52-2

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huthike

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I need another 52 - no - but I want one. Spotted this late 52-2, serial number TZN range, likely 1993 - last year of production. Okay, my other 52-2 is an early A prefix, so...

My photography skills do not do justice to the great shape the gun is in - deep blue finish with little wear, and the barrel almost looks new.

Grips and grip screws are worn, but that is an easy fix. I love wood, but am thinking of imitation ivory to set off that deep blue.

1150, with tax title and license out the door a little north of 1300. I'm happy.
 

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huthike said:
I need another 52 - no - but I want one. Spotted this late 52-2, serial number TZN range, likely 1993 - last year of production. Okay, my other 52-2 is an early A prefix, so...

My photography skills do not do justice to the great shape the gun is in - deep blue finish with little wear, and the barrel almost looks new.

Grips and grip screws are worn, but that is an easy fix. I love wood, but am thinking of imitation ivory to set off that deep blue.

1150, with tax title and license out the door a little north of 1300. I'm happy.
Click to expand...

Congratulations! You did very well! I'm sure you would have been hard pressed to find any disagreement among the influencers and enablers that frequent this forum! :D
 
You got a literal steal on that pistol and mags. Just the magazines alone are worth $500.00 without batting an eye. In my area that package is worth $1700 to $1900 easy....if not more to an "interested party". Now the big question, how does it shoot?????

Rick H.
 
I’ve mentioned this in scattered 52 threads but your pistol with that serial prefix is almost surely one of the one finished by the then-brand newly formed Performance Center crew.

Mine is a TZT-prefix and it has an odd non-feature in that they did not cut the counterweight accessory rail in to the frame like every other 52-1/52-2 as we know them.

I have not ever seen another. I look at your picture and wonder if yours is like mine! I can’t tell even though you snapped a decent picture.

My theory is that some certain part of the manufacturing process was not cooperating with them when they milled the frame. I say this because S&W has repeatedly published that they ended production of the 52-2 not due to lackluster sales and not due to its not-so-popular choice for competition use, but to “worn out tooling.” They claim the 52 was simply ended rather than expensive tooling updated.

It is also relevant that S&W had long quit making and offering an accessory counter weight for the 52 by 1993.

On my pistol… there is zero evidence of this rail. It wasn’t cut shallow or halfway, it’s simply not there and was never done.
 
Wow, that’s excellent so there is more than just my one! :D
 
Another interesting little tid-bit on the slot for the counter-weight. I have owned several Model 52-2's and now I am down to 2 left. One is at Clark for a new barrel and bushing and the other here at home has already had the Clark barrel and bushing installed. The one that I have at home has struck me odd a few times in that it does not have the small dimple in the dustcover for the counter-weight set screw. I have owned about 6 or 7 total M-52-2's and this one is the only one I have owned that doesn't have a counter-weight set screw dimple. I thought at first this was just an error by the factory, but now I wonder if they didn't bother with the dimple as long as they weren't cutting the rail for the counter-weight. I really don't care for the counter-weight anyway as the pistol is heavy enough for me and on one of my 52's the counter-weight set screw loosened up and narfed the dustcover a little bit. So perhaps this answers the question of no dimple for me. The dimple-less pistol serial number is TZN-714X.

Rick H
 
I have yearned for a Model 52 for a long time. I have thousands of rounds of .38 Special wadcutter loads, both new and handloaded, that I have been shooting in my S&W Model 66s and 686s but I would really like a Model 52. Do I need one? Of course not but you know how contagious S&Ws are...

Ed
 
Most assuredly anyone that appreciates finely made semi-auto pistols should own at least one Model 52. They are one of those firearms that you don't even have to shoot to appreciate and there aren't many production guns like that. Of course the real fun of a Model 52 comes on the range. My romance with these pistols started a long time ago and every time I pick one up that romance starts all over again. Even if you are a revolver type of guy handling and shooting a 52 will take you back in time to when craftsmanship was the rule of the day at Smith and Wesson and quality reigned supreme. Not at all like today unfortunately. My two remaining Model 52's will be with me to the end and would be the very last pistols I would sell even if I could only shoot store bought ammo. Fortunately I reload for these pistols which just enhances the ownership experience.

Rick H.
 
Rick H. said:
Most assuredly anyone that appreciates finely made semi-auto pistols should own at least one Model 52. They are one of those firearms that you don't even have to shoot to appreciate and there aren't many production guns like that. Of course the real fun of a Model 52 comes on the range. My romance with these pistols started a long time ago and every time I pick one up that romance starts all over again. Even if you are a revolver type of guy handling and shooting a 52 will take you back in time to when craftsmanship was the rule of the day at Smith and Wesson and quality reigned supreme. Not at all like today unfortunately. My two remaining Model 52's will be with me to the end and would be the very last pistols I would sell even if I could only shoot store bought ammo. Fortunately I reload for these pistols which just enhances the ownership experience.

Rick H.
Click to expand...
My sentiments exactly. Could not say it better myself.
 
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