Winchester 52

shooter65

General
Banned !
Minuteman
  • Jun 19, 2004
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    Indiana
    Finally got this long project completed. Barrel set back and re chambered, cut to 24'' and re crowned, trigger job done by my buddy Billy Russell, EGW 20 moa rail, Bushnell 6500 4.5-30 x50 mm, Kryptic stock pack. She shoots also!




     
    Im surprised these 52's don't get more love. They are already repeaters and most shoot amazing. I guess cause they don't fit in a trendy rem stock. You can bed one into a stock of choice and be into it less than a rem 40x and conversion. BUT I wont complain.

    Nice rifle post groups!

    Regards,
    DT
     
    Nice rifle - enjoy!

    I've regretted not buying one of the 52Cs that CMP had for sale years ago. By the time I got off my butt & ordered a couple of the CMP 52s, all they had left were single shot D models. Grateful that I was able to get a couple of those rifles, but it'd be nice to have a C repeater to play with & compare to the 40X repeaters. I did have the good sense to send the triggers out of both my D models to Karl Kenyon for his modifications before he passed away - they're a very sweet single stage trigger.
     
    Nice rifle - enjoy!

    I've regretted not buying one of the 52Cs that CMP had for sale years ago. By the time I got off my butt & ordered a couple of the CMP 52s, all they had left were single shot D models. Grateful that I was able to get a couple of those rifles, but it'd be nice to have a C repeater to play with & compare to the 40X repeaters. I did have the good sense to send the triggers out of both my D models to Karl Kenyon for his modifications before he passed away - they're a very sweet single stage trigger.

    I regret not getting a Kenyon trigger for mine. The lack of available trigger items is one of the weaknesses of the 52. The action is as beefy as a Mod 54 Anschutz. The shorter throw when compared to the 40x is a plus in my view and the mags and the mag release are some of the best. Feeding is flawless and the accuracy can be stellar. Would be nice to have a source for higher cap mags but that is a small complaint. Here is a pic of my old 52 Pre-A speed-loc which was modded into a carbine/short rifle config (22.75" bbl) with the BalVar 6-24x attached and a 5-sh group it shot so configured at 50y from a bench using Lapua ammo that measure 0.149" c-c. Yeah some of them are that good.

    Irish
     

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    Yes, trigger time - that's one thing that all this windy & rainy weather has made me wish for more of. Every time we get a decent day for shooting, that means it's almost always a good day for planting and/or spraying. Got to get our beans in the ground so there's something to harvest this fall - otherwise, there won't be any $$$ to purchase good ammo for the 22s. Just hoping the weather doesn't treat us to all the precip we're going to get while we're trying to get stuff planted, then dry up completely later on in July & August and so burn up all the stuff we've worked so hard to raise. Feast or famine - that seems to be the typical set-up farmers on the high plains live with most of the time. We do the best we can with the hand we're dealt - and having a few good rifles & ammo to go with them gives us a way to enjoy ourselves & distract us from the other things we have no control over.
     
    Wow! Canjar trigger. That's a blast from the past. That was THE trigger to have when I was a few decades younger.

    Flat, no one is planting beans right now on this side of the state. Been too wet. Corn's up 5" and looking pretty good but wishing it stop raining for a week or two so I could catch up on cutting grass. I saw those big green Deeres in your yard. Don't you have an app for you phone that set these up in auto pilot? You could get some shooting in while you plant.
     
    I'm pretty lucky to have GPS-driven auto-steer. Takes all the work out of driving all day, whether it's the tractor with planter, drill, or plow, or the sprayer. But you still gotta break the cycle at the end of the field, lift the implement, and get 'er turned around. Nothing like it was when I started driving one of our old J-D 4010 tractors back in '63 - it had a cab to keep the sun off you, but no fan or A/C - so you shared the cab space with bugs & dust. My lung capacity was diminished markedly by the time I was 30 from all the dust I'd breathed - had to be that, 'cause I've never smoked.

    Trying to get some sample lots of Center-X & SK Rifle Match to test in the new Krieger on the 40XB before I send it to Jelrod for the repeater conversion. My portable bench kinda sucks compared to the concrete-topped ones at our club down in Finney Co. (Sand & Sage R&P Club), so except for getting chrono data, I prefer to shoot prone with bipod when testing 22RF.
     
    Seeing your scope base reminded me that I tried to get another 'smith to drill & tap the receiver of my 2nd CMP 52D for a scope mount, but he didn't want to mess with it. I wound up using an EGW cantilevered base that's made to be attached to the scope base holes in the bbl just in front of the receiver. Since I'd had a Broughton stainless sporter wt bbl chambered & fitted to that action, it was easy to drill & tap it instead of finding out just how hard those 52 receivers really are. I kept the 1st CMP 52D set up as a target rifle, with a Ken Vianni mount that works very well.

    At any rate, I really like the looks of your 52C repeater - and still wish I'd have bought one when the CMP had them available.
     
    My 52B I found has a Canjar trigger. It's kinda weird having a trigger that has no perceivable overtravel whatsoever. Sometimes it slam fires so I won't ever really use it as a field gun unfortunately. And by slam fire I mean just closing the bolt....not ramming it home.

    The little pigtail wire inside the trigger guard for the bolt release leaves a little to be desired.

    I have one of those in my 52B and it is awesome!! It sounds like yours might be set a touch too lite. I think I have an e-version of the instructions on how to adjust that on my old hard drive if you're interested.
     
    My local shop gets a lot of Winchesters in. I know Im not the best with my money but these things seem to go cheap for what you get. This is a nice A.







    He had a bunch of Army marked recently.

    I went for the skinny little brother...





    The kids got "Boys Rifles"



    Got to love the old walnut and steel.

     
    I didn't buy the A and that one wasn't US marked though it is closest to what these were hoped to be - trainers for the 03.

    The US marked ones he had were B, C, or later I don't know what the revisions are.

    I'm just shocked that they sell so cheap for the amount of craftsmanship in them. He had a custom stocked 52 I kick myself for not buying. It was a heavy beast with a carved stock that had a cheek piece that was a lazy boy recliner for your head. When you shouldered it your head was cupped in that carved walnut like it was embedded between two beautiful breasts. I couldn't stop thinking about it but it was gone by the time I got back to motorboat it again.

    Last I was down there he had a 75T that looked better than mine and was cheaper than what I paid.

    I like old guns.
     
    At 50 yards talk about scope movement......

    .

    Absolutely. But when you can hold that steady... you have your technique down! Learned more about breathing using that rig than I learned in hours of snapping in/dry fire on the other rifles I had at the time!

    Some days I am tempted to take that scope off the .22 and put it on my M2 .50. But it's been there so long... it belongs there!

    BTW, I made a mistake... not a Unertl. It's a Litschert.

    Cheers,

    Sirhr
     
    My M2 is of the Springfield variety...



    Not "Ma Deuce" but Gunny Hathcock says two thumbs up.

    I absolutely lust after that rifle. Every time you post a picture of it my resistance weakens.

    I have a pre A 52 with speed-lock and the original ladder sights. I'm always amazed how well it shoots with my old eyes acting as the guidance system. A few years ago I bought a 52C Sporter reintro. Reintro. is RFC language for copied by Miroku for Browning. I used mine in the old 6x5 thread and it averaged, I think, .312. Of course that meant that I was soundly beaten by both of JBell's daughters. Still, excellent performance for a eight and a half pound rifle with a three pound trigger.

    Others have already observed that the 52s get short shrift around here and I completely agree. The biggest knock is the three pound trigger. Most of these rifles were built for NRA games where the bottom limit was three. As that is the approximate weight on all my rifles, it has no relevance to me as I don't compete with it.

    The reintros are an incredible value. The weight allows them to competete in a number of games that have an eight and half pound limit. They will shoot with any 54 Sporter.
     
    The problem with the mod 52 early versions is the crack prone spot on the receiver with the Pre-A's. You need to physically examine them closely to verify that they are OK and if they are OK, then carry them with the chamber empty and the safety off. The leverage of putting the safety on when the bolt is cocked is often the cause for the cracking. It was too thin and the heat treating of the receiver penetrated the entire part of the rear of the receiver leaving the locking tab brittle. Newer models were thicker in this location which solved the issue entirely. The one posted above by PMCLaine is actually a Pre-A speedloc and is of similar vintage to mine. Which means it was actually mfg before 1935. Still it is a lovely old rifle and has clearly been well cared for. Also, well worth the asking price as long as the receiver is not cracked. As long as you use if for range work and are not walking around with a round chambered forcing you to engage the safety, I think those old Pre-A's will last as long as any of the others. After all, they have lasted over 80yrs already.

    Irish
     
    Got the 52C US PROPERTY marked out this weekend. I lost one of the screws for the rear scope block for a Unertle tube type scope so had to use the pict type mount. I had a Steiner 2-10 GS3 in my safe from my hunting rifle, so I put it on to see how it shot. really wished for more mag. was almost tough finding my numbers to shoot at 50 yds.

    I used bulk box Win ammo and kept chasing my zero, getting quite frustrated, I put in some match ammo and it really started to shine. The 3lb trigger pull was a challenge as well as the concentration needed to hold my head above the cheek weld. Def needed a cheek rest.

    Regardless, I was very happy with the groups considering was using my pak for a front rest as well. I have no doubt I could clean that tac target given a higher mag scope and a cheek rest. The trigger would take som getting used to tho. I pulled the shot on box 6 into box 9 (I shot at numbers 1-10). The big hole under the 5pt circle was friendly fire from a 300 blk out.


    Regards,
    DT
     

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    I bought two US-marked 52Ds through the CMP when they were available. Refinished the stock on the 1st one, cut a new crown on the muzzle, and mounted a Weaver T24 on a Ken Vianni mount. The 2nd one I got was beat to crap, with non-matching s/n on bolt/receiver, so I bought an English walnut blank from Cecil Fredi, had Doan Trevor make a copy of the 52 sporter stock, and Mike Ross chambered & indexed a Broughton sporter bbl to the action. Used an EGW cantilever mount on it, with a Weaver V16. Both triggers were sent to Karl Kenyon for his modifications. I love them both, but sure wish I'd have gotten off my butt & at least tried to get a 52C from the CMP when they announced their availability - would've made a more authentic & useful sporter. Can't fault either Doan's artistic skill in turning that blank into a work of art (he even found an original Win steel buttplate with the little V extension at the top for it), nor Mike Ross's chamber/index job. Karl's trigger modifications make these my all-time favorite single stage triggers.
     

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    The bottom rifle is a work of art. Is it for sale?

    QUOTE=flatland1;n6461328]I bought two US-marked 52Ds through the CMP when they were available. Refinished the stock on the 1st one, cut a new crown on the muzzle, and mounted a Weaver T24 on a Ken Vianni mount. The 2nd one I got was beat to crap, with non-matching s/n on bolt/receiver, so I bought an English walnut blank from Cecil Fredi, had Doan Trevor make a copy of the 52 sporter stock, and Mike Ross chambered & indexed a Broughton sporter bbl to the action. Used an EGW cantilever mount on it, with a Weaver V16. Both triggers were sent to Karl Kenyon for his modifications. I love them both, but sure wish I'd have gotten off my butt & at least tried to get a 52C from the CMP when they announced their availability - would've made a more authentic & useful sporter. Can't fault either Doan's artistic skill in turning that blank into a work of art (he even found an original Win steel buttplate with the little V extension at the top for it), nor Mike Ross's chamber/index job. Karl's trigger modifications make these my all-time favorite single stage triggers.[/QUOTE]
     
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    shooter65 - Doan's one of those guys that, once you meet him in person and get to know him, you just can't help but like & respect a lot. He put a lot of effort into that sporter stock, so even though I don't shoot it much, it's more than just a pretty rifle. Every time I get it out to handle & look it over, I'm reminded of good times spent with Doan & other New Mexico prone shooters out at the Berger LR Nationals in Phoenix several years ago. Hard to explain with words, but simply put, it represents a special rifle done as a favor by a special friend. It'll probably still be here in my safe long past the point where I can shoot it. Thanks for the complement though - you ought to see it up close if you think it looks nice in the photo.
     
    Heres my 52B
    jQhwlWS.jpg


    Ive been wanting to get it set up for irons though. Could anyone give me a measurement of the front dovetail height and then the barrel diameter at that point? As you can see mine isnt tapped like so many were but I have a set of redfields already, just need to know the correct height over bore for the dove tail to mount them with.
     
    shooter65 - Doan's one of those guys that, once you meet him in person and get to know him, you just can't help but like & respect a lot. He put a lot of effort into that sporter stock, so even though I don't shoot it much, it's more than just a pretty rifle. Every time I get it out to handle & look it over, I'm reminded of good times spent with Doan & other New Mexico prone shooters out at the Berger LR Nationals in Phoenix several years ago. Hard to explain with words, but simply put, it represents a special rifle done as a favor by a special friend. It'll probably still be here in my safe long past the point where I can shoot it. Thanks for the complement though - you ought to see it up close if you think it looks nice in the photo.

    Understood. You could always send it to me for a week long inspection!
     
    52 Hands down.

    Nothing wrong with a 40x. But kind of like comparing a Model 700 to a pre-64 Model 70. Yeah... they both are bolt action rifles. To a point.

    Oh and the 52 sporter is probably the finest .22 ever made. Maybe except for some of the early Kimber .22 rifles. Back before they were just a name on crappy .45's. The 1980's Kimbers were a work of art. But I'd still take a 1950's .22 Model 52 Sporter any day.

    The Model 69a (the poor man's Model 52) is a great rifle, too.

    Cheers,

    Sirhr
     
    Agreed on the quality of the original 52 Sporters. Have had an itch for one ever since one of our club members showed me his, probably 25+yrs ago. But I always thought the price was too rich for my blood, as he was asking $2500 for his then. Had I known then what I know now, I'd have made the deal with him & sold off whatever I could to scrape up that much cash. In truth, I've probably got almost that much $$ in the sporter replica I had built, and if I were to try to sell it, I kinda doubt it'd bring that much, where an original sporter in vg condition will easily bring over $5k. If I want to torture myself, I dig out the 1956 Shooters Bible and flip to the page where the original Sporters were listed for $145.70 w/o sights, $162.40 w/Lyman 48F & Redfield gold bead front. Or, if you were really flush, one with sights and a "stock of selected walnut" could be yours for $178.40.... For more conservative shooters, the M75 Sporting Rifle listed at $61.30 w/Lyman 57E & bead front.
     
    What would yall say is the better rifle 40x vs Win 52?
    pmclaine how does the Springfield compare to Win 52?

    Springfield is a light target rifle. The 52 is a full on heavy barrel target rifle.

    The Springfield is a lot of eye candy and it shoots better than I can.

    The 52 is a beast of a gun that will outshoot the Springfield if you were in a long haul match.

    I remember as a kid attending some sort of shooting class having to don a canvas shooting coat, sling up, and heft a beast of a rifle in prone which was probably a 52.

    It would eat the center of the target up to the point the sling became too painful for a 10 year old.

    Comparing 40X to 52, you will have to ask someone else. Better ask a few people and you will get different answers from all and each will be right.
     
    Some of you should consider the 52 Sporter re-issues. The first group were built for Browning by Miroku and are 52C Sporters which have the montecarlo C stock. The second group were built by Miroku under the Winchester name and are designated 52B Sporters. The B Sporters have the level comb with increased drop. The mechanicals are the same so both have the micro-motion trigger of the Cs. There is a bunch of info. on RFC at the Winchester 52 forum.

    One of the great things about them is you can get them to come in under 8.5lbs. which is the weight limit for Sporter in some games. They make a superb small game rifle. I'm going to try to post a couple of pictures of my 52C and it's target from the original 6X5.

    It appears the pics were a success. Let me know if you can view them. The target was shot off the "bench" in the photo. Guys that shoot with me hate this thing but I figure if I can't shoot off this I have no chance with field expedient positions. Nonetheless, I'm sure it is somewhat limiting and the rifle would perform better from a solid bench or from prone.
     

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    What would yall say is the better rifle 40x vs Win 52?
    pmclaine how does the Springfield compare to Win 52?

    I have both, have worked on both, A LOT, and have a special appreciation for both. The extractors in the 52 are executed better than 40X extractors (although I set the 40X extractors up to be equally as effective), while the 40X mid lockup arrangement is more to my liking. Basically, I use them both for different reasons, as the 40X accommodates a larger variation of build types, much like the R700.

    Very limited aftermarket support for the 52, but why would anyone need it? Classic marriage of wood and metal, (mine has a Krieger barrel) and I'm quite certain no one will come close to replicating it. Who know's what's happening with another "40X....?"

    I use my 52D for nothing but target shooting, while all of my 40X's (repeaters, of course), are used for match type shooting; they're both incredibly accurate. As for which is best? Depends on the person, much like Ford and Chevy....

    MB
     
    I had one of the Browning 52 sporters, back a year or so after they became available. It was a nice rifle, although - since I never tried any match grade ammo through mine - I can't say how accurate it might've been. IIRC, I paid around $650 for it - and would gladly pay that again to have it back. I see them for sale with some frequency on Gun Broker - seems there were a couple NIB not long ago that were started at $1k. Would have probably bid on one or the other of them - but it seems I had just bought an Anschutz 2011, and was in the middle of building a repeater on a Stiller 2500XR...
     
    Flatland1, I clearly remember when they were introduced. The first ones sold quickly but then they slowed and were pretty heavily discounted. My "match" ammo at the time were Mini-Mags and had I bought one mine would have gone down the road as well. Current selling price for a NIB C model seems to be about $1250.00 but there's no telling. I saw one listed on RFC for $850.00 NIB and it sold immediately with a handful of back-ups.

    A couple of weeks ago I watched an original C Sporter sell for about $3700.00. I thought that was a hell of a buy. It was D&Td but otherwise about an 85% gun. I thought maybe they're softening. Last week I saw a 52C Target Heavy Barrel come up on a pure sale auction. Very, very nice rifle probably about 98%. There was interesting history with the rifle including hang tags, sight boxes, etc. and consigned by the original owner. This is me when it comes to high percentage collectibles. It is/was virtually perfect but with a hint of wear. With care you could shoot the crap out of it and not shoot the new off of it. Yesterday it had stopped at $1405.00 and I was getting a little excited. Today it had gone to around $2200.00 and I was out by a large margin. It finally sold for $3567.00.

    If you've got a really nice B or C Target I'd hold on to it.

    One of the good things about a 52 is that Brownells has after market five shot mags. for about ten bucks. I'm glad there's something I can afford.
     
    Heres my 52B
    [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/jQhwlWS.jpg?1"}[/IMG2]

    Ive been wanting to get it set up for irons though. Could anyone give me a measurement of the front dovetail height and then the barrel diameter at that point? As you can see mine isnt tapped like so many were but I have a set of redfields already, just need to know the correct height over bore for the dove tail to mount them with.

    Spife, Nice looking rifle. Question: What is the silver looking doo-dah under the bbl? Long bedding block, counter weight?, or serves some other purpose. Forgive my ignorance.

    The closest thing that I have ever seen to the Mod 52 is the Anschutz model 54. They both have that heavy duty meaty receiver and the fine grade machining with obvious money is no object approach to mechanical excellence. The annies have better triggers out of the box but the older 52's were mostly repeaters. Both are available either single shot or repeater and have similar performance. My experience with the Remington 40x which I shot in college days was that this was a competent rifle and more utilitarian in nature. It did shoot just as good with good ammo but my coach was not much into supplying good ammo for practice. So, we made do with whatever crap he could get on the cheap. This tainted my opinion of the Rem somewhat. I do own a pair of Remington tgt rifles and they are some of the best shooters that I own. So, you are hard pressed to find better if you choose from those three options. Remington is cheaper and looks it but has the quality where it counts and will accept good trigger upgrades. Winchester is older, higher grade shoots as good, sometimes better. Kenyon is gone so good triggers come from where? Anschutz is great. Highest standards of quality (I am comparing those of 1950's to early 1980's vintage now). They already have the best factory trigger of the three and they will shoot with any of them. You will pay for it too. All three will average in the 2's at 50y from a bench with their favorite ammo. I think the Winchester and the Annie will shoot better than the Remington with other non-favorite ammo. I would include the Vostok CM-2 in this crowd as well. Clearly the least polished but again putting all the money into a great bbl and trigger and very good sights. Ugly, rough and shoots as well as the other three hands down and for 1/4th the price. The stock is crappy Siberian Birch. So, do you want a mechanical work of art? or do you just need a rifle that will shoot in the 2's? The choice is yours and there are options.

    Irish
     
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