Manufacturer/Trademark – Colt. Model/configuration – Woodsman, Third Series, Sport model. Serial number - 240402-S. Year of manufacture - 1969. Estimated Value Range –see below. For your firearm, the following current values apply (from the Blue Book of Gun Values). Retail prices may be 20% higher. Woodsman 2nd Series / 3rd Series Match Target Mystery Gun.22LR 6' Blue. Features 2nd Series Serial Number 111489-S (1952) Woodsman Third Series (1955 - 1977) Woodsman 3rd Series Huntsman.22LR 4.5' Blue, Serial Number 070584S (1975).

What's it worth?
This is overwhelmingly the number one question I am asked, and it is one that I cannot answer. The value depends very much on the exact condition and on all parts and finish being factory original, so it is not possible to give a realistic estimate without a hands on examination. Collecting the Colt Woodsman is a hobby for me, not a business. Please note that I do not do appraisals, so please do not ask me to estimate the value of your gun. I have provided input to the Blue Book of Gun Values for several years, and as of the 2005 edition I also contribute to The Standard Catalog of Firearms. Each of these publications is updated annually with Colt Woodsman values and descriptions based on my recommendations to the editor. The two publications are not identical, and each has certain advantages over the other. I recommend that you consult both publications and then make your own appraisal. You can order either one or both by clicking on the links below.

Blue Book of Gun Values, 28th Edition

If you order via the links on this page that will help support the cost of maintaining this Woodsman web site, while the cost to you will be exactly the same as if you ordered directly. Your help will be appreciated.
If you do not feel qualified to do your own appraisal with the aid of these books, Blue Book Publications will do a written appraisal for you for only $20. There are links on their web site to their appraisal service. They also have experts available to answer specific questions about almost any type of gun for a small fee.
There are also some general guidelines for value determination in my Colt Woodsman Pocket Guide at: Value Factors
Why is my engraved Woodsman not worth as much as a factory engraved gun?
Any Colt factory engraved Woodsman is a rarity. In all the years of production, fewer than 250 were engraved at the Colt factory. Many Colts have been engraved by someone other than a Colt engraver, but regardless of the quality of the engraving they usually will not have comparable value to an original factory engraved gun. The reason is collectibility based on rarity. An identical gun could be created by a skilled craftsman, but it could never be one of the very few ORIGINAL factory engraved Colt Woodsmans. The Colt shipping records show that only about 151 first series (pre-World War II) Woodsmans were factory engraved prior to first sale. Those consisted of 126 Target Models, 14 Sport Models, and 11 Match Target Models.
When was it made?
Regular production began in 1915 and ended in 1977. It is possible to determine the approximate date of manufacture from the serial number by consulting my table of manufacture dates.
The following caveats apply:
- The guns were neither assembled nor shipped in numerical sequence, and overlaps of several thousand numbers are common! A single shipment of a dozen or soguns often contained serial numbers spanning a range of several thousand, which might be typical of numbers used over a period of two or three years.
- Several different sets of serial numbers were used, so it is important to use ALL of the numbers and letters in the serial number. For example: 1001, MT1001, 1001-S, 1001-C, and 001001S are all valid serial numbers dating from 1916, 1938, 1948, 1950, and 1969, respectively.
- A few hundred guns were assembled after regular production ceased, between 1977 and the late 1980s and possibly later. The serial numbers on those guns were intermixed with numbers used years earlier.
The latest date anywhere on it is 1918. Is that when it was made?
No. All the pre-WWII guns had the patent dates on the barrel. Normally there were two dates in 1918 and one 1903 date. Those made prior to 1918 had only the 1903 date, of course. The 1903 patent actually had nothing to do with the Woodsman, which was not even in the conceptual stage in 1903, but Colt used the earlier patent to give them some protection until the unique features of the Woodsman could be patented.
My (Woodsman Challenger Huntsman Targetsman) has no patent dates on the barrel. Why?
The Challenger, Huntsman, and Targetsman are all POST WWII. The post WWII guns did not carry the patent dates. If your Woodsman is pre-WWII and it does not have the patent dates on the barrel, it probably has been re-barrelled. The parts replacement barrels have no patent dates on them.
Where is the serial number located?
On the pre-WWII Target and Sport model the serial number is on the front grip strap. On the pre-WWII Match Target it is normally on the butt, near where the magazine is inserted. On some late first series Match Target models it is on the front grip strap. On all 2nd and 3rd series guns the serial number is located on the forward portion of the frame, right hand side.
What model and series is it?
There are three series of Woodsman pistols, corresponding to three basic frame designs. First Series refers to all those built on the S frame as it existed prior to and during World War Two. Second Series includes all versions built on the second S frame design from late 1947 until mid 1955, and Third Series means the third S frame design as used from 1955 to the end of regular production in 1977.
Each series had a Sport Model with a 4-1/2 inch round barrel, a Target Model with a 6 or 6-5/8 inch round barrel, and a Match Target Model with a heavy, flat sided barrel. For the first series Match Target that flat sided barrel was 6-5/8 inches in length, while in the post war versions it was either 4-1/2 or 6 inches.
There were also three very similar economy models during the post war years only: the Challenger, the Huntsman, and the Targetsman.
The following checklist will help you determine which version you have:
- If the serial number contains only numerals, with no alphabetical characters, it is a first series.
- If the only alphabetical characters in the serial number are MT, it is a first series.
- If it is marked Challenger, it is a second series.
- If it has a push button magazine release just aft of the trigger guard, it is a second series.
- If it is marked Huntsman or Targetsman, it is a third series.
- If the magazine release is at the heel of the butt, AND the pistol has an S at the end of the serial number, it is a third series.
My barrel length is closer to 5 inches, but it doesn't appear to have been cut. Why?
The barrel is measured from breech to muzzle: ie., from where the bullet goes in to where it comes out. It is NOT measured from where the barrel emerges from the frame.
Why are your descriptions and names different from those in my Gun Trader's Guide? Gun Digest Value Guide? Various other publications?
That's easy! Because mine are correct and theirs are not. TheStandard Catalog of Firearms and The Blue Book of Gun Values both correctly describes the various models and the three series, based on the same criteria used here. Some others use a misleading 'issue' classification that results in some models and series being mis-identified, with resultant errors in the listed values. They also include assertions that have no basis in fact, such as the widely (and erroneously) repeated claim that the high speed mainspring housing distinguishes the first from the second 'issue.'
Can I shoot modern ammo in it?
Short answer: Yes. BUT: Woodsmans made prior to 1933 were designed for standard velocity .22 LR. Those made after 1933 were all designed for high velocity .22 LR, with a stronger recoil spring and a case hardened mainspring housing, which is the part that takes the brunt of the recoil. The transition took place in the early part of 1933. They all will handle standard velocity ammo, which is what all target .22 LR is to this d

Colt Woodsman Serial Number