Model 52 details

First topic message reminder :

A friend who collects S&W revolvers offered me a NIB Model 52 (-2 I think)that was part of an estate he bought. He paid $950 and that seems like a pretty good deal to me. Any info about this model would be appreciated especially how to load for it. I have some HBWC loaded 2.6 gr of WST 1.16 OAL. will that work?

It certainly could have been, and probably was there when I bought it. I don't know what it is! I just want to make sure its not something I need to worry about.

Looks like someone put their salty fingers on it 30 years ago and put it away without wiping clean. It happens.

Len

orpheoet wrote:Anybody know what's going on with this pitting? I just noticed it. Is this common, should I be concerned?

That is not a common problem, from what I've seen. Pitting like that usually is seen on stainless steel handguns that have been exposed to salt water, etc. I'm pretty sure that the slides were forged, not cast. All that being said, it looks like just a cosmetic issue. The low pressure ammo you should be firing in that gun, shouldn't make you concerned about structural integrity.

BE Mike wrote:

orpheoet wrote:Anybody know what's going on with this pitting? I just noticed it. Is this common, should I be concerned?

That is not a common problem, from what I've seen. Pitting like that usually is seen on stainless steel handguns that have been exposed to salt water, etc. I'm pretty sure that the slides were forged, not cast. All that being said, it looks like just a cosmetic issue. The low pressure ammo you should be firing in that gun, shouldn't make you concerned about structural integrity.

Thanks for the reassurance. Man does it have a sweet trigger...

The gun was on a bench across the room from where Sigourney Weaver clobbered an alien.

Just one tiny drop of that green blood...

Problem with used guns is that you never really know where they've been...just like those nickels your Mom told you to never put in your mouth.

I would recommend using Titegroup 2.6 - 2.8 gr. with a 148 gr. wadcutter.  Reason being that my reloading press has tiny cavities for light powder charges like that, and powder "bridging" was an issue with flake type powders (Red Dot, Bullseye, etc.) I had more than a few squibs, which is embarrasing at best and dangerous at worst.  Titegroup is a ball powder that flows easily through anything.  Another plus is that it's not position sensitive.  With all that room in 38 case, it helps.