Which .22 handgun would you buy of these two?

[Min]

Smith & Wesson model 18-4. Pinned and recessed. Bluing finish has lots of small blemishes throughout, but gun is mechanically fine. $400 FTF






Colt Woodsman mint, 2nd series made in 1951 with four magazines. $500 FTF






I would love to have both, but can only afford one.

 

[.66Cal.]

The Colt IMO.
I have a 50 yr old Huntsman, super gun.
But I'm sure Smith is great too.

 

[MedWheeler]

Me? I already have a plinking auto (Ruger Mk-II), so I'd go with the revolver. Makes a good training piece, too, for initiating newbies to the sport..

 

[Ichiro]

The semiauto.

Revolvers don't waste 22 ammo fast enough.

 

[Archie]

You can't lose with either, frankly. Both are very good guns with value and resale value.

Do both and you won't regret it over time.

 

[David E]

Buy one NOW !

Either is good, altho I lean towards the Woodsman, especially with spare magazines.

.

 

[CDH]

That Woodsman over the Smith in a heartbeat.

 

[MIgunguy]

I love the S&W model 18, but between these two particular guns, these two deals, I'd buy the Colt.

 

[Min]

BTW, the Smith is exceptionally tight and has not been fired much at all. It's like a fine clock...

 

[earplug]

Buy the Colt

Friend of mine had a Colt very much like this one. Was great to shoot and there is no need to pluck empty brass from a revolver cylinder if you not going to reload them.

 

[Hanafuda]

Are deals like that common there Min? I need to move to Texas.

edit: oh yeah ... get the colt

 

[Min]

Yeah, the guy selling the Smith also has a mint model 41 he's thinking about selling for $600-650

 

[cliffy]

I'd opt for neither, because . . .

Ruger makes great and very usable Model IIIs. A ten-round magazine never hurts with such minimal firepower. CCI Velocitors balance the equation of .22 Long Rifle minimum power pills. Since I shoot indoors at 50 feet, I don't yet realize what a .22 LR maximum load is actually good for. cliffy

 

[Maia007]

The Woodsman.......one of the best .22 autos ever made.

 

[nekwah]

wasting .22 ammo is too much fun. SEMI_AUTOS

 

[BrandonBowers]

Go with the Colt. Three mags and a spare set of grips? That's a good deal.

 

[Min]

There are actually four mags total. One is in the gun.

 

[ConstantineJ9]

The Colt, I have never understood why people make such heavy small caliber handguns. Besides the Colt is probably more acurate.

 

[sniper7369]

The Colt, hands down.

 

[Min]

Yep. I guess that wasn't so hard after all. COLT.

 

[Aka Zero]

WOODSMAN. My dad has one, (huntsman) And after some round through it I went and bought a MarkIII (cheaper, and easy to find) Just because I wanted something like it.

Thing is older than me, probably older than my dad. Was my grandfathers gun. Took it apart one day, immaculate inside, Some fouling from the years, not a touch of rust. I love old style bluing.

 

[earlthegoat2]

the Smith, I like 22 revolvers better.

 

[presspuller]

The semiauto.

Revolvers don't waste 22 ammo fast enough.

What he said.

 

[chriske]

Gruesome dilemma.
I'm inordinately fond of revolvers. Of all makes I prefer S&W. Of those, I just love K- frames, especially 4" barreled ones.
On the other hand, that Colt is just one of those classy classics isn't it ?
I can't make up your mind for you, though.
For me in Belgium however, due to some really bizarre legal quirk, the choice would be a lot simpler : I wouldn't need any licence or permit to purchase the auto, as I would the revolver, so my being revolver-oriented notwithstanding, the Colt would get the nod.

 

[JeffDilla]

Go with the Colt, I have a challenger (variation of the woodsman) and it's a great shooter, a lot of fun.


Jeff