Mr. dog, dont give up. Treat yourself to a 52. Best
S&W Mod 52: my biggest regret in handgunning
- Thread starter Sevens
- Start date
Rowlf
Member
If you ever get a chance to measure the ID of the sizing die and the length, profile and OD of the expander I would like to know what they are for the Star. Crimper style and size too. Modern 38 Special dies do not seem to be made for loading wadcutters. I had to get creative to keep my swaged HBWC bullets from getting, well, swaged by modern dies.
I suspect the Star company (and the company that made dies for Star) had some ideas that got forgotten or lost. A friend has a Star in 45 ACP with all the accessories and it is a fantastic piece of equipment.
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Sounds like your son heard the words of a bullseye coach who said "pick up the gun, shoot the gun, put the gun down".
Wastin' away again in Coronaville... I keep reading lounge area threads about what folks are doing to pass the time. Watching old movies, posting funny pictures and jokes, things of that nature. So I thought I would dig up a conversation or two that I opened in hopes that we could get some of the newer folks to add their experience and tales in them.
So here we have a shameless bump on my 52 thread. Please add your comments and experiences!
So here we have a shameless bump on my 52 thread. Please add your comments and experiences!
CLASSIC12
Member
Well I'll be 52 in June and I yet have to buy a 52, and I will.
I guess until now every other gun I found and bought had priority, including 5 Sig P210, also extremely accurate.
I guess until now every other gun I found and bought had priority, including 5 Sig P210, also extremely accurate.
I purchased my 52-2 in 2015, same as OP. I didn't know alot about it but thought it would be something I could make a couple of bucks on. That is until I shot it. What a sweet gun. I've since picked up a case of wadcutters and enough reloading components to last a very long time.
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Kp321
Member
My story is similar to the others in this thread. I have shot bullseye on and off for 30+ years but didn't buy a 52 till 5 years ago. Found an unfired 52-1 in a local shop for what I could afford. Bare gun, no box, tool or extra mag. I didn't realize what I had been missing all those years. The need for follow through has helped my scores with my other pistols too.
I am totally hooked now, bought another 52-1 for a spare and a 952 just for kicks. The availability of affordable red dot sights and good mounts have made bullseye fun again. 70+ year old eyes need some help!
I am totally hooked now, bought another 52-1 for a spare and a 952 just for kicks. The availability of affordable red dot sights and good mounts have made bullseye fun again. 70+ year old eyes need some help!
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Green Frog
Member
Now you've done it Sevens. I inherited my Dad's Model 52 a couple of years ago and it's set quietly in my safe, not stirring up any problems. Now you come along and wake it up and I've got to unlimber the Star Progressive and load up a couple of hundred MRWCs and take it out to the range as soon as it becomes possible again. I hope you're happy with yourself, Sevens! 
Froggie
Froggie
the big guy
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
52's are just part of my fascination with Smith & Wesson. Still looking for a no dash, but I have a 52A, -1, 2x-2. Plan and hope to fill out the suite. Truly amazing guns.
Hey Froggie,Now you've done it Sevens. I inherited my Dad's Model 52 a couple of years ago and it's set quietly in my safe, not stirring up any problems. Now you come along and wake it up and I've got to unlimber the Star Progressive and load up a couple of hundred MRWCs and take it out to the range as soon as it becomes possible again. I hope you're happy with yourself, Sevens!
Froggie
Do yourself a great favor and use HBWCs, not hard cast. It is not a huge difference, but it is a visible difference
It is hard to put into words how the Model 52 makes you feel as a shooter. When asked, I usually respond that it is like driving a Ferrari, you just have no point of reference to compare it with.
Decades ago, when I was a young pup, I used to do computer upgrades on the side. Our Road Patrol SGT had a pair of kids entering High School. Almost all the work for him was a firearm and some cash
I do not recall any longer what his acquisition was at the time, but I received a Model 52 with the extended Bomar Rib and almost 1000 of Factory Match ammunition. Back then I did not think too much of the five magazines that were included. I really love that longer sighting radius
I puchased a 52-1 later, but only because it looked pretty and the price was right
I wanted to shoot the Model 52 in some local matches that were geared for revolvers. So it was always six rounds per string.
So I converted several magazines to 6 round. I even used the Model 52 to shoot a State qualification that required 38 Special. When I showed up I was told I could not use an auto loader. I told the powers that be, the only requirement I could find in the statute was that the firearm be 6" or less and chambered for 38 Special and asked them to show me otherwise.
I made beautiful ragged centers out of those targets with my Model 52 and converted 3 or 4 folks to Model 52 owners (Yep, I brought extra ammo with me)
mikey52
Member
I bought my model 52 at age 65, and sold it at age 67. it was like new, very accurate. Performed flawless if the loads were kept at the minimum length. I just thought it was expensive to shoot, reloads or not. If anything broke, it was going to cost a good amount to get parts and repaired. I also just could not pay the price for original extra colt magazines. Well, I could pay it, but it hurt too much. Also at my age, shooting targets at 25 or 50 yards is a **** shoot. I just don't see well enough anymore. It sure hurts admitting, that I am old and getting older. However that is better than not getting older. Any way I sold it and bought a Colt Match Target, with 6 inch bbl. Very accurate, perfect balance. I just gave it a new home for most of the same reasons as the model 52( no complaints on ammo price).
I'm back to my Ruger Mark II and Model 617. These are both still some of my most accurate, in .22
I'm back to my Ruger Mark II and Model 617. These are both still some of my most accurate, in .22
batman4706
Member
I have 2 52-2s a 52 & a 52-1, plus a Colt Nat Match 38 wadcutter. All the 52's are safe queens, except one 52-2 that is my shooter. Love shooting the 52, just pure pleasure. I bought the Colt because I'm a 1911 fan & I had to see how the Colt would compare to the 52. There is no compassion. The Colt doesn't have as a good a trigger as the 52, the Colt mags have springs that belong on a 4X4 truck and it throws the empties 20 ft away, even with a hardball spring. I still love the Colt, but it's not in the same league. A day of pleasure at the range includes 50 rds with the 52 and 50 rounds with my Python, it just doesn't get any better.
Back in my younger days I was shooting bullseye at the local gun club. Ran across a 52-1 that a retired shooter was willing to sell and a deal was struck. Shot it for a few years and quit shooting bullseye, so it was foolishly traded away. It was in the box and would now be worth at least 3 or 4 times what I got for it in trade. Its funny how often I use that word "foolishly" while speaking of some of my traded off or sold guns. I might still have my Jay Scott target grips for it if any of you guys are shooting bullseye.
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Jeppo
Member
I have two 52-2's and love them both. One I've had for years and the other I just recently purchased because it has a 9MM and 38 super conversion with Barsto barrels. Guys at the gun club don't believe the targets until I shoot one in front of Them.
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my father was on the traveling army team in early 60's. He bought his 52 in 64 and competed with it until 69 when he died at age 42. Mom sold all his pistols and it took me 46 years to get three of them back. Colt 1911 45 which was made in 1917. A Smith K38 and the 52. Got the first two free. Paid 800 for the 52, but it had 9 mags with it so I made out pretty good. They are all a joy to shoot and I love to see pics of the old man holding them. Now I am 65 so I am using them every week.
rkittine
Member
Bought my first model 52 in the early 70s. Like many, I should have never sold it. Didn't own one from 1986 until about a year and a half ago. So glad I have another one and though I paid a lot for it, it was not one that had been shot thousands of times in competition, so I am still breaking it in.
Bob
Bob
My competitive shooting days are now sadly behind me, but I couldn't resist this 52-2 (March 1978 according to Roy) when I stumbled on to it at a collector's club meeting I was invited to.
Nothing else like it for centerfire bullseye match competition. Magnificent piece of craftsmanship.
John
Nothing else like it for centerfire bullseye match competition. Magnificent piece of craftsmanship.
John
Walter Rego
Member
I had always admired the Model 52's and knew about their legendary status. But I had never had the chance to fire one until I bought this Model 52-2 in 2013. It was very lightly used and came in its original box with papers and tools and a total of 5 spare magazines.
I added the rosewood stocks. It certainly is capable of much better accuracy than my vision or shooting skills allow. It reminded me of firing a compensated .45 auto with light target loads. You really have to follow through with each shot as the slide moves rather slowly compared to most other autoloaders and it very generously drops the empties right at your side instead of into low earth orbit. It reminds me of shooting a single action revolver in a way; you only have 5 shots and it's all about trigger squeeze and sight picture and making a tight cluster of holes in the black and not about expending ammo like your favorite action hero with a 16 round magazine.
I added the rosewood stocks. It certainly is capable of much better accuracy than my vision or shooting skills allow. It reminded me of firing a compensated .45 auto with light target loads. You really have to follow through with each shot as the slide moves rather slowly compared to most other autoloaders and it very generously drops the empties right at your side instead of into low earth orbit. It reminds me of shooting a single action revolver in a way; you only have 5 shots and it's all about trigger squeeze and sight picture and making a tight cluster of holes in the black and not about expending ammo like your favorite action hero with a 16 round magazine.
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I bought my 52-1 around 2-14-2016. Don't remember exactly when.
I got it for a price that was determined by the seller, that I considered a very good price for me.
Mine is a bit of a special one, as confirmed by Roy, via gmborkovic. It was delivered in 1965, to the NRA, as an award gun for the centerfire pistol champion at Camp Perry.
Seller sold it to me because he much prefers the grip of his 1911 wadcutter gun.
As much as I love 1911s, I prefer the grip of the 52.
I've yet to get it lettered, but need to.
The trigger has to be experienced, to be believed.
I got it for a price that was determined by the seller, that I considered a very good price for me.
Mine is a bit of a special one, as confirmed by Roy, via gmborkovic. It was delivered in 1965, to the NRA, as an award gun for the centerfire pistol champion at Camp Perry.
Seller sold it to me because he much prefers the grip of his 1911 wadcutter gun.
As much as I love 1911s, I prefer the grip of the 52.
I've yet to get it lettered, but need to.
The trigger has to be experienced, to be believed.
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I had a younger friend , great ppc shooter, he took up bullseye also and was doing real good there also. I happened to see an old shooting box on Ebay, I enlarged the tags on it and it belonged to Bonnie Harmon. I got it for him, the box was a mess but it had his scorebook from the season he won a National Championship, the scores recorded for that year were unbelievable, 20 MPH, rain score 2652 etc. He enjoys it very much.
4 for sale here...
S & W MOD 52-1 - Z38997 - United States
S & W MOD 52-1 - Z38997 - United States
AJ
US Veteran
cherrypointmarine
Member
I think most of us wish that AJ . Sevens , seeing as you sold me my 52 you can claim redemption for starting 52 shooting later in life . At least you started earlier than I did . But you did instil that nasty habit in me , can't get enough of S&W's , especially the older PC guns .
It's funny, I have said this in other 52 discussions but I never mentioned it in this one…
The very first trip out to the range with this same 52 very shortly after I bought it, with God as my witness (and my good buddy who I shoot with all the time), I walked up to the firing line with one 5-round magazine, sent all of them down range, cleared the pistol and turned around to my buddy and said, "well hell… this is an out-of-production handgun. I'm gonna need to own at least one more of these! One is definitely not enough!"
The very first trip out to the range with this same 52 very shortly after I bought it, with God as my witness (and my good buddy who I shoot with all the time), I walked up to the firing line with one 5-round magazine, sent all of them down range, cleared the pistol and turned around to my buddy and said, "well hell… this is an out-of-production handgun. I'm gonna need to own at least one more of these! One is definitely not enough!"
I want to remember that you had a back stock of .38 Wadcutter ammo and that ammo supply was just begging for a 52 to live out it's dream…?
BLACKHAWKNJ
Member
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Only fired one once. Since it is a strictly Bullseye pistol and very particular in its ammunition it is not the sort of pistol to train new shooters on nor really suited for casual plinking.
cherrypointmarine
Member
That's true Sevens . I bought 2500 off the forum here , shot most of that . Scored a good amount at an estate sale and bought a bunch from Georgia Arms , which came in Starline brass .
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