Colt Diamondback .22LR w/ 2.5" Barrel

[CamoCustom]

I only have one picture right now, others at home on my camera.


I took some pictures up to a local gun shop, and the owner looked over them, looked up the book value and my jaw hit the floor. He said just by the pics it could be worth $2000-$2700 in the condition it is in. It has been fired, but not very much at all. One small spot on the cylinder that may be chipped...but microscopic. Overall condition is VERY good, but I wouldnt know what to rate it as far as %.

My questions, how should I store it? Precautions, rust/corrosion preventative. I wiped it down very good last night, went over with a fine tooth comb, cleaned up the nooks and crannies well, wiped some excess oil off..... What else should I do?

 

[bflobill_69]

The Diamondbacks are a pleasure to shoot... enjoy

Bflobill69

 

[tech]

Shoot it and enjoy.
You won't wear it out and as long as you take care of it you lose nothing in value at this point.

 

[RustyHammer]

Just curious where you found such a gem and how much paid? Awesome piece!

 

[ChristopherG]

My questions, how should I store it?

As you've found, this is a valuable firearm, and you should really leave it to a professional, by which I mean me. PM me for a shipping address and my reasonable storage rates.

 

[dfariswheel]

All you need to do is keep a thin coat of a good rust proofing lubricant on it.

I recommend CLP Breakfree since its one of the best at preventing rust.

 

[S&W-Keeper]

You have found a real gem, I bought one new years ago, I traded it for something else, silly me,they are worth a mint nowdays.You need to get you a nice set of wood grips.Great find.

 

[22-rimfire]

Nice gun. I second the suggestion that you find a mint set of Colt Service stocks such as came on the gun when they were new. On that one, it would be worth the cost.

It is one of the more desireable of the Diamondback variations. The nickel 2 1/2" 22 is just about impossible to find at any price. They come up on auction from time to time but you need to beware of rebarreled ones.

If you have any doubts of the originality of the gun, get a factory letter. Again, probably worth it on that gun. Boxes alone may run you $500 if that is important to you.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Those oversized PAchmayr grips remind me of Russian condoms. Get some nice Hogue wood grips. The original Colt grips aren't that well designed, or attractive.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

You could also store the gun in a silicon impregnated gun sock. It adds a second barrier of protection to it.

 

[22-rimfire]

The original Colt grips aren't that well designed, or attractive.

True for the most part. I think they are attractive, but it depends on what you are comparing them to. Hogues are nice. I would put the gun back into original factory configuration and make a safe queen out of it.

That gun is not a shooter. It's a collector piece. Unless you are rich and don't care, I cannot understand someone shooting a 2.5" Colt Diamondback 22 anymore. Like I said it is a highly desireable gun to those who like Diamondbacks. It may be worth more than what you were told also or at least pushing the high end of your $ range IF it has the original furniture. You may loose as much as $300 value due to the stocks.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Those are great guns and while less polished, are smaller versions of the Python as they share the same type of lockwork.

 

[CamoCustom]

RustyHammer-Just curious where you found such a gem and how much paid? Awesome piece!

My grandfather actually just gave it to me last weekend. I dont know if he even paid anything for it. Most likely acquired on a trade of some sort. He has a lot of guns. He hasnt even started to go through them. So there will be more, I am sure of that. He said he is giving me the nice ones because he knows I won't hawk it at a pawn shop. LOL

ChristopherG-As you've found, this is a valuable firearm, and you should really leave it to a professional, by which I mean me. PM me for a shipping address and my reasonable storage rates.

Yes, I bet you would like to store it for me

dfariswheel-All you need to do is keep a thin coat of a good rust proofing lubricant on it.

I recommend CLP Breakfree since its one of the best at preventing rust.

I have some too, so I will. How often to re oil or clean a piece that isn't going to be used like normally?

 

[CamoCustom]

22-rimfireNice gun. I second the suggestion that you find a mint set of Colt Service stocks such as came on the gun when they were new. On that one, it would be worth the cost.

It is one of the more desireable of the Diamondback variations. The nickel 2 1/2" 22 is just about impossible to find at any price. They come up on auction from time to time but you need to beware of rebarreled ones.

If you have any doubts of the originality of the gun, get a factory letter. Again, probably worth it on that gun. Boxes alone may run you $500 if that is important to you.

I am on the hunt for a set. These pach. grips are too large, they say "presentation grip" at the bottom, but the grip does not allow the gun to work as a double action. The hammer doesnt lock when pulled back.

 

[22-rimfire]

They are large. I used to use them on the Smith M57. Then I went to a smaller Pachmayer grip which worked just fine even though I'm not a big lover of finger grooves.

The hammer does lock back manually though, I hope?

 

[CamoCustom]

It does lock back, but the grips are hindering it from actually locking back....

 

[dfariswheel]

How often to re oil or clean a piece that isn't going to be used like normally?

As long as you don't handle it a thin coat of CLP Breakfree should last indefinitely.
Depending on how you store it and what the conditions are, check it once a month.

 

[mustang_steve]

If you don't store it in a sealed box with moisture absorbent silica gel...keep tabs on it monthly at the least. I've been thinking of making a sealed steel box and mounting a hygrometer through a wall on it to monitor the humidity inside. Of course with a load of silica gel to keep the humidity as low as possible.