Model 52

[Kinman]

I am having a problem with 2.7 grs. of Bullseye in my model 52-2. For starters I trimmed over 300 rnds to 1.450, am using CCI 500 primers, 148 gr. Speer HBWC and of course 2.7 grs. of Bullseye that is coming out of older cardboard can that has been well cared for and never given me any problems in the past.
I am wondering if it has to do with it being below freezing, I have heard that Bullseye can be temperature sensitive.
I am using a LFC die and seating the bullet flush, I have been told that it looks perfect by another 52 shooter, who uses 3.3 grs. of Bullseye in his pet 52.
With 2.7 grs. of Bullseye the round will rechamber instead of being ejected, occasionally one will dribble out and fall at my feet, it is not consistent.
Yesterday I loaded up 3.3 grs. of Bullseye and got confident ejection with every shot. I also tried 3.0 grs. of Titegroup as I like that powder in my .45 Brazilian Model of 1917. I also got fairly confident ejection with a few failures, I will probably bump it up to 3.2 for laughs and see how that works.
I understand that some of these models can be finicky, just curious if anyone else has problems needing to up the dosage for the Model 52. The cartridges shot extremely well out of my Outdoorsman, big surprise.

 

[rockquarry]

Pistols are different. I get best accuracy with 2.5 Bullseye, but I wouldn't go lower than that. I use the H&G #50 WC sized to .358" and seat to an OAL of 1.16", but this may vary slightly from pistol to pistol. I've never seen a need to trim pistol cartridges, but it certainly won't hurt anything and may help.

I won't get into the Lee Factory Crimp die diatribe. May work very well for you. If so, keep using it. I use a Redding taper crimp die.

 

[ontargetagain]

I had a model 52-2 and 2.9 gr Bullseye with same bullet you mention was fine for cycling. I will say that even though the gun is a soft shooting one in recoil that you must not limp wrist it with lighter loads or you may see problems with cycling of the gun. Perhaps you concentrate on your hold or bump yourself up to at 3.0gr and work your way down again.
For me 3.1 was more than I needed and the 2.9 worked out fine.

Such a sweet shooting and finely made pistol! Enjoy it
Karl

 

[Al W.]

I run my 52 with that same formula bullet and load. 2.7 to 2.9 no problems. Never any problems of any sort. I would suspect the powder. Could be that moisture has effected the burn rate.
Freshen up your powder supple. Or just try a fresh pound of BE. See how that goes.
I would also do a serious cleaning of the gun. Tear it down and get it sparkling and run some loads with a fresh powder.

 

[Kinman]

I've got a new can of Bullseye to break into and see if the powder is the culprit, I've used cans of powder that were over 20 years old in the past and never suffered any ill effects, however the Model 52 being a semi automatic tuned to .38 special fully seated ammo makes it a little more difficult to reload for. I could shoot a range of loads through my Outdoorsman with 5 grain increments of powder and only see the point of impact change, nothing mechanical would suffer. I never got into the Bullseye game with 1911's, this is a new experience for me finding a load that causes the pistol to function just enough to deliver consistent action and result in a good group. The trigger on this thing is amazing and it does group very well. Right now it functions as a terrific single shot on the lower charges of Bullseye, it does shoot very well with Titegroup. I'll get it figured out and thanks for your replies.

 

[Engineer1911]

Freezing temperatures will make the oil or grease in your gun stiff and slow down the slide. Your pet load may work great on an 85° F day, but not in the winter time.

 

[Nevada Ed]

+1 on more powder on cold days.

I lost a trap meet from shells left out in the car for two hours in
34 degree weather. Turned them into bloopers.

I also went to a different powder for winter shoots.........

You might also check if your recoil spring is getting weak?

Good luck.

 

[nicky4968]

I would pull them.

I've had more than one lesson reinforced that way.

 

[Kinman]

The 3.3gr. Titegroup load functioned very well, delivered excellent accuracy...I'm still getting used to this fine piece of equipment. I've been told that a Model 52 will teach you everything you've ever done wrong because you certainly can't blame the pistol. I do not believe I will ever get "Bullseye" good but it does my ego a lot of good to keep them all in the black at 15yds. I'll keep working with it and see how things go.
As far as a weak spring, this is a virtually new pistol. I was considering that fact and that maybe it needed to have 500 rnds or so just to break it in.

 

[rockquarry]

Shoot them at 25 yards (or even 50) if you want to evaluate accuracy. Shooting at shorter distances will only tell you that even poor loads do well up close.

 

[Jeff423]

I don't think there is a "rule" that says you have to run 2.7 gr. of BE. Lots of folks run 2.8 - 3.0 gr of BE. I've got a slide mounted red dot on mine and it needs 2.8 - 2.9 gr to function. I also got different weight springs from Wolff and tuned it until I was happy with the cycling: locking the slide back on the last round, and ejection distance.

 

[THE STEE]

think I will try some titegroup with my 52.. love this forum, brings food for thought

 

[Sclays]

52-2

3.6 231
148 DEWC plated
This has been a perfectly reliable load.

 

[mikld]

Failure to eject from a semi-auto most likely is from too little pressure to cycle the gun. Perhaps the cold is making your gun slow functioning with a normally OK load. Does/did your 2.7 load work in a higher ambient temp.?

 

[Qc Pistolero]

I shot 75 rds through mine today without a problem;it was 25*F and I run mine with 2.7gr 700X.
But when it gets cold,I see a few guys having problems with their autos.Generally,they are the same guys that use a liberal amount of oil in their guns.
I use Ballistoil and put only a slight amount of it and then wipe off any surplus there might be.

 

[boatbum101]

If you want to keep it a good shooting gun & not tear it up you need to stick with 148gr swaged lead HBWC bullets . Do not exceed 3.0grs Bullseye . Stay away from Titegroup & plated bullets . Gun was designed to shoot lead at mid range pressures @ about 10 - 12,000 psi . Continue to exceed this & you'll regret it . Parts are drying up & barrels hard to come by . New Clark barrels aint that great , wait for KKM to get in production .

 

[noylj]

You need a lighter recoil spring for your load. First, find the load your gun likes, and then worry about a spring change
Best bullet is the nonavailable Remington wadcutter.
Next are the hbwc from Zero and Magnus
Bullet should be seated just under flush with case mouth and the case mouth should crimped using a Redding profile crimp die so the edge is just turned in.
Plated are a waste of money
DO NOT exceed 800 fps
Above that velocity, you can get skirt separation leading to two holes in the target or a barrel obstruction.
You have a finely tuned race car--feed it the best and don't abuse it.