Model 52|Page 4|Winchester .22 Rim Fire|Forum|Winchester Collector

Bert H. said

Ben said
Behave Bert….  you’re starting to “Clarence”… 
  

I am behaving… well sort of. 
I did spend 4-hours today at the shooting range.  I shot 100-rounds through that Model 61 you scammed me on.  The best I could get was a 1.5″ group @ 50-yards (using cheap Winchester bulk 22 Mag ammo).  I need to find a better brand of ammo and give it another try at the range. On a positive note, the Weaver K6 Steel tube scope looks good on it, and it dialed in quickly.
On a more positive note, this is the 100-yd 5-shot group I shot today with the Model 54 22 Hornet;

13.0 grains of Lil-Gun, 40-gr Hornady V-Max bullet, W-W Super cases.  The first shot was the flyer, then I settled down and managed a .57″ 4-shot group.  I am ready for a Gopher trip.
Bert 
  

Looks terrible. You should give that turd to me.

Number 118 is an interesting rifle. I question why it has proofmarks on the LH side of barrel and the receiver. On a rifle this early, they should be both be on the top side of the rifle. Winchester started putting the barrel proof on side of the receiver around 10XXX. Early in production, Winchester moved the barrel proof to the LH side, but only about 45 degrees down from previous vertical location. This was to prevent it from being hidden by the rear scope blocks when supplied. The receiver proof remained on the top side. At about 10XXX, both proofs were moved to the more familiar location seen on later rifles. #118 has the much this later proofmark location. The stock looks to be off a much later rifle as well. The end of the pistol grip should be almost round on an early rifle up to about s/n 3000. The buttplate should have horizontal lines only also. See below.

Bert H. said
Steve,
Additionally, the barrel on S/N 118 is marked “PROOF STEEL”, indicating it is a post 1931 production piece, and approximately 12-years too late for the rifle in question.
Bert
  

Bert, the earliest Proof Steel barrels I have seen on 52’s are dated “31” and in the 21xxx serial number range.

Steve

Hi Jeff, Steve and Bert-

Since the discussion has turned to barrel steel, I’ll ask a question…  

The M54 the nickel steel barrels (that say “NICKEL STEEL” in the exposed roll marking) usually have a steel/foundry identification stamp under the chamber. Early M54 proof steel barrels were also commonly stamped, but the practice was soon abandoned. 

So here are three ’32 dated PROOF STEEL barrels in 250-3000 Savage.  These are all on M70s, which is not uncommon for 250 Savage.  Apparently they made a lot more 250 Savage barrels than they were able to sell on M54s and they can turn up on M70s as late as 1946 (fourteen years late!!!).

Two of these ’32 date barrels are stamped “C.M.S.”, which I believe Steve says stands for “Crucible Moly Steel” for the foundry and type of steel.  But what’s going on with the first one that’s stamped M.N.S. which would be “Midvale Nickel Steel”?  All three barrels are marked “PROOF STEEL” and have the correct integral forged front ramp.

I’ve never seen “M.N.S.” on a M54/70 barrel.  Did they make any of the later M54/70 style barrel out of Nickel Steel, as the “M.N.S.” would imply, and stamp them “PROOF STEEL”?  Is this an error in the under chamber stamp?  Or am I just confused (as usual)???

Best,

Lou

Bert H. said
Lou,
First, the underbarrel markings were applied well before the roll marking on the exposed side of the barrel. 
My bet is that the “M.N.S” marked barrel is an incorrectly roll marked Model 54 Nickel Steel barrel.
This is of course just my opinion.
Bert
  

The “M.N.S.” & “C.M.S.” are hand stamps along with the other under barrel markings. So easy enough to grab the wrong stamp.

I have some of these stamps. I do need to look through my research and see what means what.

I suppose the only way to truly know is that you would have to somehow test the metal between the two stamped barrels and see how / if they differ.

Good luck with that!

Sincerely,

Maverick