Variations across the Models 52

[colt_saa]

Back in the absolute heyday of the 52, most of the big, known ammo companies were all producing large quantities of factory ammo that would run beautifully in a 52, but here in 2016? I'm not sure many do at all. I believe that one of the Euro producers does... (is it Fiocchi?)

I am not certain where this common misconception comes from.

Federal, Winchester and Remington have always been producing 148 grain Match HBWC ammunition.

There has always been one or more of the major brands available at Midway USA anytime I have looked or ordered it. I go through several cases of factory 38 Special Match HBWC every year with no problems. Additionally I handload more HBWCs for training, teaching and demonstrations through the year.

The Ammo is out there . . . . . . . . .

 

[model3sw]

I am not certain where this common misconception comes from.

Federal, Winchester and Remington have always been producing 148 grain Match HBWC ammunition.

There has always been one or more of the major brands available at Midway USA anytime I have looked or ordered it. I go through several cases of factory 38 Special Match HBWC every year with no problems. Additionally I handload more HBWCs for training, teaching and demonstrations through the year.

The Ammo is out there . . . . . . . . .

I agree that the major brand factory packs are getting harder to find, I prefer to load my own as some of the 52s can be very finicky to feed even when factory packed.

I'm sure other hand-loaders will check in on the subject.

The ammo I load feeds and fires perfectly, all the time.

 

[model3sw]

You have acquired a very fine firearm. As I am sure you have already learned, these are superbly accurate autoloaders.

Do you have a copy of the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wessons?

That book is a great reference for both the major changes that Smith and Wessons go through, these are engineering revisions or what folks like to refer to as dash numbers, and it also lists many (but not all) of the minor changes that the firearms go through over the years.

I m sure that one or more of the Forums model 52 collectors will be along shortly to list some of the minor changes that are not documented in the SCSW

Take some photos and share them with the rest of the Forum. We all like to look.

I agree with Mark. The Model 52 is likely the most accurate, out of the box, target pistol ever manufactured. I have never seen an "accurized" Model 52 done by Clark or Giles nor anyone else because you cannot improve on perfection.

 

[Constrictor]

What are you guys doing for magazines for these fine guns? I need some.

 

[Sevens]

I genuinely had no idea that American ammo makers still produced a factory loaded .38 Special HBWC. Not hard to see how I would make this mistake -- I don't shop for factory center fire ammo almost ever. Even still, the BIGGEST gun stores in my town, the large ones I frequent out of town, and all the Cabela's and similar I've ventured in to... do not stock this ammo.

Last time I know I saw factory American .38 HBWC would have been in the summer of 1990.

 

[M19-5]

Back when I was living in Phoenix a few years ago an add came up on Craigs list of a model 52 for sale with a serial of TZ and something.
Seller needed cash, bought it for $400, had the grooves in the dust cover but no dimple.
S&W responded by saying that "it must have been missed".
I did not need three M52's at the time and sold it for a good profit

Clarence

 

[M19-5]

I genuinely had no idea that American ammo makers still produced a factory loaded .38 Special HBWC. Not hard to see how I would make this mistake -- I don't shop for factory center fire ammo almost ever. Even still, the BIGGEST gun stores in my town, the large ones I frequent out of town, and all the Cabela's and similar I've ventured in to... do not stock this ammo.

Last time I know I saw factory American .38 HBWC would have been in the summer of 1990.

Stay away from Fiocchi cause it will not cycle the slide of an M52(single shot pistol is what you get).

Watch for the big three in 148gr HBWC ammo, BUT, you may have issues cause they are loaded for revolvers and they are too long to run in the M52 magazines.(ask me how I know this

I purchased a whole case of Winchester and had to seat them all further into the case to function properly.

Clarence

 

[Sevens]

I have finished early testing of Xtreme 148gr plated wadcutters in two different Model 52 pistols and in function-testing only, 25 rounds in each pistol was flawless in operation. The load was 2.9gr Bullseye.

More testing is necessary to ensure full, proper function and obviously, accuracy. I certainly do expect to give up some accuracy... but the short answer is that the indoor range I frequent in the coldest of the winter months simply will not allow lead bullets. So I'm attempting to make this load work specifically for indoor use, and I will stick to my soft swaged HBWC handloads for the bulk of my 52 shooting.

The bottom line for me is that while the plated wadcutters will likely not return the ultimate accuracy that a 52 is capable of... a 52 on it's worst day runs circles around most of the handguns present at any range on any given day.

 

[gibekim]

Be careful with factory loaded 148 HBWC. As a previous poster had noted some will not fit the magazines and will have to be re-seated. And as has been previously posted they are primarily for revolver loads and are NOT RATED AS MID-RANGE. You can check with the manufacturer or the seller and make sure that the ammo is rated at or near 710 fps or else you can harm your 52 if you don't install a heavier recoil spring (available at Wolffe). If you don't reload stay with the 710 fps ammo as the heavier recoil spring will slightly alter the feel of the 52. As my pappy always said "if it ain't broke - don't fix it". I do believe that Western X still makes 148 HBWC specifically marked Mid-range.

 

[Sevens]

Thread BUMP!

Yeah, old thread that I bumped on purpose because I love this model! Here is a quick addition that I have noticed and I have seen so many of them since my original post that evidence has shown me it's almost to the point of "LAW" and if you have seen otherwise or can show otherwise, I'd find it to be very interesting!

The no-dash 52's are all five digit serial number guns, first one at 50000 and should have run right to 53500 or somewhere very close to that number, according to everything I have ever read. Then we have five digit dash-1 guns leading up to six digit dash-1 guns and then shortly after, A-prefix six digit 52-1 guns.

Here is what I have noticed: all of the 52 no-dash guns have the more upright (modern?) ampersand on the slide. And the 52-1 pistols seem to all have the "LAZY" fatter ampersand. (The ampersand is the "&" between Smith & Wesson.)

It has often been stated (generally) that the "lazy" ampersand is the older ampersand, but in this case, things seem switched around a bit.

The dash-1 pistols ran all the way until 1970 or maybe it was 1971 and then the extractor re-design called for the debut of the 52-2. I don't believe the 52-2 pistols wear the lazy ampersand.

But I'm always looking for oddities!

 

[jrm53]

In one of my old Gun Digests Gil Hebard had an article on the 52's and he said if they did not produce a 2" group at 50 yards from a machine rest they went back for a rework until they would. The gun digest is from the early 60's. My 52-2 is from the mid eighties all my mags have been modified to hold six rounds. Jeff

 

[Dave.357]

Semi-Auto's are guns to.

These auto's have found a home.