Was a Colt(2-1/2" Diamondback)chambered in .357 & .38 special)a reality or "Rumor"?

[slick6]

Did Colt's ever chamber the Colt Diamondback(With a 2-1/2" barrel?) in .357 & .38 special?)and, was marked as such, on the barrel? Was this a "Reality" or just a "Rumor"? If made, what was the story on these? Please comment?

 

[GUNKWAZY]

D-back

I have never heard of or have seen the Diamondback set up for the .357. Being that it's such a small frame, I can't see Colt ever making that for production. They (Colt) would have to beef up the top strap and other parts like they did to the .38 Detective special/Magnum carry .357.
There may be some prototypes that were made and tested, but I couldn't tell you for sure. If you have one, it would be worth a call to Colt, then paying for the letter.

Just my 2 pesos.

Jeff (GUNKWAZY)

 

[GaryP]

I believe Diamondbacks were manufactured in .22LR & .38Spl only, but there are 2.5" .38Spl versions out there because there are 2 pictured on page 350 of R.L. Wilson's COLT AN AMERICAN LEGEND. The engraved one was manufactured in 1976 according to the listed serial number.

 

[slick6]

Well, I have seen this 2-1/2" Diamondback in person-and, it is definately stamped(On the left side of the barrel).357 & .38 special? I hope that somebody might know the facts about this gun? I have a chance to buy it-(If it is "Rare" or "Unique" in some way?)?

 

[BluesBear]

Does it also say Diamondback on the left side of the barrel?

Can you get me the exact serial number?

 

[Old Fuff]

Before you lay down any bucks I would get the serial number and check with Colt's customer service department. I highly doubt that Colt ever made a Diamondback in .357 Magnum, and if they did it most likely would have been marked, ".357 Magnum" because if that was the case it wouldn't be unnecessary to add the .38 Special part - especially on so short a barrel.

This is not to say that someone didn't run a chambering reamer into a .38 Special cylinder and then have the markings engraved on the barrel. In that case it's something you don't want.

If, given the serial number, Colt will confirm they made it that's something else. But I have strong doubts.

 

[slick6]

1)I'll get the serial number on this Diamondback and will report back here?

2)I'll also verify again, if the barrel is marked Diamondback on the left side?

3)This diamondback is mint in every way and appears never to have been fired? And, I wouldn't understand, why(If this gun is not genuine?)anybody would ruin such a beautiful gun as this, by attempting to chamber it in .357 magnum? Yet, the barrel marking is very "Unusual" to be marked as .357 & .38 special(In that order?)? :banghead:

4)If anyone has any further knowledge about this mysterious 2-1/2" Diamondback, in the meantime, please comment? Thanks!

 

[GaryP]

I found this review by Chuck Hawks maybe it will be of value here.

The Colt Diamondback Revolver -
Gun Review Synopsis

By Chuck Hawks

Colt introduced the Diamondback double action revolver in 1966 . . . a deluxe model with numerous special features. Like its Colt half-brothers, it was a 6-shot revolver with a swing out cylinder and a Positive Lock action . . . .

The Diamondback was introduced with a list price of $95 dollars . . . By 1986, the last year of production, the list price had risen to $461. The Diamondback's relatively high price limited its sales throughout its production life.

Diamondbacks are still available to shooters on the used market (the collectors haven't gotten them all, yet) . . . a shooter looking for a good used 4 inch or 6 inch Diamondback . . . in mint (100%) condition will run about $650. Add 20% for .22 LR caliber, and 20% . . . The Diamondback is still an expensive revolver, but it is definitely worth the price . . . .

Calibers included .22 LR (also .22 Short and Long), .22 WMR, and .38 Special . . . .22 LR and .38 Special were the common Diamondback calibers. .38 Special +P loads are safe for use in all Diamondback .38 Special revolvers.

Barrel lengths were initially 2.5 inches and 4 inches, and a 6 inch barrel option was soon added to the line . . . 4 inch barrels are the most common . . . The top of the barrel wears a ventilated rib, and there is a full length lug beneath, as per the Colt Python . . . .

The top strap of the Diamondback's frame is a flat top target type . . . The hammer has a wide, serrated, target spur and the trigger is a . . . target type. Diamondbacks came with a fully adjustable rear sight, usually mated with a ramp front sight. The grips provided on guns with 4 and 6 inch barrels are target type . . . .

The Diamondback is a target model service revolver and looks like the baby brother of the famous Python .357 Magnum. Its internal lockwork is of the same basic design, and uses the traditional Colt "V" shaped mainspring . . . .

The all steel Diamondback came in bright nickel and polished Colt Blue finishes . . . The Diamondback remains . . . perhaps the finest .22 LR and .38 Special revolver of the modern era . . . its action is generally superior to those of competing DA revolvers . . . .

The basic Diamondback numerical specifications are as follows . . . Caliber .22 Diamondbacks are about 3 ounces heavier than equivalent .38 Special models due to the smaller holes in the barrel and cylinder.

Due to its excellent sights, good trigger, fine balance, safe action, and moderate size a Diamondback makes a nearly ideal training revolver for a new shooter . . . beginners usually prefer the 4 inch barrel . . . .

I own Diamondbacks in both .22 LR and .38 Special . . . The SA trigger pulls of . . . these guns runs about 3 pounds.

There is not much difference between the accuracy of a 4 inch barrel and a 6 inch barrel . . . but the longer sight radius and greater weight of the 6 inch barrel gives it the edge in practical accuracy.

My 6 inch .22 Diamondback will shoot 6-shot, 1.5 inch groups from a 25 yard bench rest all day, if the shooter is up to it. Sometimes that group size can be cut to 1 inch . . . Unlike many .22 revolvers, it is not particular about ammunition . . . a deadly squirrel gun with high velocity HP ammo.

My 4 inch nickel and 6 inch blue .38 Special Diamondbacks are usually fed . . . Or my handloads with 140 grain Speer JHP bullets . . . .

The latter is also an appropriate small game load. I like to think that it is somewhat more accurate than the . . . factory loads . . . .

My 6 inch .38 Diamondback gets the most use plinking at casual targets such as tin cans and clay pigeons propped against a dirt hillside. The 4 inch nickel Diamondback is my home defense gun of choice . . . .

I find the 2.5 inch .38 Special Diamondback . . . perhaps the most effective .38 snubby ever built.

I am, unabashedly, a fan of the Diamondback revolver. I hope that at some point Colt sees their way clear to reintroducing this fine premium revolver to their line.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I hope that at some point Colt sees their way clear to reintroducing this fine premium revolver to their line.

Yeah, and I hope it rains silver dollars tonight, too.

Seriously: I've never heard of a .357 magnum Diamondback. It's my understanding Python barrels don't mate with Diamondback frames, but I wouldn't put it a sixteenth of an inch past some enterprising crook to modify a Python barrel to fit on a Diamondback and try to pass off the resulting gun as a one of a kind Colt experiment, or some such thing.

I'll wait to see what dfariswheel has to say.

 

[dfariswheel]

This same question has been posted on several forums, but here's the bottom line.

Colt never made a .357 Magnum "D" framed revolver.

Likely, this is a similar "Frankenstein's Monster" gun like the infamous .41 Magnum Python's that show up from time to time.

The .41 Magnum Python was the "inspired" invention of a gunsmith who bloody well should have known better.

Having heard that Colt once made up one or two experimental Python's in .41 Magnum, he decided to sell his own conversion using standard Python's as the base.

He apparently never heard that Colt immediately withdrew the samples from the wholesaler they'd built them for, because even the special heat treated frames and cylinders couldn't take the pressures.

Colt hit the ceiling and bounced off when an outraged customer sent his blown up .41 Magnum Python back to the factory along with a nasty letter and threats of lawsuits.

To make a miserble story short, the gunsmith was shortly out of business.

From time time, converted guns show up, often VERY well done, but often VERY unsafe.
People, some of them actually trained gunsmiths, simply refuse to understand that guns are built to withstand certain pressure cartridges, and just because you can rechamber or rework one to a more powerful one, doesn't mean it's OK.

I've spend many an hour attempting to make people understand that just because a S&W Model 64 .38 Special is indistinquishable from a Model 65 .357 Magnum DOES NOT mean the 64 can just be rechamber to .357.
People don't want to accept that gun makers aren't trying to "screw them" by just changing the barrel stamps on .38's and .357's.

This is likely one of those.
Some genius ran a chambering reamer into the cylinder, and re-marked the barrel.
In any case, Colt didn't make this thing, and if you contacted the factory about it, bright lights would start flashing, and sirens would start to wail.

As per the post on another forum, the only value this Diamondback has is to a collector of Frankenstein guns.

As for shooting it, likely you'd be told it's perfectly safe, having been fired before.
It isn't, and DON'T.
This thing may LOOK like a Colt Diamondback, but it's really a hand grenade, only you have no idea when it's going to go off.