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Good afternoon all,
I’ve been on the hunt for a nice example of a 52C Sporting rifle for some time. I don’t get the opportunity to travel to the big shows so am limited to the local shops and internet. The link below seems to show a fine example. I would very much appreciate the opinion of those with greater knowledge than myself. It appears to be all correct complete with swivels.
As a side note I have the 52A and B as well as the 75 and 75 Sporting rifles that I enjoy shooting regularly.
winchester-model-52b-sporting-bolt-action-rifle-w-lyman-peep-mfd-1953-exceptional
I am not the expert on Model 52’s but this website has a LOT of parts for sale.
They are a stand up outfit, and the pictures, look pretty clean, and a nice looking, crisp specimen, to me!
According to the WACA Forum site, here, mfg. year is 1952, not 1953. Not a big deal. IMO! Even though this rifle was mfg. at the end of the, “B” , production era, and during the beginning of the, “C” , production era, as a short overlapping period, during those years. It’s a nice example, and in very nice condition, with very few honest looking marks, on it. It would be nice to verify the stamped marks under the barrel, and on the hidden underside of the barrel, and the inside of the wood stock.
Nothing sticks out to me as far as a red flag, but I don’t consider myself an expert on these either, as much as I do a few others here on this Forum.
Steve, (seewin), and, BRP, and JWA, to name a few, have a lot of experience and their knowledge is second to none on the model 52’s! IMO!
Serial number #76907 B, is between the serial numbers that seewin, has in his survey, according to the model B sporting rifle. (45775B-84338B That would be an important factor to me.
You’ll always get different opinions on the dollar value, and or the asking price, but that’s to be expected, also!
Anthony
Online
I see a couple of red flags on that 52-B Sporting rifle.
The butt plate, which always shows some wear, even on the most pristine specimens, has 100% bluing on it. That is odd.
Second, I see bluing at the bottom of old nicks and pits in the steel, which makes me wonder if that rifle has been re-blued. It was a pretty good job, but I don’t believe that’s the original finish. The price is pretty much top of the market for a post-war 52-B Sporter, the most common of the 52 Sporting rifles by far. I would look for one without the issues, if I were in the market for one.
BRP
BRP,
You’re eyes and experience here has surely got me on this one!
Are you referring to the small nick in the barrel on the right side showing the front Sling Swivel?
I didn’t pick up on the butt stock plate either!
Anthony
The spots I see are in pic # 15 and # 18, behind the breech bolt, and on the right side of the barrel.
BRP
Looking closer now, as you’ve stated, I have to agree with you, but I’m also not afraid to admit, that I was fooled for the most part!
I did notice the nick in the barrel, in #18, that had my attention, without zooming in, and in #15, I noticed the finish behind the breach bolt as you stated, but, brushed past it, and didn’t zoom in either, as I should have!
If this was an all original, and completely untouched up, or cleaned up rifle, I wouldn’t have had a problem paying that for it, to be completely honest! I was refraining from using the phrase, refinished!
Anthony
I believe it has been redone. This is based on the light colored stock finish with darker checkering panels, along with the general finish on the metal with doesn’t match up with Winchesters polishing grain and overall finish. The screw heads have been over polished compared to Winchester procedure. The bolt handle has definitely been reblued due to the fact that the rear of the bolt handle was left blued instead of being ground and left in the white when adjusting headspace as was the procedure at Winchester. The grain of the polishing at the muzzle looks wrong to me as well based on the pictures as does the triggerguard. As BRP mentioned previously, the buttplate is way too shiny as are the screws attaching it. Also, the nicks and pits under the blue surface would have never passed Winchester muster. The roll stamping looks slightly washed out in areas and the proofmarks look too flat for my liking. I do believe the it is an original rifle and would bet the barrel date is 52 due to the rollstamping on the barrel being the later 52C style which was used on the very late B’s as well.
Steve
I forgot to mention that the Micromotion trigger tag is not correct for this rifle. The B’s did not have Micromotion triggers, and the parts of the B trigger were not hard chrome plated and hand honed. This is the tag for a 52C.
Steve
