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I think I posted this when I was getting it. But now I’m shooting it! I really love this rifle and Lyman scope, shooting it at the range surrounded by black plastic ARs. It’s a little worn, not as accurate as some rifles made almost a century later, but it still impresses.
Very nice, looks like a great combo!
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
November 7, 2015
Offline
I may have missed the earlier post, in any case thanks for posting about the range trip. Not many things more satisfying than shooting an old Winchester, especially a very accurate one. Good shooting!
Mike
I must admit that I am jealous, but I am on the hunt for a 52 with a period scope…..just need to rub my two magic pennies together for enough bank.
Vince
Southern Oregon
NRA member
Fraternal Order of Eagles
“There is but one answer to be made to the dynamite bomb and that can best be made by the Winchester rifle.”
Teddy Roosevelt
I think you’re missing the greatest pleasure it can provide–using the beautiful 82A rear sight, with its simple, foolproof, adjustments. Sure I shoot from a bench, but it’s a means to an end, like sight adjustment, accuracy testing, or load development; otherwise…where’s the satisfaction? One of the greatest challenges is visual if you’re over about 50 (I’m 76), but it’s still amazing how well (with some practice) one can hit a blurry target if the front sight is sharp. My own physical cond. is so poor I can no longer shoot from a sitting or kneeling position (which used to be my favorite), unless there’s someone around to help me back up to my feet, but I can still shoot off-hand, for the present, at least; when I can’t, then I’ll go back to the bench.
One serious problem with the 82A: except for people with exceptional vision, the aperture is far too small! It was understood at the time that shooters not possessing such exceptional vision could easily enlarge it (but not vice versa), & target shooters supply catalogs such as O’Hare’s carried aperture reamers for that purpose. I don’t have one of those, but a drill bit does a satisfactory job.
I want to try that rear sight too, and will soon. It’s only a few twists of the scope knobs and it slides right off, afterall. \
In the past, I was never interested in scopes, and always shot open sights on everything I owned. Never used a red dot on a pistol. Never had a big mil-dot scope on a modern rifle, hate them. But as I get into middle age, I do know it will be harder to use open sights. I’m in my mid 50s, and can still do fine with sights, but….
The day I shot this 52, I also took my 75 Sporter. It had been a contender for the scope, but Larry and others talked me out of it. So I shot from the same bench, same .22 makes, same targets. My groups were a LOT bigger. Still in the black at 50 yds, but much bigger. Now it’s a hooded post front, and I usually do better with a ring/globe front, which the 52 has. Again…I’ll try the 52 with it’s sights too, they look great!
AZshot said
Now it’s a hooded post front, and I usually do better with a ring/globe front, which the 52 has.
Of course with one of those, using a bullseye target, the necessity of focusing on the front sight is eliminated, & I’d use one if I was testing for accuracy. But for general shooting, I still prefer the unobstructed view of the target you have with a simple blade or post, such as the one (93A) standard on 52s for 20+ yrs. They’re now very hard to find, because most bullseye shooters replaced them with Lyman 17As, as on yours. Only better (slightly) front sight I use is the special undercut blade USMC installed on their ’03s. But shooting at bullseyes except for the purpose of accuracy testing is such a bore, compared to the immediate feedback you get with steel–no peeping through a spotting scope to know how you did.
I think I concur with everything you wrote, and I’m sure we’d have fun shooting together! I shot BPCR back in the 90s, and loved that sport. Just a “boom…….DING!” at 500 yds. I used an aperture front for that, that would just encircle the animal. Very easy sight picture.
Just FYI: The Lyman sights were available from Winchester on special order. The customer didn’t always change the sights. RDB
Qui
rogertherelic said
Just FYI: The Lyman sights were available from Winchester on special order. The customer didn’t always change the sights. RDB
Quite so my friend. I have had several M52’s with factory installed Lyman sights. I even had 3 special made round top receivers with factory installed Lyman 48T’s on the right side. Show mw a Lyman 48T right side mount, and I will show you a very scarce sight.
I also had one with a factory installed Lyman 48 J. One can usually tell a factory job from a shade tree gunsmith job.
Scopes for these rifles were special order from the Git go. Generally a Winchester A5 was the main choice. At that point in time, another choice was the Fecker and a few others. Even the early Feckers used Winchester Grasshopper mounts, until he came out with his most famous bases and mounts.
It is extremely hard to ascertain factory installed sights as opposed to a good gunsmith job. There is little in the way of documentation. My BIL once found a NIB M52? with the original paperwork in the box at the old Great Western. It called for the factory installation of a Winchester A5. The owner broke up the set and sold the A5 to my BIL. DUH !!!
BTW, I got a lot of my scope info from Mr. Gil Parsons. He liked to talk scopes and sights. Big Larry
Vince said
I must admit that I am jealous, but I am on the hunt for a 52 with a period scope…..just need to rub my two magic pennies together for enough bank.
What era are you looking for? Period rifles and scopes can be very pricey, especially ones that have not been altered. Big Larry
Vince said
I must admit that I am jealous, but I am on the hunt for a 52 with a period scope.
If you mean scope & gun together, the hunt will probably be long, though I have seen a few show up on-line. That gun & A5 combo Larry referred to was a once in a lifetime find. The greedy seller was crazy to break them up, but Larry’s BIL should have bought both; if he needed dough, Larry would have helped him out, I’m sure.
“Period” scopes aren’t scarce on ebay, but they don’t bring the highest prices because they’re relatively low power, compared to later scopes of 20 & 30X. Winchester’s 5A is an exception, because of all the sniper-nuts buying them to build FAKE ’03 sniper-riflles.
Vince said
I must admit that I am jealous, but I am on the hunt for a 52 with a period scope…..just need to rub my two magic pennies together for enough bank.
Just what you’re looking for–scope is a Targetspot, right for this B model.
clarence said
Just what you’re looking for–scope is a Targetspot, right for this B model.
That is a very nice rifle. Starting price is also very reasonable for what you would be getting. I would be a player, but I already have a nice “B” and scope, and I am not really into M52’s any longer. Most of my spare change is going on Smith and Wessons these days. Big Larry
clarence said
Vince said
I must admit that I am jealous, but I am on the hunt for a 52 with a period scope.If you mean scope & gun together, the hunt will probably be long, though I have seen a few show up on-line. That gun & A5 combo Larry referred to was a once in a lifetime find. The greedy seller was crazy to break them up, but Larry’s BIL should have bought both; if he needed dough, Larry would have helped him out, I’m sure.
“Period” scopes aren’t scarce on ebay, but they don’t bring the highest prices because they’re relatively low power, compared to later scopes of 20 & 30X. Winchester’s 5A is an exception, because of all the sniper-nuts buying them to build FAKE ’03 sniper-riflles.
Winchester A5. Lyman 5A. My BIL always had much more $$$ than me. He was a SDPD officer and made good $$$, as did his wife. Big Larry
For you fellows looking for a Model 52, there are at least 3-dozen of them coming up next month in RIA’s auction.
https://www.rockislandauction.com/catalog/1036/1/?keywords=Winchester%20Model%2052
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said
For you fellows looking for a Model 52, there are at least 3-dozen of them coming up next month in RIA’s auction.
https://www.rockislandauction.com/catalog/1036/1/?keywords=Winchester%20Model%2052
Bert
Quite an assortment, though pretty much the same kinds of guns listed on & off on GB & GI; noticed nothing as rare as some of Big Larry’s 52s. It’s unusual, however, that so many are scoped. (The Cummins scope is a rarity, but it’s in non-original mounts.) As usual for RI, estimates seem low, esp. for the Sporters, & by the time commission & SALES TAX are piled on, I’d be surprised if there are any bargains.
As per usual, these guns will be setting records when they are sold. I don’t do auctions, but it will be fun to see what these Plain Jane rifles bring.
Just for anyones info, my BIL died recently, and his collection was supposed to be auctioned off by RIA. I have been watching for them. He had some really nice guns. Many M1903 Springfields and Garands, as well as some super Winchester 22’s. Big Larry
Big Larry said
Just for anyones info, my BIL died recently, and his collection was supposed to be auctioned off by RIA. I have been watching for them. He had some really nice guns. Many M1903 Springfields and Garands, as well as some super Winchester 22’s. Big Larry
No hand-me-downs for Larry?
Big Larry said
As per usual, these guns will be setting records when they are sold.
Like all the other auctions. Maybe that’s why, when it comes to supporting NRA or other gun-rights orgs, the fat-cats are all tapped out. Poor guys, I’m sure they’d like to help, but the gun-safe (or vault) has to be replenished.
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