Winchester 52 Sporting .22 LR 24″ Bolt-Action Target Rifle Ca 1934-59 C&R

More All Sold Items

Sold for $2723.88

Make: Winchester

Model: 52

Serial#: 36538

Year of Manufacture: Circa 1934-1959, C&R

Caliber: .22 LR

Action Type: Bolt-Action Rifle fed by a Detachable Magazine

Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “- WINCHESTER – / PROOF STEEL”, “-MODEL 52-”, “WINCHESTER / -TRADE MARK-”, “-22 LONG R-” and has a Winchester proof. The chamber ring has a Winchester proof and the serial number. The right side of the receiver has patent information and the right side of the chamber ring is marked “WINCHESTER / TRADE MARK”. The right side of the barrel is marked “MADE IN U.S.A. WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / -NEW HAVEN, CONN.-”. The trigger guard is marked “SPORTING”. The grip cap has a Winchester marking.

Barrel Length: 24”

Sights/ Optics: There is a beaded blade dovetailed to a ramp by the muzzle which has a provision for a protective hood, unfortunately no protective hood is installed or included with the gun. The rear sight is a Lyman Model 48 diopter.

Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The stock is one-piece wood featuring a checkered forend with black tip that has a sling swivel on the bottom, a checkered semi-pistol grip with cap, a straight comb with cheek-rest, a sling swivel on the belly and a metal butt-plate. The stock has scattered light handling marks, nicks and scuffs. Notably, there is some light wear at the heel, a few light nicks on the right side of the butt and a light ding near the front of the forend on the right side. The LOP is  14” from the trigger to the rear of the butt-plate. The butt-plate is coated in light surface oxidation and has some light handling marks. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the stock is in Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and has sharp rifling.

Overall Condition: The rifle retains about 75% of its metal finish. There are some light handling marks, nicks and scuffs. Notably, there is light wear along the leading edges and some light oxidation around the muzzle. Also, the bottom tang’s finish has largely worn off and it is coated in light surface oxidation. The markings remain clear. The screwheads are only lightly tooled and remain serviceable. Overall, the rifle is in Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box Paperwork and Accessories: There is a single magazine included with the rifle.

Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 52 is a bolt-action target rifle which was in production from 1920-1980. The gun was arguably the best made competitive target rifle made in the United States and a number of variations were produced making it an extremely versatile platform. This particular specimen is a “Sporting” variant of the iconic rifle that is mounted with a 24” barrel and was in production from 1934-1959. The gun’s front sight is missing its protective hood but otherwise it remains well preserved. This gun should make a worthy addition to any collection. Good luck on your bid!