I must admit, I love revolvers. I must also admit that I’m a terrible revolver shooter, especially in double action. The first handgun I ever purchased was a revolver, a Smith & Wesson 686-1 back in 1984. That started a lifetime of firearm ownership, and my love for revolvers has never faded.
Even though I’ve acquired a good number of revolvers over the years, I wasn’t familiar with Diamondback’s wheel guns. As far as I knew, Diamondback only manufactured compact and subcompact polymer-framed, striker-fired pistols. Well, I was wrong.
Before ordering an SDR, I explored my options. I was surprised to find 14 revolvers in the SDR line, chambered in .38 Special +P, .38 Special/.357 Magnum, and 9mm.
Options include stainless steel with matte, polished, or Black Nitride+ finishes, plus a lightweight aluminum frame model. Barrel lengths include 2 and 3 inches, with both spurred and bobbed hammer configurations. Rubber and wood grips are available, both made by Hogue.
The SDR’s features include:
Push-button cylinder release
Fully captured cylinder and crane link assembly
Precise target crown
Low-profile fiber optic front and rear sights
A smooth, non-stacking trigger
Diamondback told me they pretty much hand-build all their revolvers and could offer some interesting options if I was willing to wait a couple of weeks and I was in no particular hurry.
I’m glad I waited. I got a 3-inch, matte stainless steel SDR chambered in .38 Special +P/.357 Magnum, with Hogue rubber grips. It has a black serrated XS rear sight and a tritium XS front sight.
These sights aren’t listed on Diamondback’s website at the time of this writing. I don’t know whether they’ll offer any models in this configuration, but XS sells the sights directly on its website.
As soon as I picked up the SDR, I was impressed. The revolver fits my hands really well. My first trigger pull—with a snap cap, of course—was equally impressive. Both single- and double-action pulls were very smooth and I loved the trigger’s shape. I’ve tried other revolvers with triggers that weren’t as conducive to double-action shooting. The SDR felt designed for that exact purpose.
I was doubly impressed with the XS sight setup. I’m partial to a plain, serrated rear sight, and pairing it with a tritium front sight makes a superb EDC setup.
Of course, being a Boomer Fudd, I’d love to find out whether XS could make me a gold or brass bead front sight. I guess that phone call is in my future.
One feature in the SDR family that you don’t see on other revolvers is the button on the side of the frame that retains the cylinder and crane assembly. This is something I hadn’t seen before. Instead of removing a retaining screw, you simply press the button to release the whole assembly. Simple and tool-free, it makes cleaning much easier.
My next step was sourcing a suitable holster. I found what I wanted on Galco’s website and ordered a black Combat Master. I have CMs for other guns and love them, so I didn’t need to look any further.
Backup ammo was next. I’ve used speed strips with great success, but this time I wanted something faster, so speedloaders were the way to go.
I have a small tote full of speedloaders from different makers covering several calibers and revolver models. After some testing, I found that the HKS Model DS, designed for the Colt Detective Special, offered the best fit and performance for the SDR.
With my EDC kit complete, the only thing left was to hit the range and get accustomed to the SDR. Given the stupidly high summer temperatures here in the Phoenix area, my best chance of survival was my favorite indoor range, C2 Tactical in Scottsdale.
Shooting It
I shot Federal’s American Eagle 130-grain FMJ. Its listed muzzle velocity is 890 fps—just right for general plinking and range work. I started at 10 yards with a Gunsite target, shooting my first string double action only.
Given that I’m not a good revolver shooter, I was impressed with the first five rounds. There I was, right in the middle of the sweet spot. The SDR’s double-action trigger pull couldn’t be smoother. I’ve tried much higher-priced revolvers whose double-action pulls aren’t as smooth as the SDR’s.
I switched to single action for some head shots and was equally impressed with the SDR’s performance. I threw one shot high and another slightly low, but overall, at 10 yards, the SDR ruled.
Parting Shots
As gun reviews, go, this was a very pleasant one. I didn’t know much about Diamondback’s revolvers and now have a glowing impression of them. Build quality, accuracy, reliability (of course), and ergonomics were all excellent.
Is there something I’d change about the SDR? You betcha. I’d love to see a longer ejector rod on the 3-inch model. There’s enough room in that shroud for one. I understand why they’re sticking with the shorter rod for now, but a guy can dream.
I also wish Hogue made the grip that came with my revolver, but without the finger grooves. I’ve never been a finger groove fan. I love the grip’s texture, but the grooves gotta go. I prefer a smooth grip contour and am searching for something grooveless and I will not not give up.
The Diamondback SDR is a definite keeper. I’ll be keeping this revolver. It’s that good. If you’re looking for a double-action revolver for EDC or plinking, give The Diamondback SDR is a quality, American-made revolver with an excellent trigger that won’t make you take out a second mortgage to pay for it.
Specifications: Diamondback SDR 3-Inch Revolver
Caliber: .38 Special +P/.357 Magnum
Capacity: 6 Rounds
Action: DA/SA
Barrel Length: 3 inches
Overall Length: 7.7 inches
Weight: 23.9 ounces
Material: Forged stainless steel
MSRP: $809 (about $660 retail)