Listed serial numbers represent ranges only. The Woodsman was not assembled in numerical sequence, and overlaps of several thousand numbers are common! A single shipment of a dozen or so guns 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.
For specific information on a particular Colt, send your model name, caliber, serial number, and check to:
FIRST SERIES WOODSMAN: 1915-1947
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(Sport introduced at approximately serial number 86000) |
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DATE | Approximate Serial Number | DATE | Approximate Serial Number | ||
Mar 1915 | 1 | Jan 1929 | 63150 | ||
Jan 1916 | 850 | Jan 1930 | 71300 | ||
Jan 1917 | 4000 | Jan 1931 | 77900 | ||
Jan 1918 | 6400 | Jan 1932 | 84400 | ||
Jan 1919 | 7000 | Jan 1933 | 86300 | ||
Jan 1920 | 20200 | Jan 1934 | 89200 | ||
Jan 1921 | 25000 | Jan 1935 | 94500 | ||
Jan 1922 | 27200 | Jan 1936 | 99200 | ||
Jan 1923 | 33500 | Jan 1937 | 109100 | ||
Jan 1924 | 38700 | Jan 1938 | 121300 | ||
Jan 1925 | 43000 | Jan 1939 | 131000 | ||
Jan 1926 | 46650 | Jan 1940 | 137600 | ||
Jan 1927 | 51700 | Jan 1941 | 144400 | ||
Jan 1928 | 55800 | Jan-Jun 1942*: | 151800-157037 | ||
*Some numbers from the 1942 block were shipped after WWII, in 1946 and 1947. | |||||
Shortly after World War II, from Oct, 1946 to June, 1947 a number of prewar type guns were assembled and shipped. Some were numbered in the 157038 to 159024 range. The rest were assigned a new block of serial numbers beginning at 180000, and continuing to 187423 (with some numbers skipped). | |||||
First Series Match Target "Bullseye" Model: 1938-1944 | |||||
The Woodsman Bullseye model was numbered in non-sequential blocks, so a gun with a lower serial number might well have been assembled and shipped later than one with a higher serial number. As a result, any table of manufacture dates by serial number for the First Series Match Target can only be approximate at best. | |||||
DATE | Jun 1938 (begin) | Jan 1939 | Jan 1940 | Jan 1941 | Feb 1944 (end) |
Approximate Serial Number |
MT1 | MT3000 | MT7000 | MT10000 | MT16611 |
SECOND SERIES WOODSMAN: 1947-1955
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DATE | Approximate Serial Number |
DATE | Approximate Serial Number |
Nov 1947 | 1-S | ||
Jan 1948 | 250-S | ||
Jan 1949 | 35750-S | ||
Jan 1950 | 68900-S | May, 1950 | 1-C |
Jan 1951 | 86200-S | Jan 1951 | 20400-C |
Jan 1952 | 100100-S | Jan 1952 | 40600-C |
Jan 1953 | 123700-S | Jan 1953 | 63700-C |
Jan 1954 | 137650-S | Jan 1954 | 72850-C |
Jan 1955 | 142600-S | Jan 1955 | 75400-C |
Dec 1955 | 146137-S | Dec 1955 | 77143-C |
The Huntsman replaced the Challenger in 1955, with the introduction of the third series. Serial numbers then skipped to 90001-C and restarted. |
THIRD SERIES WOODSMAN: 1955-1977
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DATE | Approximate Serial Number |
DATE | Approximate Serial Number |
Late 1955: The first 1001 Woodsmans of the 3rd series were assigned serial numbers 146138-S to 147138-S, from the end of the 2nd series block. The numbers then skipped to 160001-S and restarted. | |||
Nov 1955 | 160000-S | July 1955 | 90001-C |
Jan 1956 | 161600-S | Jan 1956 | 96100-C |
Jan 1957 | 172200-S | Jan 1957 | 112900-C |
Jan 1958 | 182500-S | Jan 1958 | 124699-C |
Jan 1959 | 185200-S | Jan 1959 | 129900-C |
Jan 1960 | 189250-S | Jan 1960 | 141100-C |
Jan 1961 | 193300-S | Jan 1961 | 146700-C |
Jan 1962 | 196900-S | Jan 1962 | 151500-C |
Jan 1963 | 200600-S | Jan 1963 | 154600-C |
Dec 1964 | 204500-S | Jan 1964 | 158800-C |
Jan 1965 | 208300-S | Jan 1965 | 162400-C |
Jan 1966 | 215000-S | Jan 1966 | 168200-C |
Jan 1967 | 222350-S | Jan 1967 | 175200-C |
Jan 1968 | 231250-S | Jan 1968 | 182200-C |
Jan 1969 | 241811-S | Jan 1969 | 193501-C |
Jun 1969 | 194040-C | ||
DATE | Approximate Serial Number |
DATE | Approximate Serial Number |
Serial numbers for all models: Sport, Target, Match Target, Huntsman, and Targetsman, integrated early in 1969 and restarted at 001001S. | |||
Feb 1969 | 001001S | Jan 1974 | 049000S |
Jan 1970 | 019900S | Jan 1975 | 067000S |
Jan 1971 | 024050S | Jan 1976 | 090600S |
Jan 1972 | 030700S | Apr 1976 | S100000S* |
Jan 1973 | 042100S | ||
Due to reaching a serial number range (100,000S) that had already been used in 1952, serial numbers were restarted again in May, 1976, beginning with 300001S. Contrary to some published reports, all models of the Woodsman line - Target, Sport, Match Target, Huntsman, and Targetsman - were manufactured in the serial number range that began with 300001S. | *Double S Huntsman: The serial number series that began with 001001S passed 100000S in 1976, and reached 101336S before it was noticed that numbers used in 1952 were being duplicated. In order to salvage the 1336 guns already numbered past 100000S, they were hand stamped with an S prefix, in addition to the suffix, thereby creating the "Double S" variation. All KNOWN examples are Huntsmans. (Thanks to Ed Brink, in his Colt Rimfire Automatic Pistols, for the "Double S" information.) | ||
DATE | May 1976 | Jan 1977 | Apr 1977 |
Approximate Serial Number | 300001S | 312350S | 317736S End production |