Best Deal I've Ever Got! - Nickel Det. Special and 2.5" Diamondback in .38SPL

[thor447]

At the Claude Hall gun show in OKC today, walked the whole show, and a gentleman towards the back of the floor has a few nice guns I was interested in.

He had a really nice 2.5" Colt Diamondback in .38 Special, serial # D12800, putting making this a 2nd year gun, mfg in 1967. He was asking 800 for it. Now, this gun is in fantastic shape, base book value in present condition is between 950-1250. Then, add 50% for 2.5" in .38SPL, making this gun between 1400-1875. I don't think that he really did his research on it, he wasn't really knowledgeable about any of the firearms he had for sale, he didn't even have the blue book with him. Every once in awhile you find one of these guys at the shows, but most of the time they don't have good firearms for sale. Sometimes walking around the edges of the shows you'll find the best deals, or the biggest suckers!!!

The second gun he had was a nickel Detective Special, base value at around 800, then add 20% for nickel finish, putting this firearm around the 950-960 range. He had it tagged for $500. The grips are perhaps not original, but may also be a Colt special order. I remember seeing these same grips on a special ordered Python years ago that a collector friend of mine had. He had the original invoice showing the exact custom order. I'm thinking this gun might be a custom order, but I will have to get a Colt letter to know for sure. Either way, if they are aftermarket grips, the gun itself is well worth it, and the grips look beautiful.

So, his total was 1300 for both guns, and after negotiation, we agreed upon $1075 for both before taxes. I have included a copy of the receipt to put the doubters to rest!!!





- I had a few offers on the Diamondback and 1 offer on the Detective Special before I left the building!! Both would have made me a decent profit on either gun.


- On a side note, if there is anyone out there who may be able to tell me anything about the DS grips, I'd love to know anything I can about them. If they are Colt or aftermarket. I took them off and there is a small marking on each grip, however it is too faint to be ledgible. Thanks again

[coltsixguns]

It's like mining for gold....you have to move a bunch of dirt in order to find a few flakes....congrats on your finds!

[MidrangeWadcutter]

Nice guns and a good deal, but I caution you, books don't collect guns, attend shows, or buy and sell, etc and so they are not experts

Books are a GUIDE only. There are many prices in the blue book for example that I would sell EVERY one I had for that money, and others I would BUY every one I could for
the listed value. Sometimes it is pretty accurate but never base a huge decision on a book value.

[thor447]

Nice guns and a good deal, but I caution you, books don't collect guns, attend shows, or buy and sell, etc and so they are not experts

Books are a GUIDE only. There are many prices in the blue book for example that I would sell EVERY one I had for that money, and others I would BUY every one I could for
the listed value. Sometimes it is pretty accurate but never base a huge decision on a book value.

I absolutely agree with you. I didn't base my decision solely on book value. I am a collector and would have paid more for these same guns, however I do use it as a guide and know that I could easily make my money back and them some should I ever have to sell them. The book is a useful tool only, but far from the only info I (or anyone else for that matter) use when making a purchase.

That said, I still feel like I got away with robbery on these two. The two offers I received on the Diamondback before I left were for 1400 and 1500. Perhaps I should have sold it and left with a DS and a few hundred dollars profit, but I've never owned a Diamondback before and the collector in me just won't let it go yet. I need to gaze at it for a year or two before I move on!

[ColeEnthusiast47]

What nice finds! Those are both legitimate, congrats on a well spent Saturday.

[thor447]

What nice finds! Those are both legitimate, congrats on a well spent Saturday.

Thanks Cole...Definitely a well spent Saturday...Next week will be depressing because I won't be able to follow this up! Now I just need the Patriots to lose and the everything will be in it's place!! lol

[44spl]

Nice find Thor! I havn't been to the Gun shows in awhile. And the Claude Hall Show is usually my least favorite. Nice to have a fellow Okie on board.

[Primer88]

Now that explains why mine hasn't sold

[smkummer]

About the only reason I go to gun shows is to see what non-dealers (walk-ins) are selling. (Although my last gun bought at a gunshow was a Lawman 2in. blued for $300 from a dealer!). After a person has walked the whole show and still has what he came in with, he has already had offers from dealers that did not meet the buyers reserve. So when you ask him what he will take for an item, its what was not offered by a dealer. You made it easy for the seller as he was able to sell both items on one transaction, most likely made money over what he paid and now that his feet are tired and its lunch time, he can grab a bite to eat and go home and do what the wife wanted him to do today and not get nagged at for spending all day at the gun show.

I believe you have some custom made stocks on that DS. The 2 1/2 in. diamondback was mostly sold with service stocks but those target stocks help with recoil.

[what would you say]

congrats Thor. My local dealer has 3 detective specials. all blue.. all more. The lowest IS 600, but has the combat grips too. no medallion on the grips. his 38 2.5 diamondback he has listed for 1800. colt grips but not original to the gun. You did great. Good luck Primer. All the give-away deals will dry up sooner or later. its just luck and timing.