[farscott]

After receiving a call from my local dealer that he had something interesting for me to see, I wandered down there. I had to get a five-screw M&P out of lay-away, so I had a "reason" to make the trip. I was quite surprised when he showed me a four-screw six-inch barreled nickeled M53. Since it did not have the rimfire chamber inserts, the auxillary cylinder, or the box, he told me to make an offer. I decided to start really low, and I was quite surprised.

To make a long story short, I traded a beat-up police trade-in 4006 for the M53. My cost was less than $275.

[farscott]

The other side of the M53.

[farscott]

Let's try this again.

[Harbinger]

That be pretty sweet. Nice find!

[BigG]

Nice catch!

[farscott]

It sure seems to be a lucky catch. The serial number, K439xxx, dates it to 1961, the first year of M53 production.

[444]

Nice catch.

There is a gun shop in the town of Beatty Nevada that is open sometimes: whenever the guy feels like opening it. He is a brand inspector full time but anyway............. He has a shop with a lot of interesting stuff in it, all over priced. The last time I was in there, he had a Model 53 with the chamber inserts, box; the whole shootin match. He wanted like $800 or something like that for it. I didn't even try to bargin with him, I didn't want it bad enough to pay $400 for it at that time.

[Mike Irwin]

53s, especially the ones with all of the goodies, really seem to be spiking in price the last couple of years.

If you look long and hard, you should be able to find the chamber inserts. They will cost you, though...

[Gordon]

I'd say you got $650 worth of gun! At that price you can shoot it. With 4o grain bullets a 6" er can get over 2000fps with little gun or H110. Use .223 oe .222 Jet bullets to keep pressures down! I have a 8 3/8 " and it safely gets 2200fps with .222 Jet blunt nose 40 grain bullets. It is scoped with an older no gunsmithing mount and 4X redfield pistol scope and shoot minute of ground squirrel to 125 yds. Outstanding score !:)

[farscott]

I found replica inserts at Numrich's, but I want the real nickel-washed S&W inserts. My ultimate goal is the find an auxillary cylinder in .22 LR for the M53, the inserts, and a box.

I have ordered the RCBS dies, some Hornady 40-grain Jet bullets, and some 250 pieces of .22 Remington Jet brass. I want to load some reduced loads, and I think I will start with H110.

[Gordon]

"load some reduced loads, and I think I will start with H110." DON'T load 'reduced loads' with H110. Load as per Hornady manual .:what:

[Mike Irwin]

Hornady 4th gives a range between 9.3 and 12.4 for the 40-gr. bullet, so as long as you don't drop down below 9.3 grains of H110 you should be fine.

[farscott]

Gordon,

Thanks for the warning. I should have been a bit clearer when I said reduced. I meant as in "reduced from maximum" shown. There is also a note to drop all starting loads by 10 percent since Hornady used the T/C Contender for load development.

[uglygun]

I HATE YOU!


You just gave me reason to relive my run in with a CHOICE 4 inch barreled blued model 53, with original box, with original chamber inserts, with manual, and in excellent shape. At the time I didn't know what it was and was too inexperienced to know that 550 dollars was an excellent price for the little gun.


Thanks for reminding me that I was stupid for not jumping on that little gun the instant I saw it. Also, thanks for reminging me about how stupid I was to wait around a week for TheFiringLine to return from maintenence for me to inquire about the little gun. After I got the dozens of people telling me that the gun was likely worth around 850-900 dollars and all of them yelling at me to buy it, I returned to the gunshop only to see it gone.

Would have been a fine addition to the collection while also being a real pleasure to shoot on occasion.

[farscott]

uglygun,

I know exactly how you feel. I once waited too long to purchase an S&W pre-M27 with a three-and-a-half-inch barrel because I did not know what a fair price was. When I went back to buy it, it had just sold -- for $225. :(

Now I try to follow a version of C.R. Sam's rule: carry cash (and a few trade guns).

[ElToro]

check with "standard catalog of S&W" but IIRC factory nickled 53 are to be somewhat "scarce" may want to get a $30 letter on that one.

otherwise .. nice !

[BluesBear]

Supica & Nahas think that S&W produced no factory nickle Model 53s. All know ones were factory refinished. Either way it's worth a lot more than your investment.

[farscott]

Yup, mine has a factory nickel refinish since "R-N" is stamped on the grip frame. I now have a set of the factory inserts, and I am chasing a .22 LR cylinder for it.

As far as value, I have been offered quite a bit more (greater than four times more) than I paid; however, this one is a shooter. So, I shoot it.

[bigbore45colt]

I know of a M53 box available right now. It is a very early one that still states 22 mag on it, instead of jet.

Good condition, no major wear or tears.

What are these worth?

BB45C

[BigG]

I thought they all were marked ".22 Centerfire Magnum," or words to that effect.