Help save a Diamondback

Dark Alley Dan

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Hey, folks.

A fellow I taught the CFSC to last weekend has a problem - He once was a 12.6 guy, and proud owner of a c. 1971 Colt Diamondback, .22 LR, 4" tube. The county switched his mailing address and he forgot to inform the CPFO, who sent his renewal notice to the old address. He never got it, never thought of it, and so it expired. Apparently, his 12.6 status expired with it. He's had zero latitude granted by the CPFO, who tell him he must now get rid of it.

I've suggested he get it to a smith, get the barrel spun off, hand that in, re-register the remains as "frame only", and try to hunt down a 6" barrel for installation. The trouble is 6" Diamondback barrels are apparently as rare as fragments of the True Cross, or firearms guys at the NDP National Convention - they exist, but I can't find one.

He's open to suggestion. I suppose a blank could be made to work, but will be ugly unless someone puts a lot of effort into it. I recall an article years ago (mid-70's I think) in G&A about a guy who swapped a Python barrel onto a K-frame Smith, but that's kind of the opposite, and I have to think a guy would want a pretty hardcore experience revolver smith to make it work.

I've checked with WGP - they have nothing, nor much hope of finding anything. Brownells isn't coming through either, nor anyplace else on the Interwebs I've checked. I'm open to ideas. Anyone know of interchangeable Colt barrels that could work?

Ideas?

Thanks,

Dan
 
The trouble is 6" Diamondback barrels are apparently as rare as fragments of the True Cross, or firearms guys at the NDP National Convention - they exist, but I can't find one.

Well, at least the firearms guys at an NDP conference exist, but wouldn't you have to GO to an NDP conference to try and find one?

As for your question, I am not sure if just removing the barrel is enough to register it as frame only. I have read that if the frame has so much as 1 screw in it, its no longer legally "frame only". No idea if that is true or not though.

Does he know anyone who is still 12.6 that he could transfer it to, while he searches for a longer barrel?

Alternatively, could he just get a cheap blank that'll screw in properly, so that he can get the gun re-registered, and then deal with getting the proper barrel/fitting a new one properly dealt with at a later time?
 
Spoke with him just now - he's contacted Gunnar, sent him a fistfull of loonies, and will be keeping the revolver for his grandkids, which is truly, truly good.

Thanks again for the lead, boys. Couldn't have done it without you. :)
 
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