I just picked up a K-22 Masterpiece 48-2 22mag revolver with a 6" barrel, in excellent condition. I read, somewhere, that the 48-2's were made from 1962-1967. The serial # on this one is 1K72xxx.

Can anyone tell me the year of manufacture (I don't have one of the Smith and Wesson books, yet). It shoots very well, and the bluing is almost perfect. The original owner had a pair of hogue monogrips on it, and there is a small area of discoloration where the top of the rubber grips met the frame. I put the target stocks on it because the hogues seemed like a bad joke on the K-22. It looks to have been shot very little, and not carried. There is a small turn line, but no finish wear anywhere on it. Beautiful bluing job on these older models.

My next question, should I keep it, or sell/trade it? I really like the revolver, but 22mag is not my cup of tea.

If I were to sell it, what would be a reasonable price to ask for it? It has no box or papers, and I have no idea where the original grips went, but it does have a nylon holster, four speed loaders, four speed loader pouches, and a nylon duty belt that came with it. Maybe I could trade it for something I would shoot more, but it's a hard call 'cause it's so beautiful. What would you do?

Thanks
Hastings

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Hastings

Hastings , That's a nice 48 you have. I'm looking at the SCSW and the 48-2 became 48-3 in 1967. Your serial should start with a K but I see you have a 1K which is confusing as the 1K started in 1970. You might want to check to be sure.

Any 48 can easily be worth $400 but I have not checked values lately.

What is true is that the 48-2 was built betweeen 1962 until it became the 48-3 in 1967.

I have a 48-4 4" and it is my best looking K frame. I hope you decide to keep it. They are not making them any more,Disc 1986

Bruce

The serial number dates the 48-2 to 1971. Another member can probably advise on a selling price. It is possible the revolver is actually a 48-3, but is mismarked as a 48-2. If the screw securing the rear sight leaf is slightly in front of the forcing cone, the revolver has the -3 change, but if the screw is clearly behind (toward the rear sight) the forcing cone, it is still a -2.

Bill

That may explain my confusion as well. Things aren't always written in stone when it comes to Smith&Wesson's serial numbers and other markings. Thanks for the extra insight Bill.

Bruce

hastings, as good as that 48 looks in those pics I would definetly want to keep that gun.

Thanks for the info. The screw on the rear sight is mounted directly over the center of the portion of the barrel that protrudes into the frame window, placing it in front of the forcing cone. The serial number is 1K72552 (the 5's seem to be in a different type set, don't know what that indicates), with 48-2 marked below the serial number. I guess that would make it a mis-marked 48-3, or a mis-built 48-2. Out of curiosity, does mis-marking occur due to the guys in the factory grabbing the wrong die cause they didn't have enough coffee, or is there a more cogent explanation? I'm sure there are lots of possibilities, but being a novice in the Smith nomenclature, I was wondering if this is a fairly common situation. I find the specifics of the various engineering changes rather interesting. Does the SCSW list the specific changes made on each engineering change on each model? If not, is there a comprehensive source for this info (other than the knowledgable members of this forum). I am interested in the evolution of the engineering on each model as Smith and Wesson sought to improve the design, or resolve problems on each model.

Thanks again. I often wish I could sit down at a table with a bunch of you guys and ask questions until I run out of them. I guess that's what this forum is, but a bunch of guns on a table, an someone to discuss the specifics with face to face is a real pleasure. Reminds me of the old Fin, Fur and Feather club I used to go to when I was younger.

Gotta get ready for work.

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Hastings

Based on your decription and the serial number, I would say you have a -3 model variation that is mis-marked as a -2. S&W would occasionally incorrectly mark a model variation, model number, or leave out a stamping that is normally seen in the yoke cut. It didn't happen often, but collectors find them and report them. Remember, S&W has made and shipped millions of revolvers.

It is interesting to note the relocation of the rear sight leaf screw resulted in K-frame revolvers being changed from a -2 to a -3 model variation, whereas, this same change was made for N-frame revolvers about ten years earlier and not even mentioned by S&W.

The Standard Catalog of S&W lists the engineering and production changes for each model according to the year the change was authorized.

Bill

I also have a 48-2 like this. Serial number is 6K30xx which dates it to 1974 even though 48-2 production stopped in 1967. Seven years later they were still mis-marking them? Seven years???

I wish I could get away with that kind of precision at work. I definitely need to get the Smith manual. Why did they relocate the screw for the sight? Were the screw threads betting damaged by gases escaping from the cylinder gap? It makes sense on a larger caliber, but the 22mag doesn't seem that high-pressure.

By the way, I had never handled a K22, before. I had a couple of 648's, but with the full underlug 6" barrel they felt to muzzle-heavy for my liking. The 48-2/3 feels just right, and the trigger pull/mechanical operation feels much smoother. How hard is it to find a 22lr cylinder/crane assembly for these? If I keep it, I would like to have the option of swapping out the cylinder, even if accuracy suffers a little.

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Hastings

The screw was moved so the hole would be fouled with powder residue, etc. Remember, it was done for all K-frames including the Model 19 that is a .357 Magnum. The frames are the same and used for all the different models.

S&W may have had a significant number of frames stamped 48-2 they made as 48-3 revolvers and shipped them out. The -number is not that important to them (only to collectors these days).

Bill

WATCH OUT!! Those things are addictive and you are tickling the dragon's tail. The 22 LR cylinders are out there, but getting a little hard to find. Here's an 8-3/8" 48-4 I picked up at a PGCA show a few years ago; then found the 22 LR cylinder at a later OGCA show. I've found the 22 magnum to be more accurate in it then the 22 LR.

Regarding price, best to search GB to find what they're currently going for. The last one that I bought was at an auction around 3 years ago. Paid $450 for an ANIB 6" 48-4 edition (w/o auxiliary cylinder) at that time:

Your M48 appears to be in excellent condition and you should have little trouble selling it if/when you desire. -S2

Thanks for the info, Speedo2. Did your 22lr cylinder need to be fitted, or were you able to simply install it without modification? Nice 48, by the way.

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Hastings

Thanks, Hastings. The auxiliary cylinder went right in, but I had my favorite shop check it out with a range rod (I think that's what it was called; maybe a test rod), to verify the timing. The shop owner had to get the range (or test) rod from Brownel's; took a couple of weeks. I haven't trid it out in the 6" model yet. -S2