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Both Phil Sharpe (The Rifle in America, 1937) and Madis make reference to the first Model 52 rifles being "originally made in .22 Short" (Sharpe) and "listed as available" in pre-1922 catalogs (Madis).
How many 52s were made in .22 Short?
Have any survived?
Is there any demand for them?
December 31, 2012
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I have seen M52’s in 22 short cal. I have also seen one Sporter in 22 short. These rifles are extremely rare. I doubt they were ever cataloged. Yeah, a collector would give his right arm for one of these. Big Larry
March 12, 2008
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I have only seen 2 model 52 target rifles in 22 short. They are both residing in the Cody Firearms Museum, and both were sample models that were never serial numbered. One was from the original prototype 10 rifle group manufactured before actual production began. The other, if I am not mistaken, is a one-off prototype that was developed before the 10 lot sample group. This particular gun does not have provisions for a magazine. The other sample rifle used what appears to be a special shortened magazine which is not the typical magazine used in later 22 short applications for the 56,57, and 69 models. The later short magazines were nothing more than the standard magazine with a filler block as well as different spring and follower.
So I question whether the short was ever produced on a production basis for the target rifle or the sporter for that matter. The drawing for the production 22 magazine was produced in 1920 after the introduction of the model 52, and is only listed for models 56 and 57. You would logically conclude it would have also had the 52 as an application if in fact it was being manufactured.
I have also seen one 22 short sporter and seen pictures of one other. The one that I actually handled appeared to be a well done fake. I cannot comment on the other since I have never seen it in person.
Winchester originally considered the short for the 52, and one of the original 10 lot sample rifles was in fact chambered for the short and sent to the National Matches at Caldwell, NJ in July, 1919. It was subsequently returned to Winchester and rechambered for the 22 LR. Apparently the thoughts of chambering for the 22 short were squelched by the military who favored the LR cartridge and were at the same time chambering it in the Springfield 22 target rifle.
Look’s like I got a little long winded here, but my opinion is that the 52 was never offered to the general public or at least produced on a cataloged basis. Perhaps some were manufactured on a special order basis, and perhaps some have subsequently been faked. There are no production records for this model, so, the truth might never be known.
I would love to see an actual factory manufactured 22 short in the target version.
Steve
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