Colt ~ Woodsman Target ~ .22 Long Rifle
Description:
Renowned as one of the most iconic and accurate .22 target pistols ever designed, the Colt Woodsman remains to be an extremely collectible piece for enthusiasts. Introduced in 1915, the Colt Woodsman is yet another brainchild of the famed John Moses Browning. The pistol did eventually have three distinct iterations of the frame as well as three different trims in each: a Target, Sport, and Match Target model for each series. At its release, the pistol was simply called the "Colt Automatic Pistol, Caliber .22 Target Model." The "Woodsman" moniker would not be applied until 1927. The Target model featured a 6" barrel with adjustable front and rear sights and was considered the base model of the pistol. The Sport had a shortened 4 ½" barrel with fixed front sights that were later replaced by adjustable sights again. Finally, the Match Target had a large wraparound grip and a heavy-profile barrel. The pistol was often called a "Bullseye Match Target" due to its bullseye rollmark on the pistol slide. The pistol's production was put on hold with the United States' entry to World War II—understandably. However, 4000 Match Target pistols were reportedly delivered to the US Government at the later part of the war—likely to be used as training aids or for use with marksmanship teams—a patten which would be repeated again post-war with more issued to the USMC, USAF, and USCG; Marine and Coast Guard pistols were largely destroyed and scrapped, while Air Force pistols were sold off through the surplus CMP program. In 1948, the Woodsman was resumed and the pistol now had redesigned controls more in line with what common pistol controls are today, with a magazine release behind the trigger guard, automatic slide stop, and a magazine disconnect safety. A cheaper Challenger model was also introduced with fixed sights and heel-mounted magazine release. The third and final iteration of the Colt Woodsman was introduced in 1955, with the magazine release moved back to the heel of the magazine again, differing markings, new grips, and redesigned sights. Also, yet another model—the Huntsman—was brought about at a lower price, again with fixed sights and black plastic grip panels. The Colt Woodsman is notable for its impressive accuracy, even when put up against modern contemporaries such as the ever-popular Ruger Mark series and the customizable Volquartsens. And yet, the Woodsman was one of the first target-style .22 pistols with great commercial success. This piece in particular is an excellent buy for a Colt or rimfire collector. The gun can be dated to 1950—towards the end of the second run of Woodsmen—and is sold with its original box, two 10-round magazines, both pieces of synthetic backstraps, and the original test target and user manual/brochure. The bluing on this gun is largely intact, with some worn under the stocks on either side and a tiny patch of pitting on the right side next to the front sight. The rifling is in excellent condition and there is no rust or pitting on the inside of the barrel. This Woodsman is a Target base model with adjustable rear sight and pinned front Patridge sight with serrated ramp. The trigger is has a grooved face and somewhat flat-faced profile of a target trigger. This Colt Woodsman also includes two original Colt 10-round magazines. .22 Long Rifle
Barrels:
6
Weight:
1 LB 15 OZ
Item Location:
Kearney, NE
Price:
$1,499.99