Tuning up the Squirrel Rifles

[RTH1800]

Just had a couple of Winchester 52C’s out for cleaning, sight verification adjustment of slings etc. I’m getting ready for fall squirrel hunting.

Top one Unertl 6X over Lyman 48 FH. Bottom one is Lyman 48F.

Both are quite accurate.

 

[Criver600]

Factory stock on the upper rifle? Spectacular!
I have a 52C target rifle and the reissue sporter, both shooters

 

[pmclaine]

Used to seeing 52s in some sort of target or mil trainer style stock.

They clean up nicely and look spectacular in formal dress.

 

[RTH1800]

I actually have 4 of these 52’s that I use depending on various circumstances.

When I get the two others sighted and tuned I will post them up. Each has its specific niche.

Over the years I have had several dozen 52’s. I was always sorting and searching for the most accurate and useful. Most are gone now. Other than these four the remainder are about to go.

 

[pmclaine]

The owner of my local store was working on the stock of a 52C he just got in.

Somehow someone created a spiral style crack around the wrist of the target stock.

Its the most beautiful piece of GI wood Ive seen on a 52 and the BR is a pretty clean blue also.

The stock will be a easy fix....set the fore end in a vice torque the butt to twist the crack open, fill it with wood glue and it will never suffer damage from the recoil of the mighty .22.

 

[isofahunter]

Win 52, oh my. One of my all time favorites. Nice looking rigs.

 

[JG26_Irish]

That is a pair of supreme Squack rifles. I have an old Pre-A speedlock that I have used for squirrel hunting in the past. At some point in its past, it had the bbl cut off to precisely 22-3/4". It is not a pretty rifle and was not a sporter, but the short bbl does give it a carbine feel and makes it a handy little hunter. For the last few years it wore a B&L BALVar scope and was tasked with bench rest shooting in my club's weekly repeater/sporter factory rifle matches. It won so much that now nearly all of the regular participants are shooting 52's. I recently acquired a pair of twin 52B's. I put the BALVar onto one of them so the Pre-A is currently topless. I am toying with turning it into a NRL-22 rifle. These days I hunt with a CZ452 American and a Savage MkII in 17M2.

 

[RTH1800]

I once had a pre A SN 7000. Not a speed lock. It had a factory stainless steel barrel. Unlike most Win stainless barrels it had all the dark coating. I really liked the finger grove stock. Like most 52’s it was deadly accurate.

 

[Money Waster]

I grew up hunting squirrels in western PA. I haven’t done it since graduating college and moving away to places where they don’t have squirrels of the edible variety. Those are some beautiful rifles. I’d love to carry something like that into some tall timber full of hardwoods. Easily my favorite kind of hunting.

Lou

 

[RTH1800]

These are groups fired with the top rifle to verify sighting at the ranges indicated. Fired sitting with back against tree and tight sling. Relevant data is on targets. This is not the most recent test but just an indication of how I verify sighting. These test targets are placed in my field book for reference. I carry it in my pocket while hunting.

My memory is cluttered with so much data from so many rifles I find this to be a helpful crutch.

 

[RTH1800]

The heavy barreled sporter in the field. It sees the most use of the four 52’s. Not only is it the most accurate but it has the delightful characteristic of placing its bullets to the exact same point of impact from any rest or position with or without tight sling etc. Remarkable rifle.
Target was shot center hold. It shows my “squirrels eye high” sighting . I like to hold at bottom of eye for center hit.

 

[RTH1800]

A bad photo of a couple of crows that underestimated the range of the HB 52. Shot at 210 yards. One shot each.

 

[MJF]

Beautiful rifles and excellent shooting!

 

[RTH1800]

Another 52 in the field. It’s had a lot of metal and woodwork done. I’ll get more detailed photos later when I check sighting.

 

[MJF]

Wow. Deffinatly need more pics!