Colt Diamondback .22lr w/ 2.5" Barrel

[CamoCustom]

Hello all, I have learned a LOT since being around here. One thing of which, is that my little Diamondback pictured, has been refinished:





Well, after deciding to possibly keep it, I thought I would go and shoot it. Well, it didnt fire, the gun guy at the range/shop said somebody probably tried to do an action job on it and messed up the hammer spring, so they gently tried to bend it a bit to get some more tension, well it HELPED but didnt Totally solve the problem.

My thing Is, I decided to go ahead and try and get rid of it, sell it to a collector, or somebody that could fix it for cheap and maybe even get it bead blasted and re-blued.

Well, I did my research on this little pistol, and after being told by many, I know what to believe. The shop owner(after taking his younger grandson maybe? younger than I (im 27) in the back where they sat for a few minutes, then came back to me) They proceeded to tell me they would give me $175 for it. Low book value on it was $475. the barrel/cylinder/ EVERYTHING except the spring and exterior, is outstanding.

They told me that the .22lr 2.5" isnt the RARE and expensive one, that they way the blue book is worded that its the .22 mag thats rare. OH NO...I said....

They are having an so called "appraiser" out today to look at it. we will see.

Those that have the blue book, check it real quick, I know, and you know that the .22lr is the rare one. So, point is I wanted to get at least $300-400 maybe for it? Is that fair for its non working condition?? or could I get more if I sell it some other way? I am doing this to put these funds towards 2 new pistols, one for myself and one for the wife

 

[woad_yurt]

Do a search for one in Gunbroker's "completed auctions." They're very expensive guns ($1000-$1500.) I'd see about getting it fixed properly. It may be worth your while.

Note: I didn't see any snubbies at all so yours may be worth even more.

 

[CamoCustom]

Thanks, I knew it didnt seem right at all. i found 1 on there, the listing stated it was at 70% and it had pitting on the barrel end and near the grip I think....It sold for $ 1,125!!!! Mine is beautiful on the inside, smooth operation, aside from the hammer spring!!!

 

[Gordon]

I would NOT refininish ir. I would have someone like Cylinder and Slide tune it up to factory specs . Then you would have an $800 .22 revolver of the finest order to shoot with no further loss of value in the futuree, a win /win solution.

 

[SaxonPig]

Yes, the snubby 22 D'back is vary rare and valuable... when in good condition. Yours is refinished (reduce value to a collector by 76% if he will buy it at all) and it has mechanical issues.

Sorry. Even the Mona Lisa loses most of its value if has a tear in the canvas and someone has painted over it.

To me this gun is a really cool shooter worth about $350 (recalling it needs repairs). In perfect condition it would likely command $2,500 or more. Sucks. I have no doubt someone would want it enough to pay more than I would offer, but I can't imagine any serious collector being interested at all and a refinished gun in need of repair can only bring so much.

Shame.

 

[CamoCustom]

I am seeing the problem lies within the mainspring, It fired 4 of 6 rounds, and then the other 2 on pull then trigger release of the hammer. I found the mainspring for $12, shipped for $15 so if thats the case, then it would be left reblued...

 

[SaxonPig]

Colt springs can be temperamental and it takes an experienced Colt smith to fix it right.

It is a bummer when such a desirable gun turns up refinished or modified. I went to an estate auction a few years ago. Old guy passed on leaving about 100 guns, most of which were VERY valuable. That is, they would have been if hadn't insisted on playing home gunsmith on them over the years. Every single one of them had been butchered in some way. He had a Singer 1911 (only 500 made) and he screwed up the slide trying to do God only knows what to it. Ruined. Numerous Winchester 86s, 92s, etc all in the same condition. Cut up, ground on, hard to imagine what the Hell he was thinking.

Must have been a $100,000 collection reduced to about $15,000 in value.

Like I said, this is still a way cool gun and I would love to have it. But really high monetary value come from demand by serious collectors and they are not interested in refinished guns.

 

[Daizee]

That's just about the most attractive snubbie ever.
$175?? HA!

I paid $500 for a refinished 4" diamondback in .38spl and feel it was a solid deal.

Get that puppy working, you will never be able to replace it.

-Daizee

 

[hso]

Your best course of action is to send it to an experienced Colt shop and have it repaired and then enjoy it.

 

[CamoCustom]

The wife nor I have the desire for revolvers though. The feel, and the rounds that did fire, blah. It wasnt appealing to myself.

 

[Nick5182]

Get it repaired correctly, and even with the refinish, you should easily be able to get 400 bucks out of it. If you use gun broker, that'd probably be the best way to go. Yeah, a collector doesn't want a refinished firearm, but there are people out there who want a gun for what it is, or even just for the name, and I'm sure you could get a nice amount of cash for it just for what it is.

 

[BullfrogKen]

Your best course of action is to send it to an experienced Colt shop and have it repaired and then enjoy it.

Seconded.

 

[9mmepiphany]

it really isn't collector material, but i would be a great shooter if properly repaired...i don't mean by your local gunsmith, i'm talking about it going back to Colt or whomever they are referring work out to these days.

don't pin your expectations on what you see going o at gunbroker. getting it working would be a huge sales point, but a refinished gun really loses value quickly. one has to wonder why it was refinished in the first place...what is the refinish hiding.

i looks like a nice blue, but it also looks like they rounded off some edges, and the hammer, during the polish. i'm thinking about $400 would be ball park in value

 

[Gordon]

" I would have someone like Cylinder and Slide tune it up to factory specs . Then you would have an $800 .22 revolver of the finest order to shoot with no further loss of value in the futuree, a win /win solution."
And I reinterate. Or I'll give you $350 as is. That is double what your gunstore coyotes offered, and it will cost me to get it into California.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Or I'll give you $350 as is. That is double what your gunstore coyotes offered, and it will cost me to get it into California.

that's going to be a convoluted route

i'd have made an offer too, if it had been in the state

 

[22-rimfire]

The Colt DB 2.5" 22 revolvers are very valuable. 20 years ago blued ones sold just shy of $1000 commonly. Now for a NIB speciman with box, you might get as much as $2.5-$3K for one. The original boxes sell for as much as $500. There are many that seek these guns out and I'm one of them.

It is not collector material at this point due to the refinish.

I also would have Colt repair it at this point.

 

[pyth0n]

I have all but the 2.5" .22lr. They are rare. IMO, your's looks to good in the pic. to have been refinished. I'd send it to Colt to get fixed and may be they can verify the finish.I looked it up in my 28th ed of the blue book and $175 is laughable.