...done with Jets in Jets....

[SuperMan]

Although a "BLAST" to shoot, the .22 Jet was unfortunately just too much cartridge for the S&W revolvers so chambered....

I bought my first 53, a mint 1961 6" with extra rimfire cylinder in 1974 and it was my only .22 handgun for 15 years. In that time it accounted for tons of small game, varmints and one unlucky pheasant. Well over 1000 Jets also passed through the tube. The results are below....

...a forcing cone that looks like a funnel....

...and a bulge in the barrel about 1" from the forcing cone at 5:00 o'clock...

The gun being a early model with the front sight base pinned to the barrel... I was VERY lucky last year in finding a mint used take-off barrel with the same front sight. One of the local smiths was trained at the S&W factory many years ago and was able to switch out the barrels for me. The only fitting required was slightly shortening each of the ends of the ejector rods... Now we are back to 100% with no more lead spitting or excessive gap blast.

Interestingly enough there is no unusual flame cutting to the topstrap...just barrel erosion....

So no more Jets for this 53...Long Rifles only... I have a TC Contender barrel to burn up the rest of the ammo....

Bob

 

[MP1983]

thanks for sharing, Bob...

I almost bought a real early 4 screw one a couple months ago myself, but it had none of the goodies & the original diamond stocks were altered...

 

[rburg]

Hold on just a minute here. Jets usually only have that kind of problem when the user pushes the loads. When you load them down just a bit to more moderate levels, the brass lasts longer and I'd assume the gun does, too. Were you shooting .224 bullets? What powder?

 

[maxfam]

Hello Superman, I have two model 53's that I only shoot as jets. PLEASE share with the rest of us the bullet diameter, weight, powder type and weight charge so we can avoid the same problems you have encountered. Thank you in advance. [email protected]

 

[toroflow1]

I've heard that one should only shoot the .222" bullets, I believe Hornady makes them. That's all I ever shoot out of my 53.

 

[SuperMan]

Sorry...

..no hot loads. Everything from reloading manuals or magazine articles...

Bullets:
Hornady 40 grain Jet .222
Remington 40 gr. SP .222
Sierra 40 grain Hornet .223 (one box)

Powder:
H110 Max 13.0 (1730 fps)

SR4756 Max 7.0 (1760 fps)

AL-7 Max 8.5 grains (1689 fps)

2400 Max 12.0 grains (1710 fps)

Blue Dot 8.5 grains (1600 fps)

Unique 7.0 grains (1623 fps)

Remington Factory (1800 fps from 6")

So these were not exactly barn burners....

As to the brass...never ever stuck a case and I still have all the original brass I worked with back in the 1970s and 80s...

If you look at most 53s they look like new.... Most owners just never shot them very much. Most people wouldn't think twice running 100 rounds a week from a Model 19 .357 Magnum....how many people can honsetly say they have done that with a Jet...

The Jet is THE most unpleasant cartridge to shoot from a revolver due to the frequency of the blast. One friend of mine who rarely wore hearing protection bought a Jet and with one round had instant tinitus...

So does anyone here have a Jet with a documented 1000+ rounds through it...sure would like to see the barrel....

Bob

 

[GM4spd]

I discovered the same thing over 35 years ago---that's
why when I find a new one I will just use 22LR or load it
down.Great looking S&W. Pete

 

[perrazi]

if i had picture taking ability i could show you several. jets are my favorite guns in the smith world. i have a bunch and shoot them often. my oldest was bought in 1974 and shot at least that much in the first 90 days and hasn't exactly laid on the shelf since. how did you get the bulge in the barrel? while your loads aren't off the wall, they aren't light either. my everyday load is in the 1500fps range with hs-6 powder and is nothing like shooting a factory round or equivalent. i have also shot sierra .223 hornet bullets exclusively in the last 10-12 years and have found better accuracy with them. the only exception are the .222 remington bullets.

 

[fc60]

Greetings,

I, too, have a Model 53-2 with a six inch barrel. The forcing cone area is eroded away very similar to yours. Since I bought it used, I have no documentation to support the number of rounds fired.

Cheers,

Dave

 

[Rigmover]

Hi i put over 1k rounds through my first year production Jet in the last year alone. I clean the Jet after every use, the forcing cone still looks not to bad but is gettig a little erosion. The camera can see better then i can LOL!!.The fella that had before me has shot it quite a bit also i,m sure there is 1500+ rounds put thru the barrel easy if not more. I reload for it i use Hornady 40 gr. .222 Dia. bullet with 10 grains of H-110 with no crimp. If you load to heavy the brass wont last and more work later in resizing...Heres some pics of my forcing cone on a 8 3/8"er...

Rick

 

[SuperMan]

No, the loads are not "mild", nor are the "wild"...what is the sense in having a Jet without shooting loads that will at least go faster than a .22 WRM? I think that the factory loads would cause a lot more wear than the reloads ever would...

I have no clue how the bulge got there...

In thinking about how many rounds have been through the gun...I can remember buying several 5 packs of the Hornady Jet bullets. I also bought several boxes and later bulk packs of the Remington SP.

Don't know about the rest of you who reload for the Jet but the Remington bullet was far more accurate than the Hornady...

Bob

 

[perrazi]

haven't found anything as accurate as the original rem. bullet. to bad they haven't made any in years. btw, your 12.0gr. of 2400 is top of the line in my older lyman manual. as to shooting fast loads all the time, why if you are just playing? they haven't made these since 1974 and doubt they make any more. no need to stress the gun excessively just to play. my 1500fps loads are quite fast enough for 100yd shooting and that's as far as i have available anyway.

 

[Geronimo Jim]

It is just great to read about people who really use their guns! Sorry to say, I got a lot of guns that I have never shot.