doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Winchester 52B Sporting questions

After lusting for one of these for some time I finally found one that was under 1K. It is a prewar 52B but does have couple of flaws, The bolt handle has been altered which is an easy fix, and has been fitted for a scope,once for a side mount and currently with Buehler top mounts. The side mount holes have been plugged and ground flush, they are faintly visible but a good job. I think that I am going redo the side mount that may have been original on the gun ( no signs that there was ever a lyman 48 mounted). I have several G&H bases but they are too wide for the shallow cut out on the stock, the cutout is 2.75� wide, all my G&H bases are 2.90� wide. Any ideas what alternatives were available in the late 30s? Although the published serial lists show the date on this gun at 1940 I am thinking that it is earlier, Houzes book shows the serial was stamped Sept 1937 and the barrel date on the gun is 36. Also the gun has really nice wood with quite a bit of feather crotch in the butt, most of the ones I have seen have fence post wood.

A couple of years ago I bought a G & H side mount base to replace one that had been removed, leaving 5 ugly holes in the receiver. This was for a 1922M1 Springfield but the same would apply to the 52B Sporter. The base was oversized and flat on the side that fitted the rifle. It had to be contoured to fit whatever rifle it was to be mounted on. A new base can be cut down to fit whatever cutout there is in the stock. G & H still has the bases.

James,
My choice of an after market reciever sight for the Model 52 would be a Goss or Marble's Goss .
Nick Stroebel shows in his book Old Gunsights page 298 a few sights intended for the 52.
Winchester 52 after market sights are often found in on-line auctions.

Gary Bush

James

You are indeed a lucky man to have in your posession a Winchester Model 52B Sporter. I lusted after my Dad's for years; great lines and such a sweet shooter. Unfortunately, just prior to my Dad's death, my brother and I got to split his gun collection and he had first pick. Well, there went the Model 52 to my brother.

Shed no tears for me, I took the Shelhamer/ Remington Model 12

Have a Merry Christmas

Big Ed

Well, Ed, you opened the door. Start another thread and we'll talk about your Shelhamer .22.

I'm afraid my computerese is limited but the Shelhamer does come with a good story.

Ed,

Welcome to the board, I'll start a Shelhamer thread, any Shelhamer story is worth hearing.