Buddy of mine showed me a box of Jet .22 cartridges yesterday and asked if I'd ever heard of them. Told him no. Anyone have any idea what the heck a Jet .22 or a .22 Jet is? The cartridges looked like a mini high-powered rifle cartridge, but the casing is really fat and only about 1 1/2" long. They had a pointed soft point tip. I think the box said 40 gr. so I'm guessing an old varmint caliber...

The .22 jet was chambered in Smith and Wesson model 53revolvers in 1961 until it was discontinued in 1971. it wasnt very sucessful because of the use of a tapered case in a cylinder. When the gun was fired the cases had a tendancy to slip backwards andlock the gun up. the pistols also came with 6 adapter cartridges to allow a person to fire 22 long rifle ammoalso. it was also chambered in the marlin 62, H&R topper and TC also made guns in this caliber. it developed about 2460 fps with a 40gr bullrt and had a muzzle energy of about 535 ft.lb.

didnt smith an wesson also make a pistol in the 221 remington fireball cartridge?

I dont belive that S&W made handguns in 221 fireball, but i know remington introduced the cartridge in the XP-100 pistol. it was a bolt action number ment for varmint hunting and in other calibers hunting big game or silloute shooting.

Wow this is a blast from the past. I really wonder if there are any S&W 22 Jets out there? Or if they went to granny's graveyard. Seems like revolvers like straight cases.

that must have been what i was thinkin of