First Series Colt Woodsman

Though I am a revolver guy, I've wanted a Colt Woodsman .22LR semi auto for some time. A lot of the appeal to me is aesthetic: I think they are wonderfully slim and elegant.

Below, the Target is from 1932 and the Sport from 1938.





There are three Woodsman series: The first running from 1915 to 1947, the second from 1947 to 1955, and third from 1955 to 1977. Each series has three models, a Target, a shorter barreled Sport, and a Match Target competition pistol. Of course, there's much, much more to it, and for those who'd like to learn more:

• Our own Paladin/John Marshall has an excellent, detailed, 2013 write up here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/firear...-pistol-retrospective.html?highlight=Woodsman.
• Bob Rayburn's definitive Woodsman site is here: 22 caliber rimfire semi-auto Colt pistol: .22 calibre Colt Woodsman.
• In addition, LeeRoy Wisner's site is very good: Colt Woodsman 22 RF Semi-Auto Pi

They weren't initially called "Woodsman," but simply "Automatic Target Pistol." Colt soon noticed the model's popularity with outdoorsman, however, and added the "Woodsman" name in 1927. On our forum I've found several members who speak highly of them and who have used them with great success over a lifetime outdoors.

Colt stopped production in 1977 because the design, which requires considerable handwork in production, became too expensive to produce and compete with more modern pistols.

The Woodsman has had well known fans, among them Ernest Hemingway, General George S. Patton, and Harry Selby, the white hunter made famous by Robert Ruark.

I initially thought I wanted a second series because the second, unlike the first and the third, has a thumb activated magazine release near the trigger, rather than on the heel, or bottom of the grip. But I then realized that since I was not buying the pistol for self defense, the magazine release in the heel of the gun did not bother me.

The second series is also alone in having an automatic slide stop/hold open device when the magazine is empty. [Edit: Incorrect. See post 8 below. Third series has this as well.] It seemed cumbersome to me to count 10 rounds fired to avoid pulling the trigger on an empty rimfire gun. But as I continued my internet reading, I came across Tom Platt, who goes by the internet moniker prewoodsman. He is a seasoned expert on Woodsman mechanics and repairs. Platt is wonderfully generous with his advice, and a highly respected and valued member of the Woodsman owner/collector community. He explains that all Woodsman series of pistols, 1915-1977, are designed to be safely dry fired. (He suggests checking to be sure your pistol is in spec by placing a credit card in front of the breech face, closing the slide, and pulling the trigger. No indentation means it's in spec.)

My reading indicated that the first series had the most hand work, were the most finely fitted, something which attracts me. That little knurled/checkered knob is the takedown pin, pressed for disassembly.



I've been for this reason attracted to prewar S&W and Colt revolvers for a long time, and at one point had a couple of dozen of them. As someone else wrote about firearms from the 1930s, "...factory machining capacities were at an advanced state (relative to 20 years before), there was better steel technology, and there was a work force skilled in combining state-of-the-art machinery with semi-hand work. ...The 1930's were the brief moment [when] ... machinery & craftsmanship existed, really for a tragically brief time, in a marvelous equipoise..." https://www.leverguns.com/articles/model71_info.htm

Well put!

Early models, those built prior to 1932 or so, were not designed for high velocity .22LR. It didn't yet exist. While there is overlap, later pistols were. One can tell the difference by the appearance of the markings in the area of the back strap where it meets the web between thumb and forefinger. HV capable has straight horizontal lines. Standard velocity only has checking/checkering.



But, I reflected, why shoot HV in these older guns anyway?

Having decided on the first series, the question became which model? While the Match Target is surely a great shooter, it is less elegant to my eye, and also a whole lot more expensive. I went back and forth between the Target and the Sport, and ultimately decided to buy them both.


And I may add a first series Match Target at some point... (And then there's the second and third series to consider...)

Beautiful pistols, my friend! I like how you think and was sitting here trying to recall the old saying regarding how many you buy before it is a "collection." As with many folks, when I was at the place where acquisition required the sale of something already owned I let one go away. Posts like yours rekindle a smoldering spark. Thank you for the excellent refresher course on how great these older pistols are.

Great post Onomea, and I’m happy that my purchase of these beautiful Colt Ivory grips from you (also from the 1930’s) helped fund your new acquisitions!

Those ivories are looking great, Terry! Thanks again for the purchase!

I had a Woodsman some years back and have often regretted selling it. It was an absolutely superb target pistol and tack-drivingly accurate.

Those are gorgeous. I had a long running email correspondence with a member of THR that was well versed in Woodsmans, and his opinion about the first series reflects yours - that the first series are the best and most craftsman-like of all the Woodsmans, and that the later ones all had degrees of cost-cutting attached to them. That said, he certainly didn't sneer at the later ones, he just pointed out the differences between the series that showed how the earlier ones were better.

I've never had the pleasure of owning a first series Woodsman, but I have two third series Woodsman, one a Match Target, and they are lovely to shoot. In my own way, I appreciate the 1970s guns as much as the prewar guns, mostly because it was the end of an era and that makes them interesting as well, and they are not so far removed from the peak of American gun-making that the craftsmanship, while diminished, is still visible.

Thanks for the write-up and the excellent photography. Someday I'll have an early one as well!

I've got a Sport and a Targetsman. Both fine pistols. I don't know which generation. The Sport had Coltwood grips on it which had warped and broken.

""""The second series is also alone in having an automatic slide stop/hold open device when the magazine is empty. It seemed cumbersome to me to count 10 rounds fired to avoid pulling the trigger on an empty rimfire gun."""

My 3rd series stays open after the last round.

Nice writeup Onomea. There is something about the 1st Series Woodsmans that I can only describe as a certain grace, balance and class that the later guns don't have. Maybe it's because I view them through the lens of how shooters must have viewed them 100 years ago.

I have a 1st Series Target, a 2nd Series Sport and a 2nd Series Match Target with a 4.5" barrel. The later guns "corrected" the complaints that the earlier shooters had and I certainly can't criticize the changes, but the 1st Series guns sure are fun when you think of them in their historical context.

Great write-up. Here's my "pre woodsman" with aftermarket grips. The original were too gone to restore.

skywag said:

""""The second series is also alone in having an automatic slide stop/hold open device when the magazine is empty. It seemed cumbersome to me to count 10 rounds fired to avoid pulling the trigger on an empty rimfire gun."""

My 3rd series stays open after the last round.

Click to expand...

Guess I got that one wrong, then! Beautiful pistol you have there.

The 1st series Sports with adjustable sights are my favorite model. I muchly prefer the feel of the longer prewoodsman triggers over the shorter, later ones. add a good trigger shoe and call it perfection....




I have added a reblued second series Sport with Huntsman grips since the whole fam damily pic was taken...

A 1938 model target has ridden with me nearly everyday for 40 plus years. The things that it and I did over the years if told, would get me branded a liar. When my eyes were good, prairie dogs at 100 yards were is serious danger when I had a rest. Mine sure doesn't look like the OP's. What little bluing is left is very thin. The checkered walnut stocks are hammered flat. Mine sleeps in a vintage Heiser lined flap holster. When guiding elk and deer hunters it was used to finish off many elk, deer and antelope.

Huntsman and 30-30remchester, thanks for commenting. I've read your Woodsman comments here and elsewhere, and they were a contributing factor to my decision to buy a Woodsman.

The Alaskan equivalent of Africa's Peter Hathaway Capstick, was a writer named Russel Annabel. He wrote many stories of Alaska life and quite often of 22 handguns used in Alaska. So many of the old sourdoughs used and carried 22 handguns daily. I am not sure if I repeated earlier about a rancher in Kodiak, Alaska who carried a 4" model Woodsman. It was his constant companion in which he practiced daily. Coming around his barn he encountered a charging Kodiak bear. One shot and the bear folded. The only known Kodiak to be killed with a 22 handgun. I have many stories about Colt Woodsman's but don't want to repeat any story and cant remember which I have told.

Very nice post, great information. I couple years ago I bought a Series 2 at a local gun show. While I was checking it out I noticed two guys looking over my shoulders so I stuck the Woodsman in my belt told the man SOLD and got my money out of my pocket. I think it was a pretty good buy for 7 bills. I would not mind having a Series 1 some day.

I enjoyed your post, Onomea. The Woodsman has an aura missing from many other pistols. I remember reading outdoor magazines as a kid and wanting a Woodsman. Someday, I said.

Today I have a Huntsman and a Sport. The Huntsman belonged to Mom. She kept in her nightstand. Dad was a little better armed with a Model 94 Winchester on his side of the bed. Although Mom and Dad are gone, I am thankful to have both guns residing in my safe awaiting their next outing. But I digress . . . . The Sport doesn't have a story. It was just a deal in Cabela's gun library that I couldn't ignore.

These old pistols are a joy, and I enjoyed reading about yours.

That´s my only one, a lettered 3rd series from 1956. Not original but I feel lucky indeed to own it.
Regards, Ray

I thought the '56 models still wore black plastic grips?

I’m also a big fan of the Woodsman! Great info, thanks!

I have a couple 3rd gens, a Sport model and a Match Target that both run often and flawlessly.