Winchester model 52

[gate76]

Found one in a garage sale
Serial number is etched Onto the bolt, I it matches the serial number on the barrel, the serial number is followed by the letter b on the bolt but the letter is not on the barrel
It is a heavy barrel, bull barrel I call them,
Wood is in fantastic shape, it came with no sights but has away to mount a scope

Cleaned it, no rust, a little dirty but cleaned up well,

The only thing I see wrong with it is the mag release button is missing
But you can stick a small screw driver into the hole and the mag will release.

I have a Winchester 69a looks like the magazine are the same?

What ammo should I try shooting out of it, I was thinking to start with cci standard velocity, then maybe wolf match, would hi velocity work in it too.

Are these good shooterS or should I put it up for sale on c.g.

Thanks

['ol shooter]

Lucky find, congrats. I feed my older rifles CCI SV, they seem to like it pretty well. Feel free to experiment with different target ammo if your wallet can take it. The 52 is a great shooter in when in good condition.

[dfletcher]

Found one in a garage sale
Serial number is etched Onto the bolt, it matches the serial number on the barrel, the serial number is followed by the letter b on the bolt but the letter is not on the barrel
It is a heavy barrel, bull barrel I call them,
Wood is in fantastic shape, it came with no sights but has away to mount a scope

Cleaned it, no rust, a little dirty but cleaned up well,

The only thing I see wrong with it is the mag release button is missing
But you can stick a small screw driver into the hole and the mag will release.

I have a Winchester 69a looks like the magazine are the same?

What ammo should I try shooting out of it, I was thinking to start with cci standard velocity, then maybe wolf match, would hi velocity work in it too.

Are these good shooterS or should I put it up for sale on c.g.

Thanks

Magazines are the same. The mag release should be easy to replace, just a button and IIRC the same as on the 69, 72, etc.

There were several versions of the 52, including a Browning made copy in the late 1990s. I would stick with standard velocity and even though it's expensive, maybe give Lapua rimfire a try.

Is the rifle set up for a conventional scope or exterior adjust like Unertl, Fecker, Litschert, etc?

[RandyD]

The Winchester Model 52 is a target rifle, and it is designed to shoot standard velocity ammo. You won't hurt the barrel by shooting high velocity ammo in it, but you won't get the desired results of accuracy. Good find. The Model 52 was my first target rifle and I miss it.

[Fatcat]

Eley Tenex

[SonofWWIIDI]

Their web site seems a little wonky right now, but they will probably have the parts you need.

https://cfnparts.com/

They had a replacement bolt for an old model 69 my dad gave me.

Even if it is listed as out of stock, call.

Good luck.

[Calif Hunter]

For our ARA matches, most in our club use Eley Match (black box) or Tenex. We get picky even as to velocity and machine numbers. Model 52s are great rifles. They made some sporting models as well as target rifles. They are hard to beat.

[eternoplacer]

Great find Sir, CCI standard velocity is a good start.
My 75 target likes domestic ammo, its a 40's vintage and does well with Winchester, Federal, CCI and Remington.
Model 52 mag release button is a simple mechanism, making another button would be the best solution if a new one can not be found.

Have fun!

[LynnJr]

Second vote for Eley Tenex

[Wordupmybrotha]

You must live in a free state. Would be nice to cash and carry at a garage sale.

[slamfire1]

There are 52's, 52A's, 52B's, 52C's, 52D'c, and a Win M52E. Since yours has a magazine, it is probably a C or earlier.

If it is a B, the action is fine, the trigger is undesirable and I don't know anyone making a trigger for a M52 anything, anymore.





the serial number is on the receiver at least with the D model. Don't have an earlier model



You can go to gunbroker and look at pictures and figure out if you have a factory rifle, or something that has been modified. Modified rifles are less desirable than original. Customized rifles always have their issues, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Bad means trying to find replacement parts for a rifle series that has not been in production since the 1970's. The C model was 1950's? While all the 52's are accurate given a good barrel and good ammunition, the heavy trigger pull on all of them mean that 52's are scarce on the firing line. I consider the action very good, but Kenyon triggers are themselves collectable, and no one is shooting a rifle with a 3.5 pound trigger in competition.

If the barrel is good, no washed out by cleaning rods, then the best ammunition is match ammunition. Even cheap match will shoot tighter groups than any Walmart, over the counter ammunition.

Even cheap "match" ammunition has its issues, the most common is low velocity drop outs.



this F class shooter gave up using TAC22 after having a sighter bullet drop 12 inches at 100 yards





he is shooting Eley Black Box and doing much better

[Mnort10x]

Saw at Coyote Point Armory Burlingame a couple of Winchester 52D for sale. I'm a lefty or I'd buy one.