52-2 poor accuracy

First topic message reminder :

Well I suspect now I know why this 52-2 was on Gunbroker and I got a good deal on it.  After all the hassle of replacing springs and sear and hammer with new parts and getting it to function fine the groups off a rest and nothing to write home about.  I benched rest ir indoors at 20yds as if it won't group there it sure won't at 50yds.  Went to the outdoor this morning to try it at 50yds as I mounted a 4X scope on it for testing but there was 9 shooters there which just makes testing to hard.  So this afternoon I went to the indoor range.  My good guns will benchrest to a one hole group at 20yds.  This gun shot a 3" group with the plated DEWC and 2" with the Zero HBWC.  Both loads with 2.8gr BE.  Just to be fair to the gun I am going to look for factory loads to test it.  My GP100 shot under a 1" so my loads might need a little crimp changing but it wasn't that bad.  

Maybe barrel?  The bushing seams to be tight.  A good gun smith maybe?  Don

Allen Barnett wrote:Seems to me that Bill Blankenship won a national chamlionship or two shooting an "out of the box" Smith 52 back in the day if my memory serves me correctly from the stories I have heard my dad tell many years ago.  As for a side note my dad always talked about how badly Joe Benner's K-38 would perform out of a Ransom rest but in Joe's hand well his performance speaks for itself also.  I have owned one and only one 52 but also had one when shooting on the Missouri National Guard team.  It is without a doubt the most unforgiving firearm I ever tried to shoot, that is why I don't own one any longer.

Allen it would probably help it mine was just out of the box, but I am afraid it has seen many rough roads since 1973,  I have no idea of it's history but a causal glance will tell you it was never a hanger queen.  She has been rode hard and put away wet but I got her for a good price.  I keep telling myself that it helps.  Don

Magload

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/remington-target-38-special-tmwc-148-grain-50-rounds?a=1581506

jglenn21 wrote:Magload

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/remington-target-38-special-tmwc-148-grain-50-rounds?a=1581506

Thank you they are on order.  This will let be know if it is my ammo.  I hope it is as I can fix that.  Don

use them to set your roll crimp die too.

Allen Barnett wrote:Seems to me that Bill Blankenship won a national chamlionship or two shooting an "out of the box" Smith 52 back in the day if my memory serves me correctly from the stories I have heard my dad tell many years ago.  As for a side note my dad always talked about how badly Joe Benner's K-38 would perform out of a Ransom rest but in Joe's hand well his performance speaks for itself also.  I have owned one and only one 52 but also had one when shooting on the Missouri National Guard team.  It is without a doubt the most unforgiving firearm I ever tried to shoot, that is why I don't own one any longer.

That would be the World Centerfire Championship in Weisbaden, Germany in 1966. I encourage everyone who likes to tinker with the S&W Model 52 to read the Gil Hebard article in "The Pistol Shooter's Treasury". Like I said, it is an unforgiving gun, especially with lack of follow-through and I wouldn't recommend it to someone trying to break in to master class, but it is a fun gun to shoot.