Model 53

Jetman22

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I have a 22 long rifle cylinder for the model 53
22 jet Mag.
I was thinking about rechambering it to a different cartridge. Sort of wild catting it.
I know it has a lot of value but if I'm going to shoot 22 lr I'll just shoot my K22.

What do you guys think would be a good choice and why?
Thinking in terms of bullets and dies n brass.
What would you do?


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Wouldn't you just be duplicating the Jet pretty much with anything else you could get into that cylinder- Improved Jet, K-Chuck (either version), Bee?
 
Your probably right. But a wildcat in a pistol
Is always fun to tinker with. I was hoping someone might know of a cartridge out of the ordinary that might even be loaded subsonic.


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I take it you want to use it in the model 53 frame and stick with 22 cal bullets. If so I would go with the K Horne unless it is to long. If to long the 22 Harvdey Kay Chuck, which is a shortened, blown out 22 Hornet. I made one using a K 22 cylinder and a center fire K frame. Its pretty good, but not better (or worse) than my 22 Jet.

To me what would be interesting is to use another K frame, sleeve the barrel to .257 and make a 256 Winchester. Better than sleeving the barrel would be to take 25 caliber barrel, turn it down to .540, thread on end of it a 36 to the inch, then bore out a K frame barrel to .540 and silver solder it to the turned down barrel. Come out with a full strength forcing cone that way. The 256 Winchester runs at 50,000psi and that would be to much for a K frame, but if you dropped down to 357 pressures (35,000psi) you would be OK. A 256 fires a 660 gr bullet at 2300fps at 50K so you should be able to get around 17-1800fps at the lower pressure. Be fun to play around with.

My dream is to get a blank N frame cylinder and make a 30 caliber similar to a 30 Herret short enough to work in the longer N frame cylinder lengths.
 
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Steelslaver, I would like to see that 660gr .25 caliber bullet that you mention. I believe it would be as long as the barrel and wouldn't stabilize too well with the standard rifling!
 
Your probably right. But a wildcat in a pistol
Is always fun to tinker with. I was hoping someone might know of a cartridge out of the ordinary that might even be loaded subsonic.


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Something like this?

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SW-3.JPG


Read more here:
You may hate this one, but I love it!
 
.327 mag, much like .357 with less re-coil. Versatility of using .32 long wadcutter accuracy, and the in-between route with .32 H&R Mag.
 
Tony M
The link won't open to the link.
What it that.
22 ccm?



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You do realize the the .22 LR cylinder is worth between $6-800.00....

That said I did sacrifice mine to turn the 53 into a 53/16 .327 Federal. I happened to have an extra 53 barrel that was burned out and had that one rebored to .327. So although I lost the .22 LR cylinder the gun is much more useful to me and can be easily restored to original...

Bob
 

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I believe you would be better served to sell the gun with the extra cylinder and get what you want. I found a lot more pleasure in wildcatting cartridges in single shots than revolvers, especially when designed for straight wall cartridges.
 
My vote goes to the 22TCM. Approximately 300fps faster from a 5" barrel than the Jet from a 8.375". It would also use 9mm moon clips if the back of the cylinder were milled for them.

I have a 53 and a Rock Island TCM. The RI is a full sized double stack 1911 frame. They both are a literal "blast" to shoot.
 
Although I'd personally never alter a 53's cylinders; if I had to choose I'd have the Jet chamber recut, and not the .22LR chamber. The .22 Jet has always had some issues with the tapered shoulder, and cases backing out when firing. I'd have it reamed to a .22 CF with a sharper shoulder to make it a better chamber.
 
30 years ago, a buddy had a T/C Contender in .256 Win. What a great plinking/varmit round. Very accurate and could be made from .357 Mag brass. From what I've read, the .22 Jet's slim taper caused jamming when the cylinder wasn't spotless. Ruger chambered SA guns in that caliber and didn't have any reliability problems, since the shoulder had a sharper angle and didn't tend to force the brass rearward.

It's also faster than a .22 Jet!

.256 Winchester Magnum - Wikipedia
 
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