Colt .22 Diamond Back double action revolvers

[Eagleye123]

I would like to know if Colt manufacturing company made any stainless steel or nickle plated .22 cal. double action revolvers?
I own a Colt Python .357 in the fine polished stainless finish with colt pachmyer presentation grips. I would like to know how difficult is it to find a .22 diamond back for sale in regular blued finish with a 6 inch barrel or if there are any stainless or nickle plated models out there?
Any information is appreciated.

 

[gulogulo1970]

I've seen nickel ones, but I don't think they ever made any in stainless.

 

[silversport]

I don't believe they made any Diamondback's in stainless but they did in nickle and possibly in Coltguard (electroless nickle)...the .22s are harder to find than .38spec...
Bill

 

[SaxonPig]

Nickel, yes. I know of no stainless D'backs and doubt they were made.

Nickel 22 D'backs are uncommon and bring big bucks.

 

[Ruger Redhawk]

They did make Diamondbacks in Blued and Nickel. I never saw a S/S and I worked for a Gun Shop that was a Colt Distributor.
I had three Diamondbacks at one time. I had a 4" blued 38 spl,a 4" blued 22LR and I still have a unfired NIB 6" blued 22LR. I traded the 4" 22 in probably 5 or 6 years ago.When I see what they are going for today I realize I made a big mistake getting rid of those two. I also have a NIB unfired Trooper 6" blue in 22mag, plus a couple more NIB Colts.No Python's

People sure have gotten proud of Colts.

 

[dfariswheel]

Colt offered the Diamondback in blue, bright nickel and satin electroless nickel, also called "Coltguard" later.

If they made a true stainless Diamondback, it would have been a one-of-a-kind experimental.
Recently Colt has been auctioning off their collection of experimental guns, but I haven't seen a stainless Diamondback.

 

[22-rimfire]

As Dfariswheel said, Colt offered them in Blue and Nickel finishes. The Coltguard or electroless nickel (EN) was added in the early 1980's. All of those EN guns came from the Custom shop. Diamondback production started in 1966 and ended in 1986. Production numbers remain pretty much un-reported. The Blue Book reports that approximately 2200 6" nickel 22 DBs were made. That number is probably close in my opinion. I have read in the gun rags that production of the 22 DB's didn't start until 1969 as Colt was making a lot of 2.5" and 4" for police use early on. They were most difficult to find in the early years of production. Kind of like ammo these days for some calibers. The 4" 22 DB was discontinued when the 6" was introduced around 1979-1980. Customers didn't like it and the 4" was brought back into production. Even in the early 80's, Colt intended to stop production of the DB based on the gun magazine reports. But production continued until 1986 when a lot of guns were discontinued. 1986 was definitely a bad Colt year if you like Colt DA revolvers.

Diamondbacks that people think are stainless are generally E-nickel or unpolished nickel plated. I remember one dealer trying to sell me a "stainless" DB at about a $100 premium. Didn't do it. I later found out that it was E-nickel and was a factory offering.

A few were assembled in the early 1990's from parts. Most of these were really decked out guns as I recall with some of them being case hardened and so forth. Cherry's had maybe 6 of them at a show I attended for sale at hefty prices for the time. I didn't buy one. Wish I did.

Wish I did is the story of my life.

 

[wgp]

My first handgun was a 6" blue .22 Diamondback, still have it. I've certainly never seen a stainless one and rarely see any for sale anymore. The ones I do see are usually priced over $1,000.

 

[Sullyman]

I sold last fall (Oct/Nov/ 2009) a 4" .22 Colt diamond back in nickel. for $1,100 cash. no box and in good condition. They are hard to find, when you do, they bring a premium.