S&W 52 .38 special questions?

[Carbon_15]

S&W 52 .38 special questions?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I picked up a S&W 52-2 unfired with the box, origonal paperwork, tools and cleaning kit for $699 at the gunshow today. I wasnt looking for one, but I'm a sucker for a minty Smith.
My exposure to this model is limited to seeing them in the catalog section of the G&A annuals when I was a kid.
What kind of accuracy can I expect? What velocity range and bullet weight is recomended? Any idea of the age (SN tau899x)? any articals or reviews online?

Thanks,
Jason

 

[burrhead]

148 gr. hollowbase wadcutter with 2.8 gr. of Bullseye is the classic load.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

It is designed to function with light "target" loads, using a wadcutter (cylindrical shaped, can be hollow-base or double-ended) bullet seated flush with the case.

Those are neat guns, whose prices are going up.

 

[Jim Watson]

When they were new on the market, Gil Hebard got four of them and shot them extensively. They averaged 2.31" for ten shot groups at 50 yards from a machine rest with Remington factory wadcutters. Winchesters were not quite as accurate and Federals nearly 3". Boo, hoo.

The gun is meant for nothing but flush seated wadcutters. Get Remington 148 gr hollowbase if you can. Do not waste powder on bulk cast double-ended wadcutters or the plated ones. The old standard load is 2.7 gr of Bullseye, but 3 grains of current production powder may be more accurate.

 

[Jim Watson]

Clear

 

[Jim Watson]

Clear

@#$%^&* 'puter hasn't been right since I hooked up a new printer.

 

[Owen]

In fact, non wadcutter ammo won't fit in the magazine, IIRC