Colt Woodsman Match Target

Millersville said:

I was at the local gunshop the other day and they have a Colt Woodsman Match Target in the case with the original cardboard box and a few papers. Very nice condition, probably 95%. Instead of wood grips it has shiny brown plastic target grips. Just curious if these were standard with the Colt, or are aftermarket.

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Plastic in the '40's and '50's was "high end".....nylon
Original grips for the 3rd Series were black plastic with a thumbrest, in 1960 switched to walnut.
Brown plastic was used on late 2nd Series.

The gun dates to 1956-57 based on the serial number.

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If the mag release is on the butt, that MT is a 3rd Series.
If the mag release is next to the trigger guard, its a 2nd Series.

They are asking $799, does that seem fair?

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In that condition with box thats a steal.

They seem to be all over the place on Gunbroker.

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Original box adds to the value.

For more info on the Woodsman than you'll ever need to know: https://www.colt22.com/

My brother paid $900 or $950 for one in like new condition in the box 5 years ago. It was a 4 inch though.

How many mags, are they original, screwdriver and plastic grip extension?

Gunrunner usually has a couple each month and a second series with box complete 6-1/2”was about $900. But lately that seems to have dropped to $700. or so.

Colt had it’s own plastic in that era , called it Coltwood” as I recall. Nicely marbled brown with a bit of maroon mixed in. Given the condition and original accessories you describe , I’m betting that the grip panels are original. Photos would help.

Price doesn’t sound out of line for that excellent pistol.

Millersville

Price sounds very reasonable. I would snap that one up before someone else does!

I paid $275 for a Match Target, excellent condition, in 1985. Inflation calculator says now that amount would be $655. Guess I got a good deal. but that pistol is long gone.

Very nice gun though, definitely worth having.

Back in the late seventies I was on a Musky fishing trip up in the north woods. Local bait & sporting goods store had a used one for the asking price of $150, really wanted to buy it but my bait and beer budget prohibited it. To this day I kick myself for passing it up. Worse part is I didn't catch any Muskies, although we all caught a lot of brown bottles that week.

I have mostly seen the"plastic" grips on the Series 2 Colt Woodsman models. They can be identified by the button mag release behind the trigger guard located similar to the 1911's. The earliest Woodsman pistols (Series 1) and the last and latest Woodsman series 3 pistols where sold with wood grips and had a magazine heel release at the bottom of the grip.

If the gun is complete and works well $800 seems like a fair price.

My Woodsman was bought in 1959-1960. I believe I paid $60 with a holster and some ammo. Great for shooting rats down at the dump, lol. Left it with a college roommate and never looked back. Wish I had it now.