plattincreek
Member
I had to have one in spite of all of the warnings about high pressure, won't eject, cylinder binds up. So are there any tips are tricks to keeping it running besides keeping the chambers clean and dry? Thanks
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Model 53 Jet - Any tips or tricks?
- Thread starter plattincreek
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smithfan4152
Member
tips
I have owned and enjoyed shooting the Jet for many years,
the only thing I have done is to keep the bores of the cylinders Clean and oil free when shooting. Also I wipe down the rounds trying to avoid even the oil
from my skin from being on the sides of the case.
Also I only shoot factory or quality re loads. It is not a good idea to
attempt to reduce the standard loads, I was told this would have the opposite effect.
I have owned and enjoyed shooting the Jet for many years,
the only thing I have done is to keep the bores of the cylinders Clean and oil free when shooting. Also I wipe down the rounds trying to avoid even the oil
from my skin from being on the sides of the case.
Also I only shoot factory or quality re loads. It is not a good idea to
attempt to reduce the standard loads, I was told this would have the opposite effect.
have been shooting reduced loads in many different jets for years. it's just a matter of not going to low and sticking a bullet in the bore and using the correct diameter of bullet. .222 is factory. I use sierra .223 hornet bullets more than any. original Remington jet bullets are the best but very hard to find these days. wipe chambers with alcohol ot lighter fluid on a patch before shooting and keep all ammo totally dry, no resize lube or oil on cases. shooting reduced loads is easier on the guns and your ears.
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Tip: Keep charge holes completely dry.
Trick: Finding ammo.
Trick: Finding ammo.
OP
plattincreek
Member
Thanks for the advice. I was able to get five boxes of the Hornady .222 bullets from Grafs and I had some .223 Hornet bullets already. I will try the alcohol suggestion. Hoppes and dry patches don't work. How low did you have to go with the reloads to get passed the cylinder problems?
Barrel errosion!
No one has mentioned the model 53 is know as a "barrel burner"! Many of these guns were sent back to the factory for a new barrel back in the day! It's caused by factory loads!
This is your barrel on factory loads!
This is your barrel on reloads!
I have owned many Jets and have seen this on a lot of them even though they showed no other signs of usage!
jcelect
No one has mentioned the model 53 is know as a "barrel burner"! Many of these guns were sent back to the factory for a new barrel back in the day! It's caused by factory loads!
This is your barrel on factory loads!
This is your barrel on reloads!
I have owned many Jets and have seen this on a lot of them even though they showed no other signs of usage!
jcelect
OP
plattincreek
Member
Great photos! Guess I need to get mine and compare. I bought the gun used and have not found any factory ammo so everything I have shot through it has been a re-load. Do you have any recommended loads?
Loads!
GO BY THE BOOK! ! !
I have amassed a stash of 40gr Hornady Jet bullets and I like Hodgdon powders. What ever powder/bullet combination you use I would start in the middle of the load data! I have found with reloads, that do not duplicate factory loads, the sticking problem disappears!
jcelect
GO BY THE BOOK! ! !
I have amassed a stash of 40gr Hornady Jet bullets and I like Hodgdon powders. What ever powder/bullet combination you use I would start in the middle of the load data! I have found with reloads, that do not duplicate factory loads, the sticking problem disappears!
jcelect
OP
plattincreek
Member
OK, sounds good. I have a supply of those same Hornady bullets and I like Hodgdon powders too. Maybe I have been trying to hard to duplicate the factory loads. I will back it off to the mid point in the recommended charges and see what happens. FYI, in the different loads I have tried so far, I got tighter groups with the 45 grain .223 bullets off a bench.
Loads!
You are now asking a question that has no correct answer! I will say if you use larger dia. bullets your chamber pressure will go up, but as long as you watch for pressure signs and are not loading to the max. you should have no problems.
I load and shoot the Harvey .224 K-Chuk from a K frame gun. This was the predecessor to the Jet and the builder used .224 Sisk bullets(don't look for them today) with no problems for the pre model 17 they were built on. It has none of the headaches of the Jet and just as much fun! Forming brass is a PITA! ! ! !
jcelect
You are now asking a question that has no correct answer! I will say if you use larger dia. bullets your chamber pressure will go up, but as long as you watch for pressure signs and are not loading to the max. you should have no problems.
I load and shoot the Harvey .224 K-Chuk from a K frame gun. This was the predecessor to the Jet and the builder used .224 Sisk bullets(don't look for them today) with no problems for the pre model 17 they were built on. It has none of the headaches of the Jet and just as much fun! Forming brass is a PITA! ! ! !
jcelect
larryofcc
SWCA Member
Too much trouble to reload, so I found a 22 LR cylinder, and it is at S&W right now to have it fitted. It is an 8" 1974 Model. I also have #K 444444 which will remain unfired. These revolvers are pretty much collectors items now and there is no sense in beating them up. Big Larry
Those pictures of the throat erosion are real for sure,but the
good news is that
the accuracy doesn't seem to be effected at all, (at least from my
limited testing with 22 rimfire.) I dont shoot the Jet ammo any
more as I have a nice fitted LR cylinder. The accuracy for me is excellent(even using the dreaded inserts) now the VELOCITY
numbers may in fact be greatly reduced but I have no way of checking this
at the present time.Pete
good news is that
the accuracy doesn't seem to be effected at all, (at least from my
limited testing with 22 rimfire.) I dont shoot the Jet ammo any
more as I have a nice fitted LR cylinder. The accuracy for me is excellent(even using the dreaded inserts) now the VELOCITY
numbers may in fact be greatly reduced but I have no way of checking this
at the present time.Pete
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plattincreek
Member
jcelect, I took a look at mine and it is about half way between the two photos. Obviously some erosion but the barrel actually looks pretty good once you get passed the first eight of an inch. So far, I have tried four powders: IMR4227, H110, 2400 and HS6. I can get a 2inch group off a bench at 25 with one of the IMR4227 loads and according to my notes there were no problems with the cylinder or ejection. With the other powders, everything was ok as long as the velocity was down around 1200 to 1400 fps. Above that and I started to have problems. 2400 obviously produces the most pressure and I won't be using that one again for the Jet. I guess the answer to my question is to be satisfied with less than the factory ballistics. It is still a really fun gun to shoot.
I do have the inserts that will allow me shoot Long Rifles but the accuracy isn't good and loading and unloading is a PITA. Maybe I will look into getting a new cylinder from S&W in .22 LR. But, I have a really nice Colt Officers Model Target in that Caliber so don't really know if I need two. Have to think about that one.
I do have the inserts that will allow me shoot Long Rifles but the accuracy isn't good and loading and unloading is a PITA. Maybe I will look into getting a new cylinder from S&W in .22 LR. But, I have a really nice Colt Officers Model Target in that Caliber so don't really know if I need two. Have to think about that one.
bigmoose
Member
plattincreek,
You are a 53 convert. The development of loads, reloading, experimenting with different bullets (after research) is half the fun. The other half is shooting this bad boy. It truly is the .22 MAGNUM. I was a bit surprised to read that guys are only shooting .22 LR out of theirs.
That is what the K22 Masterpiece is for. To each his own...not looking to pick any fights. I believe this extremely well built K frame will provide many years of service if the loads are kept within reason.
Somewhere on this forum is a great video of a young shooter with the 53 and .22 Jet loads. That's what it is all about.
There just is nothing like it...the bark...the flame...the accuracy...the speed.
Good luck with your 53 and ENJOY.
FWIW I use H4227 powder and .222 bullets
You are a 53 convert. The development of loads, reloading, experimenting with different bullets (after research) is half the fun. The other half is shooting this bad boy. It truly is the .22 MAGNUM. I was a bit surprised to read that guys are only shooting .22 LR out of theirs.
That is what the K22 Masterpiece is for. To each his own...not looking to pick any fights. I believe this extremely well built K frame will provide many years of service if the loads are kept within reason. Somewhere on this forum is a great video of a young shooter with the 53 and .22 Jet loads. That's what it is all about.
There just is nothing like it...the bark...the flame...the accuracy...the speed.
Good luck with your 53 and ENJOY.
FWIW I use H4227 powder and .222 bullets
Attachments
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Check this thread I started about a little help working with the
inserts. Pete
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...del-53-jet-22-rimfire-insert-speedloader.html
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plattincreek
Member
Great idea, a speed loader for a K frame 38 should work too I would think. Dimensions at the head should be the same for either a 38 spcl or a 357.
plattincreek- my normal play load is a starting load of hs-6 and sierra 40gr .223 bullet. runs about 1500 or so in a 6in gun and shoots good enough to shoot 1 liter pop bottles at 100yds off the bench. since the load is light, I use a magnum primer in this load.
