diamondback .22 with a 2-1/2" barrel

[diamondback22]

does anyone know how many diamondback .22's were made with 2-1/2" barrels? is there any way of knowing this? i have owned many diamondbacks but never one of these..a guy 20 miles from me has one...thanks..

[dfariswheel]

Colt is always very reluctant to say how many of any type or caliber of gun they made.
So, for the most part, only Colt knows and they won't tell us.

[JudgeColt]

I wonder if Colt even knows. The way records are kept at Colt, it would not surprise me if there is no total for such things.

[ace]

I wonder if Colt even knows. The way records are kept at Colt, it would not surprise me if there is no total for such things.

agree, i don't think that colt knows total production numbers of older discontinued models.

[macey109]

Go grab it.... I have only seen 1.

[diamonback68]

That's one of the rarer DBs. Only about 5,000 were made. Not sure what your guy is asking, but I would expect it to be over $2000 depending on what shape it's in. Good luck.

[6Gun]

diamondback68,

Can you give us an idea of where the 5000 production figure you quote came from?

6Gun

[Jackson]

An Article in Shooting Times/March 1976 listed a table from Colt Historian Marty Huber as follows: 2-1/2" .22 Diamondback blue @ 4,797 made. Total production was 121,081 from 1968 to Sept 1975 with the 2-1/2 38 Spl Nickel the rarest @ only 1,220.

[diamonback68]

diamondback68,Can you give us an idea of where the 5000 production figure you quote came from?6Gun

This is my best guestimate from data that I have compiled over the years from written articles and published information and talking to other collectors from that time period. It is in no way cast in concrete numbers and should not be quoted as such. No exact numbers have ever been proven exact since I'm not sure even Colt knows. I have estimated quantity numbers of others as well. Edited: Jackson's numbers are correct.

[6Gun]

Thanks Jackson/diamondback68,

After nearly 20 years of collecting I have only seen (i.e. stood in front of) 3 different Diamondbacks in this configuration (maybe 4, but I believe it was probably the same gun twice).
As my interests are more tied to Pythons than Diamondbacks, perhaps in the early years I may have overlooked one or two... but somebody has done a good job of hiding them.

6Gun