Info on a S&W model 53

M

mtlucas0311

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I received an interesting phone call tonight. my best friend informed me that his mom was helping a friend clean out the house of his terminally ill great aunt and they stumbled across a NIB S&W model 53 in "22 magnum". From their description, the gun is mint, unfired, no wear to the box. He was excited because he's been talking about getting a handgun to go coyote hunting with. After explaining to him how "uncomfortable" it would be to walk through the woods after I finished with him, he realized that a gun this pristine shouldn't see a holster or the outdoors.

So my question is, what is this revolver? I've truthfully never heard of a model 53, and I felt I was reasonably well versed in 50's (I'm assuming) revolvers. The S/N is K443905. I won't get eye's on the piece until Thursday when it comes downstate with his dad, I'll post pictures then. What kind of value could this have, assuming truly 99%. If they're wrong about the box being original, how would that affect the value?

Any other information would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike
 
Well, its a 1961 gun, probably (anything can happen with shipping). And there are those of us who love them. But its also a cult gun. Ammo is relatively hard to find. Ammo for anything is hard to come by, and Jet ammo is near unobtainable. Its why we all reload for it if we shoot it.

In unfired condition with the box, the inserts, the extra 22 caliber cylinder, and then the tools including the tapered mop, its worth well over $1200 and probably the right buyer would pay $1500. As the extras fall by the wayside, so does the value.
 
The M53 is chambered in 22 centerfire magnum aka the jet. It is not what most people think of when they hear 22 magnum. It is basically a 357 magnum case necked down to use .222 bullets.
The M53 usually came with 6 cylinder inserts that can be used to fire 22 LR rounds in the gun. Some even came with an extra 22 LR cylinder. These cylinders can sell for something like $300 to $400 by themselves.
A true NIB M53 with the inserts is probably at least a $1200 gun.


Mr. Burg beat me.
 
This gun is a 22 jet. They also came with inserts to shoot 22 long rifle ammo. The 22 jet is a bottle neck carriage with .222 dia. Bullets. The ammo is no longer factory loaded, you have to load them.


Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
 
Thanks for the information guys, really interesting. I had no idea this revolver existed, it makes me want to get one. I'll try and get some good pictures to post Thursday.

Mike
 
Nobody told you yet that the .22 remington magnum is a .357 mag necked down to .22 caliber. The ammo is exspendsive, you really need to buy dies and reload. You can get a die to also neck down .357 mag to .22 jet. It should have come with inserts to shoot .22 LR. The hammer is a push swithch to change back and forth from rimfire to centerfire. Some of them came with a extra clyinder in .22 LR. You have to pick .22 lr emptys out by hand indivigualy. You also have to keep the chambers super clean or the high pressure jets will stick in them. The jet is a real ear ringer, I dont know of one worse. They dont recoil and are flat shooting. I have this one.

SWM53K446683.jpg
 
Tell your friend to see if in the box is the manual, a bag with tools, those inserts everyone has mentioned and sometimes there was a .22LR cylinder as well. Some of these with all the accessories have gone for very high prices on GB recently. Tell your buddy to get a knock around 686 for yotes and keep this one nice. What is the barrel length? 6" is the most common, the gun was also offered in 4" and 8 3/8", those get a price premium.
 
feralmerril said:
Nobody told you yet that the .22 remington magnum is a .357 mag necked down to .22 caliber. The ammo is exspendsive, you really need to buy dies and reload. You can get a die to also neck down .357 mag to .22 jet. It should have come with inserts to shoot .22 LR. The hammer is a push swithch to change back and forth from rimfire to centerfire. Some of them came with a extra clyinder in .22 LR. You have to pick .22 lr emptys out by hand indivigualy. You also have to keep the chambers super clean or the high pressure jets will stick in them. The jet is a real ear ringer, I dont know of one worse. They dont recoil and are flat shooting. I have this one.

SWM53K446683.jpg
Click to expand...

And the last time you had it out shooting? Your buddy, Big Larry
 
Oh, maybe 35 years ago or so. I got a good supply of reloads I loaded up about 30 years ago so I may go out when the weather gets better and my knees feel better. How ya doing larry? I been hibernating and theresa has been painting. She doesnt take me out much anymore!
 
I finally got to see the revolver, apparently NIB means stashed away in an old cigar box. and unless craftsman made plastic handled screwdrivers for them and Hoppe's made cleaning rods, they aren't original. There was plenty of holster wear in the normal places (sides of the barrel up by the muzzle) and although the bore and even the forcing cone looked exceptional (maybe why they thought "unfired") there's a definite wear line around the cylinder. No inserts or extra cylinder. I didn't bother with pictures it looks just like all the others with the usual wear. Oh well, it was nice to see it anyway, still a nice revolver, and I learned about it.

Thanks for all the information guys,
Mike
 
If it is a 4" you might consider buying it as a "shooter" ! BIG FUN ! :)

orig.jpg


orig.jpg


Jerry
 
mtlucas0311 said:
I finally got to see the revolver, apparently NIB means stashed away in an old cigar box. and unless craftsman made plastic handled screwdrivers for them and Hoppe's made cleaning rods, they aren't original. There was plenty of holster wear in the normal places (sides of the barrel up by the muzzle) and although the bore and even the forcing cone looked exceptional (maybe why they thought "unfired") there's a definite wear line around the cylinder. No inserts or extra cylinder. I didn't bother with pictures it looks just like all the others with the usual wear. Oh well, it was nice to see it anyway, still a nice revolver, and I learned about it.

Thanks for all the information guys,
Mike
Click to expand...

Sounds like it would be a good coyote gun afterall.
 
Good point! I didn't even think of that. Who knows, maybe the original owner bought it for coyotes, they are from the northern part of the state. It's got a 6" barrel, sorry I forgot to post that in my last post.
 
mtlucas0311 said:
I received an interesting phone call tonight. my best friend informed me that his mom was helping a friend clean out the house of his terminally ill great aunt and they stumbled across a NIB S&W model 53 in "22 magnum". From their description, the gun is mint, unfired, no wear to the box. He was excited because he's been talking about getting a handgun to go coyote hunting with. After explaining to him how "uncomfortable" it would be to walk through the woods after I finished with him, he realized that a gun this pristine shouldn't see a holster or the outdoors.

So my question is, what is this revolver? I've truthfully never heard of a model 53, and I felt I was reasonably well versed in 50's (I'm assuming) revolvers. The S/N is K443905. I won't get eye's on the piece until Thursday when it comes downstate with his dad, I'll post pictures then. What kind of value could this have, assuming truly 99%. If they're wrong about the box being original, how would that affect the value?

Any other information would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike
Click to expand...

The Model 53 is, in essence, a Model 19 chambered for .22 Remington Jet, which is, in turn, a .357 Magnum necked down to .22. The biggest issue is to make sure you keep the charge holes clean and dry or else the cartridges will "set back" and tie up the action. That cartridge "gets up and goes." :)
 
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