You will love your Colt Diamond back. The Diamond back was just a scaled down Python. Your revolver was made in an era where things were made with pride and made with quality. Owners of guns, like your Diamond back, we're guns owners took great pride in owning. Revolvers will never be made like that again. The Colts of that era were just too well made to complete, in price, with other guns hitting the market at that time. The Pythons, Diamond backs, Woodsman, and the rest of the Colts from that time period, should be looked at, the way a shotgun man would look at a finley made double gun. They are in that class. The price these guns are bringing show they are that good also. Even the Trooper MKIII, which was built with cheaper parts were very nice revolvers. They were made to compete with the Ruger's that were coming out at that time. The only short fall these guns had, was they were just too well made and that is what killed them. In my opinion, no other firearms manufacture can blue a revolver or pistol like Colt can. Their blue from this time is so well done, it is almost mirror like. Today you can go in any gun shop and buy all the plastic and pot metal firearms you want, for a very reasonable price and get a gun that will work well. I am not at all saying they are not good guns. They just don 't have a sole like these old guns do. There is no real craftsmanship, they are just put together with stamped and moulded parts. I view them the same as a good hammer. The time of forged steel guns is gone and will never return. Enjoy your Diamond back and realize what it is.
Acquired my first Colt yesterday. I guy I work with had it and wasn’t going to do anything with it. It has been neglected throughout the years. There is some pitting on the left side of the barrel and on the cylinder and a little on the top strap. Grips are on the way, Hogue rosewoods. It is mechanically sound. I shot it even without grips. I traded an entry level AR for it. We were both happy with the deal. I will be doing the restoration work on it and will continue to post updates.
