S&W Mod 52: my biggest regret in handgunning

[Sevens]

Haha, misleading subject line was intentional and a little bit dirty but it is TRUE just the same, please let me explain.

I started shooting later than many "life long hardcore gun guys" as shooting wasn't much in my family history. I was pretty darn serious with BB guns and quality air rifles by 13 or 14 but didn't fire my first real shots until the Spring of 1988 as a 15yr old.

My first handgun shots were with a Ruger Single Six and a 1952 Colt Challenger (a Woodsman variant) and to close out my first ever shooting day: a four-inch Ruger Security Six stoked with 158gr JSP, .357 Magnum.

Folks, I was hooked -- well, beyond hooked, I became a handgunner on that day and a S&W Model 17-6 and months later a six-inch 686-3 became my first two handguns. (of course I still have them!)

This trip down memory lane is necessary to detail my biggest personal regret in almost 30 years as a hardcore, dedicated and passionate handgunner:

I bought my first S&W Model 52 in November, 2015 as a 43-year old man.

Okay, maybe I didn't "need" a Model 52 when I was 15yrs old. Or even when I was 22. Agreed. But waiting until 2015 to finally convince myself that maybe I need to try this iconic pistol and see if it might be something I like...?!

Yeah. Sincerely, my biggest gun related regret wasn't selling something I now miss like many will claim, my regret is how many years went by before I ever even put my hands on a 52 just to catch a glimpse of the brilliance.

We have many 52 discussions in the semiauto forum -- run a search, bump an old one or start a new one, I don't need to detail what makes a 52 special in this particular post but if nothing else, take a lesson from my lost years between 1988 and 2015: if you don't know about a Model 52, please ask to handle the next one that you see in person. See if you also pick up on the magic that surrounds these pistols. They simply are NOT like other pistols.

 

[billwill]

Glad you are enjoying that Smith. Neat guns...have fun

 

[RobertJ.]

I wouldn't beat yourself up about it too much, there are some here, like myself, who would love to own one, and still never have!

But now, we need a range report. And you know what they say about a post with no photos...

 

[DeathGrip]

That's a nice review. You should get in to gun writing.

I've yet to shoot a 52. and now I feel the need.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

Well,not that I want to outdo you about misfortune but here is my story about a model 52.
In the mid '80s(no,not 1800 but 1900s...I know I look old but not THAT old),I reclycled from IPSC to ISU(olympic shooting single hand style).I laid my hands on a model 52(no dash).No problem at finding the right load,the thing was way more accurate than I will ever be and it fed WC flawlessly.But I kept watching where the empty brass was going instead of following through after my shot was fired.That plus the fact that I found that the trigger would take wayyyy to long to engage the sear.Long story short,I sold it.
I've been wondering since if I had made a mistake selling it but it got worse 2 weeks ago.A friend of mine had bought one at what is a bargain price....that is way way more than what I had sold mine +inflation.I tried it(how sweet and trigger take up non existent).I then told me about my ex-52.He said that the no dash had an adjustable trigger that could be brought to the point where no slack was to be on the trigger(DOOH!)and that the 52 no dash were worth way more than the -1 or -2 like his(double DOOH!).
Now please,spare me of any word meaning ''stupid move'' or anything similar because I'm sure I've already spelled a few times in my head!
Qc

 

[Cyrano]

I bought my first 52-2 in 2010; I was 77 years old at the time.

 

[jack the toad]

Haven't fired or owned a 52 in several years and really can't answer why. I guess maybe just moved away from .38 Special. Still have some old NIB .38 mid-range ammo I ran across the other day.

 

[Krell1]

I could go on and on about how good the 52 is. I also got mine late in life mostly because, when they were first introduced, I wasn't making the money necessary to purchase one. I was fortunate to find one later that was in pristine condition at a good price before the insane increase in prices.

Mine is a 52-1 and it can easily compete with my other custom made pistols. All my shooting was in bullseye leagues and the 52 was my favorite center fire pistol. One of the best guns ever manufactured!!!!!

 

[gregintenn]

My father has a 52. We were shooting it one day, and out walks my younger son. He was maybe 8 at the time. He asks if he could shoot it. Dad loaded a magazine and handed it to him. He shot what looked like a small clover leaf with it, while my father and I stood there with our mouths wide open. The little fella smiled real big, handed the now unloaded pistol back, and went back inside to play with whatever he was playing with before.

I have a model 39. It looks a lot like a 52, but there's where the similarities end. One has to shoot a model 52 to really understand the allure. It's hard to explain.

 

[jrm53]

I have had a 52-2 since the mid 80's and I shoot it when I have to shoot for my CCL license which will come up this summer, I told the examiner that it was a 38 special WC and he said that will drive them crazy in Little Rock so he showed that I shot a 9mm auto on the paper I had to send back I shoot really good with it. Jeff

 

[H Richard]

I was 49 when I bought my 52-2 in 1990. I shot it until 2004 when I sold it. It probably had the nicest trigger of any handgun I ever shot. It would group my handloads under 2" at 25 yards (when I was capable). Unfortunately, it was the most demanding handgun I ever shot. It was unforgiving. If I did not hold it just right, break the trigger just right, it wouldn't just drop a point, it would throw the round into the 7 ring. With my 1911's if I mis-grip, or break the shot a little off, it might throw a 9 or possibly an 8m but very seldom a 7. My targets would be either in the 90's or the 70's and seldom in between. I wish you all the luck with yours, I loved mine until I became just too frustrated, and it had to go.

 

[Sevens]

Folks, thanks for the comments! Would love to reply to everything that has been said, I'll try to hit a few points.

Pictures... I have to figure out some host for pics, sorry I don't have any but most 52's look alike and mine do also. As for a range report haha, I have three of them now and I have somewhere around 1,400 across the three pistols. In other words, MANY range trips!

I agree with others that these guns are somewhat unforgiving when it comes to wringing the absolute best from them -- they can do the job but you must do your part or you can look foolish and blow a nice target.

I suppose the message behind the story was that if you have not ever... you owe it to yourself to pick one up and get a feel for a 52. Really amazing and you might totally love one.

 

[jessebogan]

I was 58 when I got one. I was looking for a 1911 converted to 38 special (not super). I realized I was never going to get one, so I searched for a 52. Thanks to the kindness of friends, I was able to purchase a well used 52, at quite a decent price. It has some wear and tear, but oh my...It is up there with my 28-3 as the last guns someone will pry out of my hands.

 

[codenamedave]

It's one of the guns on my short bucket list.

 

[WardenRoss]

I have a 52-2 that is , absolutely, hands-down, and without a doubt, THE most accurate pistol that I've ever had the pleasure to shoot.

Maybe I just got a good one.

 

[Rock185]

They are beautiful pistols and I admit, I have been tempted. But I always resisted. I never shot any competition where use of a 52 would be appropriate and didn't know what I would do with a 5-shot .38 wadcutter only semi auto. I did have a 952, and 952-1, but reportedly the 52s are even more accurate.

 

[Drm50]

I bought a 52 new in 1972. At the time I was in my 22 Target
pistol (auto) stage and didn't shoot it much, and only with factory
ammo. Then went into pre 64 M70 Wins and sold out the target
guns. I had a couple used ones over the years but wasn't into
autos and shot them very little if at all before trading them off.
Went back into target shooting a couple years ago, because my
back is to bad to take the mountains anymore. Been on the hunt
for a 52 the last couple years and just traded into one Saturday.
This one I'm going to keep. If I had all the guns that I traded
off when I was young and dumb I would be a millionaire today.

 

[Sevens]

They are beautiful pistols and I admit, I have been tempted. But I always resisted. I never shot any competition where use of a 52 would be appropriate and didn't know what I would do with a 5-shot .38 wadcutter only semi auto. I did have a 952, and 952-1, but reportedly the 52s are even more accurate.

You basically laid down just one (of my MANY) arguments over many years that I had with myself, keeping my pointed away from a Model 52. "A five shot... .38 Wadcutter? Why would I ever want this and what would I do with it?!"

I had -many- arguments and points that I used to pile up against my interest. "This model just makes no sense for me."

I was totally wrong. Not saying everyone is wrong if they don't want one, but I can assure you that I was dead wrong.

As to your other point about 52 versus 952, I believe there are a handful of things to keep in mind, all of which matter.

First is that BOTH are incredible guns. I have a pair of 952's and love them. But S&W made more 52's, a heckuva lot more, and because anyone can get 9mm ammo and anyone can get 3906/952 magazines, 952's are a gun anyone can own and shoot while 52's require a magazine that costs a car payment and ammo that most of us must handload to get, and I believe all of those points are why you can get a 52 anywhere from $850 to $1750 but PC 952's tend to start around $2,000 and climb from there.

As to shooting them and accuracy, it is my opinion that they may look similar and they share heritage & bloodlines but the sedate 15,000 PSI wadcutter round and the 35,000 PSI 9mm round are WILDLY different when the trigger is pressed and the fireworks commence. Not that an all-steel and phenomenal hand-built 9mm pistol such as the 952 is "hard" to shoot, I just believe that it is a much, much different experience.

It may not be common knowledge that the first job the newly formed PC team had for S&W in the early 90's was to finish up production of the last 52-2 pistols. It was likely that experience that led to the birth of the first no-dash 952 guns.

It's long been my opinion that a S&W Model 52 is a Performance Center "Limited" target pistol that was conceived and built decades before the PC existed.

If you think a 952 is an amazing pistol (it is!) but you choke on the idea of dropping more than two grand on a used, out of production handgun... then a Model 52 can bring you a pistol that is built to a similar standard.

These guns are my passion in firearms.

 

[Dave_n]

I am lucky enough to own two 52-2s and two of their slightly larger "half-brother". the 745 with the Millett sights. These will be the last four handguns pried from my hands! Dave_n

 

[BigBoy99]

From all of the above discussion, I think I just may have to break out my 52-1 and try it. I got the gun in a trade deal about 25 years ago and it has sat in the safe, never seeing the light of day. I not a big revolver fan so lack of ammunition has been my excuse for not shooting it. I just may have to buy a box and try it. Maybe I'll surprise myself!

 

[M19-5]

Have owned three M52's, sold two to a good home and kept the M52-1 for bullseye/precision shooting that I have been doing for about ten years now.
I shoot a Marvel conversion on an SA frame for the .22, the 1968 M52-1 for CF and a 1968 Clark Sr. long slide for the .45





Here is a pic of the M52-2 that went to a good home a few years back.



The M52's can shoot if you do your part.
They are a joy to shoot and everyone wants to know what your shooting and why; if they only knew

 

[gmborkovic]

Any 52 is a simple piece of explicit craftsmanship. The old pistol smiths would not work on them. How do you improve on perfection?

 

[ontargetagain]

Interesting passion for the Model 52's. Maybe the gun itself instills some inner will power to shoot it accurately since it is 'demanding' as mentioned. Obviously it's just not 'another gun' but a piece of history in factory craftsmanship that can no longer exist at the extent that it did back then.

I bought new a 1976 High Standard Citation with bull barrel, heck back then it was a mere $270 dollars I believe. The gun could not have been more accurate only I could hope to achieve its potential. Sounds like the Model 52 falls into the same category, somewhat of legend and a one of kind uniqueness! After all, who else made a 38 special wadcutter semi-auto?

Great trivia here in this thread, at age 60 the model 52 is on my radar as I sure enjoy the 38 WC's out of my 686-3 and it shoots them as accurately as I can be.

The model 52's.............truely a legend in it's own right.
Karl

 

[Law Dog]

I just got my first 52 last week. Shoots a one hole group. Very smooth!

 

[DocB]

I did finally shoot this one that I got a year ago. The difference to me was that you could actually "feel" the gun working. Not like other semi-autos at all, where the slide just slams back and forth. It cycles kind of slowly which is really neat. Of course, super accurate too.

 

[Fuddster]

I bought a 52-2 in late 2013. Kept it in the safe and got it out to admire now and then. Never shot it. About 6 weeks ago I decided to try shooting it. I loved it. Now it goes with me whenever I shoot 38s. A couple of weeks ago I bought a Colt in 38 special to keep it company. I have an old Star Universal loader set up for wadcutters.

 

[kidcom]

I love 52s. As a collector I now have 6 of them, 2 X 52, 2 X 52-1 and 2 X 52-2. As far as I'm concerned the original 52 is by far the best with it's adjustable trigger. You have be careful when adjusting the trigger though as you can inadvertently put it into DA mode which can be tricky to back out of properly.

 

[824tsv]

.38 Special Wadcutter pistols

After all, who else made a 38 special wadcutter semi-auto?

The most well known .38 Special wadcutter pistol other than the S&W Model 52 was the Colt Gold Cup National Match. Colt also made a .38 Special "KIT" pistol that was sold without sights intended to be sold to and assembled by gunsmiths (first pic). Some of the legendary gunsmiths also produced .38 wadcutter pistols using Colt .38 Super pistols. This is back in the day by Jim Clark, John Giles, Gil Hebard, Bob Chow. Sig Hammerli also made a .38 Special wadcutter P-240 but not so well known in North America.
In my collection I have a Colt .38 Special Kit built by Jim Clark in 1966 and a Colt Gold Cup National Match .38 Mid Range from 1969 and a S&W Model 52-2 that I bought new in 1990.

 

[44wheelman]

I hate the darn things. I bought mine in my mid 30's; then I was ruined.
Before it, I was very happy with the accuracy of my 39, Beretta's, Sigs, 1911's and other various combat accurate semi's. Then came the 52-2.
Since then, my standards have been raised up a bit. A couple 41's, 945's, and other various Performance Center pistols. Carefull with that 1st true target gun, it can really spoil you.

 

[deanodog]

I have owned lot's of guns in my shooting days but never a 52. I have only seen one in real life and it was not for sale. I have now given up on owning one at 79 yrs old.