S&W 52-2 semi-auto 38 Special ??? up for sale

Mark_Mark said:
1 of 1 - wonder why they didn’t go thur with it. or even experiment with a 9mm Wadcutter for Hollow Base bullets
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Likely 9mm semi-wadcutters would have run okay, but the older 52s were for hardcore bullseye guys. That market has gone over to Hammerli/Walther .32 'staple guns'. These benefit not only from lower recoil/bore axis, but also convert to .22rf, so the shooter is always using the same gun/trigger. Helps in Europe, too, where there is a limit to how many guns you can have.
But I vote with you; love to have a 952. :)
Moon
 
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a 52, unless it looks heavily bubbaed. Frankly, the factory trigger is quite good, and Bullseye requires a minimum trigger breakweight (2.5lbs), so there's no sense going lower. Bullseye guys are fusspots, and aren't above challenging... ;) What's more, if you start a match at 2.5, there's no saying it might not get lighter.
Fifty twos were designed for a whole lot of shooting. Some parts may interchange with 39/59s, and Numrich is apt to have spares. The Smith forum guys are apt to have some as well.
Moon
 
halfmoonclip said:
Likely 9mm semi-wadcutters would have run okay, but the older 52s were for hardcore bullseye guys. That market has gone over to Hammerli/Walther .32 'staple guns'. These benefit not only from lower recoil/bore axis, but also convert to .22rf, so the shooter is always using the same gun/trigger. Helps in Europe, too, where there is a limit to how many guns you can have.
But I vote with you; love to have a 952. :)
Moon
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going to the European guns from a Cool Dude S&W 52 is like going from a 1968 Fire Bird to a Electric Golf cart
 
halfmoonclip said:
My .38 dies are a dog's breakfast of Dillon, Lee, and RCBS. Seem to recall making a flat faced seating plug to seat the wadcutters; yes, they want a firm roll crimp.
Mark Mark, try your standard dies before roaring off for anything else.
Mine has never been a fussy eater, but it much prefers HBWCs. I like to load Full Charge wadcutters for revolvers (same velocity as the old RNL 'police' load), and they won't run the 52. OTOH, the hollow bases actually achieve a little higher velocity (in the 52), and run just fine.
Jim Watson, you have filled in some spaces about the Colt wadcutter guns. I only knew them, by reputation, as less reliable than the locked breech Smith. The Smith has a very deliberate cycle!
BTW, on the 52-2, you should be able to dry snap it with the safety applied...it doesn't drop the hammer when applied, it just allows the shooter a couple dry 'sighters' before actually shooting their slowfire string.
Moon
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oooooh WOW! I never owned a Smith Semi-Auto before. But your saying, I can get a dry fire practice with the Safety On! thats SUPER COOL! then pop the safety up for live fire!!!
 
Mark_Mark said:
oooooh WOW! I never owned a Smith Semi-Auto before. But your saying, I can get a dry fire practice with the Safety On! thats SUPER COOL! then pop the safety up for live fire!!!
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The -2 version has this feature, and yes, it's a great help for target shooters. There is also a magazine safety, for some obscure reason, but it doesn't affect the really superb trigger.
So there's no confusion, the 'dry snap' feature only applies to the 52-2. :)
Moon
 
I own a 52-1 which has the same type safety which allows dry fire. As far as I know, all of the 52’s and 952’s have this feature. The extractor is the main difference between the -1 and -2 pistols.

My 52-1 is by far my favorite pistol to shoot. It is accurate enough to be able to see small differences in reloading procedures can make. For example, sorting brass can make a difference in group size. A company called Photoescape produces an expander for Dillon loaders that is tailored for loading hollow based wadcutter bullets without damaging the skirt. I could go on all week about the 52’s. IMO, they were the pinnacle of target pistols from the S&W Performance Center.
 
Kp321 said:
I own a 52-1 which has the same type safety which allows dry fire. As far as I know, all of the 52’s and 952’s have this feature. The extractor is the main difference between the -1 and -2 pistols.

My 52-1 is by far my favorite pistol to shoot. It is accurate enough to be able to see small differences in reloading procedures can make. For example, sorting brass can make a difference in group size. A company called Photoescape produces an expander for Dillon loaders that is tailored for loading hollow based wadcutter bullets without damaging the skirt. I could go on all week about the 52’s. IMO, they were the pinnacle of target pistols from the S&W Performance Center.
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I heard they stop making the 52 because the main machine broke and they said, Axe the 52’s.
 
I'd ignored this thread 'til now, but just remembered one of my LGS has had a Model 52 (don't know the dash #) out on the counter for at least a couple months. It appeared to be in decent condition (I didn't have them get it out for me to inspect) but frankly, I just didn't feel inspired to even investigate this critter.

Guess I'll go back Tuesday and see if it's still there. Sigh. Y'all enablers...
 
Old Dog said:
I'd ignored this thread 'til now, but just remembered one of my LGS has had a Model 52 (don't know the dash #) out on the counter for at least a couple months. It appeared to be in decent condition (I didn't have them get it out for me to inspect) but frankly, I just didn't feel inspired to even investigate this critter.

Guess I'll go back Tuesday and see if it's still there. Sigh. Y'all enablers...
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NICE! let the fastest man WIN!
 
The 52s are fine pistols. I've been tempted, but don't compete, and just couldn't work up enough interest in a .38 wadcutter only pistol 5-shooter. I did have a 952, and later a 952-1 though. Both excellent reliable pistols, but the 52s are reportedly more accurate. I doubt I'm good enough, even shooting from the bench, to ever prove or disprove that..
 
Rock185 said:
The 52s are fine pistols. I've been tempted, but don't compete, and just couldn't work up enough interest in a .38 wadcutter only pistol 5-shooter. I did have a 952, and later a 952-1 though. Both excellent reliable pistols, but the 52s are reportedly more accurate. I doubt I'm good enough, even shooting from the bench, to ever prove or disprove that..
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I always wanted to drive a Corvette, but probably should take the bus
 
Ah, you guys. :) I went scurrying off to my records, thought I had a great writeup on the 52, no such luck. Did get mine 25 years ago, for $650. As regards the -1 and -2 having the dry snap feature, that appears to be true.
The Standard Catalog says the no dash simply has the M39 double action locked out, the -1 and -2 are true single action.
I'm way past being an effective bullseye shooter, but the 52 remains a great machine to just run and enjoy.
As regards trimming/special cases, never a good enough shot to tell the difference.
May treat mine to a fresh recoil spring.
Moon
 
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halfmoonclip said:
The Complete Catalog says the no dash simply has the M39 double action locked out, the -1 and -2 are actual single action.
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Right. I had a -1 but sold it to a club member who had a sob story about his wife needing an easy gun to shoot. I saw her with it once but he got a lot of use out of it until is was stolen.
The only liability of the -1 is the long extractor which seems unavailable if anything happens to yours.
 
Jim Watson said:
...The only liability of the -1 is the long extractor which seems unavailable if anything happens to yours.
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Apparently, it was prone to breakage as well; an improved extractor is the main difference, listed in the SC, between -1 and -2.
Moon
 
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A friend tried plated wadcutters in his revolver and accuracy was poor, better to stick with cast or swaged for target loads.
Long ago, a friend cast a double ended wadcutter we called "The Spool". But Speers were better.
 
We used to cast a DELWC we called the 'bean can', it had three huge grease grooves, filled by running it through a Lyman lube/swage die. Shooting them in our indoor range looked like they were black powder, for the smoke.
A buddy put me on to Full Charge Wad Cutters, which are plated 148 DEWC (always suspected those were designed for commercial reloaders, who didn't care which end the machines fed to the cases). The FCWCs shoot well in my revolvers (same velocity as the old 158 RNL), and likely would make a decent defense load in a snub.
But they won't run my 52...although they shoot straight, if hand cycled.
We're wandering a bit here. :)
Moon
 
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