Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Colt Diamondback

Does anybody love these?
They fit my hand so well and they look nice to.

A 4" .38 blue is one I truly regret parting with, one of the sweetest shooting revolvers I have ever owned.

Fine revolvers, just beyond my budget.

The local shop had two 4" models from a private collection about five years ago. IIRC, close to a grand back then. I haven't seen any since then.

Yes! My folks gave me a 4inch .22 Diamondback for graduation from high school. Turned out to be the very best thing they could have done,for a lot of reasons.
The finest .22 revolver Ive ever seen, and the only gun I ever had that I just plain wore out...

At one time I had a 6" Colt Diamondback 22LR and a 6" Colt Python.

Like a FOOL I sold them both!

Been kicking myself in the arse ever since!


Virgil B.

Had a Python but it didn't fit my hand too well. I've owned three Detective Specials and loved them all. About the time I realized I needed a Diamondback they were scarce - and expensive. I'd like to own one but I'm not willing to pay the prices asked on today's market.

My 1968 made .38 Diamondback is my favorite field carry gun and she is showing her wear. I carry it loaded with 2 shot-shells and 4 wadcutters running at 900fps. when out in the field.
Since 22LR. ammo got in short supply, I found that I could load my .38 with cast bullets and still put in plenty of range time without breaking the bank.

Yeah Dekker, that piece is worn completely out and dangerous to shoot. I'll do you a big favor and take it off your hands while it's still worth the shipping price...........(grin). That is a nice .38. I'm jealous.

Did you get it rebuilt?

They are okay.

Too much out there in J or K frames that can do as much with far fewer Benjis in 38.
Have one here, but of all the 38s, both it and an alloy Cobra get shot the least.

Neat guns for sure, but the traditional lockwork Colt guns suck in DA mode...

Ive never handled the 22. The size and portability would make for a nice one; IMO, theres better 38s for piles less money.

That's how I see it as well. My first Diamondback was purchased at a gun show that required all guns rendered 'unfireable' so the hammer was secured with a cable tie. When I got home and cut the cable tie the action was seized, which turned out to be caused by a safety lever that was worn to the nub. I'm not sure how that was even possible. An easy and cheap fix, but added to the mystery of the numerous ways Colt DA's can screw up.

I love the Diamondbacks hammer, but hate the narrow trigger and stacking V-spring. I love the frame size, but hate the grip configuration. All in all, make mine a K-frame.

Have had several...never did anything for me and sold them... I mainly shoot DA revolvers DA and compared to a K-frame Smith Colts just don't compare.

...but a very classy looking piece...

Funny story about Diamondbacks....LEO friend who was big into guns called one day. He had been looking for a 4" .22 Diamondback...this was back in the early 1990s when they could be had for about $350.00 and seen at most gun shows. He tells me he had seen one two days ago in a local shop, "but it was a .22 Magnum so I passed on it." There was dead silence on my end when he asked if there was anything wrong... I told them that there were only a few Magnums made the first year of production and they were worth over double what a Long Rifle sold for... The shop had wanted $375 and it was sold when he called back. I've seen a couple sell on GunBroker in the last few years in the $2500-3500 area...

A friend bought a LNIB 4" .22 and found a brand new extra cylinder that he had chambered for .22 Magnum...nice setup...

I have no issue with Colt's DA lockwork; in some ways it's superior. It does lend itself to some really great tuned actions.

What turns me off is the shape of the grip frame. I guess my hand just molded around a S&W grip frame to where most everything else just feels foreign. The one exception is my Cobra, which is acceptable feel wise, but it's just a superior small frame revolver. 6 shots and a DA action as smooth as a Python.

Yes, but there wasn't a new barrel around to be had at the time and the accuracy by then was horrible...it was virtually a smoothbore...

Now THAT's something to be proud of!!!

The only gun I've ever shot smooth was a Marlin 39 and it took me just over 20 years to pull that off.

It is amazing how well you can shoot a revolver that fits your hand. I got a 4" .22 as my first handgun and it still is my favorite handgun.

The Python configuration of the Police Positive.

You shot out the barrel on a 22 revolver? There are 22 target rifles with over 100,000 rounds through them that are still competative. Did you actually shoot it out or wear it out with a cleaning rod? I just can't see shooting out a barrel with lead 22 bullets.

Were the 22 LR Colts barreled for 22 Magnums or slightly over size? Heard that rumor for years. They did not seem to shoot as well as the S&W K 22 or S&W 17 in the ones I shot.