I had posted earlier about buying a Winchester 52 sporter and finally found one that is for sale. It is
in excellent original condition and is a B model. It has been drilled on top for scope bases and I was told
this can adversely affect the value. About how much should one deduct for this alteration on such a gun if
it was not done at the factory?

I had posted earlier about buying a Winchester 52 sporter and finally found one that is for sale. It is
in excellent original condition and is a B model. It has been drilled on top for scope bases and I was told
this can adversely affect the value. About how much should one deduct for this alteration on such a gun if
it was not done at the factory?

I'm not a 52 expert by any means, but I would think drilling would decrease the value by probably 40%-50%. How much is the fellow asking for it?

I doubt the reduction would be that much. Sporters are highly sought after. If the D/T is competently done maybe $100.00.

__________________
Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

local shop had one a couple of days ago,, if I remember correct think he had it marked at $599.00

It must have been one of the Browning re-pops, it certainly wasn't an original sporter at anywhere near that price, drilled or not.

$3500.00 OTD

Sounds a bit high to me, but, as I said, I'm not that up on the 52 values. I imagine S&WChad will have a better handle on the value than me, hopefully he'll chime in.

I'd say a drilled Sporter is worth $2000-$2500. An original gun that hasn't been altered is worth $4000-$5000, so a 50% discount is right on. Check out GB completed listings. I'll be back (gotta go to a show)!

__________________
"I also cook."

I have owned several 52 Sporters, from an unfired pre-A to 4-5 B models. I agree with s&w chad that the asking price is 1K too high. I purchased a B model with a Griffin & Howe mount several years ago for $1100.00 and a B model that had been tapped on top of the receiver for $1395.00. Prices have risen since then and I suspect that $2500.00 is about what they're bringing now.

I have been looking at what I believe to be a Sporter at a local Cabela's store, they think it's a cut-down Target model. There are several articles online if you search describing the rifles differences.

I agree with the %50 decrease in value. $2500 for it still seems high to me, but with the way those things are going, it might be right.

If you are serious about purchasing a 52 sporter, get the Winchester 52 book. There is lots of information about the 52 sporter and great pictures. I have never seen a cut down target 52 that in any way resembled a legitimate 52 sporter.

I do have that book and it is very informative on this gun. I too agree that the price seems steep
for a .22 bolt. However, I have only seen maybe 1-2 of them at gunshows. I guess this is my "holy
grail" gun, but don't want to overpay. I may keep looking, one might turn up somewhere. Thanks!

my shooting buddy has a 52 sporter that belonged to C lark G a ble (documented, bought from his estate)

check GB for current and completed auctions

I believe there's a Collector Grade book on the 52, if you want to do some serious research before you put down some money.

Sorry my original post should have said $1000.00, not $100.00. But even that was wrong. Looking on the auction sights I see 52b's for as much as $7000.00 but a d/t'd on in nice condition is only $2500.00.

__________________
Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

The rifle has the short, light barrel, left side safety, and a sporter stock that is refinished. The refinisher did not remove the old brown stain around the magazine release. It has a replacement front sight, and the style of barrel that is cut off flush. So they think it is a cut down barrel. Several sites have mentioned fake Sporters made from target rifles. None of this is relevant to the OP's post. Sorry.

Yes, I remember reading somewhere that Clark Gable did own a 52 Sporter and it had been auctioned
off. Now that would be a piece of history. Was it an A,B, etc? Also, was it in good condition?

A 52 Sporter was for many years my "Holy Grail" rifle, I acquired the unfired pre A model from a classified wanted ad in Shotgun News. This was in the late '70's, even way back then they were not much seen at gunshows. The pre A 52 Sporter had a Jack O'Connor connection and was one of the more interesting Sporters that i've owned. Of all the Sporters I've owned, only two were purchased at gunshows and I've been actively pursuing them since the mid '70's. Nowadays a wanted ad is the way to go, it will save you lots and lots of legwork.

Here’s some photos that may help if you’re considering buying one.

The only thing “wrong” (as far as I know) is the Lyman globe front sight and I have the correct gold bead sight for it. I’ve been meaning to take some pictures, so this was a great excuse!

For a premium gun, I don’t know what Winchester was thinking putting a cheesy stamped trigger guard on it.

__________________
"I also cook."

The rifle I'm looking at has alot of similarities to yours. Your is beautiful! There are some differences in the checkering and no Monte Carlo cheek piece. If I'm correct, the left side safety puts it at or around 1935. The bluing has honest wear to it, but the front sight has been recently replaced with one the style of yours. I'm looking for something different to take to the range, and If it was not a real Sporter I would not be that disappointed. Cabela's is asking $650 for it after bargaining it down. And the reason I still have not bought it is because that seems a lot for as they call it "a cut down and refinished target rifle".

i have held the C l ark G a ble sporter, i beleive it is a B as that is what my buddy calls it. i have not shot it. it looks very similar to the one in the fotos posted in this thread.

apparently G a ble was quite a gun enthusiast.

That is a mighty nice 52 that Chad has. Chad, did you find that at a show or from Gun List, etc?
I would really like to find one in condition similar to that one?

There is a 52 B sporter for sale on Cal Guns now for $2750.00.

I guess I really missed out then as I saw two untapped and original sporters just a couple of years ago for $2,400 each.

Nothing compares to an original pre war 52 Sporter.

<STRIKE>I found it</STRIKE> It found me at a show. I take the “I'll know it when I see it” approach to buying. It only took 30 years to find the right 52 Sporter!

I couldn't view the photos on Cal Guns, but the recoil pad hurts the value as much as the holes in the receiver (the stock has lost a lot of its value too). Alterations are a big deal, unless someone like G&H did the work. Study up and learn as much as you can before you spend big bucks on a Winchester. If you don't know what you're doing, a reputable dealer can keep you from buying a bad gun, but you'll pay a premium for that service. I have more fun finding them on my own.

__________________
"I also cook."

I'm sure I'll know it when I see it. Best chance I had at one was a fellow who I sold a gun
to some years ago. He mentioned he had one and I was curious as to what it looked like. I
stopped at his house and he showed it to me. It looked like it was in perfect condition except
he had put a scope on it. Very nice gun. Not sure what series. He passed away a few years ago
and I stopped to ask his wife about the guns. Seems the lawyer had taken them and sold them off
for little or nothing. She wasn't happy with him. I don't know to whom or where the guns went, but
I'd sure like to find out.

Beautiful 52, Chad.

I believe the serial number dates the receiver to late 1939, Chad do you have an idea of when it was actually shipped?

Model 52's are like S&W's, receivers were built and numbered before assembling them into rifles....that is a great rifle bar none.

Great looking 52! Did those come with a 'Winchester' marked sling,,or were those marked slings later merchandise from W?

I looked at a 'carbine' length barreled 52 sporter recently. I admit to knowing little of these other than what I read but I don't recall any carbines. Winchester would make most anything the customer wanted so I guess it's not an impossibility,,but there was no 'letter' included with the 5 figure price tag. Even then I'd want my own verification through Cody before any $$ was exchanged.

The Cody Firearms Museum only has the Winchester warehouse ledgers up to about 1906. They also have most of the Model 21 records, but that's about it. As far as I know, no factory specifics are available for Model 52's. The information I've seen puts the serial number 582XX around 1947.

The sling that came with The 52 is not marked and it‘s substantially different from the marked sling I have, so I don’t know if it’s original. I do believe the Winchester marked slings are later.

__________________
"I also cook."

Thanks for the info and great pics! Congrats on a beautiful Sporter.

I thought the marked slings were later,,maybe 60's,,so goes one story I was told.
They show up once in a while at shows on the 'pile of slings for sale' tables for a resonable price if the markings are un-noticed.

I didn't know later records weren't available from Cody on anything but the 21's. That'd be a big leap at that 52 Sporter Carbine w/no supporting documentation, knowing what is done to some of these guns lately.

I would be extremely suspicious of a "carbine length" sporter. The front sight ramp is forged integral with the barrel, if it is not the case with the "carbine length" sporters barrel then it is obviously a fake. In over thirty years of buying and selling 52 sporters, I have never seen a legitimate gun with a "carbine length" barrel. Caveat emptore in this situation for sure.

Yes, I,too, would be very careful about a carbine length Sporter. Have never seen one at all. Does anyone know
if Winchester drilled and tapped any of the pre-A, A, or B Sporters? The more I read I find that they would
do about anything the customer wanted if reasonable. So, who's to say that these guns were or were not drilled
at the factory or made into carbines? Thoughts??

Yup.

I just sold a Model 52, 1930 birthdate for $800. It was a std model, but had a hooked butt plate and a removeable palm rest. Good metal, too. (90-95% blue), one small ding where the rear sight is dovetailed to the reciever. A shame they hacked the stock for the hooked butt plate though. Nice shooter! I can buy it back for the same price if needed.

__________________
PETER HOVIND

Drill & tap for scope mounts would be more plausible, I believe my B model with the Griffin & Howe mount was special ordered that way. Making a carbine barrel would involve making a shorter barrel with the sight ramp forged and barrel roll markings located to suit. IMHO rather unlikely, too much trouble for forgers/fakers too. Could the poster who has encountered the 52 with the supposed "carbine length" barrel post a picture? A photo of the muzzle end/sight ramp would solve any legitimacy question I'm certain.

Assume any drilling was done outside the factory, it's much safer that way. Griffin & Howe is an entirely different story. Holes are a lot like a recoil pad on a Model 71. You just can't prove it's factory, so the assumption is it's been added. It took a fair amount of time and money up front to place a special order. Most customers preferred to choose a gun off the shelf and have their gunsmith do the minor modifications. Collectors don’t like doubts when they’re digging deep.

I've never heard of a 52 Sporter carbine, but they could exist. A close examination of the ramp, the polish and the markings should tell the story.

__________________
"I also cook."

After looking at the rifle I was interested in it was noticed that the front sight was dovetailed in, so I guess that one is a fake. It also did not say Sporter between the trigger guard and the magazine. Neither of these things were mentioned in the research I did on the rifle. It had the Sporter length barrel 24".

This might not be answerable, but would there be any way to tell if the drilling and tapping done
on one of these rifles is original factory work or by one's gunsmith? I read in Houze's book on
page 150 that the Sporters were D/T as standard in 1953 beginning with the "C" series. However,
it also said Winchester offered this as a special order feature prior to this date. So, how can
we be sure?