Took out an old friend yesterday

[dverna]

I have a Winchester Model 52 sporter. Had not shot it in years and put a few rounds through it yesterday.

There is something about shooting a that little gun that I find appealing. Part of it may be I used to shoot a Target M52 in smallbore many decades ago. Just nice to have a tight action and well fitted accurate little gun.

Shot some nickle size groups at 50 yards. I was using old Federal Value Pack HP ammunition...nothing great but shot OK. Stretched it to 100 yards and got just under 1.5" even with the wind. Will break out some target ammunition for it this week if I have some time and see what it will do.

Simple pleasures of an excellent gun that I will have forever. My buddy loved it too.

[nagantguy]

Love taking it old friends- we have an heirloom shotgun of Spanish make that was brought home from WW1 by a relative; believe it was my great grandfathers oldest brother, anyhow years ago when I was a boy I was allowed to use it to kill a raccoon in the barn; my great grandfather sold that that little .410 side by side to his best friend when I was in middle school, when his friend died the wife gave it back to my great grandpa and after my great grandpa passed it went to my aunt as she used it to hunt small game with as a girl; about 15 years ago it became mine and last weekend my teen daughter was asking about it so we went out side and I threw some clays for her, it was wonderful and made me feel like they were all
With us, same way I felt when years back I doubled twice on crows with that little .410, thanks for sharing and helping me dig up some recent memories!

[steve urquell]

Winchester made some great barrels. Dad ended up with a rusty 72A awhile back from a widow. Dirt dauber nests in the barrel and mag tube as it was gone. He cleaned it up and I bought a mag tube from Numrichs. That thing shoots better than it has reason to.

[nagantguy]

And sorry for my non rimfire thread drift

[tazman]

Winchester made some great barrels. Dad ended up with a rusty 72A awhile back from a widow. Dirt dauber nests in the barrel and mag tube as it was gone. He cleaned it up and I bought a mag tube from Numrichs. That thing shoots better than it has reason to.

I have a Winchester 72A that I have owned since I was 10 years old. It was my first firearm ans even today, fifty seven years later, will shoot squirrels in the head at 50 yards.
Mine is a little ugly from all the years in the closet and gun safe but it just shoots.
I put a Weaver 4X scope(1 inch) on it 40 years ago and have not needed to adjust the sights in all this time.

[steve urquell]

I have a Winchester 72A that I have owned since I was 10 years old. It was my first firearm ans even today, fifty seven years later, will shoot squirrels in the head at 50 yards.
Mine is a little ugly from all the years in the closet and gun safe but it just shoots.
I put a Weaver 4X scope(1 inch) on it 40 years ago and have not needed to adjust the sights in all this time.

Hey mine is ugly as heck. The widow gave it no love. It is rusty and dinged. Dad welded the bolt handle back on after it broke off when he was steel wooling all the rust off. Its amazing that mine even shoots. Even more so that it'll stack bullets. It's a testament to quality and when gunmakers took pride in their work and reputation was more important than profit.

[rking22]

Those 52 Sporters are the ultimate 22 in my eyes. The originals are few and far between, and when found fetch a pretty penny. When I realized I shot more 22lr than anything else and it was more enjoyable, I decided to buy myself a top drawer 22 bolt gun. Looked at Cooper, Kimber, and anschutz. Finally realized I really wanted a 52 Sporter! Well, I settled for a repro made by Browning, but it’s marked Winchester! I wish I had an original, but my fake is pretty awesome, consistent 3/8 inch groups for 5 shots at 50 yards(CCI subsonic hp)! They are awesome rifles, the action and trigger are unknown in today’s rimfire world. CZ builds an accurate rifle, but the details don’t measure up to a 52 Sporter! Thanks for reminding me, mine needs to go squirrel hunting.