S&w 52-2

[EMR]

I figured a lot of you gentlemen would find this one interesting. I just brought home one of these guys today in great shape. Dated mid 80’s I believe. I picked it up just to plink around with at the indoor range. Unfortunately I won’t have time to shoot it for the next few weeks, but hopefully I can at least slug the barrel and start casting for it this weekend with my trusty NOE HBWC mold. I’ll be sure to add a range report when I get the chance.

Any of you guys have any experience with these, good or bad? I’d be interested to hear your opinions.

[gunauthor]

I had a model 52 and kick myself every day for selling it. I had accuracy from pretty much any wadcutter I put through it. You've got a GREAT gun!!!!!!

[Drm50]

I have a 52 that I got a couple years ago. I bought a new one in 1972 and played with it awhile and traded it off.
This one I'm keeping. It drives the young 9mm nuts crazy ( that's because they think it's a 39 ) then one will get close enough to see the empties and find me out. I'm shooting Lyman Button Nose WC and just got a HBWC mold. I think I can outshoot my K38s with it once I get use to it. I been shooting K38 for 50yrs with WCs, so it
has advantage. Mags are expensive, I'm always looking to get a good deal on used mags. Most accurate Auto
CF I've ever shot. I've never had a SIG 210 but it's hard to believe it will outshoot the 52. I have a Brn HP in the
extended barrel competition model. The 52 out shoots it but I haven't found a cast boolit that will shoot well in
it.

[beagle]

Darn fine shooters. I've loaded for and shot several over the years as well as a Colt Gold Cup midrange. The only problem I encountered was that a little experimentation was required to get the seating depth just right on the S & W. Has to be flush. The Colt is not quite as picky as the Smith but once you get it set up right, it's just a matter of loading enough ammo to feed your habit./beagle

[Green Frog]

I have a 52-2 I inherited a couple of years ago from my father. IIRC, I found and bought it for him sometime in the late '80s and although we often shot together, I don't think I ever shot it back then, and I haven't loaded any 38 wadcutters in a long time so I still haven't taken the time to shoot it. Dad liked it because it moved real slow (like him) and with its factory grips it was ambidextrous which was good because he was left handed. I really need to get it out and shoot it.

Froggie

[Texas by God]

Another "Grail Gun" for me and a nice m41 to go with it would be nice.

[dverna]

Shot one competively many decades ago. Had a 1 in 10 Douglas barrel sleeved into it. 50 shots into just over 2.75” at 50 yards using Remington 148 gr HBWC....just under 3.5” with the H&G 50. My buddies Clark would do a bit better but not by much.

You have a fine gun. ENJOY!!

[arlon]

Had one for a long time. I'm not good enough to get it to do better than my old K-38. I found it to be the most accurate and by that nature the most sensitive to shooter error of any gun I've owned. I got mad and sold it. Put the money into a mint S&W 627 and have no regrets. They are awesome pistols but they will find every flaw in your technique. I can say as far as fit and finish the only thing I own that comes close is a S&W 3566 Limited. If you have the time to work with that 52-2, I think it will be the finest gun you have ever owned.

Have a 41 too, I can shoot it WAY better... It's nice but not a 52..

[EMR]

I appreciate the insight from everyone. The majority consensus seems to favor this pistol very highly with its accuracy. Which is exactly what lured me to it.

I did run into a bit of an issue: while slugging the barrel just now, I realized that it has a five groove barrel like the S&W revolvers and I can’t mic an accurate barrel diameter from it. I’ll probably just end up sizing to .358 or .359 and see what happens?

[ReloaderFred]

That pistol, along with the Model 39 and 59, was designed by Joe Foster. I was our department's Rangemaster from 1977 to 1979, and I sat across the bench from him for two days in 1978 while we upgraded our department's 500+ Model 59's. He had been brought back out of retirement to come up with a fix for the problems with the 59's, and he did. He was an interesting man, and had many great stories about S&W, and the history of the 39, 52 and 59.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[lotech]

I never slugged the barrel on my gun , but tried .356", .357", and .358" diameter bullets (H&G #50, flat base, wheelweight alloy). .358" proved most accurate, but this may vary from gun to gun.

[Gunslinger1911]

I saw a pretty clean 52 at the gun show last weekend, box, papers, two mags. Seller had some way high dollar Colts and engraved S&W's. No price on the 52 and I was too afraid of sticker shock to ask. Would like to have one some day.

[EMR]

That pistol, along with the Model 39 and 59, was designed by Joe Foster. I was our department's Rangemaster from 1977 to 1979, and I sat across the bench from him for two days in 1978 while we upgraded our department's 500+ Model 59's. He had been brought back out of retirement to come up with a fix for the problems with the 59's, and he did. He was an interesting man, and had many great stories about S&W, and the history of the 39, 52 and 59.

Hope this helps.

Fred

Oh that would be fascinating getting to work directly with someone like that!

I never slugged the barrel on my gun , but tried .356", .357", and .358" diameter bullets (H&G #50, flat base, wheelweight alloy). .358" proved most accurate, but this may vary from gun to gun.

Thanks for this advice. I only have NOE sizers for .358,.359 and .360. Hoping to avoid buying my millionth sizer!

I saw a pretty clean 52 at the gun show last weekend, box, papers, two mags. Seller had some way high dollar Colts and engraved S&W's. No price on the 52 and I was too afraid of sticker shock to ask. Would like to have one some day.

Curious to know what they were asking for. I’ve seen the mags alone go for $200 on GB.

[rintinglen]

In the last year, two popped up here in So. Cal, both were priced reasonably--$800-, one of which I bought last fall. I have not had much chance to work with it, what with the holidays and planning to move. but it is accurate, better by far than me these days. Very picky as to ammo length.

[30calflash]

I've a 52 and I did do some testing with a Ransom rest with various reloaded WC's over 2,7 grs bullseye.

Commercial cast were too hard, wouldn't stay on the repair center at 50 yds. IIRC they were .357 diameter.

Hornady HBWC shot about 3.5", DEWC about 3" at 50 yds.

Federal factory, 1st round was separated by a knothole group of 9 by 2", the 9 around 1.25". This at 50 yds again.

A friend loaded for 2 of them, the Lee mold had a small radiused nose that would work 100% in his 2 pistols, other popular ones won't. And, Remington WC's run very well also, never Ransom rest tested them though.

[EMR]

In the last year, two popped up here in So. Cal, both were priced reasonably--$800-, one of which I bought last fall. I have not had much chance to work with it, what with the holidays and planning to move. but it is accurate, better by far than me these days. Very picky as to ammo length.

$800 is a great price for what I’ve been seeing around. I paid a full $1k for mine and came with two mags and a box of ammo.

I've a 52 and I did do some testing with a Ransom rest with various reloaded WC's over 2,7 grs bullseye.

Commercial cast were too hard, wouldn't stay on the repair center at 50 yds. IIRC they were .357 diameter.

Hornady HBWC shot about 3.5", DEWC about 3" at 50 yds.

Federal factory, 1st round was separated by a knothole group of 9 by 2", the 9 around 1.25". This at 50 yds again.

A friend loaded for 2 of them, the Lee mold had a small radiused nose that would work 100% in his 2 pistols, other popular ones won't. And, Remington WC's run very well also, never Ransom rest tested them though.

Wow 1.25” is definitely good enough for me. I just typically shoot offhand from 21-50ft. 50 yards is a stretch for me

[GBertolet]

My 52 is .355 bore diameter. I wonder if they were bored and rifled on the same machine as the 9mm model 39 barrels were? The .358 diameter bullets tend to group the best for me. The Remington swaged 148 gr HBWC seems to be the trend for the best bullets to use. If you can find them. The late Gil Hebard did extensive testing with several of the model 52's, and also got some incredible groups at 50 yards. Slight bullet tipping was common, but who cares with those group sizes. The results are in his book " The Pistol Shooters Treasury".

[EMR]

My 52 is .355 bore diameter. I wonder if they were bored and rifled on the same machine as the 9mm model 39 barrels were? The .358 diameter bullets tend to group the best for me. The Remington swaged 148 gr HBWC seems to be the trend for the best bullets to use. If you can find them. The late Gil Hebard did extensive testing with several of the model 52's, and also got some incredible groups at 50 yards. Slight bullet tipping was common, but who cares with those group sizes. The results are in his book " The Pistol Shooters Treasury".

May I ask how you found the bore diameter? Conventional slugging and a mic didn’t work for me as I only counted 5 grooves on the slug.

[d4xycrq]

My 38SPCL autoloader has a horsie on it. Never saw a S&W for sale in the wild. This one fell into my lap decades ago. And I've still never seen one for sale in a gunstore.

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[Green Frog]

I got a Colt like the one d4xycrq shows for my Dad about the same time I got him his Model 52-2. The colt was about 96% condition with a bunch of mags. After trying out both, he decided to keep the Smith and sell the Colt for a significant (for the time) price. If I had it today I could probably at least triple what he got for it then. I also had a complete upper assembly with just one or two mags pass through my hands some time before that, but it didn't work out too well and got sold too. "We grow too soon oldt und too late schmardt!"

Froggie