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S&W Model 53

BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
edited September 2002 in General Discussion
Yep, I finally acquired one. I probably will never shoot it because it appears unfired. To say the least it is beautiful, this is when S&W knew how blue their revolvers, and took pride in it. It is chambered in 22 Rem Jet. Has anyone ever seen one of these beautiful Smiths?

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."NRA Life Member
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Does Anyone Have Or Know Where I Can Purchase a .22 LR Cylinder For S&W Model 53.
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  • AlpineAlpine Member Posts: 15,092 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes I have one. I sent it back to S&W and got the 22 rim fire cylinder. But shooting the jets is fun also.

    "If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."
    ?The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.?
    Margaret Thatcher

    "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
    Mark Twain
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    And that is?

    "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."NRA Life Member
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  • AlpineAlpine Member Posts: 15,092 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If the idiots reloaded at the red line and beyond, I could see the problem. However I never had a problem with the jets. I also started to modify 357 cases, cause the jet cases were getting hard to find. This has worked out great. A little time consuming, but this fills the gaps when the cases start to wear out.

    "If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."
    ?The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.?
    Margaret Thatcher

    "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
    Mark Twain
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Thanks Saxon, I did not know that. I have not shot it, so I don't know if it works or not. It came with 22 long rifle inserts. I think that is what I will end up shooting out of it.

    "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."NRA Life Member
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Alpine - What kind of groups do you get from your 53?

    "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."NRA Life Member
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  • AlpineAlpine Member Posts: 15,092 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I never shot it from rest. It was just a fun gun to shoot, and with the 22 long rifle cylinder it was cheap also. I thought about putting a scope on it and shooting ground squirrels, but I already had a 225 that I use for that.

    "If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."
    ?The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.?
    Margaret Thatcher

    "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
    Mark Twain
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  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The Jet, the REAL .22 Magnum, is one of my favorite Smiths. (The .22 centerfire Magnum was based on a necked-down .357 Magnum case.) I have a first-year 6-inch, and a last-year 8 3/8-inch, both with factory-fitted auxilary cylinders. I wish I had bought a 4-inch to complete the set.

    I have never heard of warranty problems with the revolvers being the reason they were discontinued. The problem with cases backing out was not a warranty issue, but rather an education issue. If there was oil in the chambers, or case lube on the cases, or both, the cases would tend to set back when fired so as to cause the cylinder to bind and even lock up if bad enough. It was not a case of some revolvers having the problem and some not. They all had/have it.

    The solution was/is to be sure the chambers and cases were/are free of lube, easily accomplished by swabbing the chambers with solvent, and being sure the cases were/are lube-free in the same way. The revolvers came with a red warning tag advising of this requirment. The cylinder swab was even tapered to better do the job.

    This inconvenience may have helped kill the jet, but I think muzzle blast and failure to reach advertised velocities may have had a lot more to do with it. The superiority of the Contender as a varmint handgun may have finished the job.

    I believe the Jet is the loudest handgun I have ever shot, comparable or louder than many of the single-shot rifle cartridge handguns like the Contender, etc.. The dust really jumps in front of the firing line when shooting it. I also believe the cylinder gap caused loss of velocity and an increase in noise. The loss of velocity meant the velocity did not meet advertised speeds and that disappointed the varmint shooters. The lack of readily available, non-drilling scope mounts early one did not help either.

    Smith dropped a lot of models in the 1974 time frame and the Jet was one of them, thus creating a scarce collector's item.
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    JC - I appreciate that bit of info. I tossed and turned all night last night thinking I had really screwed up by buying it.

    BTW, the cylinder gap on this 53 appears to be very tight, and the grips are the best looking wood grips I have ever seen on a Smith revolver. It came with all the inserts and box, but no paperwork.

    So tell me, how would I know the approximate year this 53 was made? Were the 4 inch 53's made in the beginning, middle or at the end?

    Boomer

    "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."NRA Life Member
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  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The approximate year of production can be determined by consulting one of the K-frame serial number charts. Four-inch Jets were made throughout the production run, but are seldom seen.

    Is your Jet a "pure" Model 53, or a Model 53-2?
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    JC - How does one go about securing a list of k-frame serial numbers along with year of production? The sn for this 53 is 446***. If you have a list of SN, could you look it up for me. I would apreciate it. BTW, I can not tell you if it a 53 or 53-2 because I left it at my parents house for my brother-in-law to see. It is beautiful!

    Boomer

    "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."NRA Life Member

    Edited by - Boomerang on 09/08/2002 11:55:51
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Thanks - Yes it does have a K in the front of the numbers. Hmmm, first year production, it must be a true Model 53 JC.

    Boomer

    "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."NRA Life Member
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Saxonpig - Did you receive my email?

    "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."NRA Life Member
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