Winchester 52 pre-A bolt removal

rchall

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Regarding a 1929 Winchester Model 52 Target rifle: what is the correct procedure for removing the bolt for cleaning?? Have heard it is necessary to remove the trigger first before it can be removed. ??????? Any info. on this would be appreciated.
 
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I don't know about early guns, but I'm only familiar with one way of removing the bolt. Pull the trigger on an empty chamber. Push the trigger forward (not back) and pull bolt out at the same time.
 
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I have a Japanese-made Win 52B, great rifle in every respect, but I always cringe when I have to pull the trigger on an empty chamber when removing the bolt to clean it. Hate hearing the firing pin wack the steel barrel.

SF VET
 
I have a Japanese-made Win 52B, great rifle in every respect, but I always cringe when I have to pull the trigger on an empty chamber when removing the bolt to clean it. Hate hearing the firing pin wack the steel barrel.

SF VET


You DO NOT have to dry-fire on an empty chamber to decock prior to removing the bolt! (Or before storing the gun.)

Simply hold the trigger reward as you turn down the bolt handle to fully closed position. This works with every bolt action I've ever owned - rimfire or centerfire. And yes, I own a Win 52.

I've seen several self-proclaimed internet "video gunsmiths" who dry-fire to decock. They rank right up there with "experts" who pry off their S&W revolver side-plates.
 
By the way, reinstalling the bolt is a challenge to the uninitiated.

Here, you have to hold the trigger rearward throughout the process. Once the bolt is started into the receiver, it will only travel a short distance before it contacts the sear and stops. With significant pressure, you can force the bolt over the sear, but I prefer not to do that, not knowing the long term effects on the mating surfaces. The trick is to maintain mild forward pressure on the bolt with one hand while holding the trigger rearward with the same hand (I use my thumb on the trigger, but you'll figure it out). Meanwhile, reach into the action behind the mag well with a small non-marring tool (dowel, pencil, or your baby finger if it's slender enough) and depress the sear downward, allowing the bolt to pass over it. If the bolt then moves only a fraction of an inch forward before stopping again, it's because the lower lug on the bolt is not quite aligned with its raceway on the back of the receiver. Just rotate the bolt a bit until it enters. If you look at the back of the receiver, you can see this misalignment real-time. Don't force this, as it will mar the receiver.

This is all quite simple once you do it a few times, and only takes a few seconds each way. But after any significant down-time, I can seldom recall it all, so I keep a printed copy in my range log-book.
 
What you say may be true. If so, it would be a good idea and a service to others to advise the Winchester people who put the instruction manual together as they may be unaware of this.

My comments in post #3 were based on information in the manual provided with my Miroku 52 when I purchased it new about twenty-five years ago. While there's much good information available from the Internet, a lot of it isn't and I'm not much of a YouTuber anyway.
 
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