Help ID'ing this rifle, winchester 52??

W

Whiteboy67

New member
Hello everyone, I recently acquired this rifle and I'm having a hard time narrowing it down. I believe it to be a Winchester 52 that's been modified with a different stock and a different barrel. Any thoughts?

Here is the link to all the photos, they're too big to upload here.
http://imgur.com/a/4SIVy

I appreciate any help you guys can give me!

-Cody
 
From Wiki:

I am of the opinion that your rifle has the action of a Win 52 B . From Wiki, this model was made from 1936-1950.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_52



Model 52B, "Improved" Speed Lock (1937): Laudensack replaced the original left-mounted wing safety with a more convenient sliding-plate safety on the right side of the receiver. The 52B design also raised the left receiver wall abreast the magazine higher than the right, whereas on earlier versions both sides were flush with the loading platform. Laudensack also modified the Speed Lock mechanism, including the addition of an adjustable trigger-return spring and a sprung sear-disengagement plunger. Unfortunately this revised Speed Lock proved immediately unpopular, most shooters considering it to have excessive vibration and creep compared to the original—-- as well as to the "Miracle Trigger" of the new Remington 37, the 52's first serious American competitor.

You did not provide any pictures of barrel markings so I cannot say that the barrel is a Winchester barrel or an aftermarket. What I can say, is that your rifle is not in the original factory stock. In terms of rareness, unmodified Win 52's are much more desirable for a collector because unmodified factory target smallbore rifles are rare. If the rifle was purchased by a serious shooter, in time, the competitor would modify the rifle, usually copying what the most successful small bore shooters in the area were using. Original period factory stocks maintained close configuration to the military rifle stocks of the period, that is type C M1903 or the Garand stock. This was due to the military writing the rules for shooting sports, and the military wanted Civilians to shoot something as close as possible to the service rifle. These rules were relaxed in time, and by the time you get to the 1960's, in order to be competitive in international competition, the old service rifle type stock geometry and trigger pull weights were waived. It is apparently from the stock geometry that the owner wanted something with a higher cheek weld than the factory stock.

I don't recognize the stock, but I don't remember any after market stocks that were checkered. What I can see of the handstop looks Winchester. The buttplate looks to be a Freeland type.

That Unertl scope is a great scope and since it is on the rifle, I recommend you leave it like it is and use the rifle with the Unertl scope. The receiver is tapped for a M52 rear sight base, and I recommend you get one while you can. They are still out there. I did not see enough of the barrel to see holes for the front dovetail, but the front sight dovetail for Win M52's was 0.520" in height. Given a Redfield Olympic, International rear on and an aperture front, that rifle is fully capable of being competitive at any Small Bore Prone match, in the irons and any category.
 
Yes, Winchester model 52B. Custom stock. Barrel could be factory or not, it's hard to say without seeing the barrel markings.

As to whether it's competitive or not, that's a personal opinion. There's a reason the Anschutz 64 and 54 took over the firing lines of the world.
 
As to whether it's competitive or not, that's a personal opinion. There's a reason the Anschutz 64 and 54 took over the firing lines of the world.
Click to expand...

I asked Leon Wigger about the older rifles, he having won a number of National Championships when Remington and Winchester rifles were common and many were still on the firing line, and he said his score was better when he started shooting Anschutz rifles. That is a pretty good recommendation.

Winchester and Remington did not improve their smallbore rifles, they did not keep up with improvements and the market walked away. This is not to say the M52's, or M37's, or M40X's, or even the H&R M12 are inaccurate, they are accurate, but the rifles with the old stock configurations and triggers are harder to shoot consistently. The Army mandated three pound triggers, which are fine on a Garand, but most shooters today are using triggers from an ounce to eight ounces. I have pulled a lot of three pound triggers and it is as jarring as slamming a hatch each pull.

I took pictures of the 2010 Irons National Champion at Camp Perry, Mr Charles Kemp. This is Mr Kemp and his M52 D rifle.





About the only thing that was a M52D was the action and the trigger, and that trigger was modified to an 8 ounce pull. However the Winchester action is an outstanding action and if all the bells and whistles are attached, the rifle is capable of winning the National Matches.

I took this stock box Remington M37, made 1941, and shot in a 3200. I did win the 100 yard any match with the thing.



This is my 400-32X.



The gun club president has an identical Rem 37, though with an Eric Johnson barrel, and he shot it F class style at the Club. With a bipod and a rest he did this at 100 yards during a small bore match





These older rifles will shoot if the barrel is good and if they are well bedded. I remember one Lady who had a Win 52 action in an Anschutz prone and she was shooting inside anything I was doing. Her action had a modified trigger. I am of the opinion, having seen enough Win 52's on the firing line, and seeing the groups, that the original rifles are inherently accurate, just that the old style stocks and heavy triggers make them harder to shoot consistently. It is a shame Winchester walked away from smallbore because the action is an excellent basis for a target rifle. The Remington M40 action is being copied today and is the basis for an excellent small bore prone rifle.

I have been shooting small bore prone competitively for a number of years now and I am of the opinion that while you need good equipment to win, in the final analysis it is judgement and ability that separates the champions from the pack. The very good shooters are psychic in their wind reading abilities. I accuse them all of Witchcraft because I have been there, next to them, same relay, and they are seeing things that I don't, and making wind changes while my shots are being blow out. It has to be magic. They also have lot tested ammunition for their rifles and that makes a big difference.

I do not look down on older rifles, because I have a number of them, and they will shoot well.
 
Definte M52B, stock might be an OLD..

Freeland stock, appears to have the early Freeland butt assembly and MIGHT

have the barrel dampening system from Freeland.

Contact Champion shooters supply in Ohio, Carl J., might be able to confirm from
photo's. Might have old records, as he bought the Freeland's after the family sold it.

ENJOY IT and take it to a match!
 
I'm having a hard time buying some of what I've seen here.

The bit about the Winchester 52, Rem 40X and H&R M12/5200, not being accurate.

These rifles, like the Annies and other target rifles are picky about the ammo they shoot.

The AK NG marksmanship unit had several Winchester 52s, and as they became hard to find or get parts for we bought the H&Rs Model 12s (or 5200s for the civ. versions (polished metal and stock).

Best way to test these rifles is to shoot an ISU English Match (Prone 50 Meter) These guns are more then capable of cleaning these targets. English matches are decided by X count.

My Annie 1807 is more picky on ammo, it likes Ely 10-X. We use to get mil. White Box ammo. It came in Pistol and Rifle versions. My H&R would clean the ISU targets with White Box for Pistol, but wouldn't for White Box for rifle.

Here is my H&R spouting a Remington 24X scope.

HandR5200_1.jpg


To the OP: That's a beautiful rifle. Congrats on your find. Try some different ammo until you find what she likes, you'll discover you have a shooter.
 
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