Model 48-4 S & W Revolver

[Dirty Dan]

I have been on the lookout for a .22lr revolver since letting a nice Mdl 17 slip through my fingers. I told the owner of a LGS what I was looking for and he said the only revolver he had in .22 caliber was a Model 48-4. I said I was really looking for a .22lr, but asked to see it anyway. He brought out a really clean revolver from his office and put it on the counter. It was a nickel plated 48-4, with an 8 3/8th" barrel, marked .22WMR with adjustable sights. Along with the revolver was a velvet drawstring bag containing a flat sight adjustment screwdriver and an extra cylinder in .22 s,l, and .22lr. Thought at first the revolver was stainless steel, but as the Model 48-4 was made through 1984, it had to be nickel. The revolver came with Pacmeyer Target grips. All I know is I have never seen a S & W revolver with two cylinders. What did I find??! I have been shooting small game with it...

 

[nedlate]

That sounds interesting. I won't be much help on your gun but sure would like to see pictures! Someone else will have good information.
Ed

 

[Gunhacker]

If I remember correctly, the M48 did have an optional .22 LR cylinder that could be ordered with the gun, as did the M53 (.22 Jet). M48's with the auxiliary cylinder aren't all that common, they are longer than the cylinder in a M17 so one could not buy a M17 cylinder down the road and have it fitted to a M48.

So you have something special, in addition to a version of the M48 that isn't common either.

In my mind, what you ended up with more than makes up for missing out on the M17.

I finally found a M48-4, it's also an 8-3/8 barrel but blued. I've been wanting one to complete my hoard of the triad of .22 caliber revolvers S&W made on the K-22 masterpiece frame... the M17, M48 & M53.

Congrats on your find!

 

[jack the toad]

Congrats on your purchase. Sounds like a nice find.
Accuracy wise, how does it shoot using both mag and LR ammo?

 

[Dirty Dan]

Model 48-4 accuracy

I was intrigued at the opportunity to try the accuracy of the revolver, using all the .22 calibers. I found that at 50 feet, as I progressed from .22 WMR, down thru .22lr, l, and short, the only significant difference, impact-wise, was elevation. The .22 mag hit 2" high on a bullseye, at 12 o'clock, .22lr cut X, .22l, impacted 1 1/2" low, and the .22s, hit, just touching the bullseye. The patterning was very consistent, the only other variation, being the "human" element. Were I to carry the 48-4 for a survival weapon,I would definitely load the .22lr, but would have to opt for the .22 WMR for large game. Just a note: Ammo: Went to a LGS looking for .22lr cartridges, but were told they were out. I scanned the shelves and saw a stick of 100 CCI shorts there and purchased them. The .22s gets little respect these days, but during the, not-so-great Depression, fed many families. Dan..Sorry, new to the forum, and technically challenged, photo-wise!