Colt Officers Model Match

SwampWolf said:

The Colt Officer's Model Match revolver was made from 1953 to 1970, and was chambered in .22 rf and .38 Special (there was an estimated run of 800 produced chambered in .22 Mag. rf). I'm not aware of any Colt revolver wearing the moniker "Target Match" or any similar such name, subsequent to the Officer's Model Match.

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It was a while ago on here I believe that there was a similar post and someone corrected me about what I said I had. I'd swear I called it an Officer's Model Target Match and he told me that is the later description.

joed said:

It was a while ago on here I believe that there was a similar post and someone corrected me about what I said I had. I'd swear I called it an Officer's Model Target Match and he told me that is the later description.

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The Officer's Model Match is a "target" revolver but I've never heard of a Colt target revolver called an "Officer's Model Target Match", or anything close, following the discontinuation of the Officer's Model Match in 1970 (Colt did make an Officer's Model Target (but not "Officer's Model Target Match") prior to the Officer's Special and Officer's Match models-from 1908 to 1940). But I'm no Colt expert; maybe someone better versed in Colt nomenclature can shed more light on the subject.

Steve Milbocker said:

Now to find some wadcutters

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Indeed.

Walkalong, I was referencing post no. 6, where the poster thought there was a newer (than the Officer's Model Match) Colt revolver "called a slightly different name, maybe Target Match...". In post no. 27, I acknowledged that there were Colt revolvers called "...Officer's Model Target (but not "Officer's Model Target Match") made prior to the Officer's Special and Officer's Match models-from 1908 to 1940..." .

Walkalong

Back in the early '70s wasn't there also a limited run Colt Officers Model Match Mk.III in .38 Special that used the new Mk.III action?

OK, I think I found the post about the correct name for Officer's Model. Mine from 1930 with adjustable front site is a Officer's Model Target, I sit corrected.

By Majic
If you have an adjustable front sight then you don't have an Officers Model Match (OMM). You have either an Officers Model Special or Officer Model Target. The OMM was the last of the series and had a fully adjustable rear sight with the fixed front sight. These were Colt's medium framed target revolvers. The actions were hand tuned and they were exceptional shooters. They ruled the bullseye circuit in .22lr, .32 long, and .38 spl. Your 4 1/2 inch barrel if stock is rather scarce as most had 6 inch barrels.

By Saxon Pig
Here's a 22 Officers Model Target from 1930. The 38 caliber version would be the same save the bore size. The original front sight was adjustable for elevation and the rear sight moved side to side for windage correction. Not everyone liked this front sight and perhaps someone changed it on your gun at some point.

Steve Milbocker said:

Just picked it up. Haven’t cleaned it up yet but thought I’d snap a couple of pics. Serial is 928927. Anybody know what year it is?

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You can go to Colt's website and check serial numbers and also check numbers at proofhouse.com

Grips made for a Colt Python revolver fit my Colt Officer's Special perfectly.

Everything you wanted to know models history etc:

http://www.coltfever.com/site/mobile?url=http://www.coltfever.com/Officer_s_Model.html#2956

joed said:

They are a very accurate revolver. If it is a Officers Model Match it is quite old as the newer ones are called a slightly different name, maybe Target Match.

Here's mine made in 1930 the first year it was available in .22 rf. I still shoot it every chance I get.

View attachment 882375

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I think you have that reversed.....OM Target is pre-war and the OM Match was post-war. There was also the post-war OM Special, which had a straight bull barrel and a weird long ramp front sight.

My Dad had 3 Officers Model Match guns ; two were bought factory "tuned" and "matched" in .22 and .38 in 1955 , another was bought in 1961 in .32 S&W Long and it was his "cheat gun" in NRA matches held in NJ are until the early 70s when his vision started o go bad. I recieved those guns after I completed college on the GI bill in 1979 and NJ went full draconian on pistol owners. I first sold the .32 OMM about 15 years ago for a princely sum a I remember my take was over 2K$ . I sold the matched brace, very well used (by me too for 25+ years) for $1500 and they had the factory stocks , the .32 had the factory stocks but also a custom fitted "target " set with the adjustable bottom self that he shot the gun to victories in the early to mid sixties with. I also got his Hard Ball 1911 .45 and his early Ruger MK 1 Target customized .22 pistol he replaced his early High Standard HD with .. I recently sold the elegant 1951 High Standard 6" HD for $500 to a friend who loves it. I kept the 1911 King Customized gun which I had further work done on and shot in the 80s.. I am not selling the 1911 and the Mark I !
Here is a 1947 .32 S&W Officers Model Target !
https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...ong-w-factory-letter-41-.cfm?gun_id=101320861

Gordon said:

I first sold the .32 OMM about 15 years ago for a princely sum a I remember my take was over 2K$ . I sold the matched brace, very well used (by me too for 25+ years) for $1500 and they had the factory stocks , the .32 had the factory stocks but also a custom fitted "target " set with the adjustable bottom self that he shot the gun to victories in the early to mid sixties with.

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Surely, there's an aftermath of seller's remorse in play here.

SwampWolf said:

Surely, there's an aftermath of seller's remorse in play here.

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Not really; my children were not interest in them, despite three of them and two grand children had some of their training on them . I also used the .22 especially as a fun plinker for about 10 years and shot the .38 with the Sherrif's Reserve Posse in the 70s. The .32 had some use by my dad but I didn't use it that much. The .22 and .38 had many many round thru them by my father. He would go thru a brick a week of .22s leading up to Big matches and shot at least that many .38s a month , he used them for .20 years and had them retimed ect. many times. So they looked vey good , and still shot good but certainly were not "collector grade" and I got time with them. I believe interest is waning in target revolvers that are not "collector grade" NIB .I see the same prices I was seeing 15 years ago on them.

I still have a 1961 made .22 l.r. Colt OMM that I occasionally shoot but I prefer my 1952 vintage S&W K-22 and rimfire Korths over it.

Gordon said:

..... I believe interest is waning in target revolvers that are not "collector grade" NIB .I see the same prices I was seeing 15 years ago on them.

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I believe you are correct. I see many would-be sellers attempting to get big money (big money: near what they paid to modify said revolvers) for well used competition revolvers. Those revolvers don't sell at that price.

I did purchase a (very) well used S&W M-10 PPC revolver a few years ago. I paid less than half what the ask was, the seller realized that Sunday afternoon at Wanenmacher means sell it or pack it back home.