Colt New Service Shooting Master

The Colt Shooting Master revolver was introduced as a .38 Special target revolver for NRA match competition. It was shown privately to the top marksmen at the August 1931 National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. It was unveiled to the public with the Colt Ace .22 LR model in a September 1931 two page spread in the American Rifleman magazine.

The Shooting Master uses the Colt New Service Target frame except the Shooting Master has a slightly narrower and rounded butt and a parkerized finish is used on the top of the frame and extended to the grip just above the checking on the rear grip. The top of the hammer is also parkerized, but the rear of the hammer is blue.

The barrel length is 6 inches and is tapered from the bolster at the frame to the muzzle. The cylinder latch is rounded and unchecked. The pistol has traditional Colt Patridge target sights. Front and back grip straps are hand checked. The action is hand-fitted and polished for smooth double and single action.

Shooting Masters were packaged in special simulated leather boxes that were marked COLT SHOOTING MASTER on the lid.

It was available in .38 Special, .357 Magnum (introduced in 1936 as a special order), .44 Special, .45 Colt and .45 Automatic.  One experimental example is known in .22 LR and one production example is known in .455 caliber.

The Shooting Master carried a price of $52.50 and was the most expensive model in Colt’s line of standard revolvers.