winchester model 52

[HARDWARE]

got this last weekend. a 1934 model 52. I believe this would be known as a "pre model A"

it has a lyman super targetspot 15X scope.

it also features an uncommon nickel steel 28'' heavy target barrel.

[italiansport]

These are the epitome of Winchester craftmanship and unrivaled as target rifles. Great find!
Jim

[Big Cholla]

Congratulations, it looks in wonderful shape. I owned and shot a M 52A during HS rifle team matches and then shot a M 52C during my three years on my college rifle team. Two things; It was designed to shoot best with standard velocity lead bullets and the Lyman Super Target Spot is much younger in age than the rifle. That scope is very collectible.

Match regulations call for a 3 lb. trigger pull, but if you are only shooting for your own enjoyment the trigger can be taken down just a little more. The later redesigned trigger for the M 52C can be fitted and it is a much better trigger.

I no longer own a Winchester M 52. I'm rearranging the 'stuff' in my workshop storage area and found one more five shot magazine for the early M 52s. If you would like to have it PM me with your mailing address and it will be on its way to you. ...........karma to a fellow Winchester M 52 rifleman. .........

[HARDWARE]

thank guys. you can see that the stock was patched where its inlet for a peep sight. if I recall correctly the lyman scope wasn't introduced until the 40's. the quality is quite impressive and the dot is so fine that its capable of very precise shot placement.

[HARDWARE]

actually you cant see because I neglected to post that pic

[tpole]

Good grab.

Shot it's younger brother--a Winchester 52D--for years in three position smallbore competition. Superb rifle.

Enjoy.

twb

[jack the toad]

Congrats on the 52, nice looking gun. Let us know how it performs and what ammo you used.
Years ago, I had both a Win. 52 and Anschutz 54. Both were fantastic shooters.

[29aholic]

I own and have owned several more 52's. I have an early 4-digit pre-A with the cock on the close firing pin and the Krag style stock. It has a 15x Fecker on it. It will agg. in the 4's at 100yds.

I have two true 52 Bull guns both have basically identical 15x Unertl varmint scopes on them. One is a B and one is a C. Havent shot them much at 100, but they will easily shoot sub 1/4" groups at 50 and often well into the 1's

[Big Cholla]

As mentioned I shot in four position competition with a M 52A and later a M 52C. I wanted a M 52D so much I couldn't hardly watch the guys who had one to shoot. Later in life while shooting Benchrest, I wanted to branch out into rimfire benchrest. I bought a Anschutz 54, put it in a benchrest stock and did fair with it. So, I bought a M 52D and wouldn't you know previous owners had worn out the barrel cleaning with abrasive rods from the muzzle. I then bought two Kimber M 82Gs from the DCM and found one of them would out shoot the Anschutz and the Winchester after a benchrest trigger modification on the 'G'.

22 LR Benchrest Competition is a very challenging sport! ........

[Bastogne71]

According to Houze's "The Winchester Model 52" your rifle was manufactured on May 20th 1932 (SN 27967 to 28081). It is a pre A SpeedLock with a Lyman 82A rear and a 17A front sight and the standard 28" barrel. Looks to be in original unaltered condition which is unusual as most competitors did customize theirs to some degree or another. Very good find!

[HARDWARE]

thanks for the detailed info. I had intended to purchase that book until I saw the price. I dated the gun using an internet resource that is apparently suspect.

[DWalt]

I used a Heavy Barrel Winchester 52B (ca. 1947) as a competitive shooter throughout my high school and college years, and still have it. For several years after college, I coached a junior rifle team, and allowed the best shooters to use it as a special treat. It hasn't been used much for the past 25 years, but I do occasionally take it out and use it as a 50 yard bench rest rifle, as I can no longer shoot the typical positions. It has a pre-WWII Unertl 10x 1-1/4" scope (which I seldom used, as most of my shooting was at 50'), and also a Marble-Goss match peep sight. It was easily capable of shooting 100x100 on the 50 foot A-36 smallbore target, and did so many times in the prone position. I'm at the point where I am thinking about letting someone else become the new owner.

[Big Cholla]

HARDWARE: I must extend my apology. I looked and looked today for that M 52 magazine. I had about given up when I found what I had assumed for several years to be said magazine. In cleaning it up it just didn't 'feel' like my Win. 52 mags did. So, I walked across the street to my fellow gunny neighbor and asked if he still owned a Win. M 52. He did have a M 52A in his collection of 22 LR target rifles. My magazine didn't fit. He looked it over and then suggested we try the Mossberg Target rifle. It fit. So, I don't have a good one to send to you.....and he is ahead one unexpected magazine.

How about instead I send you 25 targets for 22 LR Benchrest Competition? That I have........... Sorry, I should learn to have what ever I'm giving away in hand before offering. ........ :-(

[Frank46]

I've a 52B made in 1946 same as me. Great 22 target rifle, you will enjoy shooting it. Thanks for sharing. Frank

[CptCurl]

I also am a lover of the Winchester 52. My preference is the 52C. To me it was the pinnacle of production in that it had the Micro-Motion trigger and was the last repeater. Some say the trigger improved somewhat with the 52D and 52E. Some years ago I had a NIB 52E (my first 52). If the trigger was superior than a 52C trigger it would take careful analytical testing to show it.

Here's a look at one of my 52C rifles at the range last fall:



And a 50 yard five-shot group I shot with it that day:



Curl

[6518John]

One could shoot a squirrel's eye out with that thing!

[CptCurl]

Sometimes I shoot with a Unertl 15x Ultra Varmint, but I find the iron sights much more enjoyable. Here's one of my rifles decked out with the 2" Unertl:



I have two of these 52C rifles, both pristine and both identical. Why two? Nuts, I guess. About a year ago I very nearly bought a third one. Can't control myself.

Curl

[HARDWARE]

Originally Posted by Big Cholla

HARDWARE: I must extend my apology. I looked and looked today for that M 52 magazine. I had about given up when I found what I had assumed for several years to be said magazine. In cleaning it up it just didn't 'feel' like my Win. 52 mags did. So, I walked across the street to my fellow gunny neighbor and asked if he still owned a Win. M 52. He did have a M 52A in his collection of 22 LR target rifles. My magazine didn't fit. He looked it over and then suggested we try the Mossberg Target rifle. It fit. So, I don't have a good one to send to you.....and he is ahead one unexpected magazine.

How about instead I send you 25 targets for 22 LR Benchrest
Competition? That I have........... Sorry, I should learn to have what ever I'm giving away in hand before offering. ........ :-(

That's okay. Don't worry about it. I was moved by the kind gesture. I've got a couple repros on the way from brownells.

[Redcoat3340]

Like many others here I shot a 52D in high school, college, and on an American Legion post-sponsored junior team...Long Island, NY; USMMA at Kings Point, and throughout northeast in junior smallbore team matches back in the '60's and early 70's.

We restocked it with an international thumb-hole stock, then wrapped at least five or six pounds + of lead solder wire around the bull barrel; poured a bunch of molten lead into a hollow-out we drilled in the stock; and then taped two lead ingots in front of the butt plate and used some lag bolts and more electrician's tape to keep it in place.

In retrospect, the gun looked like chit (we never really refinished the stock...it was raw wood with just a bit of some sort of oil)...and went 11 or 12 pounds at least. But boy, could she shoot; and holding it up for offhand was great exercise.

I miss those days. We would go hunting upstate NY, taking a public bus and the Long Island Railroad to the Port Authority in NY City and then a bus upstate. All with rifles in cloth cases. Never heard a word or got questioned by anyone.

[tndrfttom]

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to stumble on a Model 52B Sporter. The receiver had been drilled and tapped and had an old Weaver J4 scope mounted and the front sight had been replaced with a Lyman globe front sight. When I checked the serial number it was only about 557 off the serial number on my Model 52B Bull Barrel target rifle. The Sporter is a joy to shoot!

[H Richard]

I learned to shot on a 52, the High School range had quite a variety of B,C, and D models. When my son shot on the H.S team, I got him an Anschutz 1403 for competition, and later I put a Unertle 20X Mod 1 1/2 target scope on it for 100 yard prone matches. With match ammo 1/4" groups at 100 yds were very common. My son and Grandson are now the caretakers of it.

[BlackAgnes]

Your fine rifle does NOT look as though it has the "Crack of Doom" on the left hand locking lug. These cracks are usually attributed to the use of the safety. Most 52 guys recommend minimal, if any, application of the safety on these pre-A guns.

Lots of info on them over at the Rimfire Central forum.

[HARDWARE]

thanks for mentioning the crack of doom. i subsequently learned of it on rimfire central. fortunately the shooting i did beforehand never required the use of the safety.

[Ed Fowler]

Beautiful rifles all! Love that indoor firing position, was going to make one but did not get around to it. I dearly love my 2 Mod 52-c rifles. It is interesting that others find shooting the peep sights kind of special, just figured that out myself again this summer.

Thanks for sharing!

[Cyrano]

I've never shot a 52 target rifle, but I sure like my 52C sporter. Definitely more accurate than I can hold with the Lyman 48.

[moosedog]

Nice 52. I've got a 75 Target and a 75 Sporter, and for some reason can shoot the Sporter better. Go figure.

[RobertJ.]

Nice rifles, everyone!

The 52 is a "grail gun" for me. Someday, I'll be at the right place at the right time!

[kevin in nh]

52 Pre-A beautiful wood and a great trigger
I also have a 52B heavy barrel....there is a reason they are the
"King of the 22s"

[PALADIN85020]

Originally Posted by Big Cholla

HARDWARE: I must extend my apology. I looked and looked today for that M 52 magazine. I had about given up when I found what I had assumed for several years to be said magazine. In cleaning it up it just didn't 'feel' like my Win. 52 mags did. So, I walked across the street to my fellow gunny neighbor and asked if he still owned a Win. M 52. He did have a M 52A in his collection of 22 LR target rifles. My magazine didn't fit. He looked it over and then suggested we try the Mossberg Target rifle. It fit. So, I don't have a good one to send to you.....and he is ahead one unexpected magazine.

How about instead I send you 25 targets for 22 LR Benchrest Competition? That I have........... Sorry, I should learn to have what ever I'm giving away in hand before offering. ........ :-(

My understanding is that the magazines and single-loading adapters made by Winchester (and reproductions marked "W") for the Models 69, 69A, 75 and 75 sporter should also work in the Model 52. I have tried them in all but the 52, which I regretfully do not have.

John



Left to right: single-loading adapter, .22 short mag, standard mag, 10-round mag.