Check one off the bucket list! S&W Model 52-1

[Mytmousemalibu]

Well if anyone of you fellas have any mags that you just have to evict from your collection, I know a guy that takes vagrant mags in

[JRD]

I'm another S&W Model 52 fan. Mine are probably my absolute favorites to shoot. The triggers were superb, the sights big and clear, accuracy is stellar, and recoil is practically nil. While the 52's were specifically made for Bullseye matches, I've never used mine as intended. I only use mine for informal shooting for fun and I absolutely love them. Mine mainly get used for ringing steel and they can make you look like a good shooter.
I do know one of shooter who years ago modified a M52 for steel plate competition. He modified magazines to hold 6 rounds and added weighted aluminum buttpads and had a frame mounted early red dot sight on the pistol.
I also had an old friend of my dad's and shooting mentor to me who swore by M52's for pests around his farm. He claimed the flat nose of the wadcutter was very effective on raccoons.
My best advice on finding mags is be on the lookout for gear left by old bullseye shooters. Only S&W made them and they discontinued them probably 15 or more years ago. I've scrounged every one I could find over the years. I also don't believe that there is enough demand to see someone tool up new production. Model 52's are a niche market in my opinion. Old bullseye shooters most likely had multiple mags, but I surmise if a Model 52 with a good supply of mags is brought into a gun shop, they are getting sold separately with the mags going to online auctions.

[JRD]

Another bit of Model 52 wisdom, although it applies elsewhere with any similar load. Model 52 loads are not for bowling pins! I was shooting plates and pins with a couple friends one cold winter day. I'd been shooting plates with the 52 and then started shooting pins. It didn't take many shots before a fully intact wadcutter bounced off a pin and came back to hit me in the front of my fortunately well insulated work coat. Those mid-range wadcutters hitting a frozen bowling pin wouldn't penetrate the plastic surface. Fortunately no harm was done but I recognize that ricochet could have had a different trajectory with worse results.
I went back to the steel targets and saved that deformed but intact wadcutter. I still have it in the gun room as a reminder.

[oso]

What is a barney load?

[M-Tecs]

What is a barney load?

Barney Fife played by Don Knotts in Mayberry USA. One frequent source of comedy is Barney's incompetence with firearms. After numerous negligent discharges (usually with a Smith & Wesson or Colt.38 caliber revolver), Andy restricts Barney to carrying his gun unloaded, with only one bullet in his shirt pocket, "in case of an emergency".

https://outsider.com/news/entertainm...-bullets-fans/

[Mytmousemalibu]

Another bit of Model 52 wisdom, although it applies elsewhere with any similar load. Model 52 loads are not for bowling pins! I was shooting plates and pins with a couple friends one cold winter day. I'd been shooting plates with the 52 and then started shooting pins. It didn't take many shots before a fully intact wadcutter bounced off a pin and came back to hit me in the front of my fortunately well insulated work coat. Those mid-range wadcutters hitting a frozen bowling pin wouldn't penetrate the plastic surface. Fortunately no harm was done but I recognize that ricochet could have had a different trajectory with worse results.
I went back to the steel targets and saved that deformed but intact wadcutter. I still have it in the gun room as a reminder.

Ill keep that in mind! I do know that feeling though. Im been hit by bullet frag off steel quite a few times, hurts! The worst was an intact 147gr Montana Gold FMJ that ricochet'd off a piece of steel at a match. Fired by a PCC, hit me just above the belly button. That sucked, had a bloody welt from it.

[Mytmousemalibu]

What is a barney load?

In the competitive shooting world, its what we call it when we chamber a round from a spare mag and drop it and put a full mag in. In other words, +1ing or topping off a gun.

[remy3424]

I would be another who would enjoy a 52-2. They are getting expensive, the mags are really expensive, but they have that "cool" factor and shoot like a dream. The downside is now you have one more gun that throws the brass on the ground, and that had alway been an advantage of shooting 38 Specials. I have been thinking for 30 years I would run across one...it now is accepted that if I aquire one it will need to be from an online auction. Where did you acquire the 52 malibu? Sorry about the rhyme.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I would be another who would enjoy a 52-2. They are getting expensive, the mags are really expensive, but they have that "cool" factor and shoot like a dream. The downside is now you have one more gun that throws the brass on the ground, and that had alway been an advantage of shooting 38 Specials. I have been thinking for 30 years I would run across one...it now is accepted that if I aquire one it will need to be from an online auction. Where did you acquire the 52 malibu? Sorry about the rhyme.

Believe it or not, in the local Cabelas gun library! About the last place I figured I would find one. Went there with a couple buddies, just having a good time with friends. I dont go there much after Bass bought them and usually don't bother with the library. Glad I did that day! It had an optic & mount on it in the case. One that fits the frame weight mount and a J-point type red dot. I could care less about on a 52, I wanted it to be an iron sighted gun. I was concerned about potential damage from the mount so I asked to have it removed for inspection. Unfortunately it did have some under it so I said thanks, I need to think about it. Gave them 30min and countered the sticker price of $1600 down to $1300 and they accepted surprisingly. I made sure to point out that it came with only one mag, no box or accessories and mag rarity & price. I don't think I stole it nor did I get raked over the coals. Probably a reasonably fair price. I'd love to have a pristine example but I have a great shooter grade gun. It has some finish wear on the front & backstrap and a few blems. I suppose it has a right to have some for its age. Other than going the auction route, its the only Model 52 I have ever seen in person.

[JRD]

Because there are some new or aspiring 52 fans here, I’ll share another bit. Look for 38 Special wadcutter brass as opposed to just plain old 38 special brass. Wadcutter brass has a longer section of straight walls before the wall thickness starts to increase by the head. This is to account for the wadcutters which seat more deeply into the case.
Wadcutter brass is identified by a double cannelure. It may not make that much of a difference if you just shoot for fun like me, but if your going to become a Model 52 aficionado, you may as well know. I didn’t know the difference when I first started loading but now keep separate supplies for revolver 38 brass and Model 52 38 brass.

[remy3424]

Nicely done malibu! Question for the 52 reloaders, do you need to load the wadcutter boolit flush with the top of the case or like with the Lyman 358091 crimped in the forward crimp groove work? Or can that boolit be seated deeper and crimped over the top of it? I have never bought, shot or held a factory loaded wadcutter. What boolit seems to work best for any of you? Any of you PC them?

[Winger Ed.]

Lyman 358091 crimped in the forward crimp groove work? Or can that boolit be seated deeper and crimped over the top of it?

Federal wad cutters are crimped sort of over the top and are almost flush with the case mouth.
The crimp groove below the top is meant for use with revolvers.
The difference between case length, and OAL in the Lyman book reflects this.
I don't know if a 52 will chamber them that way or not. I never tried it.
My understanding is they were made for the Federal factory produced wad cutters.

When I first got it, I used that Lyman mold for my 52-2 with a very soft alloy, and crimped a little over the top too.
After I'd seen a old Federal, I started loading my Lymans upside down so they 'looked right'.
There is a little bit of bevel on the base to crimp over, and they're right at being flush with the case.

I've since gotten a old school DEWC Lyman, and it casts with a slight bevel on each end.
I slightly crimp them right at the top too.

If there was any issue with accuracy- I'm not a good enough shot to realize it.

[Bmi48219]

I load my 148 HBWCs flush, winds up looking like a mini roll crimp as there’s a minute step at the front edge of boolit. Mine is a 52-2 from the final year’s production. Had my heart set on a 952 long slide but when they hit 4K plus I reconsidered. A friend let me try a really nice blued 952 a few years back, glad I got the 52. Another friend shot bullseye with a 52 for a decade. He sold of his excess mags (10) for $100 each six years ago, one year before I bought mine. He said Clark made a batch of replacement barrels with a different twist rate that enhanced the performance. He ordered one and waited two years before it was produced.
Most everyone that’s shot mine has offered to buy it. They’re that kind of pistol.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I know about the wadcutter brass, I have a lot of .38 brass and have already separated it out. Ive shot a fair chunk of wadcutters through my revolvers. Fiocchi loads WC's but their brass doesn't have any cannalures. It has "Wadcutter" on the headstamp.

Just looking at rounds in the mag, I don't think a guy could seat a bullet outside the case or even much of a button nose WC. Maybe you could single feed them but in the magazine, it pretty much the max OAL of the brass.

[JRD]

As others have stated, seat your wadcutters flush with the case mouth, and I've found a slight roll crimp helps with feeding. Whether it will chamber or not isn't the constraint- the length constraint is the magazine. You can't fit rounds with the bullets protruding much past the case mouth in the magazines.
I've always loaded commercially swaged 148 grain hollow base wadcutters with appropriate charges Bullseye or Unique. There are other, no doubt newer, powders that work as well and other wadcutter bullets.
Model 52's used the 1 turn in 18 3/4 inch twist that S&W always used (and still uses) in their 38 Specials. Jerry Miculek once told me that his late father-in-law (Jim Clark) made some special fast twist barrels for Model 52's that were more accurate, especially at 50 yards. I'm perfectly content with the accuracy from my stock barrels for what I do, but I do believe what Jerry told me. Unless you are doing Ransom Rest testing at 50 yards (or can shoot like Jerry) you'd probably never be able to tell the difference in accuracy.
I think I have more posts on this thread than any other in all my years on this board. I guess I do have a soft spot in my heart for S&W Model 52's...

[Cougar Hunter]

Overloading a HBWC is a good way to bulge the barrel. The skirts blow off the bullet and leave them in the barrel. Over the years I've seen several Model 52's with bulged barrels.

[Mytmousemalibu]

All the info is appreciated fellas! Sounds like the 52 is a warm spot in most of our hearts!

I've had the chance to meet Jerry Miculek several times. He autographed the case on my S&W 989 JM Performance Center, matches his laser engraved signature on the gun! Before the primer shortage, I had been attending the Gator Classic USPSA Match that is on the Miculek/Clark property. Unfortunately the Clark Custom shop has been closed. I'd love to see the place. Fantastic match, great hosts & facility and a they do a jambalaya boil after the match for all.

I did notice the pretty light barrel profile in the 52. It would be neat to have a Clark barrel for it too. No worries as far as loads go. Just enough oomph to get it to cycle is all I want. It will have a pampered life while I am the curator of it.

[JRD]

While I'm excited: The barrel profile of the M52 really isn't different from a S&W 9mm (39/59 series and their generational descendants). A bullet in bore (or skirt in bore) is a sure recipe for a bulge in any barrel.
Model 52's were built away from the main production line at S&W and had many parts hand fitted, including the barrel bushing.
In addition to being wonderful guns to shoot for reasons many have already mentioned, my soft spot comes from a sentimental attachment. I first shot one that my dad's friend had back as a teen and it made me feel like a good shooter. He revered the 52 and ultimately must have owned a half dozen of them. I guess that reverence rubbed off because my dad and I both developed our own.
Another tidbit, a 148 hollowbase wadcutter loaded backwards, over the standard wadcutter load is a cheap expedient hollow point. Bear in mind that seating backwards reduces the internal volume and raises chamber pressure. I did an experiment with a pressure barrel years ago where my personal mid-range loads, plus factory mid-range wadcutters were in the 11,500 PSI range. A HBWC seated backwards boosted pressure to about 14,000 PSI. Still way below SAAMI, but warmer than the average mid-range load so I've only shot them backwards occasionally from a 52.
A backwards HBWC also isn't going to be super stable at long range, but my dad's friend swore by them for feral cats on his farm...

[Mytmousemalibu]

I've heard of the ole backwards wadcutter trick before. An interesting idea for sure. Not something I would ever intend for the 52 but perhaps a revolver. I certainly wouldnt want to be hit by a WC, I can imagine that flat profile does some nasty damage. Im sure it would do a number on pests and critters.

[Winger Ed.]

I had a couple boxes of Hornady HBWCs awhile back.
I loaded some backwards for the hollow point thing.
I fired them all from a 6", .357, S&W 586, L frame.

Shooting with max. loads of Unique into old phone books, all mine ever did was collapse shut.
The best I ever got was hitting them straight on, turned both ways,
and they did sort of a splat where they ended up a little shorter and wider when I recovered them.