Winchester Collector - Forum: Winchester .22 Rim Fire

seewin on Model 52

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:22:31 +0000

There should only be 2 screws to remove. The front action screw is just in front of the of magazine at the front end of the trigger guards. The second screw should be the barrel band screw. Based on pictures, it appears that the front swivel acts as both a swivel and also the attaching screw for the barrel band. Remove the magazine and bolt prior to removing stock. I would look at the stampings on the bottom side of the barrel just in front of the receiver. There will be possible inspection stamps and maybe a barrel date. Look also in the barrel channel of the stock for possible stampings, as well as under the butt plate. If not too much of a problem please take a picture of what is stamped on the bottom side of the barrel.

Steve

Zebulon on Model 52

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:01:56 +0000

Even Proto or SnapOn mechanics' screwdrivers are not suited for gunsmithing. Their tips have tapered sides. If you don't have a set of gunsmithing screwdrivers, get a set before doing anything else. The tips have parallel sides and a selection of thicknesses and widths. Brownell Magna-Tips are the standard. You'll use them a lot, so don't hesitate. And get a set of pin punches while you're at it, although you shouldn't need to remove pins right now. The screws may be frozen so get a small can of Kroil penetrating oil in case you need to loosen a screw. Take your time. Leave a Kroil treated screw overnight to work. Beefing down to turn an ancient screw usually results in a buggered screw slot. Let chemistry do the.hard work

If you already have the right tools- or once you get them -- get, borrow or download an exploded drawing of your gun and study it carefully. Then look for a YouTube video on how to disassemble a Model 92. You aren't going to do anything but take the buttplate and the wood off to get a look at what's underneath. No need to go further.

Best thing is to photograph every mark and stamp while the wood is off and anything you see under the buttplate. Then you can reassemble. While the furniture is off you can seal.the unfinished wood of the inletting with wax or shellac.

Post the images here and we'll all take a look.

MFoster on Model 52

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:38:34 +0000

Please let me know best possible ways and precautions to take when removing the action from the stock, makes me a bit nervous to be honest. Also locations to look for markings and clues to help put the story together.

seewin on Model 52

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:04:29 +0000

I always remove the stock and butt plate whether factory stocked or custom. I like to record all the information on the bottom of the barrel and always hope to dig up some markings possibly related to past owners etc.

Steve

MFoster on Model 52

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:44:47 +0000

Thank ya’ll for the comments. I’ll try and take the buttplate off once I get home in a few weeks. Any other advice or thoughts on the rifle please continue to post. I’ll post pictures once the buttplate is removed. Would y’all recommend removing the action to see any stock makers marks or leave it be.

Zebulon on Model 52

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:26:26 +0000

That custom work is first class and it would be foolish and disrespectful to the craftsman to destroy it. The point pattern checkering looks very well done and is typical of the work of Griffin & Howe that I've seen. No blacksmith did this job and I would look very, very carefully with the barreled action out of the stock for evidence of the maker.

Between the World Wars, there were many fine immigrant craftsmen come to the Connecticut River Valley and St. Louis and Chicago, fully capable of doing this level of work and whose names we will never know. But the work speaks for itself.

A Biesen or Brownell or Goens custom model 70 is as "original" as it ever needs to be. So is this Model 52.

TXGunNut on Model 52

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:48:11 +0000

A picture may be worth a thousand words but I can only come up with a few: "Nice, leave it alone!"

Mike

Anthony on Model 52

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 11:15:53 +0000

I'm in agreement with the others, as that sure is a nice specimen. Different in a lot of very interesting ways. Originally when this was posted, and before the OP was able to post pictures of it. I thought it might be a good candidate to remove the custom stock and find a donor rifle, and replace/install an early finger grooved stock on it, like the other early examples. Now that I can see better pics than we're first listed in the Auction, I also like it, and would leave it alone. Maybe time will provide some more details on who did the custom work on this early number #13 model 52.

Thanks for sharing!

Tony

Ben on Model 52

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 04:55:53 +0000

Wonderful! Oh, I can't wait for the rest of the story to be discovered. That trapdoor buttplate is classy... if you do take it off to inspect, please take pics of the mechanism... what auction was it on?

TXGunNut on Model 52

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 02:15:29 +0000

Sight insert tin appears to be hung up on the butt plate; have you tried loosening or removing the butt plate?

Mike

drice0517 on Increase Value for First Year Models..?

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:17:27 +0000

Thank you Bert..!

Jeremy P on Model 52

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 19:46:30 +0000

I quite like that rifle, lucky "13" alone would have sold me on it!

I would try a glue stick tip, melt it and stick it to the lyman tube and see if you can pull it out.

Bert H. on Increase Value for First Year Models..?

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:34:35 +0000

With a high production model (like the 9422), "first-year" has little to no effect on the value (though many gun dealers will try to convince you otherwise). Now, if the serial number was inside the first 100 rifles made, then Yes, there would be a moderate value premium.

Bert

Bert H. on Looking for Serialnumber on a .22 Thumb trigger

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:04:31 +0000

JWA said
Hi Goatkeeper,
Keep the rifle as is! Bluing it will de-value it (and not make it shoot any better).
We can narrow the date of manufacture down even further with a bit more information. Whether it has the WP in an oval proof mark in front of the breach on top of the barrel or not.
Based on your roll-marking (with the Feb. 1905 patent date and lack of Ex. Long chambering) your rifle was made between: March 1905 – June 1908 if it does NOT have the proof marking and July 1908 – 1914 if it DOES have the proof marking.
It is what I call a "Variation 21" (no proof mark) or "Variation 22" (with proof mark) in my notes.
Best Regards,

I knew there was a good reason we keep you around!

Bert

Blue Ridge Parson on Model 52

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 17:56:57 +0000

That's a neat old 52. The "Patent Applied For" marking is one you seldom see. I also tip my hat to the craftsman who altered the (later era) Winchester butt plate by creating a trap door. The A-5 scope looks to be in excellent shape. Nice find!

BRP