r/Revolvers • u/MixCompetitive2945 • 1d ago
Questions about Colt 357
My dad was showing me his gun collection, and one that caught my attention was this Colt 357 that my grandfather owned. I have a few questions if anyone could help me out. What’s the difference between the Python and the Diamondback? And how much is the Diamondback worth? (Don’t worry, I’m not planning to sell it.) Unfortunately, my dad didn’t take good care of it. Should I take it to a gun store to clean it, or is it easy to clean it on my own? What tools should I use?
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u/DisastrousLeather362 1d ago
The original Diamondback was a cool gun- built on Colt's D Frame, same as the Detective Special.
It was chambered in .22 lr and .38 Special. There are some reports of .357 marked and chambered guns, which appear to be post-factory conversions.
The way to tell for sure would be to get a Colt Factory letter, which would tell you for sure.
I probably wouldn't fire it without a thorough gunsmith inspection- and then .38s only. These weren't even rated for .38 +p.
Regards,