This is not a difficult question. Older match 22 LR's will shoot. They will shoot very darn well. I just returned from the Small Bore Prone NRA Nationals and as I love older rifles, I got to look at the rifles and actions around me. One shooter, he was using a stock box M52E. He bought it new in 1981, it was new old stock when he purchased it. I watched him shoot a 99-9X clean at 100 yards with the thing, the wind caught the last shot and blew it out to a nine.
That rifle is a very accurate rifle. The E model is basically the D model but with a light, like 11 ounce, trigger.
Another shooter was using a Rem M37 in a 50's Fajen stock and doing rather well with it. The lady next to me was using a M52 action in an Anschutz prone stock. I am of the opinion that had Winchester put that action in an advanced stock and improved the trigger pull the M52 would be common on the firing line.
The primary limitations with old match rifles are the triggers and ergonomic adjustments. The Army mandated trigger pulls and stock configurations that were close to service rifle specifications, which at the time was a Garand or a pistol grip M1903. Prior to 1968 the Army had the big vote on the rules committee and the Army viewed competitive shooting as a training ground for future recruits. The rifles of the era reflect these limitations. Triggers were required to be 3 pounds and the stocks had fixed buttplates and cheek pieces. But Army shooters were getting their butt's kicked in international competition, primarily from Soviet block, and so the rifle rules were relaxed around 1967/1968 when the Army stopped supporting the National Matches. Unfortunately that was about the time Remington, Winchester dropped their small bore target rifle lines.
Triggers on the older rifles can be adjusted down, but generally they start to follow if adjusted to 2.5 pounds. This is important as it takes a lot more work to shoot accurately prone, with a heavy trigger. When I started this game I thought a 1.5 lb trigger was too light, now I am using the set trigger on my Anschutz, which is in ounces, and loving it. I can see the effects on target of a jarring trigger pull, it takes more work to stay in the ten ring with a heavy (and I mean 1.0 pound or more) trigger.
I don't feel very handicapped using a scope on the older rifles, but I much prefer the adjustable cheekpieces and buttplates found on Anschutz rifles. Mind you, I am shooting a 1976 dated Anschutz and shooting it well. Stock adjustments make a big difference, more so for me when shooting a scope. I can adjust the thing so my face stays in the exact same position. For me, this is the most critical when using irons. It is of course just as critical when using a scope but maybe the scope bell helps me center my face each time.
Hand stops on older, say WW2 era rifles, were way the heck up the stock and you could not move them back. No one shoots in that low of a position any more. Not having your support hand against the handstop will really hurt your score. The rifle must not slide in the hand under recoil. I had to put ladder tape behind the handstop and underneath the forearm on this M37. I was not going to alter a vintage stock rifle stock, but I needed a grippy surface since I could not contact the front swivel. Shooting this rifle well with a sling is tough as there is no handstop against which to accurately locate the support hand.
This rifle will shoot well, this is a 400-32X that I shot in competition at 100 yards. I won the 100 yard match that day with these targets.
If you can find an affordable M52D, or better, a M52E, that would be a great rifle. I am of the opinion that the H&R M12 is an excellent target rifle, actually a product improved M52. With a scope I have shot some outstanding groups and scores with mine. Still, it has the heavy trigger of the era.
For the money, the CMP Kimbers are still a best buy. I managed to scope this Kimber and took it out for testing in May. It will clean the target out to 100. This target I put together to show the effect of a drop out. For some horrible reason my particular lot of Eley Club provides an abnormal number of low velocity shots which go into the eight ring at 6 0'C
I have a Rem M513, stiff trigger and cheap plastic magazine, but it shoots very well.
