Just inherited Dad's Colt Diamondback .38 special!

B

BamBam-31

New member
Any info on this gun? Is it a keeper? My Dad bought it about 20 years ago, and it's NEVER been fired. Gun's clean.

A few questions, if you will:

--Can I fire +p loads thru it? If not, what's a good carry load for a .38 special? I think it's a 3" barrel.

--Hogue grips any good? The wood ones feel too small for me.

--How do you clean it? CLP all over, solvent in the barrel? What about the chambers? Should I oil the cylinder, or is CLP enough?

Thanks in advance. Never thought I'd own a revolver...kinda cool! :D
 
Sounds like you have a 2.5-inch bbl. Diamondback. (They may have made a few three-inchers, but they'd be rare, and I don't recall that they were catalogued, but Colt has done some strange and wonderful things.) If the sights adjust as they SHOULD (something that once gave me trouble on a Diamondback), you can shoot any common .38 Special round in it, but Colt advised that the company should inspect it if more than 3,000 rounds of Plus P had been fired. (For lightweight alloy frames like on their Cobra or Agent, they suggest checking after 1,000 rounds). Just don't shoot Plus P in casual practice, and it should last well.

Because Colts of that model and era are becoming collectibles, and because this one is a family heirloom, I wouldn't shoot it much, except for occasional nostalgic recreational firing.

I'd add a Tyler T-Grip adaptor if the grips are too small, or get a set of older Pachmayr Presentation Compac grips of the two-panel style at a gun show... if you can find any. The supply seems to be drying up.

What on Earth is the matter with people today??? Never thought you'd own a revolver! Good Lord, man! They're hardly obsolete, and are probably the best handguns made for most purposes.
Better not handle this one too much, or you'll realize how wonderful they are, and want more.

Oh: yes, Break-Free CLP is OK, but another post around here somewhere says that they give funds to the IACP, which is anti-gun. So you may want to substitute Rem-Oil. I clean first with solvent like Hoppe's famed No. 9, then wipe off the gun lightly with oil. Don't overdo it, especially in the bore and chambers. It's not only messy; it can raise pressures. Actually, it sounds as if you ought to begin reading gun magazines and basic books if you don't yet know how to clean a gun. Not trying to be cruel; I just have the impression that you're very new to firearms, and it's essential to learn some basics before you ever fire a gun.

Lone Star
 
If the weapon has never been fired before, you may wish to keep it in that condition as what it is-a family heirloom. Then you have every excuse to go out and buy a new revolver! I hadn't owned a wheelgun in years, but my step son left me with his Smith 60 Chiefs Special, made back in the late 60's and I have gotten my interest all worked up again!
 
If it is, indeed, an unfired 2.5" D'back it is worth maybe $1,000 on the open market. If that is unimportent to you, then shoot it as much as you like with any .38 ammo available. This is a relatively small framed gun and the hot loads will produce sharp recoil but you'd have to fire a Hell of a lot of them to do any damage.
 
$1000.00?!?! :eek: Sheee-yooot!!! You sure about that, man? Cuz if that's true, then I probably wont shoot it. Maybe get a .357, then. :D

LoneStar, great info, man. Thanks. I own a couple of semi-autos, so I'm familiar with the basics. The revolver just looked so simple, maybe too simple. I wanted to make sure about cleaning before I did anything boneheaded (wouldn't be the first time :rolleyes: ).
 
I just got my diamondback from colt after being re-timed. $72 if I remember right, plus I had to pay shipping to get it there.

I would not put +P in mine, why beat it up? Mine got out of time over 25 years of heavy use and I am the second owner.

It sounds like it is of my vintage, a late 60's version that was exceptionally well made.

I would suggest handling it carefully and shooting it a lot. Mine was always accurate, and easy to shoot and lots of fun to boot.

Great guns the little diamondback, but not a hot topic on these pages.
 
$1000 for a Diamondback? Not likely. I see most Diamondbacks going for $500-600. Fjestad's 23rd edition Blue Book puts a top value of $650 on all but the rarest of Diamondbacks. Since it is unfired and if you have the original box, you may want to keep it and admire it.
 
BamBam, my condodances on the loss of your dad.

Agree with all of the above. Keep ALL lube out of the chambers except for storage. Chambers should be clean and dry before firing.

Sam
 
Used 4" D'backs are bringing $600+ at auction right now. I think it's silly but that is what's happening. The 2.5" is very rare. I am confident that one in unfired condition would bring in the neighborhood of $1,000.

BTW- That book mentioned above IS ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS IN DETERMINING GUN VALUES. All they do is ask several gun dealers what they would ask for the gun and average the prices stated. Very little relation to the real world. Also, they claimed that a particular model of S&W did not exist until I showed them mine. Then, I paid for a "custom" appraisal on a gun and they told me it was worth less than 1/4 of what I saw a specialty dealer selling the same gun for, and that one was reblued. I think they need both hands to take a seat if you know what I mean.
 
If nobody's told you yet, that's basically an adjustable-sight, longer-barreled "Detective Special" - same frame size, many parts are compatible. If you're willing to live with the limits of the .38, it's still a wonderful carry gun.
 
Have Diamondback and Colt Viper Grips Really

I am really an old timer since I retired in 1979 with some inventory of pistol grips the oldest of which are DiamondBack and Colt viper grips in our Gunfighter design. I have a small batch of oter makers grips also and am selling off the misc stuff of an old shooter.

Anyone wanting a better wood grip for their old Colt DB or CV Shooter contact me fitz_grips@hotmail.com only have a half dozen
 
McQ-

I bet what you were thinking of is that Steve McQUEEN carried a Diamondback in, "Bullitt(sp?)", the film where he had all of those exciting San Fran chase scenes, up and down hill.

"McQ", of course, was a character played by John Wayne. Just enough similarity of names to ring a bell...

Fitz Grips were classic replacement stocks in the "old days". Wondered what became of 'em, Paul Jones, retired. Thanks for the post!

Lone Star
 
BamBam-31,I also want to give My condolences on Your Fathers passing.Keep the Diamond back and think of Him and the good old days as You enjoy one of His prized possessions.Then someday pass it along to Your off-spring.tom.
 
I mentioned above that Steve McQueen carried a Diamondback in, "Bullitt". I'm almost sure of that, but haven't seen the film since it was in theatres in 1968. Boy, was I young then!

Anyway, "TV Guide" shows that it's on tonight on TCM (Turner Classic Movies) at 7:00 P.M., Central Std. Time. If you have cable TV, give it a look.

Lone Star
 
Someone said that a 2.5" Diamondback sells today for $1,000. I saw one on a table with some 4" Diamondbacks at a gun show this weekend for $700. Looked to be as new. Don't know if it sold.

I'll stick with the stainless Chief Special, thanks very much.

Lone Star
 
Favorite pistol grip

Lone Star I have a favorite grip and it is for the SS model 60 It is the GF gunfighter Fitz Grip that Uncle Barney designed and I carried on my 60 as my off duty and CCW weapon during my career. I shocked Ted the rangemaster at Glendale PD range when I shot DX with my 2 inch 60 instinctively rapid fire. Ted wrote articles for gun magazines in the 50's thru 70's

Check out the GunFighter grip at fitz_grips@hotmail.com
 
A gun that looks unfired on a table at a gunshow is not the same as one promised to be new in original box. That's what I assumed the original post meant. An unfired 2.5" D'back in its original box would likely bring around a $1,000. Deduct if bnox mising. Deuct if any handling marks visible. Add if two guys go nuts and both decide they must have it and start bidding against each other.
 
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