Colt Diamondback Serial Number Guide

If you have any information or cover scans to contribute, please email me at slisker@coltautos.com.

COVERDATEDESCRIPTION / CODEDIMENSIONSPAGES
1980

The Colt Walker, 1860 Army, 1862 Pocket Navy, 1862 Pocket Police, Single Action Army and New Frontier, Detective Special, Diamondback, Lawman Mk III, Trooper Mk III , Python, Gold Cup National Match and Ace, Government Model and 22 Conversion Unit, Combat Commanders and Lightweight Commanders, and the AR-15 Sporter. Also has a color section introducing the new 8” Colt Python. Center section with color photos of the Colt Sauer Rifles and Drilling. Back page has color photos of guns from the Colt Custom Shop.

8 ½” x 10 ½”22
1981

The new Colt 'Python Hunter' .357 magnum revolver, the Colt Heritage Black Powder 'cap & ball' revolvers (the Colt Walker .44, the 1860 Army .44, the Colt Dragoon .44, the 1851 Navy .36, the 1862 Pocket Navy .36, & the 1862 Pocket Police .36), the famous Colt Single Action Army revolver (the Peacemaker), the Colt SAA New Frontier revolver, the Colt Ace .22 automatic, the Colt Gold Cup National Match .45 automatic, the Colt Government Model .45 automatic, the Colt Commander and Lightweight Commander automatics, the Colt Detective Special .38 Special revolver, the Colt Diamondback .38 Special revolver, the Colt Lawman Mark III .357 magnum revolver, the Colt Trooper Mark III .357 magnum, the Colt Python .357 magnum revolver, the Colt Target Python revolver (8 inch barrel) in .357 magnum, .38 Special, and the new .22LR & .22WMR.
Also featured are the Colt - Sauer series of bolt action hunting rifles and the Colt - Sauer Drilling (a double barrel shotgun and single rifle barrel combination), the Colt AR-15 Sporter .223 semi-automatic (civilian version of the M-16 military rifle), Colt collectables - (the 1860 U.S. Calvary Commemorative Set, the Colt Heritage Commemorative Walker Set, the one of a kind 'European Show Gun' Colt SAA revolver, & the Colt SAA Ned Buntline Commemorative revolver) and more!!!

8 ½” x 10 ½”28
1982

The Authentic Colt Black powder Walker & 1860 Army; Colt Dragoons & 1851/1861 Navys; 1862 Pocket Navy & Pocket Police; the Stainless Steel Black powder revolvers; the Gold Cup National Match and Ace; the Government Model & .22 Conversion Unit; the Combat & Lightweight Commanders; the Detective Special; the Diamondback; the Lawman & Trooper MKIII; the Python; the reintroduction of the New Frontier .22; the New Colt Mark V revolvers; the Colt Sauer Sporting Rifles & Drilling (in color); the AR-15 Sporters; Colt Collectables; the Colt Custom Shop and the services it offers.

8 3/8' x 10 7/8'24
1983

Marked 1982 Colt Industries Operating Corp, but catalog contains several items taht are not listed in the earlier 1982 catalog:
- 9mm conversion unit for any Gold Cup or Gov't Model
- the AR-15 4x scope.
- 3 pages of guns (14 handguns,2 conversion units,2 AR-15 rifles, Colt Sauer rifle, 3x and 4x AR-15 scopes and Colt Reflex Sighting System for the AR-15.)
- 2 page chart of the guns listing weight and dimensions
- page listing Colt Firearms Authorized Repair Stations.

8 ½' by 11'6
1984
1985

Features the AR-15 rifles with the new 9mm model and 4x scope. 8 semi-auto handguns,10 revolvers, Colt Sauer rifle and 22 LR & 9mm conversion units.

8 1/2' by 11'11
1986Two Versions
5 1/2' x 7'
8 1/2' x 11'

14
14
1987

The Colt Python; the King Cobra & Peacekeeper; the Combat Elite & Gold Cup National Match; the new 10mm Pistol Delta Elite; the Government Model, Combat & Lightweight Commanders, and Officer's ACP; the .380 Government Model, Mustang .380 & New Mustang Pocket Lite .380; five models of AR-15 Sporters; the Colt Custom Shop and the services it offered; plus the New Delta Team combination of Delta H-BAR and Delta Elite.

8.5' x 10 7/8'15
1988

The Government Models .45acp, .38 Super, .40cal., AR-15's, Pythons, Detective Special, .380 Government Model, .380 Mustang, Custom Shop & accessories, Combat Elite, Delta Elite, Gold Cup National Match, Commander and Officer’s ACP and King Cobra.

16
1989

Features the introduction of the 10mm Delta Gold Cup, the 380 government model and the 10mm Delta elite in matte stainless finish.

15
1989

Colt Catalog supplement: 'The Colt Collection' accessories.
Form no BN 3/89

Number

Reading colt serial numbers can be hard for people who are not experienced. These codes have a slight impact on the firearms, but they are the best way to trace down the origin of guns.

The Colt Walker, 1860 Army, 1862 Pocket Navy, 1862 Pocket Police, Single Action Army and New Frontier, Detective Special, Diamondback, Lawman Mk III, Trooper Mk III, Python, Gold Cup National Match and Ace, Government Model and 22 Conversion Unit, Combat Commanders and Lightweight Commanders, and the AR-15 Sporter. Colt Double Action Revolvers top. 1877 Lightning 1878 Frontier 1889 Navy. Diamondback MK III, Lawman., Metropolitan, Official Police 1969 - 1978. This Area contain threads on Colt historical information. Serial number studies etc. It will be a read only forum. 38 61.8K Dec 30, 2019. 38 61.8K Dec 30, 2019. Reply Edit Del All Colt Diamondback-I just purchased a Colt Diamondback 38 cal.6' Barrel with nickel finish.The serial number is S74493.Can someone tell me the date of mfg?The book I have stops at 1978 and it is not in it. The pistol is NIB with all the papers.Thanks in advance Benny mckheean V.I.P. Member Posts: 83 (12/18/02 8:14:25 am).

Colt serial numbers contain the history of every gun, but detecting them accurately is a bit hard.

If you are looking forward to learn reading colt serial numbers for the first time, then this article may have something beneficial to offer you. Read below to know more!

Reading Colt Serial Numbers – Here’s How!

Jun 30, 2009 Colt Models 1 and 1A Serial #1-384 Colt Model 2 Serial #476-25000 Colt Model 3 Serial #0 Colt Model 3A and 4 Serial #1-2400 Colt Model 5 Serial #2401-8000 Colt Model 5A Serial #2401-8000 Colt Model 6 and 6A Serial #8001-11074 Colt Model 7 and 7A Serial #0 Colt Model 1855 Sporting Rifle, 1st Model Colt Model 1855 1st Model.

Colt Diamondback Serial Number Guide

There are many techniques that you can follow to find the meaning of a colt serial number. However, some are damn easy and quick, and some are freaking hard. In this written piece, we talk about the comparatively easier ones, okay?

The Quick Method

This one is the easiest way to read colt serial numbers, and all the credits go to the advanced technology. Just head over to the “Colt” homepage and click on the “Customer Service”.

Right after clicking, you will see an option appearing as “Serial Number Lookup”. Click it, and enter your serial numbers. Wait for it, and Bingo!

Colt Diamondback Serial Number Guide

It is the easiest and quickest possible way you can read a serial number.

However, I don’t prefer this way; the best way is learning to read the numbers manually. Because this easiest way often doesn’t show the accurate result.

The Reliable Method

This method will cost you few dollars, but guess what? It’s the most trusted one – the reliable method. Colt offers a research service to their customers which provides the brand’s official archive letter as a proof of the gun's history.

The letter will have all details of the firearms including genuine features, and specs along with delivery address as well.

Mainly, the archive letter carries essential historical information which can enhance the collective value of that firearm.

Though some custom modifications like the barrel, changed caliber, aftermarket engravings, and finish would not come included in the letter.

As I said earlier, to get this service, you will need to spend few bucks. For your information, the fee is around a hundred dollars in most cases, but again, it depends on the guns.

Diamondback Bmx Serial Number

For example; stuff like the 1851 Navy, you may need to spend couple hundred dollars but it will worth the greens.

Prefix & Suffix

Don't run for a grammar book.! This method has nothing to deal with your Oxford's Dictionary. Mostly, colt numbers contain abbreviations of the firearms’ name. Therefore, you may find some of them are easy to understand.

Colt Diamondback Serial Number Guide For Sale

For example;

  • NF means New Frontier.
  • MT means Match Target.
  • SA means Single Action.
  • SP means Sporter.

Capital “C” prefix or suffix on the gun means that is for commercial use, but sometimes these characters indicate the manufacturing year. Confusing, isn’t it?

Model Codes

Checking colt model code is worth the time and effort as they hold lots of information about a particular gun’s history.

The ability to understand these codes will let you know some important features of your gun inside the holster.

Colt Diamondback Serial Number Guide Pdf

Like, the Single Action model of a colt usually has one prefix character and four digits, where prefix shows the frame type and digit indicates the barrel, stock, version, caliber, etc.

The first digit of your gun’s model code “1” means, a basic frame with the first model, and “2” “3” “4” are the later versions of the gun.

Colt Diamondback Serial Number Guide Chart

The second digit of the model code refers to the weapon’s caliber, like;

Serial
  • 4 means 32 to 20
  • 6 means .357
  • 7 means .44
  • 8 means .45
  • 9 means .44 to 40

The third digit shows the caliber of the gun, such as;

Colt diamondback serial number guide chart
  • 1 means 12 inches
  • 3 mean 3 or 4 inches
  • 4 mean 4.75 or 5 inches
  • 5 mean 5.5 inches
  • 7 mean 7.5 inches

The fourth and last digit shows information about the weapon’s finish or stock. For nickel and blue finish, “1” and “2” means nickel or blue casehardened finish and 6 specifies nickel finish.

To conclude, reading colt serial number can seem tricky and little tough. This article will give you a basic sense of reading colt serial numbers. And, let’s face it, wordy articles won’t help much than any visuals in learning to read colt serial number.

Number

Colt Diamondback Serial Number Guide For Sale

Consider watching at least a couple of videos on YouTube, or meet your fellow gun geek friend or neighbor next door. This way, you will have lessons that are prone to engrave in your brain easily.