Colt Diamondback questions..

The earlier DB's are more desireable and command higher prices. The 2 1/2" barrels are more desirable than the 4" and the 6" is less desireable. A boxed and mint early 2 1/2" will run you $2500 and a 4" will run you $1800. These are yesterday's prices. Prices are going up with every auction.

Good luck in your search.

Have to agree with Addicted. Prices on these are nuts. We just sold a New In Box 6" nickel .22 that was made in 1985 and it sold on auction about a month and a half ago for $2507, no, that's not a misprint. Not to say you can't find one NIB for less, it's just anyone's guess right now. If yu can find adeal on one, grab it. Just my opinion, good luck in your quest, Shoo

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which one will hold its value better

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They will all hold their value. Even the most common blue 4" .38SP is a sound investment.

Which DB in 4" stainless or nickle would be more rare? Would anyone have the serial number ranges of the DB's. If I am reading correctly would the 6" blue be the most common with a 4" blue in second place and the 2-1/2 the most rare?

First off, clubster, put stainless out of your mind, they never made a DB in stainless, only blue and nickel.
The rarest of the 4" nickels would be in .22LR caliber.
The serial number ranges are to vast to be posted here, but the prefix letters started with D in 1966, then N in 1976, R in 1977, S in 1979, P in 1981 and ended with AA and AB in 1985.
The most rare is the 2 1/2" nickel .22LR, one recently sold for over $4500 and is the only one most of us has ever seem. In .22LR blue 4" is most common followed by 6" then 2 1/2".
HTH

I have a lead on a 4" nickle, 4", and 6" blued in mint condition with no box. What should these go for roughly and can boxes be located for these or should I hold out for ones with a box?

Assuming you are talking about .22, the 4" nickel could run you $1200-1400. 4" blue about $800 and the 6" blue $800-1000. But these are all guesses as you have not stated what conditions or location the guns are in, so price can swing wildly. You need to be more specific if you want better answers, otherwise these are just generalizations.

IMHO, a box is only cardboard if it's not serialed to the gun. You'd be more likely to win the lottery than locating the original box after the fact.

I'll keep my eye out at this weekends Tulsa gun show.

Thanks for the help!

What are the values of the 2.5" DB's in 38 special? I found one that is rated at 96+ with a DXXXXX serial. Are they common?

Thx

Are there any resources to determine what the production numbers for each variation of Diamondback? I have a NIB 6" Nickle 22LR and was told only 2,500 were made.

No public resource available except what is posted in this forum and what is in the Blue Book as far as production goes. Knowing actual production numbers is a useful bit of information, but truthfully the relative scale on production is probably sufficient for establishing a reasonable value. Based on what I know, the market is doing a pretty fair job of pricing from a rarity perspective for Diamondbacks. Market prices have moved beyond my comfort zone. You have to admit though, the higher prices have flushed out a lot of Diamondbacks that have been sitting in collections.