Why so little talk about Diamondbacks?

[jeffrey]

I know that this is the S&W forum, but pretty often the subject of Colt revolvers comes up -- and then the question is always some comparison between Pythons and whatever S&W revolver is on someone's mind. But it seems that no one mentions Diamondbacks -- just Pythons. How come?

It occurred to me to ask because my first and only gun purchase this new year is a nice 4-inch Diamondback in .38 Special. I've always wanted one but could not justify the prices people ask. At $750 (with numbered box), I couldn't turn this one down.

[Karnivore]

I picked my second DB a few months ago in a trade, It is a shooter, snub nose .38 with a Tyler T and trigger shoe. I have become quite fond of it as a part-time carry piece. It just feels right in my hand. Trigger seems to stack a little at the end, but still smooth

So far none of my Smiths have exhibited any overt jealousy, but I am not sure what happens in the safe at night....

[stonehorses]

I wasn't looking and found this one in a pawn shop. Congrats on buying yours.

[ace22]

well like you said this is the s+w forum, but i have a couple 22 diamondbacks and love them. if i ever run into any reasonably priced ones in the future i'll buy them too

[JOliver]

I too enjoy Diamondbacks ,Pythons as well.I'm glad I was fortunate enough to had gotten them a few years ago while I could afford them and they weren't sky high.


Jason

[Mustang51]

When I was a kid, my older brother bought a brand new 4" .38 DB. That became my "gold-standard" for revolvers. Many years went by; I ran into this one 5 years ago, and picked it up for a reasonable price. Frankly, I enjoy shooting my M-15, K-38 or Colt OP more, but the DB would be one of the last guns I would get rid-of.

[diamonback68]

I got a few Diamondbacks, what do you want to talk about?

[Hofstet]

I recently bought a NIB Diamondback .22 to go with my Diamonback .38. They're great guns.

[wbraswell]

Well, I got a .38 snub DB a couple of years ago, and I am not impressed. It's nothing more than a gaudy, overdressed, Detective Special. I carry mine to gun shows, hoping to trade for a shooter, vintage S&W. I was at a local small gun show last year and a guy tried to give me a rag to wrap it in, when he saw me carrying it in my hand. He couldn't stand the thought of fingerprints on that sweet, little Colt. Oh please!

[ServiceGun]

Had a 4" 38 Diamondback years ago.

The one gun I truly regret selling.

[diamonback68]

Originally Posted by wbraswell

Well, I got a .38 snub DB a couple of years ago, and I am not impressed. It's nothing more than a gaudy, overdressed, Detective Special. I carry mine to gun shows, hoping to trade for a shooter, vintage S&W. I was at a local small gun show last year and a guy tried to give me a rag to wrap it in, when he saw me carrying it in my hand. He couldn't stand the thought of fingerprints on that sweet, little Colt. Oh please!

Oh please!, really? You ought to hang onto it, it's like money in the bank.
If your snubbie .38 DB is in great shape it's worth about $1100-1400 and the price will only go UP! You can buy more than a shooter grade Smith for that, maybe two.

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Back in the early 80's, I bought a much-used 4" .22 Diamondback. A few years later, I did a downsizing on my accumulation of guns, and the DB was the only .22 handgun that survived, based on apparent accuracy. I have a few more guns now, and a different attitude, but the DB will be staying.

[Andy Griffith]

I've got a 4" Diamondback, but for the life of me, I don't understand the crazy pricing on them of late.

I do think they are terribly overvalued...especially for me to buy another one.

Of course, they are undervalued if I want to sell mine.

In all seriousness, I do think the prices on them are not in line for what they are or the availability of them- about 20-25% inflated, in my opinion.

[Jason68]

A local shop has a four inch blued .22 diamondback in excellent condition. Been sitting there for months, I want it bad, just not $1350 bad. I paid $499 at the same shop for a S&W 18-4 in VGC. That was a much better deal.

[RdrBill]

Sir.
You said everything I wanted to say. The DB in .22LR is a very un-impressive gun. It may make the hair on a Colt collector tingle, but as a shooting gun, it lacks a lot. K22's are much more suitable as a usefull gun and for accuracy try a Colt Officers Model Match in .22LR.
The DB is a NOVELTY gun for collectors.
Way back when, I shot with a USMC R&P team. I bought a DB in .22 and Colt Service Model Ace. I shot some small bore practice strings of fire for a 2700 match with both of them. They suck. Give me a S&W Model 41 or a Victor.
Some guns are made for collectors to drool over and some guns are made for men to shoot. The DB is a drooler gun.
Bill@Yuma

Originally Posted by wbraswell

Well, I got a .38 snub DB a couple of years ago, and I am not impressed. It's nothing more than a gaudy, overdressed, Detective Special. I carry mine to gun shows, hoping to trade for a shooter, vintage S&W. I was at a local small gun show last year and a guy tried to give me a rag to wrap it in, when he saw me carrying it in my hand. He couldn't stand the thought of fingerprints on that sweet, little Colt. Oh please!

[BlackAgnes]

Since this pic was taken, I've picked up another 4" .22LR. I think they are pretty classy guns.

These are all .22s...



Tim

[ditrina]

Originally Posted by diamonback68

I got a few Diamondbacks, what do you want to talk about?

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAAAAAHHHHH!

Yeah "ol" Dick has a few.. but he gives me something to shoot for....
I love the "D" backs.. Fun to shoot and the prices are coming down..

[jeffrey]

Well, I asked about Diamondbacks and certainly got a lot of responses! The one I picked up (I don't have a digital camera) was pretty much perfect but for a very small amount of muzzle wear (on just one side) and a small amount (measured in mm) bluing loss on the cylinder stop. Funny thing, is that although I'm glad I bought it, I keep comparing it to my Model 15-4 (4-inch nickel) and I can't for the life of me see that it is worth twice (or three times) the value of the Model 15, apart from the fact that there are more Model 15s out there in the world.

I guess it is kind of a "poor man's Python," when I compare the action on my Python with the action on the new gun. But with the prices I see, it's hard to call it a "poor man's" anything. The ones I have seen here in Northern New Mexico have been about $1300 lately, for both Pythons and Diamondbacks.

So now I have three Colt revolvers (a stainless 6-inch Python, the Diamondback, and a third issue Detective Special) to keep my Smiths company. That's probably enough.

[doc540]

Going to go look at one after work today.

Guess we'll see if it gets any hairs to stand.

[wbraswell]

Colt should have named it the Pimp Positive Special.

[diamonback68]

Originally Posted by jeffrey

Funny thing, is that although I'm glad I bought it, I keep comparing it to my Model 15-4 (4-inch nickel) and I can't for the life of me see that it is worth twice (or three times) the value of the Model 15, apart from the fact that there are more Model 15s out there in the world.

It has nothing to do with whether it's made any better or worse or can shoot any better or worse than your 15. It simply because they only made them for 20 years and didn't make a truckload of them during that time and they will never be made again (Colt is out of the DA business probably forever). Simple supply and demand as more and more collectors come on board, with more money, with a fixed amount of supply available. The surviving pieces will only go up in price.
It's the Python pricing I don't understand.

[Mustang51]

Originally Posted by wbraswell

Colt should have named it the Pimp Positive Special.

No way, take it back!

[ladder13]

Originally Posted by ditrina

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAAAAAHHHHH!

Yeah "ol" Dick has a few.. but he gives me something to shoot for....
I love the "D" backs.. Fun to shoot and the prices are coming down..

Showoff!

[Frank237]

I've got a 4" .38 Spcl DB in nickle, and it's big brother 6" blued Python. Also have a NIB cobra I've had foor many years.
Despite being a died in the wool Smith fan...they still make me quite happy.

Wish the .22 DB's were not at the price level they're at..as a 4" blued .22 would be nice.

FN in MT

[m657]

I acquired a safe queen 4" 38 a few years back. With the classic Pachys it is eerie how well it fits my hand...and it shoots very very well.

If there ain't Diamondbacks in heaven, I ain't going.

[wundudnee]

This is my only Colt. I found it in a pile of revolvers at a gunshow about three years ago. It was filthy and I got it for $370.00. It cleaned up like new.


I finally figured out how to shoot a Colt. You surround it with S&Ws.

[chuckfw]

Because the Colt Python is the revolver "king" and the one most people compare to. While a DB is a great gun, it doesn't shoot like the Python nor is it as smooth.

[diamonback68]

Originally Posted by chuckfw

While a DB is a great gun, it doesn't shoot like the Python nor is it as smooth.

They are made with different internal works and were never meant to "shoot like a Python". I wish people would accept them for what they are and stop comparing everything to a Python. I don't hear anyone comparing a Police Positive, a Dec. Spec. or a Cobra to a Python.

[TheHobbyist]

Ok, so this is just one man's opinion. Fwiw,...

I think the colt DB .38 is the best kept "secret" around.

I have a late 70's, royal blue finish, with the action worked on at the factory.

It is amazing.

I sincerely believe this is one of the few guns that will increase the most in value, relatively, as compared to other Colts, in the next few years.

The actions on some DB's I have encountered is scary smooth........

If you can find them around at a decent price...i'd pick'em up as soon as you can.

Again, just my two cents.

[imjin138]

I own 2 a 4 inch and 2 1/2 inch both in 38. I like them both.

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Originally Posted by RdrBill

Sir.
You said everything I wanted to say. The DB in .22LR is a very un-impressive gun. It may make the hair on a Colt collector tingle, but as a shooting gun, it lacks a lot. K22's are much more suitable as a usefull gun and for accuracy try a Colt Officers Model Match in .22LR.
The DB is a NOVELTY gun for collectors.
Way back when, I shot with a USMC R&P team. I bought a DB in .22 and Colt Service Model Ace. I shot some small bore practice strings of fire for a 2700 match with both of them. They suck. Give me a S&W Model 41 or a Victor.
Some guns are made for collectors to drool over and some guns are made for men to shoot. The DB is a drooler gun.
Bill@Yuma

Your conclusion is based on your experience, and I certainly don't question your experience, but my experience is different. I found my DB .22 to be quite accurate, and I even experienced one newbie with problems who found it to be a good gun in DA. On the other hand, I have three (!) D-frame Colt .38 snubbies that seem to have accuracy problems. Nevertheless, I refuse to believe that that is a characteristic of said D-frames; either I have been a bit unlucky with Colts, or I don't get along with their triggers (unlikely, considering my DB .22 AND DB .38 experience).

Although the DB .22 is a nice gun, I agree that they are a bit overpriced. On top of relative scarcity, there even seems to be an attachment, among some of the Colt crowd, specifically to the "snake" guns. Tried to buy a Viper lately?

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Originally Posted by chuckfw

Because the Colt Python is the revolver "king" and the one most people compare to. While a DB is a great gun, it doesn't shoot like the Python nor is it as smooth.

I thought the Diamondback had the same lockwork as the Python, only downsized.

[diamonback68]

Originally Posted by CAJUNLAWYER

I thought the Diamondback had the same lockwork as the Python, only downsized.

Negative, it is completely different. Basically the same lockwork as the Det. Spec. and other D-frame guns.

[potthawg]

1976 was a great year for the USA and Colt.

[Combat]

A few years ago I decided to sell all my Colt's off except for my Python.Got to looking at my DB's and just couldn't bring myself to get rid of them.So I got two, a .38 and a .22. like new in their boxes. They sure are pretty...

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Originally Posted by diamonback68

Negative, it is completely different. Basically the same lockwork as the Det. Spec. and other D-frame guns.

I'm surprised....seeing that the two diamond backs I had years ago both had the same V mainspring as the python.

[Frank237]

This was my FIL's nightstand gun. He had removed the original Colt grips and installed Pach rubbers, and had someone install a red insert to the frt sight as well. Took me awhile to find original grips, but it's back to normal now.

.38 Special

FN in MT