Smith & Wesson Model 48 Criticisms
When I was growing up, my favorite Uncle bought one of the very first Smith & Wesson Model 48 revolvers. It was also one of the very first revolvers I ever shot and we used it to perforate a lot of cans in my Grandfather's backyard. I've had a hankering to buy one, just because I loved that gun and having one would remind me of my favorite uncle. However, I've had a number of friends tell me S&W 48s are problem prone and aren't good plinking guns. I've heard that the cylinders tend to get a sticky and the guns generally need a lot of cleaning to keep em functioning properly. Are these criticisms valid and should I stay away from a Model 48? Are any variants better than the others? Anything to watch out for? Thanks in advance for any advice.
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I have a 48 and really like it but it does need to be cleaned a lot or it gets sticky and hard to seat the shells. Same problem with my 18 (22LR). The other issue with them is they use the same rear sight blade as they do for the 38/357's so the adj sight bottomed out still shoots on at 100yds. I like them both but it does tend to take the fun out of plinking. 0 -
I've had a number of .22 revolvers over the years. S & W, Ruger & High Standard. They all will foul depending what kind of ammo and condition of cylinder and barrel. Best thing to do is to take a cleaning rod with a bronze/copper bore brush with you shooting. Using it after every 18 shots will prevent the fouling that your worried about. 0 -
I have the Smith models 48,17,18 and 53 as well as Ruger and Colt .22 revolvers. Pretty much all .22 cal wheelguns experience sticking when they get dirty. Its not unique to the model 48. 0 -
As is being pointed out, the problem is really that .22LR shoots so dirty.
It's a great design, but S&W revolvers are a different animal from semiautos. Insuring you know the particulars how to properly clean one will help make your shooting sessions run more smoothly. This is especially true when they're chambered in .22 rimfire.
Rather than just hitting what you can see with a brush and solvent, removing the cylinder and disassembling the ejector rod system so you can really get down in there and clean where fouling can build up and interfere with smooth functioning of this machine are important.
Cylinder removal also gives the ability to actually soak the cylinder in solvent, which helps considerably.
Applying a heavy coat of a good penetrating oil (BreakFree/CLP) well prior to shooting will also both keep things running smoothly for longer and make removal of any buildup quicker/easier.0 -
I had a M48 but traded it for a M17 due to ammo costs and problems with sticky extraction of cases. It was a great shooting pistol and I miss it, but I like the M17 better. 0 -
I have one in 22 mag and 8 3/8 inch. If you are over to the west side of the state you can shoot it. 0
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