| Smith & Wesson Model 48 | |
|---|---|
 The 1976 S&W catalog, detailing the Models 36, 38, and 48; the Model 48 is listed at the bottom | |
| Type | Revolver |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1959 |
| Manufacturer | Smith & Wesson |
| Produced | 1959–1986 1989–present |
| Variants | Model 648 |
| Specifications | |
| Barrel length | 4 in (100 mm) 6 in (150 mm) 8+3⁄8 in (210 mm) |
| Cartridge | .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire |
| Action | Double-action revolver |
| Feed system | 6 round (Model 48 or earlier 648) |
The Smith & Wesson K-22 M.R.F. Masterpiece Revolver (Model 48) is a six-shot, double-action revolver with adjustable open sights, built on the medium-size "K" frame. It is chambered for the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire cartridge, which was also introduced in 1959.1
The Model 48 is based on the Smith & Wesson K-22 Target Masterpiece revolver (also known as the Model 17) chambered in .22 long rifle (the most notable difference is a .224-inch broach through the barrel instead of a .222-inch one used in .22 LR) cartridges. Most K-22 revolvers were fitted with a 4 in (100 mm), a 6 in (150 mm) or 8+3⁄8 in (210 mm) barrel, but other lengths have been produced.23
First produced in 1959 as the K-22 M.R.F. Masterpiece, it was numbered the Model 48 in 1959 when all Smith & Wesson guns were given numerical model numbers. It is built on the same frame as the seminal Smith & Wesson Model 10 ("Military and Police") revolver.
Derivatives
Model 648
| Smith & Wesson Model 648 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Revolver |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1959 |
| Manufacturer | Smith & Wesson |
| Produced | 1989–1996 2003–2005 2019–present |
| Specifications | |
| Barrel length | 6 in (150 mm) |
| Cartridge | .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire |
| Action | Double-action revolver |
| Feed system | 6- or 8-round cylinder |
The Smith & Wesson Model 648 is a double-action revolver that is chambered in .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire. Released with a 6-round (later an 8-round) cylinder, it replaced the Model 48 (which as discontinued in 1986) in 1989. The Model 648 was discontinued by 1996, but was reintroduced in 2003; it was soon discontinued in 2005. Even though the Model 48 was reintroduced in 2010 as one of the “Classic” lines, the Model 648 was reintroduced in 2019.456
Present state
The Model 48 was discontinued in 1986, but in 2010 was reintroduced as the Model 48 "Masterpiece" due to a resurgence in the popularity of vintage Smith & Wesson revolvers. The company chose approximately fifteen previously discontinued models to produce once again. This was done under the "Classics" category of S&W's current offerings.7
References
References
- Sagi, Guy J. "Smith & Wesson Model 48: A Classic Rimfire Revolver". americanrifleman.org. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
- Miller, Payton (13 November 2024). "S&W MODEL 48: A POWERED-UP TAKE ON THE LEGENDARY K22". gunsmagazine.com.
- Campbell, Dave. "A Look Back: The Smith & Wesson Model 48". americanrifleman.org. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
- Fitzpatrick, Brad (14 April 2020). "Smith & Wesson Model 648 Revolver Review". handgunsmag.com. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- Hutchcroft, Joel J. (April 2020). "Smith & Wesson Model 648 .22 WMR Revolver Review". shootingtimes.com. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- "Smith & Wesson brings back the Model 648 revolver". all4shooters.com. 23 August 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
- Mann, Richard Allen; Lee, Jerry (2013). The Gun Digest Book of Modern Gun Values: The Shooter's Guide to Guns 1900-Present. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. pp. 214–215. ISBN 978-1-4402-3746-1.