Recently acquired a 48-4 8&3/8" in primo condition. Gun is mint, except that a previous owner had drilled and tapped the top strap for a scope base. The owner that I purchased from had attempted to restore the gun to original condition. A factory rear sight was installed and checkered factory targets were added to replace the Pachmayr grippers that were on the gun when he received it.

According to my SCSW #3, the 48 came with Magna's, not targets. This 48-4 has the pinned barrel that places it between 77 and 82 as to production. As the gun will not fit in the original box numbered to the gun with the target grips on it, the target stocks are not right! As the box end was marked for T for stock, I think the guy that I bought from was simply trying to keep it as original as possible.

Mechanically, the gun is very tight with a .005 bc gap. I've heard the stories about the Bangor Punta shoddy workmanship, but this gun was done right! The cylinder locks up solidly on all six chambers when the hammer is dropped..........NO MOVEMENT!

First trip to the range was interesting. Good accuracy, but several double action FTF using CCI Maxi-Mags. Time to open things up and do a little analysis. First thing noted was the strain screw was backed out noticably. After screwing it all the way in, the trigger would barely reset. Turns out someone had replaced the rebound spring with a very short blue painted rendition. This was replaced with a Wolff 15lb. spring which crisply resets that wide target trigger.

The lesson here: Seems like someone had set this gun up for a light single action only trigger. Never be shy about asking to remove grips and check things out. We all know that buggered up side plate screws raise a red flag, but we seldom demand to take the grips off and at least look under the trunk!

Here is where I can use some expert help. The person that had the top strap drilled for a scope mount used a three hole 6-48 pattern that does not match the current factory pattern. I'm wondering if Weaver makes any mounts that match this gun's top strap contour. I suspect that some previous gunsmith simply drilled it to match a base that fit reasonably well. I'd like to mount a scope to do some load testing, as this gun does appear to have potential.

Recently acquired a 48-4 8&3/8" in primo condition. Gun is mint, except that a previous owner had drilled and tapped the top strap for a scope base. The owner that I purchased from had attempted to restore the gun to original condition. A factory rear sight was installed and checkered factory targets were added to replace the Pachmayr grippers that were on the gun when he received it.

According to my SCSW #3, the 48 came with Magna's, not targets. This 48-4 has the pinned barrel that places it between 77 and 82 as to production. As the gun will not fit in the original box numbered to the gun with the target grips on it, the target stocks are not right! As the box end was marked for T for stock, I think the guy that I bought from was simply trying to keep it as original as possible.

Mechanically, the gun is very tight with a .005 bc gap. I've heard the stories about the Bangor Punta shoddy workmanship, but this gun was done right! The cylinder locks up solidly on all six chambers when the hammer is dropped..........NO MOVEMENT!

First trip to the range was interesting. Good accuracy, but several double action FTF using CCI Maxi-Mags. Time to open things up and do a little analysis. First thing noted was the strain screw was backed out noticably. After screwing it all the way in, the trigger would barely reset. Turns out someone had replaced the rebound spring with a very short blue painted rendition. This was replaced with a Wolff 15lb. spring which crisply resets that wide target trigger.

The lesson here: Seems like someone had set this gun up for a light single action only trigger. Never be shy about asking to remove grips and check things out. We all know that buggered up side plate screws raise a red flag, but we seldom demand to take the grips off and at least look under the trunk!

Here is where I can use some expert help. The person that had the top strap drilled for a scope mount used a three hole 6-48 pattern that does not match the current factory pattern. I'm wondering if Weaver makes any mounts that match this gun's top strap contour. I suspect that some previous gunsmith simply drilled it to match a base that fit reasonably well. I'd like to mount a scope to do some load testing, as this gun does appear to have potential.

I have a M 48 no dash that just came back from S&W and the guys at S&W say that M48 will always trouble with Winchester because of hard primes and recommend CCI or Federal for use in the gun. My problem is I have a source for plinking Winchester ammo for under $8 a box.

The 48 uses the mainspring as the M17 and can be ordered from S&W, not sure about Wolff as I have not looked as yet. If you look on fired cases the firring pin mark is real light and unless we can get a more powerful main spring we are going to be shooting ammo sensitive guns.

PS: This gun is a hoot to shoot and you will love it I am sure. I just fired the LR cylinder for the first time last spring and it came from factory in 1959 with the spare cylinder. I only shot about 2 or 3 loads and said time to switch back for the real fun and haven't shot the LR cylinder again.

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

Leupold made a base that replaced the rear sight and required additional holes in the frame (for older guns). #34297

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"I also cook."