Clark Model 52 barrel video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbThT_YiZlM&feature=youtu.be

cdrt wrote:Found this to be very interesting.  The barrel is $300 and they want $100 if you send your pistol to them to have it fitted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbThT_YiZlM&feature=youtu.be

Well, expensive, but, they are a business promoting a service to shooters.

Makes me want to save up for a 52 almost.

Tim:H11 wrote:Makes me want to save up for a 52 almost.

Tested in a barrel fixture.....not the pistol. That’s only half the battle.
Let’s see a group shot from the pistol.
Jon

True, but the table pics appear to be Ransom rest.

Video I saw was a fixture with a side pivoting frame for firing the cartridge for group down a test tunnel. There was a Ransom next to the fixture with no pistol mounted. I’d just like to see reality.
Jon

I'm just saying at the very end. Those targets, but, would be nice if they'd Steve Huff it at the Ransom.

Also I can't image most 52's shoot as poorly as the factory barrel they tested, it appeared to be a 10-12" grouping. I remember a local master saying he RR'ed his 52 one time at 50 and it did well, I just can't remember the group, it would have had to be 2-2.5" for him to be happy though.

Greetings,

I am rather disappointed in the test results.

Factory Model 52 barrels do not shoot that poorly. That particular barrel may have had some mechanical issues.

The target from the Clark barrel is somewhat representative of the results I obtain with Kart, Colt Kit, and custom 38 Special barrels.

I took a K-38 barrel, the same twist as the Model 52 but with a 0.357" groove diameter and modified it for the barrel tester, not having a Model 52 barrel available to sacrifice.

Here are three groups fired at 50 yards using HandLoads...





Here is a 50 yard target using a good lot of Remington Commercial ...



The above tests only prove out the quality of the ammunition and capability in that particular barrel. As Mr. Eulette pointed out, we need to see some groups from an assembled pistol in the Random Rest, or equivalent.

This is the reason I like the 32 WadCutter. The barrel is fixed to the receiver, no accurizing needed.

Cheers,

Dave

It's nice that there are some aftermarket barrels available for the 52 (I don't have one but would like one someday) I would agree with one of the other posters, something must have been wrong with that factory barrel or it was not working with the barrel tester.  I have seen enough groups shot by factory 52's to think that the barrel used was not right.

id wait for the kkm 52 barrel.

After reviewing the vid again I'm disturb about the sequence of loading the Clark v. Factory barrel.
When loading the Clark the chambering is easy and simple .
The factory is slammed shut, slapped around.
The results demonstrate as much.

Even if you're selling a product the best way to make yourself look like a joke is to do some half baked test to show how awesome your product is and and how crappy the competition is. If there's no effort of really making it an apples to apples comparison it just make you look like a shady salesman to anyone that knows better.

I Ransom tested a brand new 52 factory fit barrel,  I had sent my first 52 in to S&W for what they said was their last barrel.  (mine had a bulge)
Tested when I got it back, the group with Rem factory was about 2"  at 50y

Chris Miceli wrote:id wait for the kkm 52 barrel.

+1

james r chapman wrote:After reviewing the vid again I'm disturb about the sequence of loading the Clark v. Factory barrel.
When loading the Clark the chambering is easy and  simple .
The factory is slammed shut, slapped around.
The results demonstrate as much.

I thought it was just me who thought that his technique changed when testing the factory barrel.

BE Mike wrote:
I thought it was just me who thought that his technique changed when testing the factory barrel.

Nope. 

And as was posted elsewhere, most barrels will shoot ok.  Those that don’t either have a chambering issue or crown issue.  The crown is easily fixed.  The real key is accurate ammunition.  I have contender barrels in 38 and 45ACP to test ammo.  If it doesn’t shoot in these, it goes into the practice bin.

1:10 barrel should work better? Key question will that barrel function better? If so it is totally worth it if you can find a good base gun with a couple of magazines.

rich.tullo wrote:1:10 barrel should work better? Key question will that barrel function better? If so it is totally worth it if you can find a good base gun with a couple of magazines.

I don't recall in all the years I've owned my 52-1 that functioning was ever an issue. I have one magazine where the slide doesn't lock back when empty, but that's on the magazine, not the pistol. I don't think that the model 52's, in general, have ever been known to be unreliable, especially with factory ammo. They are know for the bullet tipping when entering the target, but to me, that isn't an issue.

For some , they do not shoot reloads well. Some people have accuracy problems and others reliability problems. If that barrel prints at Fifty and is reliable they really have something.