A Different Kind Of Model 52 Target Gun

[Fishinfool]

The Winchester version, that is.

Lately I have been obsessed with placing .22 rimfire bullets in small holes at long distances. I have several modern rifles that will do the job, with a CZ 457 getting the most trigger time. But, I always had a soft spot for the older stuff, and regret never having owned a Winchester 52, THE target rifle of the day.....

Attended one heck of a estate gun auction today - 285 blued steel and walnut guns from one old timers collection. And literally tons of ammo and accessories. One of the better auctions I have stumbled into.

Long story short, up comes a Winchester 52 target rifle. Bidding stalls at $475, so it's mine for $500.

Very clean, 28 inch heavy barrel, mint looking bore, sling, handstop, scope bases, adjustable aluminum butt pad. No rear aperture sight, which is fine with me as I plan to mount a scope on this gun. 1931 date of birth. This gun is a long time itch finally scratched. Cant wait to hit the range. Some poor cell phone pics attached.

Larry

https://smith-wessonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=663975&d=1705797344

 

[Muley Gil]

I shot one as a Marine midshipman on a Navy/Marine ROTC rifle team, though I usually had a Remington.

 

[DWalt]

I had a 52B I used through high school, college, and for some time afterward. It was somewhat more tricked out than yours with a Marble target peep rear sight and a B&M front sight, plus a Unertl 10x target scope. I reluctantly sold it for $1500 three years ago as I finally accepted the fact that I was never going to use it again. A sad day for me.

 

[Fishinfool]

I had a 52B I used through high school, college, and for some time afterward. It was somewhat more tricked out than yours with a Marble target peep rear sight and a B&M front sight, plus a Unertl 10x target scope. I reluctantly sold it for $1500 three years ago as I finally accepted the fact that I was never going to use it again. A sad day for me.

Sounds like a sweet rifle. My back is too messed up for positional rifle shooting anymore, but I do enjoy 50 and 100 yard rimfire from the bench. The lack of the original rear target sight probably helped keep the auction price down (I see just the original target rear sight alone going for $300 plus on ebay). I plan to mount a modern scope using the barrel mounting blocks via an adaptor by EGW, then seeing what she will do from the bench with good ammo.

Larry

 

[AJ]

What is the S/N? That will tell us what model it is. Great target rifles with both irons and scopes. I have had about 20 different models of the 52. My favorite is a 52D. Looks as if you will need sights, either a barrel mount scope or irons.

 

[dave1918a2]

The one I have is from 1933. it has the rear sight and shoots better than I can. Don't know how to put cell phone photos on here.

 

[RetCapt]

I am at the opposite end on Model 52s. I have a 90s Winchester 52 Sporter made by Miroku. It was the only version I could afford at the time, or at least that was my impression then.

I started to break it in, which then would have been followed by ammo testing to find out what it likes. Then to find out how it groups. Unfortunately VFD responsibilities and fly fishing got in the way, so that never really got going.

What I can say is that Miroku produces firearms that exemplify craftsmanship. Anyone who has seen this rifle is immediately impressed with the fit and finish.

Some say this version cannot match the original sporters in grouping ability. Others say they can and use them successfully in competition. I can't say. The biggest obstacle, besides time, is finding out which ammo it likes.

In the late 90s I completely reworked a Ruger 77/22 using Volquartsen parts. When I got done with it, it was/is a great grouper, well under MOA at 50 yards using high quality, but not the most costly, target ammo. What gave me a leg up in testing was reading some comparison tests of customized 10/22 rifles, including Volquartsen. Each test listed the ammo used and how it grouped in each rifle. At the time Federal Gold Medal would group a Volquartsen 10/22 barrel <MOA at 50 yards. It was not the tightest grouping ammo, but it hit the sweet spot of sub MOA grouping at the lowest price.

Given the quality of Volquartsen barrels, which should yield consistency, I figured that Federal Gold Medal would work in my barrel. It did, and I got the results I was seeking. Assumedly then the even more costly higher end target ammo would group even tighter, but I never took it that far.

Having no such baseline for ammo testing in the 52, it would be quite an undertaking to make the same determination for my 52, so I just never got to it.

But that rifle is just too beautiful to let it go, even though they are now selling for well over what I paid for it.

Model 52s are classics.

 

[Fishinfool]

AJ - #2365*. 1931 manufacture. Has the globe front, no rear. "EGW" makes a mount that attaches to the barrel mounting blocks allowing the use of a modern short tubed scope.

RetCapt - Those Miroku made 52's are beautiful guns. One of those, in either Browning or Winchester version are on my short list. Seen a Browning version last year at a show for $800. Should have bought it... I have read they are shooters. Original 52 sporters bring crazy money.

Larry

 

[DWalt]

A little off topic, but Miroku also made shotguns and revolvers of high quality. A posting of mine about my Miroku .38 revolver from long ago. Miroku .38 Special Revolver Revisited

 

[AJ]

Can the Miroku shoot like this? This is five shots and the coin is a 1912 Nickel.

 

[diyj98]

Can the Miroku shoot like this? This is five shots and the coin is a 1912 Nickel.

I'd say there's a good chance the Miroku will shoot average groups just as tight as the original Winchester.

 

[rockquarry]

I'd say there's a good chance the Miroku will shoot average groups just as tight as the original Winchester.

I'm not a competitor, but I bought two new Miroku 52 sporters about twenty five years ago. They shoot very well. I prefer CCI SV, but even some of the cheap bulk ammo will do surprisingly well in these guns.

 

[AJ]

I'd say there's a good chance the Miroku will shoot average groups just as tight as the original Winchester.

I'm not a competitor, but I bought two new Miroku 52 sporters about twenty five years ago. They shoot very well. I prefer CCI SV, but even some of the cheap bulk ammo will do surprisingly well in these guns.

Get them out, try them out and post the results.... I am not a competitor either, just a shooter.

 

[BB57]

I don’t discriminate.

I have a Model 52 unmarked A.

These are typical prone position groups with mid grade ammunition (SK Std Plus, with the occasional, 2 per box of 50, fliers typical of SK Std Plus).

It might well shoot a lot better with different, and or higher end match ammo, but I also think a 1930s Model 52A or pre A is a better fit with US military training rifles like the Springfield M1 or M2, the Remington 513T or Mossberg 44US.

On average my Anschutz 64 Match shoots better in a slung prone position, but then again I restocked it to fit me better, and it has modern diopter sights.

I also have three of the Miroku made Model 52 sporters, two of the Winchester marked “52B” sporters and a Browning marked “52C” sporter.

They are all pretty consistent 1.25 MOA five shot group rifles at 100 yards with the same SK Std Plus.

But…if you want to cherry pick groups then here’s a 1/2 MOA 100 yard five shot group with one of my Miroku Model 52B sporters.

 

[DWalt]

All the competitive shooting I did over quite a few years (mostly indoor 50' gallery, 4 position) was with using either Remington or CCI SV with iron sights. At that distance, the more expensive target ammunition labels such as Lapua and Eley didn't offer any scoring advantage. Even normal high velocity .22 ammunition worked fairly well in a pinch. The only verifiably bad ammunition I remember trying was some Federal SV.

 

[2152hq]

Looks like a Pre-A w/a Speed Lock Bolt.
Nice early rifle. pre-1935
Speed Lock came around in 1929 IIRC.

Non-Speed Lock rifles had the '03 Springfield style of cocking piece.
Speedlocks have the small end cap shroud on the cocking piece.

The Pre-A rifles are sometimes found with the small crack in the recv'r where the Safety pivots. Usually on the Non-Speed Lock rifles.
It was a design flaw, a simple 90* sharp corner in the machining of the frame and the stress placed on it by the Safety Arm as the bolt was placed in the Safe position.

That was corrected with the 'A' series Model 52 starting in 1935.
The sharp corner removed and extra steel allowed in the latch area.

The crack doesn't effect shooting abilities of the rifle. Most users just don't use the Safety anymore! It's a Target rifle after all .
The small crack can be micro or TIG welded and many have had them repaired this way.
Lots of info on this 'crack' on the early 52's on the Net.
It's more of a collectors issue than a shooters.

I have an early Pre-A that someone converted to a Speedlock (aftermarket) by shortening the sear engagement point on the striker.
It doesn't have the 'crack' in the recv'r.
But inspite of their Speedlock conversion and extremely short striker fall,, the striker could still be pulled that far rearward to engage the Safety.
So I replaced the orig mainspring and put a limiting rod inside the new mainspring itself so the striker can only be pulled just past the point needed to cock the rifle.
That makes using the Safety impossible, can't crack it...
Plus the bolt manipulation is much smother now with a better mainspring in place. and 100% reliable
It's a parts gun but shoots great. Even using that orig Winchester 82A rearsight w/an aperture about the size of a real pinhole.
Someday it'll be a 'scope. But I'm hangin' on to the irons for now.

I pulled out the box of parts it was one day to put it together with the idea of taking it to a show to sell.
I ended up likeing it so much after a range visit, it's still here.

Enjoy yours. They are great rifles!

 

[AJ]

I don’t discriminate.

I have a Model 52 unmarked A.

These are typical prone position groups with mid grade ammunition (SK Std Plus, with the occasional, 2 per box of 50, fliers typical of SK Std Plus).

It might well shoot a lot better with different, and or higher end match ammo, but I also think a 1930s Model 52A or pre A is a better fit with US military training rifles like the Springfield M1 or M2, the Remington 513T or Mossberg 44US.

On average my Anschutz 64 Match shoots better in a slung prone position, but then again I restocked it to fit me better, and it has modern diopter sights.

I also have three of the Miroku made Model 52 sporters, two of the Winchester marked “52B” sporters and a Browning marked “52C” sporter.

They are all pretty consistent 1.25 MOA five shot group rifles at 100 yards with the same SK Std Plus.

But…if you want to cherry pick groups then here’s a 1/2 MOA 100 yard five shot group with one of my Miroku Model 52B sporters.

Wasn't cherry picking any groups. Can do it when I concentrate and take my time. If I was going to cherry pick it would be the group below. But that is with a lowly Kimber 82G with iron sights at 50 yards for 5 shots, in the lower right corner is the measurement of 0.167 center to center. This is with SK Standard Plus. Have cataracts now and need to get them taken care of soon.

In the vault are some of the 52's that I owned at one time or another. Between my friend and I we have had over 55 Winchester 52's. He has some real match tuned rifles that I want to get the time to try out.

Almost makes me wish I had been a competition shooter.

 

[growr]

BB57,
Whose stock is on your 64 Anschutz?

Randy

 

[BB57]

BB57,
Whose stock is on your 64 Anschutz?

Randy

I ordered a semi inletted stock from Master Class. IIRC it’s their 1600 prone stock.

 

[Fishinfool]

BB57 - Some nice shooting iron there. Question, what rear aperture sight is that on your 52?

2152hq - Thanks for the info. I had read the "crack" was an issue with early 52's, and checked mine before bidding. As this is strictly a range gun, the safety will see little use.

If it shoots as well as my CZ match set up, I may use it this year in ARA competition. Don't see many shooting the old stuff at these matches.

Larry