New Winchester Rifle, "U.S." marked 52D Target Rifle (pics)....

[canoeguy]

Picked up a neat "U.S." marked Winchester Model 52D .22 target rifle from a friend of mine, he had loaned it to me to shoot some club matches with this Summer, as the time approached to return it he offered to sell it to me, with a Lyman Super Target Spot 15X scope. He gave me the "Buddy" price, selling me the rifle with Redfield Olympic metallic sights, sling and the Lyman scope for far less than I expected....

The rifle was made in 1963 according to the serial number, shoots better than I can hold it. The trigger is phenomenal, very little travel, just press the trigger and the shot breaks, with about a one pound pull. Heavy weight keeps the rifle on target. The rifle favors Standard Velocity ammunition, fortunately for me I had put back several thousand rounds of CCI Standard Velocity a couple of years ago when you could get a brick (ten boxes) for $25. The rifle will hold the X and 10 ring of a NRA Fifty Yard Smallbore Rifle Target when shot from the prone position with the CCI Standard Velocity, but I'm looking forward to testing it with some higher quality ammo, like Wolf Target or Eley Match.

I saw some older ads for this rifle, I think the price for a new one in 1963 was $365, a months wage for most folks.

Here's some pics:

Rifle and sling:

[
U.S. mark:


I understand these markings were made either at the factory or at a U.S Arsenal with an Electro-Etching Pencil, they must have used a stencil, as every picture I've seen of a U.S Marked Winchester Model 52 has the exact same marking.

Anyway, I've already used the rifle in a 100 Yard Rimfire Silhouette Match, taking second place. Chickens at 40 yards, pigs at 60 yards, turkeys at 77 yards and rams at 100 yards. I used the Redfield Olympic iron sights, they are very precise and repeatable, it took 32 clicks up to go from 40 to 100 yards. I'll shoot the rifle this coming Saturday in a NRA 50 Yard Smallbore rifle Match, Three Positions, prone, sitting and standing.

The Lyman Super Target Spot scope will take some sorting out, it has external adjustments which will take some experimenting to see how to zero the rifle and use it in a match.

I have always wanted a rifle like this, but every used one I saw was priced in the Stratosphere, and missing the rear sight, had extra holes drilled in it, etc. Never thought I'd find a complete package at a price I could afford.

I am a happy camper!

 

[SCWOODY]

Great to see a neat 52. We shot those at Clemson in 1961 -62 on the rifle team. It was really a fantastic rifle. We won the ACC championship that year(a first for the school in all sports for years). We shot 3 position matches at all the ACC schools, some non-conference schools which included the Citadel(they lived shooting). As a reward for winning the ACC, Coach Frank Howard(of football fame) bought us 10 new Anschutz Model 54 rifles with all the accessories. It was a great rifle, but the 52 was always a favorite in my book. Enjoy that beautiful piece of history and use it well.

 

[pownal55]

You are a lucky guy. I love old Winchesters, they represent quality workmanship at it's best.

 

[Dave from Pa]

Your rifle possibly came from the CMP as they sold similiarly marked rifles a few years ago.The markings were added by the depot after rifles were received as per info from a armorer at Camp Perry.

 

[ACP230]

I shot Winchesters like that, and Remingtons from,the same era, in
JROTC in high school. Couldn't decide if I liked the Win or the Rem best.
Now have one of each.

They still shoot in JROTC here, but it's all pellet rifles now.
A sad thing IMO.

 

[BigBill]

There's a book that covers most of the 22cal target rifles used by our military.