I have a model 48, 22 Mag. Will a cylinder from a K22 fit the model 48. I would like to have the second cylinder for it.
Thanks
Jim

Perhaps you mean the model 48. (the model 49 is .38 spl. cal)

Depends on the age of your revolver but you may be able to find a cylinder from a model 17 (or 617) to fit. I believe people here on the forum have done that conversion successfully.

Midway has some 617 cylinders for sale for a song, if you don't mind the stainless finish difference. The cylinder assembly will likely require minor fitting and the extractor ratchets will have to be cut to fit properly.

Smith & Wesson Cylinder Assembly S&W K-Frame Model 617

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

My mistake, yes a model 48 not 49.
Jim

Shouldn't be any big problem. You may need to adjust yoke tube length a bit and one cylinder may need to use a shim, but each should have their own ejector rod anyway. I do not believe you would have any luck with an 8 shot cylinder with the model 48s hand. Just about any 6 shot K frame 22 lr cylinder should work with maybe a little adjustment

Keep in mind that the bore diameter of a 22WMR is ever so slightly larger than that of a 22LR. That usually means that the 22LR ammo won't be very accurate due to loose fit of the bullets and the bore. In 1976 I bought a new Ruger Single Six Convertible and it threw patterns instead of groups with 22LR ammo, which is what I wanted to shoot most of the time but was decent with the magnum fodder.

That gun's barrel was rollmarked "Made in the 200th year of American Liberty" - now, of course, I wish I still had it.

Ed

Interestingly, I had a Single Six that was incredibly accurate with 22lr. I never did install the magnum cylinder.

Like you, I regret selling it.

I do have a Model 51 with both cylinders. Someday I’ll try the 22lr cylinder and see if it’s as accurate.

Why would the bore diameter of the .22 magnum be greater than for .22LR? SAAMI specs the bullets to be the same diameter, although the .22Magnum case is slightly larger diameter than the .22LR case.

Accuracy issues with firing .22LR in a .22magnum chambered gun come from the bullet striking the throat out of alignment due to the "freebore" from leaving a shorter case.

The S&W M48 had the option of a LR cylinder in addition to its magnum cylinder, for the express purpose of using .22LR, so I would imagine in that case at least, the barrel bore would be the same and compatible with either round.

You would think that to be factual but when I asked Ruger why my revolver was less accurate with 22LR ammo, that is the reply I received. I don't have any 22WMR ammo on hand so I can't measure a bullet's diameter but if I recall correctly (and I might not be), the 22WMR bullet and its corresponding bore is a thousandths or so of an inch larger.

Ed

I took a set of quality digital calibers and measured a who bunch of 22lr of every brand I had around. Winchester, Remington, CCI, Gemtec, Federal, Aguila, American Eagle. None of it measured .222 and it was all at least .2235 and most .224

Plus, the actual bore diameter of a 22 mag barrel is .219 and even if the groove dia is .224 it will engage a soft 22 lr bullet real well.

I only have one gun that fires 22mag. I made it using a by reaming a K frame 22 lr cylinder to 22 mag and fitting it to a model 18-4 along with a model 53 barrel

22lr cylinder 20 yds

22mag cylinder

The S&W specs are .223 for a 22L.R. and .224 for 22 magnum. As a practical matter I'm not sure there is any difference. I think a cylinder for either would interchange with both a model 17 and a model 48 and very likely shoot fine. Tell ya what, I have 2 model 48s and 2 model 17s, I'll try all those cylinders in all those guns in the next few days and get back

not to hijack the thread, but : i have a model 48 nd that has been modified to .22 lr. with a 3in. .22lr bbl,so marked. so can i put a .22 mag cyl. back in the gun and shoot it ? this has no frame change that i can see. thanks

That's a great looking Combat Masterpiece that S&W should have made.

I did the very same thing with a pre model 18. Just looking at the gun, most people would not recognize the challenge to use the Mod 53 barrel with shroud, i.e., fitting it to the front of the frame!

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Ya, most don't know the model 53 cylinders are the longer 357 length, which means the 53 barrel has a shorter extension. That means you have to take enough of the shoulder and back of shroud to turn it in 3 more turns to get a decent B/C gap, then of course shorten the ejector rod and center pin. The ejector shroud makes setting the barrel back a bit more of a challenge.

Yep! And since the pre model 18 still has the right hand threads on the ejector rod, I also used a pre war "barrel" knob extractor rod for a little extra panache. Had to enlarge the area at the front end of the extractor groove in the shroud. But it was worth it.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I did something similar with this 1917 using a big knob when I installed a 1950 barrel. Later I changed they cylinder to a 44 mag reamed to 45 colt and recessed to also fire acp. That cylinder had left hand threads so I made a knob on my lathe and silver soldered it to a left had rod because of what I had previously did to shroud LOL

I have a Model 48-3. I bought it used in the early 90s and sent it back to the factory in 1997 to have a 22LR cylinder fitted. I've shot lots of rounds with both cylinders and the 22LR is very accurate out of my 48. Also have a Ruger Single Six Convertible and the 22LR does okay with accuracy, but the 48 is better.

I tried my 17 cylinder in my 48 and no-go. The model 17 cylinder is just a little too long, you'd need to fit the barrel to that cylinder for it to work. So, the model 48 cylinder in the model 17 would have a bit too much cylinder to barrel gap. There is about 5 thousandth difference in the cylinders. I have no idea if that is designed in or just a manufacturing variance. I'm inclined to think that it is just a manufacturing variance, if that is correct then you would just need to find a cylinder with the correct dimensions for your revolver.

I have a Model 48-4 22WMR. Occasionly I shoot 22 LR in it with no accuracy problems. I do scrub the cylinder chambers to remove any 'rings' from the shorter 22 LR.

You're right about manufacturing tolerances. Easiest solution if the Mod 17 cyl will be dedicated to the Model 48 is to just turn off .005" from the front of the cyl in a lathe.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

In the first photo;- either that's a big gun or you have tiny feet. Lol.

Manufacturing variances. In this case the fix would be to turn enough off face of 22lr cylinder