This Smith & Wesson Model 648 is the latest entry in my “One from the safe” series. This .22 WMR (Winchester Magnum Rimfire) revolver is the companion to my S&W 617, which is the .22 LR version. They’re not quite twins, but pretty close. Holding just 8 rounds to the 617’s ten, it’s pretty much the same revolver chambered in a more powerful rimfire round.
Another K-Frame Rimfire Revolver
Building on more than a century of production, the K-Frame is a big heavy revolver. It was initially intended for the .38 S&W Special, and first introduced in 1899. Despite being chambered in a rimfire round now, it still sports a full underlug. Looking at it alongside a .357 Magnum, the only real giveaway is the cylinder, and then the bore.
Smith & Wesson Model 648 Specs
Coming in at 46.6 ounces, it’s a bit heavier than the 617. All that weight is due to the stainless steel construction of the frame, cylinder, and 6″ barrel. No plastic here, although it did come with some hard rubber grips which were swapped for Hogue grips, to match my other revolvers. Width (1.45 inches), height (5.85 inches), and overall length (11.1 inches) match the 617. Having matching specs may not be important to most people, but I only need one holster for my three K-Frame revolvers. Ignoring how much the trio actually cost, that tiny savings helps me sleep at night.
Like the 617, the S&W 648 includes a Patridge front sight, and adjustable rear sight. They’re finished in a matte black to reduce glare. Further glare reduction is provided by a matte finish on the top of the barrel. Almost the entire length of the 7-1/8″ sight radius has grooves which contribute to keeping your sight picture undisturbed in bright light. While this is a highly functional design feature, it’s also aesthetically pleasing.
It’s the details of the Smith & Wesson Model 648 that get me every time
Collecting stainless Smith & Wesson revolvers happened mostly by accident. I treated myself to the 617 first, when I was at a point in life where I could afford one without having to eat ramen noodles for months. Everything about it impressed me – the look of satin stainless, its fluted cylinder, and the precise machine work on parts like the hammer and cylinder release. While a deeply blued revolver always catches the eye, stainless has an equal amount of appeal. More than just a fantastic fingerprint magnet, stainless steel gives a modern vibe to the old-school revolver look.
Up close, the details have an almost Art Deco quality. Different textures adorn that hammer and cylinder release. Opening the cylinder, the ejector, which runs so smoothly, has even finer machining at the end. Snap the cylinder shut, and everything locks up tight. There’s the smallest of gaps at the back, with the forcing cone leaving the tiniest bit of light visible between it and the front of the cylinder. As long as I can ignore the hole for the lock above the cylinder release, it’s visually perfect in my eyes.
How’s that single/double action trigger?
While shooting double action, the trigger crosses two ZIP codes and feels like it’s at least ten pounds (it’s actually 11, I checked). Single action is light and crisp at about 4 pounds, making it a little easier to stay on target. Using this revolver is a great way to build some muscle memory for my .357 Magnum K-Frame. Sure, I could get the same trigger time with the 617 for much less ammo cost. But collecting stainless S&W revolvers is a passion project, not one with any sensible motivations.
Range Time with the Smith & Wesson Model 648
Shooting the 617 because it’s cheap fun makes sense. Shooting the S&W 648 just for fun makes less sense. There’s no “Cheap” .22 WMR ammo out there. Most of the CCi and Hornady ammo costs more than 9mm range ammo. Buying in bulk still doesn’t bring the price down. So the swing-out cylinder which slows reloads is a bonus on range days. It’s not that I’m stingy with ammo, but I’m mostly just turning money into noise when I shoot this revolver. Yet it’s somewhat less expensive to shoot than my .357, and has less recoil.
Once you get past the cost, this is a great revolver for steel targets, over-ripe fruit, or even small game hunting at reasonable distances. Based on my experience, hitting a 4″ steel target regularly at 25 yards is not terribly difficult. Sending a golf ball into orbit, or vaporizing crabapples at closer distances is equally satisfying. On one hot summer day, I shot at what I thought was an abandoned two-liter soda bottle filled with water. Spraying cheap lemon-lime flavored corn syrup in a giant semi-circle, I’m glad I took the shot at 40 yards, and not closer.
.22 WMR ballistics
A 40 grain CCi round has a muzzle velocity of 1875 FPS, and the 30 grain Hornady V-Max runs 2200 FPS. That works out to 312 or 322 ft lbs of energy, respectively. You’re getting well over double the energy of .22 LR, and not too far off 9mm energy, from a round so diminutive that a box of 50 fits in your front pocket. Except that out of the S&W 648 6″ revolver, it’s probably considerably lower. Still, the magnum round easily trumps its long rifle brother. Something to keep in mind if you’re taking small game with this revolver.
Conclusion
Current MSRP for the S&W 648 is $879, with actual retail being about $50 less. That’s not exactly inexpensive, nor is the ammo. Though like most revolvers in this price range, it’s built to last. Cleaning the cylinder sucks, but it’s 20% less effort than cleaning the 617. It may sound like I’m suggesting that there’s no reason to buy one. That’s not true though. There’s no compelling reason to get one, other than because you want one. And if you’ve got the money to buy one and shoot it regularly, I highly recommend adding one to your collection. I don’t think I missed any details, but if I did, head over to the Smith & Wesson website for more info.