Colt Woodsman Pistols

Based on firearms artisan and visionary John M. Browning's original design, the Colt Woodsman semi-automatic sporting pistol was manufactured from 1915 to 1977 in three distinct series: series one, made from 1915 to 1947, series two, produced between 1947 to 1955, and series three, which ran from 1955 until its run ended in 1977.

The Woodsman was produced in three models: Target, Sport, and Match Target. The Woodman's base Target model featured a 6-inch barrel with adjustable front and rear sights. The Sport Model, designed in 1933 for hiking and camping field use, had a 4.5-inch barrel, originally with a fixed sight and later with an adjustable sight. The Match Target Model, which debuted in 1938, featured a heavier barrel with a one piece wrap-around grip called the elephant ear.

From the model's early roots to WWII-era models and later incarnations, the widely-imitated Colt Woodsman remains a highly-sought-after plinking pistol. Colt Woodsman pistols, particularly early models, are often exciting auction finds.

Quick Facts

• In the series of James Bond-style spoof films, Dean Martin's character Matt Helm preferred the quiet and accurate Colt Woodsman that he once used behind German lines during World War II
• In 2007 at James D. Julia, Ernest Hemingway's Colt Woodsman Match Target pistol with checkered walnut grips sold for $10,925
• In October 2011, a pair of engraved pre-World War II Colt Woodsman pistols sold at a James D. Julia auction for $10,350