Remembered why I don't like factory diamondback grips.

[Peter M. Eick]

Many years ago (ok, lets not get specific...) I bought my first centerfire, a Colt Diamondback. I remember that when I first shot it, it chewed up my hands something fierce. I then learned about Pachmyer grips and bought some better grips and moved on. I had sort of forgot that lesson until on a whim a second Diamondback dropped by.




Well, Lets just say I relearned that lesson quickly. Colt factory grips just don't hit my hands right so they had to go. I got on Ebay after a long search and was able to find another set of Pachmyer Presentation Grips for the short D frame and they are on order.

I put wood grips on the guns for the pictures but my old Diamondback is the Nickeled. I have fired it 47,327 rounds so far and was thinking I will start to taper back the use of it and basically park it in the safe. I will probably just run it up to 50,000 rounds for the fun of it and then shoot it rarely.



These are great little guns. Lots of fun to shoot and while I am not as accurate with the 4" barrel as I am with a 6.5" (dang eyes), I still have a lot of fun with them. I can say the new one (blued) is no where near as smooth as my original. It is rough, but not Ruger rough, just not super smooth like the older one is. I guess I will give it 10,000 rounds to smooth out and it will probably start getting good.

Having learned a power curve lesson, I will plan on keeping this one with only modern book max loads in it. My older Diamondback spent most of its life firing 5.0 grns of unique with a 158 SWC. At the time, that was book max while today it is more like 4.2 grns. What I have decided is I will probably load most of the rounds with Trailboss since I like the fluffy nature of the powder and it works well for accuracy.

Yesterday I was blasting with my D frame Colts.



I put about 900 rounds down the 3 of them and had a good time blasting paper and plinking on dirt clods on the berm. I am always impressed at the accuracy of the Detective special when you buckle down and really try to sight the shot. It has a bit of a hitch in the trigger so if you pull it a bit, you can then get a nice single action break. I normally shoot it in double action though. I always try and dump a box in one handed both strong and weak handed with it. That has really improved my abilities and confidence that I can hit left handed over the years.

So, I pulled all of that wood off and put Pachmyer's back on them (accept for the blued that has to wait till thursday for the grips to show up. I was thinking I may order some Eagle grips just for the fun of it.

Like I have always said. "Smiths are for collecting, Colts are for shooting."

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

When I had my Python with those grips, it beat and chafed my hand raw. Also, because they covered the backstrap, it made the already long "trigger 'reach'" even longer. I put a Hogue Monogrip on it for shooting ... but still kept the originals.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I looked at Hogue grips but found that there finger grooves in general don't fit my hands. I do like them though on my 610 but I always feel contorted when shooting with them.

Nice to know I am not the only one that thinks Colts grips rub you raw!

 

[Old Fuff]

Colt didn't put the time and effort into tuning the Diamondback actions that they did the Python, but the lockwork is identical except the latter is scaled down. A 'smith that's experienced with Colt's can do wonders on both Diamondbacks and Detective Specials.

I agree with the observations concerning Diamondback stocks, and tend to favor those used on later Detective Special's and Cobra's. Removing the checkering also helps.

 

[22-rimfire]

In the past, it was always Pachmayr grips on my Diamondbacks. They aren't pretty, but I think they work great. Like you said, I didn't find the Hogue finger slots comfortable but I can work around them if I need to.

900 rounds... must be handloads.

I only fairly recently purchased a Detective Special after looking at them for many years. Always preferred the DB. Mine has grips on it like yours.

I bought my very first Diamondback at Carters in Houston TX years ago.

Since you "dislike" those factory stocks, I give you permission to send all you have to me. I'll find a use for them.

 

[Jaymo]

I always had that problem with Python/Diamondback factory grips.
Much like Ruger's current BH grips.
I'm going to differ in opinion with many.
I LIKE the way Pachmayr Compac and Gripper grips look.
I REALLY, REALLY LIKE the way they feel and shoot.
Hogue rubber grips have never fit me. The finger grooves are too wide on the big ones and too narrow on the small ones.
My mom has a 1986 or 87 Commando Special that has smooth, rubber, Colt factory grips. I like them very much.
Funny thing, I see that model listed as a Commando, not as a Commando Special.
Well, I've never seen that model stamped Commando. Every one I've seen is marked Commando Special.
Guess it's like the folks who call a Police Positive Special a Police Positive.

 

[Dframe]

I've been a shooter and acquirer of D frame colts for many years now. I dearly love my D-backs but have never had a complaint about the stocks. Different hands I guess. I do have a set of compact pachys on one of my D-backs though, just to save wear and tear on the original stocks. I couldn't agree more about the Detective. Lets just say I own "more than one" and love shooting them all. I use a lot of trailboss nowadays since it meters so well and it's bulk makes a double charge nearly impossible. I use a load thats about 90% of max for the powder and plain old 158 cast bullets. Can't hardly think of a more pleasant afternoon than plinking away with my D frames.

 

[bannockburn]

The only Colt factory revolver stocks that I really liked the feel and comfort of were the ones they had on the Trooper Mk.V. They fit my hand perfectly and were great for double action shooting.

 

[Old Fuff]

Funny thing, I see that model listed as a Commando, not as a Commando Special. Well, I've never seen that model stamped Commando. Every one I've seen is marked Commando Special.

During World War Two, Colt made a version of the Official Police that was Parkerized and roughly finished by commercial standards, called the Commando. Consequently the later D-frame was called the Commando Special.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

22-rimfire,

The primers I was shooting up today came from the Carter's on I-10 on the west side of Houston. I go there and hit the BBQ place next door when I am making a powder and occasionally a shotgun primer run. They just happen to have small pistol primers in stock at a cheap price a while back so I bought them. Also, no, I won't be parting with the stocks. I figure keep them together as a package if god forbid I ever have to sell them.

Oh yes, they were reloads.

D-frame, you are right, 90% trailboss with a 158 SWC is about my load. It is a fun one to just bang away with. I know you could load a bit cheaper with a faster powder but the risk to my little D-frames is too high for me so trailboss it is. I agree it was just a very enjoyable morning banging away with the D's. Colts are made for shooting!

 

[Jaymo]

Fuff, I'm familiar with the Army Special/Official Police/Commando.
But, I always see the D-frame Commando Special listed as a Commando.

 

[Old Fuff]

Fuff, I'm familiar with the Army Special/Official Police/Commando.
But, I always see the D-frame Commando Special listed as a Commando.

I think maybe they still had the old rollstamp and didn't bother to get a new one.

Or it could be that no one was left at the company that remembered the original Commando.

And it's quite possible that the person doing a listing doesn't know any better either.

At least the Police Positive and Police Positive Special were clearly marked on the barrel as to which model they were, but it's not uncommon to see one or the other listed as a "Police Special."

Personally I wish that both Colt and S&W would stop using older names on new, and sometimes unrelated products. :banghead: