Finally, I have joined the 53 club. I have some ideas for the purpose of this thread, and then some show and tell.

I thought it might be cool to have a thread devoted to the 53. If there is already one, my apologies. Hopefully folks will chime in with their favorite handload recipes, chrono data, handloading techniques, model variations, production numbers, old ammo descriptions, and of course, photos. If the usual suspects would add their expertise that would great; handejector, DCWilson, rburg, weatherby, fyimo, chudd333, Sebago Son, 410 bore, Iggy, Cajun Lawyer, Saxon Pig, engine49guy, Sprefix, gjamison, nightshade 2x, GF, Big Larry, SNW_357, (hey it is a .357 k-frame necked down to .222) to name just a few, and anyone else who likes K frame .22s. Any comments on recent prices and collector interest also appreciated. You get the idea...anything "53".

My first impressions after wanting one for over a year: I had never even seen one until the day I went and picked it up after committing to buy it over the phone, sight unseen. It exceeded my expectations. The fit and finish are of the highest quality. I am amazed at how good these S&Ws from that era look. The heft and balance are perfect for a revolver loaded with 6 varmint cartridges. The ramp front sight on the 6" barrel is pleasing to the eye, as is the "22 MAGNUM" on the side of the barrel. It is the ultimate .22 magnum. Target grips always look great on a K frame. Inserts are cool, but I see them more as an emergency backup when out on the camping trip and you run out of Jet ammo. Or, a target presents itself that you don't want to blast with the Jet. Hell, I suspect most of us who own a 53 also own at least one K22. So I don't ever intend to use the inserts.

I got a call a few weeks ago from a close friend who said he just looked at a 53 at the LGS. He said it was in beautiful shape. I trust his judgement immensely. We often "bird dog" for each other in our gun collecting pursuits. I called up the gun shop owner and bought it then and there. Told him I would be there in a week as I was heading out of town. No box, no docs, no tools. What was included were the 6 .22LR inserts (unused, apparently) a Peters box of .22 Jet empties, and a full box of Peters .22LR. The guy who traded it in said it was Grandpa's and only those 50 rounds had ever been fired. I believe it, as this revolver is mint. The serial number is K4427xx. SCSW puts it at 1961. Is there any premium set on these "early girls"?

A big, hearty THANKS to weatherby. I requested a set of used dies on the WTB thread and soon after he contacted me saying a local shop had a used set for sale very cheap. He went right over there that afternoon, bought them, and shipped them out the next morning via USPS Priority Mail. Absolutely super! The C-H dies are from the same era as the gun (inspector stamp inside box says 31 May 1962) and are in great shape. I owe ya one, man.

Dick, I hope you don't mind. I copy/pasted this post of yours here, because it really is a great post filled with lots of info.

From rburg on another thread:


I really can't estimate the value. I've seen them priced as low as $250, and it even had a scope on it! Worse, I didn't buy it. Someone had left it sitting on a wet surface and it rusted to the point where it was pitted. A more recent value for one with a nice finish runs up in the $1000 range. Perfect ones are probably in the $1300 range these days. Does the gun have ammo and dies with it? With most guns those are ignored or throw ins. Not with Jets.

One of my more interesting purchases came about 18 or so years ago. A guy had one on his table and I'd been nibbling around it all day. So we were ready to leave for the drive home. I asked a buddy that was along if he'd help me carry it. He's a pretty wise guy, and he shows an honest distrust for me. He's learned over the years. So when we went to the guys table and I plunked down $700 for a shot 22 revolver, he was confused. Also confused about me needing help carrying it out to the car. But then came the 10 full boxes of Jet ammo. Only then did he realize where the value was. Back then (and today) the asking price for a box of 50 is usually $75. You can get a discount, usually, but only $10 at best. So as we were really buying $650 worth of ammo and a $50 gun. Except I wanted both.

The Jet market is an odd one, populated by odd people (me included). Those of us who shoot Jets also reload for them. It just comes with the turf, and it kind of limits the market for the guns. Most of us who own them feel they're great and we have odd habits.

At every gun show we attend we look for Jet ammo. The price has floated a bit over the years, and I've seen full or nearly full boxes as cheap as $60, and once for $50. Yeah, I bought them. More often I think the ammo is "fair traded" and everyone has a $75 price on it. But that only goes for full boxes. The rules fall apart, and the best place to look are the partial boxes that often sell for $25 for a half box (and the empties usually are there.) If you ever buy a Jet, you need to get a quick education of what to buy. Anyplace you see empties, once fired or just as often, virgin brass in an RP baggie (sealed), you just buy them. The same goes for Hornady bullets (.222). But what that results in is an additional expense or investment from my point of view in hundreds of dollars in components. You just do it. We have a cult.

What you end up with is a huge number of empty cases, more factory loaded ammo, and countless bullets waiting their turn. We do have idiots in our midst. They'll identify themselves by saying bad things about the Jet. Sometimes even about our loyal and dedicated following. Ignore them, they're fools.

We each have our own view of some things. I personally love the 22lr cylinder, but I'll never bother shooting it. I've also got 2 full sets of inserts, and they don't leave the safe. If you want to shoot rimfire ammo, haul out a K22.

For those who have never fired one, get ready for an odd situation. Its just as accurate as any K22. What is different is the muzzle blast, flame front, and roar. It seems every bit as impressive as any garden variety 44 Mag of the same barrel length. All that is missing is any recoil. All the fun, none of the aftertaste! What's not to like?

When you put it in the classifieds, I'd expect you to get some inquiries. You describe some damage. That will negatively impact value. There are enough of these guns out and about that there are always some for sale, so you have competition. I'm too lazy to do your research for you, but check them out before you price yours.

Jet owners are human vacuum cleaners. We scarf up any ammo we see, whenever we see it. Lucky for us its an easy caliber to reload, and you don't need maximum loads to get a big smile on your face. Dropping way down to middle of the road or even light loads still gets everyone's attention, and are just as accurate. The roar is still there.

Back in the mid 1990s, I had the gun at a club owned gravel pit. I had a meeting and just went early to fire it a few dozen times. When the first of the others arrived I started packing up. But the guy came over to see what I was doing, so I told him to fire it a few times. He looked at the puny .22 hole and said "too weak for me". So I urged him to fire it and then say it. First shot, he got the same smile everyone gets on their face. Then finished the cylinder, impressed. Its just a great gun. They didn't make enough of them for us all to own one. Kind of like RMs, early 3rd model 44s, etc.
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Dick Burg

Good looking 53. Congratulations. You will have fun trying to make handloads as good as the factory loads, but give it a whirl.

A Model 53-2 that was shipped in April 1968. I haven't shot it yet, but plan to.

Bill

Here's a couple from my safe! The Nickle gun letters as shipped from the factory as a blue gun! The frame is date stamped two months after the gun was shipped!

Factory loads flame cut the forcing cone which has an impact on the accuracy, so the only ammo I shoot is reloads! Midway shows new brass in their cataloge. I have a 6" that has been shot alot and it will not shoot as well as my 8 3/8" at the 100yd targets!
They ALL are fun to shoot!
jcelect SWCA#LM723

Bigmoose:

Here is one of mine, Its SN is also K4427XX. I purchased it with the scope already installed on it.

I shoot My Jets...

Handload for 'em....

Resize those ol .224 bullets down to .222 for 'em...






My current pickup truck Jet revolver...Custom 4" Hard Chrome Job,




Su Amigo,
Dave

__________________
"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Very cool revolvers and the only Model 19 22 clone that I am aware of.

My dream gun is a .22lr version of the 4" Model 19 /66 but it looks like my only options are to luck into a 4" Model 53 with auxilliary cylinder or have it custom built out of a Model 17-6 or 617.

PS love those diamond target grips...Thanks for sharing !

EQGuy,
Nice setup. What kind of groups do you get, off of a rest?

Keith44spl,
Thanks for answering a question I have been meaning to ask... sizing a .224 down to .222. That stainless 4" .22 Jet is super cool. Somehow I think it doesn't spend much time in the glovebox of the pickup!

[QUOTE=bigmoose;136677890]EQGuy,
Nice setup. What kind of groups do you get, off of a rest?

Bigmoose:

I really have not wrung out the Jet yet as I have too many irons in the fire but the groups so far have not been too impressive. At the moment I am under doctors orders to not fire even a .22 post shoulder surgery. I will see him in a month and hope to get the all clear as Duck season is opening in a couple of months.

I just built myself a swagin' die....



And punch,


Lube 'em with a little Crisco and shu-zam got .222 diameter bullets ready to load and shoot.

Su Amigo,
Dave

__________________
"IN GOD WE TRUST"

John those dies seem proper for that gun.
The 53 looks great as well as the others that have been posted in this thread.
Had you bought it a bit earlier I would have sent you a box of vintage ammo too.I wound up giving it to my neighbor at Christmas time.
He was a S&W employee and has some nice examples

Also sorry to say I don't have any expertise in anything S&W related
I'm constantly learning from the fine people here and hopefully making some friends along the way

You probably need to also know we've got shooters here who swear they just stuff in .224 bullets. Back when I first started shootin' jets, I could only find .223 Hornet bullets, so I used them. Never saw a pressure sign (or one I couldn't ignore!)

If you see partial boxes of the .222 Hornady bullets, buy them. They usually sell for almost nothing because no one but a jet shooter has any interest.

One of our posters, Roger from Memphis, came up to one of our gun shows. He even brought me along a present! A couple of boxes of reloads! Boy was that a nice thing to get. I was bad and ran them through my hammer style "unloader". Then used everything but the powder to restuff them. Components aren't real easy to find. I did visit one "going out of business" sale at a gun store. there in the box of junk no one wanted was a stack of 5 boxes of Jet bullets, never opened but taped together. I think I had to pay $20 for the lot of them.

Dave Keith seems to have a real good solution. He ain't as dumb as he looks!

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Dick Burg

The 4” Model 53 is the “funnest” S&W revolver ever made !

Also one of the loadest!

Jerry

Some random photos of the accumulation.

__________________
.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

Model 53 presented to General Curtis LeMay in June 1961. It is a companion revolver to a 44 Magnum that was made for him in late 1958.

Bill

Picked this 1st year 4 screw up in Reno last week. Near mint in the original, numbered to the gun box, with adapters and original docs. # K 445980, no XXX's. Pre Punta boxes for these are very hard to find on the loose. Paid $950??? Too much??? Now I have three. One too many. Big Larry

Big Larry,

Nice package from Reno. I think you did very well at $950. It will be a week or so before I make it to the range. Looking forward to hearing how loud these little gems are.

Too hot to shoot here, besides, I have shot several Jets over the years and am not really interested in shooting this one. The seller says he has a 22 LR cyl. for it but I cannot get hold of him. I once won a turkey at a 100 yard running deer contest with a 6" I had years ago. The guy I beat was an Air Force Distinguished shooter who used his match 45. He got mad at me too. Big Larry

Wells Dick...I don't know about that right thar....


But it does let me size down & load up those wicked little Sierra 40 grain hollow points for explosive results on all things vermin.



Su Amigo,
Dave

__________________
"IN GOD WE TRUST"

GLL,
Great collection...makes me want to keep an eye out for a 4" version.

Doc44,
Thanks for sharing those unbelievable revolvers. What is the story behind the "Persona Non Grata" Club?

Keith44spl,
You are inspiring me to get creative with handloading for the 53. Thanks for the ideas.

Hmmm. So it works on politicians, too?

You're moving .002. Where's it go? To the heal? How hard is the lever to pull? I know, it depends on the hardness of the copper and its thickness.

__________________
Dick Burg

Dick,

The weight of the press handle jest about does the chore.

Those bullets re-size purty easy...I have my grandson do 'em by the 1000 at a .01 a piece.

The soft core and jacket material swage, a lit'l up and a lit'l down...Jest a .001 to the side.

I'll try to bring a few with me to Louisville here in a few weeks.

Those 40 & 45 gr. soft point spitzers work just as well.

The .222s,
No flattened primes, normal extraction of fired cases...
Ten or eleven grains 2400 in new Remington brass.

How sweet it is!


Su Amigo,
Dave

__________________
"IN GOD WE TRUST"

This one is number K 446,683. While in the picture it has stags I do have the original grips. I have dies and a fair supply of ammo and reloaded for it years ago but not for a long time. I also have the inserts but not the .22 LR clyinder. Its a ear ringer!

Is that the young'en you have with you at the shows?

__________________
Dick Burg

Yup,

He sure enjoys shootin the Jet as well.


Su Amigo,
Dave

__________________
"IN GOD WE TRUST"

I have a mess of 0.223" dia. Sierra Hornet bullets. Has anybody tried these without resizing? They have been sitting about the reloading room for ages. Bought 'em "just in case".

You should try them. But first things first. Clean your cylinder up and check a couple things. Be SURE they will pass through the exit bores of all six chambers in the cylinder of your revolver. If you drop one in and it falls through, or if you can easily push it through (no real interference), that's good. Next, check your neck clearance. You can do this by checking the size of the necks in your chambers (pin gages are probably the best for this) and comparing what you see with the outside diameter of the case neck of your loaded rounds. You need a little clearance, but I have never seen where this was a problem with any of the S&W Jets. The chambers are usually fairly big. If these two things are good, you should be OK for "careful experimenting" with those bullets - in other words, don't start with the maximum listed charge.

I have been around a few Jets and have never seen bullet diameter make much difference in anything... except accuracy. But the problem with thinking larger bullets are more accurate simply because they are larger is that usually there is no exactly comparable bullet available in a smaller diameter. So a direct comparison cannot be made. I know what works in my guns and it is not .222 diameter bullets. I do not recommend to others what I use because it is counter culture, but I don't spend much time worrying about being a rebel, in this case.

This thing is more fun than a barrel of monkeys!
The flame that erupts on each shot gets lots of attention at the range.
Don

__________________
OGCA Life
NRA Life

That's a beauty is it a four screw gun?

Here's my M-53, SN: K47580X, Four screw, TT, TH, Smooth Target Stocks. I bought it new during the Fall of 1965, on time, during my Senior year of college. Paid $5.00 a month for a long time (OTD price was $126.50). Someone else had ordered it with a 4" barrel and it came with a 6. He turned it down, I really wanted a 4" also but this beauty was in my hot little hands..............end of story. No .22rf cylinder but had six chamber inserts, I later picked up another six. During college days and early married life I shot mostly .22rf until I could afford to stock pile .22 Jet ammo, I have somewhere between 600 and 1K Remington and Peters brass. I am down to my last 500 Remington .22 Jet bullets from an acquisition of a couple thousand a few years age. I have had good luck with a WW296 load, it isn't maximum but it is hot enough and it doesn't stick. I am VERY careful about keeping the chambers clean and dry however. The attached picture is a group I fired several years ago: 25 yrds, two handed with arms supported on a bench, double action. I don't recall calling the low shot so I can't claim that excuse, group is
5/8X1 1/10th. Good enough to smoke a whole bunch of Jack Rabbits and Prairie Rats over the years. It will be the last gun I ever sell and will be around when I go belly up. Count me as a M-53 and .22Rem Jet fan.

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Keep Shootin' and check 6

galena,
Finally, a post with a great looking target...nice shootin'. Beautiful grips on that gun also. I know what you mean; when you get one of these 53s in your hands...you don't want to let go.

Another tidbit about the Jets are the swabs that came with them. Everyone has a 22 caliber swab to clean the barrel and the front of the cylinder. But the tapered one is rarer than hens teeth. I've found and lost the original one I still have a few times. I think maybe I know where its hiding. I have a theory they crawl around in a safe or gun room. Then they hide from you.

But if you buy or steal a few 38 caliber swabs, you can make your own to clean the cylinder. The trick is to either sharpen a chisel or play dangerous and use a box cutter. Then you chuck the threaded end in a drill and spin it. Using a rest you just move the chisel or cutting tool in real carefully, freehanding the taper. It works because I've done it a few times. My solvent of choice has been cigar lighter fluid, petroleum naptha. You just squirt some on the swab and run it into the chambers turning all the while. It does come out a little dirty, but that's the idea. There's no oil left after the trace evaporates. Don't know why I worry so much, with my loads I've never had them back out on me.

__________________
Dick Burg

Would someone mind posting a picture of their 53's hammer nose bushing with the cylinder open ?

Im wondering specifically how the rimfire hammer system works and if the frames are cut differently to accomodate the parts.

rburg,
I was trying to think of a way to taper a swab. Your way is much better than mine (scissors,). Thanks, I'll give it a try when I get the chance.

Take out and shoot it a night! nothing else like it!

My hoped-for serious working relationship with a Model 53 still lies ahead, so I don't have any tales, tips or tricks to communicate. I can show a couple of photos of K474491, a 1963 four-screw specimen that came to me with with box, docs, inserts and the second cylinder. The letter I ordered did not mention the LR cylinder, so unless it was not specifically called out on the invoice it must be a later purchase.

The story that came with the gun is that it once belonged to Hollywood B-movie actor and eventual A-movie and TV director Don Taylor. I can't confirm that, but the gun letters to a San Diego distributor, was acquired by me from a San Diego owner, and Taylor was a San Diego resident for several years. I know -- pretty thin. But if one was going to fabricate a legend for a gun with an otherwise bland ownership record, somebody else with San Diego roots like Desi Arnaz would be a better bogus owner to claim than a journeyman film professional like Taylor.



Everybody with a 53 already knows how the dual firing pins and hammer-mounted selector work, but here's a photo of that apparatus for those who will visit this thread but haven't yet seen a 53 up close and personal.



I need to get a box portrait with all the accessories. If I do I will come back and post additional pics.

I am interested enough in the 53 to have picked up a second Jet cylinder, a loose 8 3/8" barrel, several more inserts and a set of non-metallic box contents from another gun. I am probably still on the lookout for a four-inch barrel, but haven't thought much about it recently. When I finally start reloading, it will be this gun and my 57 that draw me into the process.

__________________
David Wilson

DCWilson,

I read somewhere that some of the 22LR cylinders were serial numbered to the gun. Does yours have any markings at all? Great pics, thanks for sharing.

Alas, no. No numbers on either cylinder.

__________________
David Wilson

Went and found the 0.223" bullets. Not nearly as many as remembered! Loose fit it in the cylinder. So were the 0.224" bullets. So what's the deal? It turns out that the cylinder throats are 0.225"! Given the small caliber, that's a fairly substantial mismatch. The bore is right at 0.222" in the grooves at the muzzle. Hmmm. What does it all mean? I think it'll be a while before I cipher over this in a serious manner.

i have been using the sierra .223 hornet bullets for years in my jets. they shoot better than the hornady .222 and load better too. my normal shooting load is a minimum load of hs-6 for around 1500 fps. easy on the gun and easier on the ears.

Don't neglect to check you neck clearance.

I think almost anything shoots better than the Hornady .222-diameter Jet bullet, but judging by what I read on this forum, I seem to be a loner in that view.

This is not a Jet but it needs to be mentioned because of the bullet size!

Jim Harvy was experminenting with this wildcat before S&W thought about the Jet. Some people believe that it prompted S&W/Remington to build the Jet. He would take your K22, mod 17, mod48, or sell you a new gun and change the firing pin to center fire!

This is the round it shoots! A 22 Hornet, shorten by .050", then chamber formed to this configuration. All his load data said to use 35gr-50gr .224" bullets!
This one is just as much fun to shoot as the jets! ! !
jcelect SWCA#LM723

I owned an 8-3/8 back in the 70s that at that time was a
4 screw---I sent it back to S&W and had it nickeled---it came
out very nice but was not original,I believe the serial was
a K474xxx--I wonder if it is still out there? Thanks to a nice
member on here (who turned me on to an 8-3/8"B 4 screw with
all target options an RR/WO sights in box in his neighborhood), I purchased
and am waiting arrival here in CA--will post pics when I get
it. Pete

__________________
NRA LIFE 1974

jcelect,

Thanks for posting the Harvey Kay-Chuk. It certainly fits in the discussion and is important in its own right. Great pic of the ammo also.

I'll join in:

1961, first year, 4-screw, nickel Jet:



Another first year gun, June 1961, with some ammo:

One of other members sent me this photo awhile back of a Jet at the range:

I would like to thank forum member J.R. Weems for supplying me with several boxes of Hornady .222 bullets. A very generous individual, he contacted me with a great offer. Thanks for helping out J.R.!

bigmoose

... recoil shield side:

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... I've owned it since 1983.
{Nothing else like it}.

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... more of the same old girl.
{Somebody stop me!}

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