Another Cast bullet launcher

[Drm50]

Just picked up a S&W 52 on a trade. This is a Target 38 special, shoots only wad cutter
boolits. Going to shoot it tomarrow..Got plenty of WCs but have to hit the books for
a good load. Mid range WCs only.Attachment 196387

[texasnative46]

Drm50,

LUCKY YOU. = When I was on AD in the 1980s I was issued a Model 52 & all the 148 grain WC that I chose to shoot.
(I had to return the brass to "company supply" to draw more ammo but we never had a shortage of "commercial buy" .38SPL target ammo. = One of my SSGs shot an average of 200RPD when we served on "the MP School Weapons Committee" & were in a "stand down status".)

yours, tex

[Bzcraig]

Sweet........

[TXCOONDOG]

Just picked up a S&W 52 on a trade. This is a Target 38 special, shoots only wad cutter
boolits. Going to shoot it tomarrow..Got plenty of WCs but have to hit the books for
a good load. Mid range WCs only.Attachment 196387

Enlighten me as to why it only shoots WC's ?

[GARD72977]

I have always wanted one. Nice score.

[Texas by God]

Enlighten me as to why it only shoots WC's ?

It was built as a Bullseye Target shooting gun only. Probably one of the most accurate pistols ever made. Colt also chambered the Gold Cup in .38 WC for the same purpose. Both guns would be keepers.
Best, Thomas.

[birch]

I got rid of mine because I told myself I didn't like chasing brass through the grass. --what a mistake.

[Dale53]

I had a Model 52-2 and shot it extremely well (for me). When I quit shooting formal NRA Bullseye, I sold it to a good friend who could really do right by it (he was fourth at Camp Perry in the 2700 point National Matches one year). He still has it. They were about as good as it gets.

Tommy Campbell (a Smith and Wesson Professional Shooter) told me they were also "hell for strong". Since they are no longer made, I would only shoot target loads if I still had mine, but "just saying"...

Gil Hebard did a lot of machine rest testing of loads for this auto and his pistol book outlines his recommendations at the time. It would be worth reading as it will shorten the learning curve. The barrels on these pistols are of 9mm size (as I remember, about .354" or .355" groove diameter) and work well with bullets sized a bit smaller than typical for .38 Specials. Of course, if you are using commercial hollow base wadcutters probably not an issue. However, home cast solid wadcutters will probably benefit from a bit smaller sizing...

FWIW
Dale53

[Drm50]

I loaded up 100 this AM. Hoping to shoot today if it stops drizzling. I lucked out on this gun, found
out it is a early one 1962-63 production. Autos not my area of smarts, looked gun over and was
easy to tell it was lightly used. Buying match pistols is like buying Corvettes, they have been run
to death or babied. I have many S&W revolvers, I'm curious to see how the 52 will stack up against the K38. The only CF Auto pistol I have other than this 52 is a Brn. HP Comp 9mm. The
only trouble with it is I can't get it to shoot any cast bullet. With jackets it's a bullseye gun.

[RIHP]

The S&W 52 was the gun to shoot in the center fire part of the bullseye 2700 matches.
The AMU load was 2.7 grains of bullseye with a 148 hbwc, set flush with the end of the case.

[tazman]

Enlighten me as to why it only shoots WC's ?

Because of the way the barrel was chambered and the OAL the magazine will accept, it is restricted to full wadcutters loaded so the case mouth crimps over the front of the wadcutter setting the front of the boolit even with the case mouth.
It was usually loaded with 2.7 grains of Bullseye or the equivalent.

[rintinglen]

The Most accurate Pistol I ever shot was a S&W 52. It loved it's wadcutters. Remington HBWC"s over 2.7 BE and seated flush and it was lights out. I had to sell it when my youngest daughter was born and have never seen another when money and gun were both available at the same time.

[TexasGrunt]

I've always wanted one of those. One thing that has stopped me is the price of magazines.

[Eddie17]

Thanks for adding another gun to my wish list. I like it!

[tazman]

I've always wanted one of those. One thing that has stopped me is the price of magazines.

I just looked at the price of magazines. WOW!!! Most are wanting $140 and up. The pistols themselves start at around $900 or so.
I think I can turn my 9mm Range officer into a good target pistol for a lot less than that. It already shoots better than I do.

[Wild Bill 7]

I owned two of them. A 52 and 52.2. Two of the best shootersI ever owned. 2.7 B.E. with full wadcutter. I now own a Clark custom colt that shoots wadcutter boolits only. Less than 2inch groups at 50 yards from a Ransom Rest. Can't really go wrong with them.

[tazman]

I owned two of them. A 52 and 52.2. Two of the best shootersI ever owned. 2.7 B.E. with full wadcutter. I now own a Clark custom colt that shoots wadcutter boolits only. Less than 2inch groups at 50 yards from a Ransom Rest. Can't really go wrong with them.

That is seriously impressive grouping. I couldn't do that without a really good scope and rest. With irons I would need to be rested at 25 yards or less.

[TexasGrunt]

I just looked at the price of magazines. WOW!!! Most are wanting $140 and up. The pistols themselves start at around $900 or so.
I think I can turn my 9mm Range officer into a good target pistol for a lot less than that. It already shoots better than I do.

I've got over a dozen 1911 pistols. Three in 10mm, one dedicated Ciener .22 conversion, the rest in .45 ACP. I'd really like to pick up 9mm 1911 one of these days. I'm down to just two 9mm pistols. Both Springfield XD models. One 4" and one 5". I might have to do some swapping.

[tazman]

I've got over a dozen 1911 pistols. Three in 10mm, one dedicated Ciener .22 conversion, the rest in .45 ACP. I'd really like to pick up 9mm 1911 one of these days. I'm down to just two 9mm pistols. Both Springfield XD models. One 4" and one 5". I might have to do some swapping.

If you go looking, look for a Springfield Range Officer. I took mine to the range again today and this pistol just plain shoots. I have the load for cast that it likes down pat now.
Lyman 356402 Oal 1.150 Powder CFE pistol 5.0 or Titegroup 4.0
That load doesn't hiccup at all and shoots excellent groups. It easily shoots as well as my revolvers.
I have run over 500 of that load through the pistol without a single malfunction.
The only thing it shoots better is FMJ and that only slightly.

[John Allen]

I have one myself they have the smoothest triggers out there.