Hello everyone. Coming out of my lurker mode to ask this question.. Anyone use/seen/ or thought about using a Win 52? I have a nice 52E that I "think" might make a good silhouette rifle. Haven't seen one mentioned here so thought I would just be bold and ..ask.

Hi Merlin,

Have you shot silhouette before ? I had my first go at it 2 years ago. I used my Marlin 81 DL with a Tasco 6x scope and used hold over. I had the gun since I was 12 am now 59.

I was lucky enough to get 2nd place in b grade, I also got hooked. I now use a CZ silhouette for both hunter & rifle.

What I'm trying to say is just have a go with what ever you got. You will meet a great bunch of people. If just a little crazy.

Daisy

You came to the right place. There's a lady on here who thinks she's pretty good with her Win 52 (she is). Her name on here is Innocent (she isn't ). I'd answer, but I wouldn't have nearly the experience or information that she will.

I can't imagine what she is innocent of.

There are quite a few around that shoot that old gun.

Keep in mind that it's not the equipment but the shooter. If you can find a gun and ammo combination that will shoot around 1 1/2 minutes you should be off to a good start.

Once you are hooked and decide to upgrade, don't go the cheep route. If you do, you will end up spending the money anyhow. Just don't do it twice.

Jerry G wrote:Keep in mind that it's not the equipment but the shooter. If you can find a gun and ammo combination that will shoot around 1 1/2 minutes you should be off to a good start.

Once you are hooked and decide to upgrade, don't go the cheep route. If you do, you will end up spending the money anyhow. Just don't do it twice.

Really good advice! If you're comfortable with the rifle, it's reliable and shoots well, then stay with it. There are better, and there will always be better, so try different rifles until you find one that really suits you better, get it (or one like it), and stay with it. And practice.

Some of my best scores were shot with a Remington 504 because I loved the rile and shot it a lot. Once I started tinkering around my scores dipped and didn't begin to recover until I settled in on another rifle long enough to get some serious trigger time.

The old 52 was competitive in benchrest.."Back in the Day.." Now me as a shooter is an entirely different thing...

I have another rifle action I can build on (Annie 54) but I sure am fond of the 52. If I just go with the 52 the main problem is the right stock and scope setup.

hi merlin,
i do not know much about win 52's, but your gun can not go over 10.2 lbs......dan

Funny. A Winchester 52B (Marksman) was left to me when my Dad died. I wanted to do something useful with it and it seemed like this thing called Silhouette could be a way to enjoy shooting which I had not done for 30 years. I hunted around for a match so I could "watch". To make a long story short, silhouette is my top hobby when time is available. The 52B of my Dad's was technically too heavy but it will out shoot the shooter! I was advised after a few matches to just leave the nice original 52 as it was and get a working gun that could be easily scoped and would meet the 10.5 lb limit. I did and never looked back.

Shoot what you own. Find out where the matches are near you and go to all of them. Meet some cool people and before you know it you'll be having the time of your life. No one worries about what you are shooting. Just head to your local match and they will help you enjoy the sport as much or as little as you have the available time.

The E, introduced in 1975, was the end of the road for the Winchester 52 produced domestically and very few were shipped from New Haven until Olin sold Winchester in 1980 and its production was discontinued.

Merlin,
An E? Really? Would you consider selling it as that is the only verision I do not have in my 52 group.

Mary

Well.....My 52 is on the rack at work so I won't be able to look at it until tomorrow...But, my gun might not be an E model. It is later than a B for sure but, it is also a mag fed gun. It has been in a benchrest stock for years with none of the mag parts in it but it does have a magazine. The trigger is not factory - some "old guy" named Kenyon put another trigger in it and lopped off the barrel at 18 or so inches.

Sorry for the cold water, Mary.... Your quest must continue....

That some old guy named Keynon is now 90. I have his second to last trigger on its way back to me, his sons have told him he is getting too old to work on triggers, although they are capable( having been taught by their father) of working on a "B" trigger if anyone needs one done. I do have one of the boys phone numbers if anyone is interested. Quite a legacy of trigger that Karl has doen over the years, not to mention some of the actions and rifles he has built.

Mary

BTW Merlin,
It sounds more like a C to me with the mag change, but you would have a great time shooting it in silhouette, anyway. I still shoot my 52 remake more than anything in the matches. I have finally gotten a part made for the sights on my no revision so I may take it out and play with it so see how that old baby does.
Have a good friend that shortened the barrel on an old B to make weight, he still plays with it and it shoots well.

Mary

I was told that the rifle I have was set up by Karl in the 80s. It has a superb trigger set at 2 oz. Again - I was told...the gun is a .2 shooter at 50 meters.... Who knows? The groups a gun shoots seem to shrink with age and the re telling of the story...

I have spoken to "a guy" here on the Forum that tells me he can probably set up the old (whatever model) 52 in a nice Pharr stock for me. I think I will go ahead and try it - If that doesn't work I can break out my Mossberg and use it.

Evelio has been known to do a 52 in a Pharr stock...in pink.

Innocent

Innocent wrote:Evelio has been known to do a 52 in a Pharr stock...in pink.

Innocent

Hey Mary.. Congratulations on hitting the 1500 and golden chickens