Model 53 .22LR Cylinder K446320

[RWJ]

Lightning really can strike twice in the same place...


About 3 years ago, I located a hard-to-find a loose Model 53 .22 cylinder to go with my gun to make it complete, rather than having to deal with the chamber inserts - after a little machining, my set was complete, albeit with a mis-numbered cylinder.


Fast forward to 2024, and I was able to obtain a second loose Model 53 auxiliary cylinder, which I intend to have re-chambered in .22 WMR, giving me a really complete set; however, as I did before, I thought I'd see if anyone here has the original gun that it goes with, to see if they wanted to complete their set with a matching #cylinder. They could contact me via PM with proof, and perhaps we could arrange something. I would wait until 12/26/24 for them to do so.

 

[larryofcc]

Close, but no cigar. I have # K444444. Thanks, Big larry

 

[Model29-26.5]

K443250 for me.

 

[murphydog]

That is kind of you to offer, thank you!

 

[IWK2HT]

Mine is 443065

 

[dave1918a2]

Mine is 442720.

 

[Retired W4]

I once considered having mine rechambered to 22 mag but was told that would be blasphemy. I think it is very nice of you to try to get your extra cylinder back to the original 53.

 

[Kenny A]

I don't think it would be a good idea to chamber a RFM to a Model 53, as the bore diameter is not correct. If it was a safe feature, I'm sure S&W would have done it at the time.

 

[steelslaver]

You can push 224 bullets down a 222 bore all week long with no safety concerns. In fact PO Ackley proved you can stick a 318 bullet down a 308 bore with no excess pressure if the chamber neck is setup for it. He even chambered a 308 barrel to 35 Whelen and fired 358 bullets down it with no problems. Excess pressure using overbore sized bullets comes from the chamber squeezing the case neck on the bullet not the bullet entering the bore. If the chamber is set up for oversized bullet the bullet easily sizes to the bore

Think about it when a 22 bullet is fired down a normal 222 barrel it has to be reformed also because the bore itself is about 218 and only the groove dia is .222. The amount of pressure need to do that is so low that a 22 CB cap, which has no powder, just primer and it can still push a 20gr bullet down a 20" rifle barrel and down range at 700fps

 

[Muley Gil]

If you are somewhat handy with tools, rechambering a .22 LR cylinder to .22 Magnum is easy. I rented a reamer from 4D and did it to a spare .22 LR cylinder for my stainless Ruger Bearcat.

 

[austintexas]

22 Magnum

Years ago I walked in a pawnshop and looked at their wares and the clerk said they had a 6" 22 magnum for $450. I looked at it and sure enough it said 22 Mag on the barrel and it had a 22 mag cylinder in it. I bought it and when I started to leave with my purchase he asked If I wanted the extra cylinder. Sure enough it was the .22 Jet cylinder with the inserts. I then looked on the frame and It said M-53. Talk about a smoking deal and the clerk had no clue.
SWCA 892

 

[steelslaver]

Years ago I walked in a pawnshop and looked at their wares and the clerk said they had a 6" 22 magnum for $450. I looked at it and sure enough it said 22 Mag on the barrel and it had a 22 mag cylinder in it. I bought it and when I started to leave with my purchase he asked If I wanted the extra cylinder. Sure enough it was the .22 Jet cylinder with the inserts. I then looked on the frame and It said M-53. Talk about a smoking deal and the clerk had no clue.
SWCA 892

I have dreams of stuff like that. Closes I have came is a 455 Triple lock tagged as a 1917 for $700

Usually what I see is thing like well used model 10s for $750 or the like. But, I seldom pass up a pawn shop or gun store. Hope springs eternal

 

[M29since14]

My only lucky Jet purchase was an actual Jet cylinder, minus extractor, that I stumbled over at a Fort Wayne gun show, years ago now, for $35. At that time I owned a Jet with only the .22 LR cylinder. Luckily, Bowen Classic Arms was able to cannibalize an extractor from somewhere and get the cylinder running properly in my M53. I think that’s the only exceptional piece of gun buying good luck I’ve ever had.

 

[steelslaver]

A recessed model 19 extractor would work once you made the pins fit as the 22 Jet runs a 357 case head

The old style extractors must have had the holes match drilled on the cylinder as every set seems to be a tiny bit different. I have done fit a another extractor to a cylinder by drilling new holes in extractor and cylinder and by drilling the holes in extractor just a bit larger. But I have never found a extractor that actually fit the pins on a different cylinder than its original.

I gave up on finding a 22lr cylinder for my Jet and turned inserts for each chamber of a model 19 cylinder, then reamed the inserts to 22 lr and fit a K22 extractor to the cylinder.
19 cylinder conversion to 22lr mdl 53