Found this old S&W tucked away in my safe

[contender85]

and thought I'd put up a pic or two of it.......its a 6" no dash M53 with the aux.cyl. and inserts, ser# K4414XX

50yrs old and in pretty nice shape, guess I should shoot it or sell it, dont seem right just keeping it hid in the safe.

Mark

 

[Oldiron]

Mark,
Nice pistol. Haven't seen a big market for those around here, but the ones I have seen have beeen high. I assume from the box condition it has been shot, so I would enjoy it. Especially since it has the spare cylinder and inserts.
Larry

 

[Club Gun Fan]

and thought I'd put up a pic or two of it.......its a 6" no dash M53 with the aux.cyl. and inserts, ser# K4414XX

50yrs old and in pretty nice shape, guess I should shoot it or sell it, dont seem right just keeping it hid in the safe.

Mark

Mark
If you come up with a price, I would be interested!

 

[Bluelou]

Nice gun.shoot that bad dog.that's what there made for.happy shootin.

 

[DCWilson]

Very nice package, and early too!

I should go poke around in my safe to see if the gun elves have left me any unrecognized treasures as well.

JK. I actually have that same package, but from a couple of years later. I bought myself a loose 8-3/8" barrel to go with it. If I can find a four-inch tube I will probably pick that up as well.

 

[CJKarl]

Can you explain the inserts?

 

[DCWilson]

Can you explain the inserts?

This is a Model 53, or .22 Jet. The .22 Jet is a centerfire cartridge that is basically a necked down .357 Magnum. The inserts fill the charge holes and allow you to shoot .22 LR rounds. The hammer has a rotating block that allows you to hit one of two different firing pins mounted in the frame depending on which round you are shooting.

 

[rburg]

Can you explain the inserts?

They're kind of a mandatory accessory. Like your wife buying a purse and shoes that match her new dress. She'll wear the dress, probably not the shoes and purse.

Jets came with the inserts, the devils own invention. Worse, I have no clue as to why they came with the much more functional second 22 lr cylinder. The inserts need to be loaded outside the gun with your favorite 22 lr ammo. Then you load the Jet just as if it were Jet ammo. You do need to flip a switch on the hammer to use the rimfire firing pin. Then you dump the inserts in your hand, hopefully after firing. The classic story is the guy in the boat who shoots, then ejects the $50 or more worth of inserts overboard.

All of us with Jets keep them in the box. Alongside the conversion cylinder. If we want to use rimfire ammo, we purchase a K22 for that purpose. Nothing wrong with the Jet and rimfire ammo, its just more convenient to use it one way or the other.

You can even buy spare inserts. For somewhere above $10 each.

 

[opoefc]

If you do much shooting of the .22 Jet rounds, you better have deep pockets or a good reloading set up. as new ammo. is running $60 to $75 a box at most gun shows. (Also, be sure to wear your ear muffs ) Ed.

 

[JM4151]

S & W model 53

That gun brings back memories. My father received one when he retired from the General Electric Company in Philadelphia, Pa. back in the 1960's We have the same gun, with box, the two cylinders, the inserts etc. My son has possession of it now. That gun with the accessories should bring in excess of $1200.00. A very nice gun! If you see the 22 Jet ammo for sale, its getting difficult to find, and expensive.

 

[John Brown]

I offer $1200

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Found this old S&W tucked away in my safe

Gosh...wonder who put it in there?

 

[Pitdog02]

Can you explain the inserts?

 

[contender85]

Gosh...wonder who put it in there?

Hmmm, I wonder?

 

[contender85]

(Also, be sure to wear your ear muffs ) Ed.

Never gave it much thought but I'll bet she is loud.

Mark

 

[smokey04]

I had one years ago[why does that phrase keep getting into my posts?]that had been converted to.22 Super Jet by Dan Cotterman. That blew the casing out to a sharper shouldered round resembling a mini 5.56 NATO.Obviously a hand loader only gun, the only real problem [besides the "wildcat aspect"] was trying to get brass. If you tried to fire form .22 Jets you lost about 1/3 to split cases. So I had to buy .22 Jet, unload them and re-charge them with a mild charge to fire form them without splits. I don't remember but I don't think unprimed brass was available at the time.Mine was an 8 & 3/8ths with a Hutson Handgunner 1X scope and was a great shooter. It was "Judgement Day" in the Prairie Dog fields at ranges out to 125 yards.I could "get lucky" out to about 200 yards but it wasn't fair to the dogs. Nick

 

[CJKarl]

Very cool. What kind of velocity do you get from the Jet?

 

[CJKarl]

Very interesting. That must be quite a round to shoot.


"The .22 Remington Jet (also known as .22 Jet, .22 Center Fire Magnum, or .22 CFM)[1] is a .22 in (5.6mm) American centerfire revolver and rifle cartridge.[1]

Developed jointly by Remington and Smith & Wesson, it was to be used in the Model 53 revolver, which first appeared late in 1961.[1] It traced its origins to potent wildcats such as the .224 Harvey Kay-Chuk,[2] which ultimately derive from the .22 Hornet.[2]

By 1972, the Model 53 remained the only revolver chambered for it,[1] while Marlin in 1972 was planning a lever rifle in .22 Jet.[1]

The .22 Jet was designed as a flat-shooting hunting round for handguns, and it is suitable for handgun hunting of varmints and medium game out to 100 yd (90 m).[1] The 2460 ft/s (750 m/s) and 535 ft-lbf (725 J) claimed for factory test loads did not prove out in service weapons"

 

[zywina]

I have the same outfit, but fitted with target hammer and trigger, and S&W custom rosewood target grips, great gun! To those of us who like an enclosed underlug, this gun makes perfect sence as a 22 rimfire, it matches my REG Mag and model 28 perfectly! I still don't understand why Smith never thought of offering a K22 with enclosed underlug? Great pictures, cheers from Canada!

 

[mkk41]

If you do much shooting of the .22 Jet rounds, you better have deep pockets or a good reloading set up. as new ammo. is running $60 to $75 a box at most gun shows. (Also, be sure to wear your ear muffs ) Ed.

I've also heard about the case set-back and tying up the cylinder if the chambers and rounds were not completely clean.

Always wondered if anyone knows of any that were successfully rechambered to .256 Win Mag. Seems since it mostly kept the straight walls of the parent case , the .357 magnum , it wouldn't have the set back trouble.