.22 Jet

There is one on Guns International - First Year - 1961, As New In Box Condition, 8 3/8" With the inserts and Target Stocks. No extra cylinder, standard trigger and hammer with adjustable sights. $2,750.00. Guess I need to look more as I would like to get the Target Hammer and Target Trigger and if possible white outline rear and red ramp front sight. Off to the classified section.

Bob
 
I bought my first M 53 in 1963. I liked it so well that I added another a few years ago. I was so enamored by the possibility of a 22 Jet as a self defense handgun that I built one on a M 15 frame after finding a 22 Jet cylinder at a bargain. I used a 4 in. S&W 22 LR barrel. I saw no reason to put a two caliber hammer on it so it is 22 Jet only. I reloaded for years to a lower level of muzzle blast than the OEM ammo and now I also use the PRVI ammo. I have never regularly carried my SD 22 Jet, but I could and would at the switch of a holster.

I was in upstate Michigan visiting relatives and had my 22 Jet SD parts is parts gun with me. I went over to the then manufacturing facility of Second Chance Vests. I was a LEO at the time and wearing a Second Chance Vest when required. They gave me a tour and when I questioned them if they had ever tried out the 22 Jet on a vest they said no. I got it out and they shot it in their test chamber. The OEM ammo cut thru the vest material like it was butter. It did not penetrate the armor plate.

I like the design of the 'Super Jet' much more than the OEM Jet cartridge. I have cut back significantly on my reloading efforts, so decided to live with the OEM cartridge as designed and to not go with the Super Jet design in my SD handgun.
 
There is a couple nice ones on GunBroker. They are not cheap as new in the box and is the reason I have yet to get one myself. All about being in the right place at the right time with money in the pocket. Good luck
 
Back when I was young and dumb I fired a .22 Jet Model 53 from inside a 1953 Chevrolet. It was cold and all the car windows were up so I cracked a vent window just enough were the barrel muzzle could poke out. I NEVER did this a second time !
(now I am old but still dumb)

Well. Did you hit what you were aiming at? Not wanting to hijack the thread, but, my dad had a 303 British. I took the gun and two bullets to fire in the basement. I only fired one.:eek:
 
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I found this one at a gun show several years ago. It was just prior to Privi Partisan (PPU) starting up production of the ammo again. I paid about $60 for an old box of Peters ammo just to have something to shoot and some brass for reloading. The hard components to find are the Hornady #2210 40 grain, .222" bullets that Jetman22 shows above. I think Hornady stopped manufacture of them several years ago in order to keep up with the demand for bullets used in all of the AR15 type rifles. You can sometimes find Sierra .223" 45 grain Hornet bullets that are supposed to shoot OK.

I have not chronographed the PPU ammo but I suspect it is loaded to a little lower velocity than the original ammo, and will likely be easier on the forcing cone.

I also have a Ruger Hawkeye in .256 Magnum. It shoots a 60 grain .25 caliber bullet from a necked down .357 case. Another problem child. I like the oddballs I guess.
 

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I found this one at a gun show several years ago. It was just prior to Privi Partisan (PPU) starting up production of the ammo again. I paid about $60 for an old box of Peters ammo just to have something to shoot and some brass for reloading. The hard components to find are the Hornady #2210 40 grain, .222" bullets that Jetman22 shows above. I think Hornady stopped manufacture of them several years ago in order to keep up with the demand for bullets used in all of the AR15 type rifles. You can sometimes find Sierra .223" 45 grain Hornet bullets that are supposed to shoot OK.



I have not chronographed the PPU ammo but I suspect it is loaded to a little lower velocity than the original ammo, and will likely be easier on the forcing cone.



I also have a Ruger Hawkeye in .256 Magnum. It shoots a 60 grain .25 caliber bullet from a necked down .357 case. Another problem child. I like the oddballs I guess.



The Ruger Hawkeye is on my wish list!!


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Barrel burning!

FYI, to all you new Jet buyers! The Jet is a barrel burner! "Back in the day", many were sent back to the factory for new barrels, which is not an option today! The flame cutting was caused by factory ammo, it's too hot! In 1959, S&W went to Remington and had them develop a round that would shoot a 40gr .222 bullet at 2400fps. The Jet was born!
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Here are two examples of barrel burning. The first is a barrel that is starting to round over and the second is after many rounds! IMHO, the erosion starts after only about 100 rounds of factory ammo! The second barrel hurts accuracy. At 50 yds you can see the difference between a good barrel and this eroded barrel with the same loading!
MY Choice: The .224 Harvey K Chucker! In 1956-57 Jim Harvey of Lakeville Arms, was building the Harvey K Chuker. This is a 22 Hornet, shortened then fire formed to a more square shoulder, and then reloaded! None of the problems of the Jet!
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jcelect
 
Midway hass 40 gr. 223 bullets in stock and shows 45 as out of stock,no back order.Get a 222 or 223 sizing die If you have the right punch you could do it tip up with little to no damage to the nose. You could also set up to press 224 bullets through, pressing on the base of the bullet. I have thousands of 40 gr 224 I bought cheap at a close out years ago. But, actually I don't think the 224 bullets would hurt anything if they chamber. They would swedge to 222 instantly. Like PO Ackely shooting 358 cal bullets down a 308 cal barrel using a 35 Whelen chamber on 308 barrel
 
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Midway hass 40 gr. 223 bullets in stock and shows 45 as out of stock,no back order.

Interesting, I bought a couple boxes of the 45 grain a month or two ago from Midway. Suppose the 40s work as well. Sierra still shows them on their website so apparently has not discontinued them.

Jeff
SWCA #1457
 
I think what was referenced to about being discontinued is the
Hornady #2210 40gr Jet bullet


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I like mine...it has a 2x scope on it and groups reasonably well at 100 yards, considering my skill level.

Honestly, unless you don't own a 22 rimfire revolver, I would pass on the extra cylinder and maybe the inserts as well. I have inserts for mine, but with a couple k22s, a model 63, and a model 35 in the safe, It is unlikely I will ever use inserts to fire 22 rimfire.

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I have found No. 1 and 2 reforming dies from RCBS to make the brass out of .357 Magnums, but I did buy a quantity of the PRVI ammo and have some once fired brass coming. I am in the process of selecting the 53 I want from a selection I have uncovered. Some of which came from me posting here. Thanks everyone that PMed me.

Bob
 
Don't waste your time!

I have found No. 1 and 2 reforming dies from RCBS to make the brass out of .357 Magnums, but I did buy a quantity of the PRVI ammo and have some once fired brass coming. I am in the process of selecting the 53 I want from a selection I have uncovered. Some of which came from me posting here. Thanks everyone that PMed me.

Bob
Don't bother forming brass unless you have A LOT of non-shooting time on you hands! It is not an easy process and it entails more than just reforming a 357 brass to a smaller neck. You will need to anneal the brass, thin the brass at the neck, only to loose many in the process! This all means you will need more equipment than normal reloading, and some of it can get expensive!
Jcelect
 
I have reformed brass for years. I know the drill. I make my own 6PPC Cases, 6mm Dasher, 7mm Baby Nambu etc. I have an annealer that with the right plate I can anneal .357 brass. I have a Wilson Micrometer Trimmer, Neck Reamers etc. If I can find enough brass, I won't bother but I am not sure that the dies will be available much longer from RCBS. They discontinued their .22 Rem Jet Reloading dies.

Bob
 
M-53s are great fun. I had an 8-3/8" years ago, and picked up this decent early 1961 vintage shooter grade a couple of years ago at a very good price.

They have a well deserved reputation for serious muzzle blast. I just picked up an Old Model 30 Carbine Blackhawk which also has a reputation for serious muzzle blast; as soon as my local range reopens, I plan to take both and see which takes the crown.

Definitely plugs and muff when shooting one of these.

Best regards,
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