Make: Colt
Model: 2nd SeriesWoodsman Match Target
Serial Number: 84861-S
Year of Manufacture: 1950 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .22 Long Rifle
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto fed by Removable Magazine
Barrel Length: 4 1/2", Fluted Slab-Side
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade pinned to a serrated, ramped base fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a square notch adjustable for windage and elevation in a base dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered brown with black swirl plastic with a thumb-shelf on the left panel (for a right-handed shooter) and a rampant colt in a circle at the top of the right panel. A removable “grip adapter” made of the same material is attached to the backstrap; this was marketed by Colt as a way for “shooters with large hands who desire more grip area to anchor the pistol firmly in the heel of the hand.” The grips have some scattered light nicks and scratches. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is infrequent minor erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 8 or 9 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. Most of the balance is handling wear in the grip areas. There are scattered light nicks, scuffs, and scratches. There is infrequent minor oxidation, mostly in the grip areas. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with one original Vintage 1950s Colt blued 10-round magazine marked “COLT / CAL. 22 L.R.” on the bottom floorplate.
Our Assessment: Another innovative design sprung from the mind of gunmaking genius John Moses Browning was the “Colt’s Automatic Pistol, Caliber .22”, later to become the Woodsman, with the design refined slightly by Colt employees George Tansley and F.C. Chadwick before it was released in 1915. The Woodsman stayed in production until 1977. While sportsmen favored the Sport Model and plinkers preferred the Target Model, competitive bullseye target shooters wanted the top of the line Match Target. The 2nd Series Match Target was released in 1948, but the design was changed in 1955, dropping the brown with black swirl plastic grips and the angled and grooved trigger, making any 2nd Series Match Target scarce and desirable today.
This Colt 2nd Series Match Target semi-auto pistol was made in 1950 is in Very Good condition. It’s chambered in .22 LR, and features 80% of its original "dual tone" blued finish, a 4 ½” fluted slab-side barrel, strong mechanics, and a mostly bright bore with sharp rifling. This should still prove to be a good shooter, or would be a fine addition to a Colt collection.
Pistol