Colt’s Agent

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Nice gun, I love the hammer shroud!

Earlier Agent's typically came with shorter grips. What was the difference between the late Agent and Cobra?

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Chad,

The grips are not original. The Agent came to me with ugly and, IMO, inappropriate Pachmayer’s.

The grips on yours look great!
 
Baxter6551 said:
John Patrick - How can you not identify that fine looking holster ???
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Best I can do on the holster is that I bought it from Crazy Phil when he sold a bunch. No maker’s name on it. It is a really nice holster though.

It’s got a bit of wear on the backside, where a belt would contact it in the center. A couple of scuffs. Still stiff and still holds the Agent firmly.

I’ll wear it some now that it’s getting cool out. Our company warehouse is my holster try zone. Not too public, so if a holster/gun combo prints or is a pita which needs fiddling or constant hitching up, no one cares.
 
Muley Gil said:
The last Agents had a rough Parkerized finish, built during Colt's labor problems.
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The parkerized Agents are easy to distinguish from a Cobra, but I can’t tell an earlier Agent from a Cobra or vice versa without looking at the stamping. I’m not a Colt’s guy though. I like a few Colt’s but don’t like a fair number. I have three. The Agent, a Diamondback 38 and a new 3” King Cobra. The only other Colt’s I’d like to own is a 22lr Diamondback.
 
John Patrick said:
The parkerized Agents are easy to distinguish from a Cobra, but I can’t tell an earlier Agent from a Cobra or vice versa without looking at the stamping. I’m not a Colt’s guy though. I like a few Colt’s but don’t like a fair number. I have three. The Agent, a Diamondback 38 and a new 3” King Cobra. The only other Colt’s I’d like to own is a 22lr Diamondback.
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I like Colt double-action revolvers as well, but a few comments on the Diamondback .22s... I've had a couple of 6" blued guns for years and I shot both at least several times a year until the last year. I'll admit I always wanted at least one Diamondback .22 because they looked neat and I like .22 revolvers.

Diamondbacks have a weird and unnatural feel to me; perhaps it's my hand shape, maybe it's the design, maybe the factory stocks, or some of each. However, I've never found factory stocks on any other revolver that didn't work pretty well right out-of-the-box.

I've never seen much better than mediocre 25 yard accuracy with the Diamondbacks, regardless of the ammo. My old Colt Troopers, Officer Model Match guns and at least one S&W .22 are certainly more accurate.

Granted, my Diamondback .22 assessment is based on only two guns and I'm certainly neither an Internet expert nor a real one. Sort of like Tyler grip adapters, Diamondbacks have cosmetic appeal that greatly overshadows usefulness.
 
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rockquarry said:
I like Colt double-action revolvers as well, but a few comments on the Diamondback .22s... I've had a couple of 6" blued guns for years and I shot both at least several times a year until the last year. I'll admit I always wanted at least one Diamondback .22 because they looked neat and I like .22 revolvers.

Diamondbacks have a weird and unnatural feel to me; perhaps it's my hand shape, maybe it's the design, maybe the factory stocks, or some of each. However, I've never found factory stocks on any other revolver that didn't work pretty well right out-of-the-box.

I've never seen much better than mediocre 25 yard accuracy with the Diamondbacks, regardless of the ammo. My old Colt Troopers, Officer Model Match guns and at least one S&W .22 are certainly more accurate.

Granted, my Diamondback .22 assessment is based on only two guns and I'm certainly neither an Internet expert or a real one. Sort of like Tyler grip adapters, Diamondbacks have cosmetic appeal that greatly overshadows usefulness.
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I can’t disagree with your assessment of Colt’s Diamondback factory grips. They don’t feel natural in my hand. My Diamondback wears a set of pau ferro Hogue grips, which feel really nice and shoot very well.

Regarding Tyler and other grip adapters, I find that they are very useful on some revolvers. Most significantly on RB K frames for me, then SB K frames. The Tyler’s on the Cobra didn’t significantly add or detract from how it feels in my hand, but, like you said, it looks good.

It’s disappointing to hear about 22lr Diamondback shortcomings. I need to add a medium frame 22 to my revolvers. I only have two and they are J frames, a Model 51 with both cylinders and a Model 617. I was hoping that the Colt’s D frame size would make a great 22 between the K frame and J frame.

Photo of Diamondback with the Hogue grips.
 

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John Patrick said:
I can’t disagree with your assessment of Colt’s Diamondback factory grips. They don’t feel natural in my hand. My Diamondback wears a set of pau ferro Hogue grips, which feel really nice and shoot very well.

Regarding Tyler and other grip adapters, I find that they are very useful on some revolvers. Most significantly on RB K frames for me, then SB K frames. The Tyler’s on the Cobra didn’t significantly add or detract from how it feels in my hand, but, like you said, it looks good.

It’s disappointing to hear about 22lr Diamondback shortcomings. I need to add a medium frame 22 to my revolvers. I only have two and they are J frames, a Model 51 with both cylinders and a Model 617. I was hoping that the Colt’s D frame size would make a great 22 between the K frame and J frame.

Photo of Diamondback with the Hogue grips.
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Your insight is appreciated and all our experiences are different. I've had all of my .22 revolvers for a while; the last one I bought was close to fifteen years ago. While it doesn't fit your criteria for an in-between frame size since it's a K-frame, I'm pretty sure my Model 18 will outshoot all my other S&Ws and Colts including a Model 17.
 
Like a fool, I’ve sold some 22lr revolvers I wish I still had.

I’ve been looking at Model 18s. While prices are high they still seem cheap compared to what I’m seeing for 4” Diamondback 22 asking prices.

Did you need to ream the cylinders? I’ve saved the how too threads.

Re grips, adapters, etc, it’s great we have plenty of choices.
 
John Patrick said:
Like a fool, I’ve sold some 22lr revolvers I wish I still had.

I’ve been looking at Model 18s. While prices are high they still seem cheap compared to what I’m seeing for 4” Diamondback 22 asking prices.

Did you need to ream the cylinders? I’ve saved the how too threads.

Re grips, adapters, etc, it’s great we have plenty of choices.
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I've never had any cylinders reamed; my remaining S&W .22s might benefit from such work, but none are tight to the point that they are really that difficult to load and eject. Different ammos can have some bearing on this. I only shoot CCI SV these days and it's a bit more snug than others but it shoots so well I prefer not to switch.
 
rockquarry said:
I've never had any cylinders reamed; my remaining S&W .22s might benefit from such work, but none are tight to the point that they are really that difficult to load and eject. Different ammos can have some bearing on this. I only shoot CCI SV these days and it's a bit more snug than others but it shoots so well I prefer not to switch.
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Thanks.

I bent the yoke on my 617 it got so stiff after shooting a couple of cylinders of ammo. S&W fixed the yoke but didn’t ream the cylinders.
 
John a beautiful Colt Agent with the rare hammer shroud. Looks like you have the Detective Special stocks, the original Agent stocks were shorter and the Cobra used the same stocks as the Det. Spcl. Only guessing it was Colts attempt to make the Agent as light and compact as possible for pocket carry. Also a nice holster you purchased from Phill.
 
majick47 said:
John a beautiful Colt Agent with the rare hammer shroud. Looks like you have the Detective Special stocks, the original Agent stocks were shorter and the Cobra used the same stocks as the Det. Spcl. Only guessing it was Colts attempt to make the Agent as light and compact as possible for pocket carry. Also a nice holster you purchased from Phill.
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Thanks, Majick, for the compliment and the info.

The Agent came to me with Pachmayers. I didn’t know until Chad hinted at it and you made it clear that the Agent had shorter stocks than the Detective Special and Cobra.

I’ll look for the shorter grips at future gun shows, but I like the longer grips on it now, especially with the T Grip.

John
 
Very nice Colt. I have a Cobra made in 1967. While I prefer all steel to alloy frame guns my Cobra is one of the last guns that I would sell. I have carried this gun a lot since since I bought it used in 1977. I also have a couple of model 36s and an early model 42. I like it them all. The J frames hide a little easier and have a better DA pull in my opinion. But the Colt has a better sight picture and you do get that extra shot. I now wish that I had a hammer shroud installed when the factory was still doing them. I am still looking for an older Detective Special and a Lewis cross to carry it.
 
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