Recently, Smith & Wesson announced reintroduction of their stainless steel K-frame 22 Magnum revolver, the Model 648. This new issue features an 8-shot cylinder and the retail price is suggested at $749 – about the middle of the field for mid-size steel revolvers these days.
The barrel, marked “22 WMR,” is six-inches in length, features a full-length underlug and Patridge front sight. The rear sight is adjustable for elevation and windage. The stocks are “synthetic finger groove” – and they felt okay.
It’s a hefty artillery piece. The S&W website specified 46.2 ounces for weight, not insignificant. My scale showed 44.8 ounces – just a bit lighter.
I would compare it to the six-shot M617 of mine – but it’s gone on a special project. The comparison was relevant because I’d gotten a 22 WMR cylinder meant for an earlier M648 from Gun Parts Corporation. The Performance Center fitted the cylinder up and recut the forcing cone (that part of the barrel opposite the muzzle), as well as marked the 617’s barrel “22 WMR.” Both cylinders were marked for caliber as well. As the gun was out, I worked with the current sample.
I wasted little time getting the new gun to the range. The intent was to get velocity readings and groups for five loads. The lighting conditions were such that I only got velocity readings on three of the brands.
It was a matter of moments to get the sights zeroed to 40 grain Magnum ammo at the ca. 22 yards distance from the bench to the close backstop on the rimfire/primitives range.
As to accuracy, it was a mixed bag; I found that, like all 22 rimfire guns of my experience, the revolver was “okay” with some loads and really good with a few loads it liked. The results follow.
|
Brand |
Velocity |
Five-shot group |
Notes |
|
Remington 33gr Premier AccuTip-V |
N/A |
3” |
Best 3 into 1 3/8” |
|
Speer Gold Dot 40gr |
N/A |
3” w/flier |
Best 3: 5/8” |
|
Hornady 30gr. V-MAX |
1,592 |
3 ¼” w/flier |
Best 4: 1 ¾” |
|
CCI Maxi-Mag 40gr. HP |
1,291 |
1 ½” |
Best 3: 3/8” |
|
CCI TNT Green 30gr HP |
1,410 |
2 ¼” |
Best 3: 1 3/8” |
The “best 3 (or 4) of five” rules out the human factor: a handgun shot over a rest but not in a machine rest. Looking at the list, there was a decided preferences for the CCI loads, followed closely by the Gold Dot. At that, all the “best 3” clusters were sub-2” and I’ll take that any day.
As to velocities, the champ of those tested was Hornady’s 30 grain V-MAX. As it’s a light bullet, that would follow. I’d imagine it’s “abrupt” on near-range varmint-type critters. The CCI TNT Green was likewise a light bullet load and pretty snappy. The CCI Maxi-Mag 40 grain trundled along at nearly 1,300 fps – no slouch for a revolver – and was the clear accuracy load for this gun. It may not make quite the ‘explosive’ impact of the light bullet loads, but it’s a reliable performer in accuracy. Tighten that “trigger control nut” and the hit will be there.
One of our images depicts a boxed Crimson Trace LG-308, a stock featuring a red aiming laser. It’s meant to fit the round-butt K- and L-frame S&W revolvers. It does. I mounted it to the M648 and brought the dot to the top of the front sight at 45 feet.
With the trouble my aged eyes have picking up the black Patridge front sight – my preference in earlier times – the laser is very helpful in certain lighting conditions at appropriate distances.
That same image depicts Tuff Products’ Quickstrip 10-round for 22 rimfires. It’s a bit of a handful, trying to line up tiny projectiles with tiny chambers using a flexible loading strip – but it’s a handy way to carry spare ammo in a shirt pocket too.
The driver I used to remove the S&W stocks – what ever happened to conventional slotted screws? – came from the Real Avid Smart Drive 90 set. It’s a tool set necessary in this day of variety in fasteners.
The holster is the DeSantis Dual Angle Hunter #016, a traditional thumb snap strap holster for revolvers. The “Dual Angle” aspect means that you can wear it on the “strong” side – where your gun hand is – or, perhaps more appropriately if you’re wearing the S&W M648 on a farm or ranch in the truck, tractor or ATV, on the “weak” side – cross-draw. That’s my preference for longer revolvers when we’re vehicle-borne.
All-in-all, the S&W Model 648 is shaping up to be a great utility and field revolver. My preference would be a four-inch barrel – I can almost hear the sighing in Springfield, Mass. from here – but the longer barrel does give more velocity and it’s better shooting for most revolver types.
- - Rich Grassi