Smith model 48 owners step right in....

[kihnspiracy]

So I am in the market for a Smith 48 .22 magnum revolver. I haven't had a whole lot of luck with decent, older, no lock versions. Most of the ones I have found, are either beat up or they want too much money for them.

So my question is, do any of you have the newer Smith 48 versions? If so, what is your experience with them? Likes? Dislikes? Any help would be appreciated. So far, the best price I have found is $756 shipped for a new 6 inch version.

 

[sodacan]

Keep looking for an older one. You should be able to buy one for less than $900.00. You'll forget about the extra cost once you own it and shoot it. I have no experience with the new model 48, but I've seen the re-makes of the "Classic" line, and they lack the quality and craftsmanship of the older guns. Be patient, it will pay off. Good luck.

 

[cbvanb]

I would also advise you to keep looking. S&W revolvers are popping out of the woodwork quite a bit lately on my local shooting board, I think guys are trying to get into semi auto pistols before any kind of ban takes place. I picked up a decent model 48 about a month ago for considerably less than $600, factoring in the trade I made. I haven't checked the serial number yet but I got it from the original owner who thought he had bought the gun in 1978.

 

[SAFireman]

I had the same luck....I was looking for an older model 48 (the new ones just don't do IT for me).

I put a WTB ad here on the forum and within a short time I had a very nice 4" 48 for a very fair price.

Good luck in your search.

 

[Lobster Picnic]

I saw a M48 listed today in my area, but it sounds rough:

"Never seen another with the 8.375" bbl. Gun has wear and scratches, has been refinished but it is a shooter grade not collector. Shoots fine."

Fellow wants $350 for it. No pics.

 

[AkRay]

I saw a M48 listed today in my area, but it sounds rough:

"Never seen another with the 8.375" bbl. Gun has wear and scratches, has been refinished but it is a shooter grade not collector. Shoots fine."

Fellow wants $350 for it. No pics.

For the price quoted, I'd go and look at it before I rejected it. They're good revolvers.

 

[SuperMan]

,,don't know where you are shopping but over on GunBroker there are just about always 6" blue 48s for sale that bring well under the price of a new one... There is what looks to be one in excellent condition over there now, a P&R gun for $600.00. Just put in Smith 48 and they all op up...


I have a 4", 8 3/8" and a 17 with a 48 cylinder...all are great shooters but understand sometimes you'll get a tight one that has to have the unburned powder cleaned from under the star as it will bind up the cylinder... I've had some that would do this and some that didn't...

Bob

 

[rmw]

I've never paid over 400 for a mdl. 48. I had a 6" that would chew out the X ring at 25 yds over bags with iron sights. Had a 8 3/8" I never fired as well as the 4". All gone now. Wish I had them back. I presume the new ones you speak of have the lock? Just say no. I don't even look at the S&W site to see what they have anymore. You'll come across an older one, but I still believe anything over 500, and you're being gouged.

 

[SuperMan]

The $600 one on GunBroker mentioned above sold for just that...one bid. Was about as clean as one is going to find...

Bob

 

[Sunfang]

I got one of the tight ones, What a pain in the neck! I got it thinking that it would be a great counterpart to my father's mod. 18.

I quickly learned that the .22 mag is a great rifle round however it is usually a poor handgun round. It's a dirty shooter because in barrels shorter that 6" the powder is not under pressure long enough to burn fully. So the unburnt powder flakes are often depusited under the extractor when the empties are dumped out. On my 4" example I am required to carry a soft paintbrush to remove the powder.

And that is why it hasn't been shot more than twise in the last fifteen years. That and .22 mag went through the roof.

As a side note, I have heard that due to barrel friction, the .22 mag starts loosing velosity in barrels longer than 18".

 

[steamloco76]

I too really want a model 48 for my shooter/collector stable, however the 8 3/8ths inch barrel is the one for me. Owning a 7.5 inch Colt New Frontier Buntline convertible and a 9.5 inch Ruger Single-Six convertible proved the worth of a long barrel for shooting .22WMR. The 9.5 inch Ruger shoots like a little rifle and has no unburned powder issues.

 

[stu1ritter]

I got one of the tight ones, What a pain in the neck! I got it thinking that it would be a great counterpart to my father's mod. 18.

I quickly learned that the .22 mag is a great rifle round however it is usually a poor handgun round. It's a dirty shooter because in barrels shorter that 6" the powder is not under pressure long enough to burn fully. So the unburnt powder flakes are often depusited under the extractor when the empties are dumped out. On my 4" example I am required to carry a soft paintbrush to remove the powder.

And that is why it hasn't been shot more than twise in the last fifteen years. That and .22 mag went through the roof.

As a side note, I have heard that due to barrel friction, the .22 mag starts loosing velosity in barrels longer than 18".

You should try some of the new short barrel rounds being sold in .22 Mag. They will easily burn completely in a 4" barrel.
Stu