They sure did in blue, but they are harder than hens teeth to find, very scarse and very expensive. I was dumb enough about four years ago to pass on one for $750, no box or papers, now the prices are almost double. I have yet to see a 22LR 2 1/2" in nickel and so far no-one has ever been able to even show me a picture of one. My research says that they never made any, but some (word I got was about 12) 2 1/2s were shipped in blue and supposedly before sale sent back to the factory, stripped and re-nickeled. I have mixed feelings about this, to me, a shipped, returned and then factory nickeled gun is not a standard factory issue (read that-catalog item) and would probably have very little collector interest to me. If someone has an authentic, verifiable 22LR 2 1/2" nickel Diamondback, I would love to see it, or at least a picture of it.
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Dick
There is a word sweeter than mother, home or heaven--
That word is Liberty.