Make: Colt
Model: 2nd Series Woodsman Match Target
Serial Number: 125408-S
Year of Manufacture: 1953 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .22 Long Rifle
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto fed by Removable Magazine
Barrel Length: 6", 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 "Coltwood" 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. The grips have light handling wear. There are some scattered nicks and scuffs, most notable on the edge of the thumb-shelf and the top edge of the right panel. There are a couple of tool marks around the screw heads. The grips show minor shrinkage, common for Coltwood grips. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good 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, mostly at the muzzle end. 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. There is handling wear in the grip areas and minor finish wear along the top of the slide and barrel. There are some scattered light nicks, scuffs, and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. 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, a 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: The “Colt’s Automatic Pistol, Caliber .22”, later to become the Woodsman, was another innovative design sprung from the mind of gunmaking genius John Moses Browning, 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 plastic grips and the angled and grooved trigger, making any 2nd Series Match Target scarce and desirable today.
This Colt 2nd Series Woodsman Match Target Pistol was made in 1953 and is in Very Good condition. It’s chambered in .22 LR, and features about 80% of its original “dual tone” blued finish, a 6” fluted slab-sided barrel, strong mechanics, and a mostly bright bore with sharp rifling. This pistol will be of interest to the Colt collectors, but should also be sought after by those wanting a high quality pistol for target practice or even competition.
Pistol