1st Year Smith & Wesson S&W 53 .22 Remington Jet 22 LR Revolver, 1961 C&R
Sold For:
LSB#: 200728BB18
Make: Smith & Wesson
Model: 53, The .22 Centerfire Magnum: The “Jet”
Serial Number: K443011
Year of Manufacture: 1961, First Year!
Caliber: .22 Remington Jet
Action Type: Single and Double Action Revolver with Swing-Out Cylinder
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “SMITH & WESSON”. The sideplate has the large “S&W” logo. The right side of the barrel is marked “22 MAGNUM”. The right side of the frame is marked with the four line Marcas Registradas address. The yoke cut is marked with the serial and model numbers, the butt is marked with the serial number. The sides of the grip frame have inspection marks. Each yoke is marked “84144”. The rear face of the installed .22 LR cylinder is marked “R”. The rear face of the .22 Jet cylinder is marked “443 011” and with “S” next to a diamond, the underside of its ejector star is marked “443011”.
Barrel Length: 6”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a ramped blade with a serrated ramped base pinned to the barrel’s rib. The rear sight is a square-notch which is micrometer click adjustable in a base screwed to the topstrap. The rear sight base and barrel rib are serrated for glare reduction.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece oversize checkered walnut target stocks with Smith & Wesson medallions. The grips have some scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and thinning finish at most edges. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good condition as not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling sharp. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 87% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at some edges. There is finish wear at the muzzle on each side, the front of the trigger guard, the outside of the .22 LR cylinder’s crane and handling wear in the backstrap. There is tool marking around the sideplate’s front screw. There are some other scattered minor marks. The .22 LR cylinder has a thin turn-line. The .22 Jet cylinder has a faint turn line, mostly not through the finish. The hammer and trigger have light operational wear and a few spots of minor surface oxidation in otherwise strong case-color. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a switch in place of the standard firing pin, allowing the user to select whether it strikes the centerfire or rimfire frame-mounted firing pin. The installed cylinder lockup produces very little play side-to-side and none front-to-rear on each of the six chambers. We have not installed the .22 Jet cylinder. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes in a two-piece blue cardboard S&W box with metal reinforced corners, serial-matching label, wax paper and the additional Remington Jet cylinder as described. The lid portion of the box has a tear on one side, a blue tape repair on the other, and some surface loss around the edges. The tray also has a blue tape repair on one side. Overall, the box is in about Good condition.
Our Assessment: This is a double-action revolver built on the square butt “K” medium frame with four screws, blue finish, 6” barrel, and oversize walnut target grips with S&W medallions. The Jet is manufactured with a “switch” on the hammer nose to select one of the dual frame mounted firing pins for either centerfire (.22 Jet) or rimfire. These guns were produced from 1961-1974 and have tremendous value for any serious Smith & Wesson collector. The S&W Model 53 introduced the .22 Remington Jet cartridge and is only one of two guns ever produced in the .22 Remington Jet caliber. The model was released with a .22 Jet cylinder as well as chamber inserts to allow the use of .22 Long Rifle in the same cylinder, but could also be had with a separate .22 LR cylinder. This Jet has a great bore and strong mechanics, in Very Good condition with handling and operational wear, and was made in the first year this model was produced. It comes with its original box and while it does not have the chamber inserts, it does have a .22 LR cylinder. For the Smith collector, this could make a great addition but it would also be a fun revolver for velocity junkies who want a .22 Remington Jet handgun. Please see our photos and good luck!
CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable (THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO OUT-OF-STATE RESIDENTS): This C&R Pistol CAN be sold as a dealer sale in California and CAN be transferred as a Private Party Transfer (PPT) as our Simi Valley location. All C&R firearms must be transferred through your local dealer OR at our Simi Valley location; we cannot ship directly to a C&R holder in California. Out of state residents can disregard this section – your local laws apply.
