think this pistol was originally intended to perform as a pin gun, meaning a custom handgun specifically intended to be used in bowling pin competition. Speed and hard hitting cartridges are important.

The compensator will allow a shooter to run heavy loads in the 250 grain, 1,000 feet per second range, although modern shooters seem to prefer a 185 grain, 1150 fps load. Moving to the frame the nicely brushed frame features well done front strap checkering and also checkering under the trigger guard. The checkering and breaks between checkering are exceptionally well done. The grips are probably Smith & Alexander. The great Dave Wayland once made exceptional pistol grips, they may be Wayland grips.

The magazine well is probably Smith & Alexander. The Swenson type ambidextrous magazine release fits properly with a sharp indent. The safety fitting is flawless. The aluminum match grade trigger is tight, very good, as clean a trigger as I have enjoyed. Compression is a sharp clean 3.0 pounds. There was a pattern of drilled holes in the frame. I could not determine the pattern and what would likely fit the pistol.

Some debate was undertaken and some felt another slide and upper would be a good idea, others felt there may beaway to mount ared on the slide. I felt the

Far slide rear portion was too thin for that. In the end out of respect for all I elected to return the pistol to original. What are Open guns? The modern open gun or race gun most often begins with a high capacity receiver. United States Practical Shooting Association allows a maximum magazine length of 171.25mm, capable of holding up to 30 rounds depending on the cartridge with a minimum caliber of 9mm typically required. Speed is at a premium.

STI frames are the rule and some modification may be undertaken for smaller hands and hand fit. Compensators are the rule. While some will say a 9mm or similar doesn’t kick much in a pistol weighing over forty ounces, a compensator makes all of the difference when a match may be won with only a few tenths of a second. Mass balancing is an arcane art. The core of the pistol is a super Recoil is mitigated a great deal by this set up. crisp trigger action. Optics area necessity for modern open guns.

This Woods gun featured isn’t a modern open gun but it is a good example of one of the best of that era. Among the red dot sights with the healthiest reputation is the C- More, which was a tremendous leap in technology when first released in the 1990s. Most regard the C-More as the first heads-up display red dot sight used in competition. Most C- More use came in competition and they are among the most popular red dot sights in cinema perhaps for their futuristic appearance.

The rail road type rail mounting on this handgun has a classic 1990s pin gun look. The red dot sight is durable in all weather and while simple compared to many modern sights, the C-More is durable. The C-More rheostat setting offers a high degree of adjustment for the individual. In keeping with the original design of the pistol I ordered a C-More red dot and mount. The frame of the Woods pistol required drilling for the C-More mount, leaving the 6-40 thread exposed on the right side.

Perhaps a cover will be used at a later date. Internally there were features with effects not realized until the handgun was fired. A heavy duty recoil spring and buffers designed for heavy loads were installed. When handling the Colt it was not possible to unload the pistol as originally set up as a loaded cartridge would not fully eject. It was required to lower the magazine in the well and rack the slide, allowing the loaded cartridge to fall into the magazine well.

Removing the Wilson Combat Shok-Buff results in administrative handling in the normal manner, however, the additional bumping of heavy pin loads makes the Shok-Buff and adopting a different type of unloading procedure worthwhile. Firing tests were interesting if uneventful. I normally check 45 ACP handgun function with standard 230 grain ball ammunition. This 230 grain, 850 fps ammunition functioned to a point with the pin gun.

A full magazine would fire but the last cartridge failed to fully eject and I considered along ejector. I bumped up power a lot with the Buffalo Bore 250 grain Outdoorsman load, a formidable loading for defense against dangerous animals. At just over 1,000 fps, performance was perfect. Moving to the Black Hills 230 grain JHP +P, yielded more

of the same good performance. This handgun needs hotter loads than standard to function properly. Yet, with the compensator these hot loads are mild to fire. I conducted some experimentation with different loads. The hottest medium-burning powder behind a 185 grain JHP is the best combination to make a 45 ACP compensator work for you and the pistol run as it should. Accuracy is excellent in this pistol, and why not?

A Bar-Sto barrel, a good red dot, and an excellent trigger action provides the basis for superior performance. Once again, the gunsmith must know something about ammunition or he will be lost as most factory ammunition normally reliable in all handguns isn’t hot enough for a pin gun. This isn’t a gun for target wadcutters! A quick check with a Below center: A full-length guide rod and Shok-Buff are necessary for the heavy loads this pistol is designed for. 200 grain, 890 fps load was hopeless.

I could easily change springs for a more versatile load tolerance but at present it is an original pin gun as far as springs. I ordered the C-More with polymer mount and red dot body. The rheostat seemed more in keeping with the period theme although a modern click adjustment red dot is also available. Installing the C- More Serendipity wasn’t difficult but required some work I had to farm out. The C-More Serendipity is a mounting rail and red dot combination.

This means drilling and tapping with C-More’s special 5-40 screws. C-More notes to first remove the sights from the slide. In this case the Woods gun is beautifully done. He milled off the rear of the slide and polished it nicely with no hint the pistol ever wore iron sights. The Serendipity sight is then stretched over the frame. The manual says controls to the rear, round sight lens to the front. Since I have seen a Novak rear sight mounted backwards I don’t scoff at the simplest directions.

The top of the mounting pads should be positioned in front of the slide stop. The rearmost part of the mount rides near the end of the slide. The holes for mounting are drilled into the dust cover, not the frame rail frame bridge section. Clearance between the bottom of the slide and the mounting pads is set at 0.010 to 0.020. Be certain the rail mount doesn’t contact the slide. The tail of the sight will be centered over the slide.

The Serendipity is placed properly on the frame/receiver and the holes for mounting drilled with a 0.125" (1/8) drill or reamer. It is important to degrease the mounting screws and the holes you have drilled in the frame. Do not overtighten! Moderately snug is good, and use Loctite 2760 per C- More recommendation. Mounting screws must be trimmed flush with the receiver. Trim the screws flush on the interior of the frame. A tip: Be certain to allow the screws and Loctite to cure for 24 hours.

I have no idea what type of red dot and rail was originally mounted on the Steve Woods Colt. I do know the work is beautifully done, among the finest work I have seen. The pistol runs well with the loads it was designed for. The grips, after market safety, magazine well, and particularly the barrel were the finest available in the day. I was proud to be able to restore the pistol to an approximation of how it would have appeared in 1990s. My best information indicates Mr. Woods left gunsmithing in 1996.

I may be wrong but this pistol doesn’t appear to have been ran hard. That may change soon. AG