What a great find!
The Challenger was one of the outstanding plinker handguns ever offered. My Dad gave me one of the six-inch version in about 1958, when I was 15. It was made in the old style with forged steel parts. By that time, though, the handwriting was on the wall. Pieces like the Ruger Standard .22 and the less-expensive High Standards were being built with stampings and castings. The new breed of field .22s were perfectly serviceable, though, and the fine Colt .22s just couldn't compete in that price range.
The Challenger was like a slightly downgraded Woodsman - - Same high quality of the second series Woodsman, but with plastic stocks, fixed sights and a simplified heel clip magazine catch. The thumb safety engages a notch on the slide as a hold-open, where the concurrent Woodsman had a separate slide catch. Production began in 1955, with serial number 1-C, and ran through number 77143-C in 1955. Then, for some reason, the Challenger was discontinued. The successor was at first named the Camper, but the name was immediately changed to Huntsman and the numbers jumped to 90001-C. This pistol was identical to the Challenger but for very slight changes in trigger guard and trigger profile.
Most of above is from Sutherland and Wilson's Book of Colt Firearms.
The price sounds good, especially for one with original box and papers. I really hate to buy a gun in such great shape, because the inclination is to keep it pristine, a “safe queen.” Such a fine field pistol deserves to be shot and appreciated. I hope you can see your way clear to buy it, and enjoy it fully.
Best of luck
Johnny
