I am a new member of your forum; however I have visited here numerous times to research vintage rifles. The information and knowledge stored here is amazing.

I have collected firearms for longer than I can remember. Like many I starting with affordable military surplus rifles, eventually shifted focus to US firearms and finally settled on the Springfield Armory 1922 series of rifles. However, as everyone knows, it never ends there. Now I find myself dabbling in Winchester Model 52s. So, my first post will be about a rifle I recently acquired. I hope it will be worthy.

The rifle is a Winchester 52 Pre-A Sporting rifle with a G&H, single-lever, side-mounted Hensoldt –Wetzlar Ziel-Dialyt 2.75X scope. The rifle SN is 36273. The scope SN is 41219. SN 36273 was assigned on Nov. 7, 1934 and the rifle was likely assembled in 1936. This is supported by a “36” barrel date. The rifle is in very good condition but is not typical. What makes this rifle unique is that the barrel has no front sight ramp.

So your first impression may be that the barrel and rifle were modified after it left Winchester. That may be the case; however, here are some interesting points about the barrel.

• The barrel is exactly 24” long, so it was not chopped to remove the ramp.
• When compared to a known Winchester 52 sporting barrel, all diameter measurements are within .005” at any comparable point. The contour is also the same as a standard sporting barrel.
• Viewed from different angles, with varying light and magnification there are no signs of tooling marks, lines or ridges that would be made from milling off the front sight ramp.
• There are no noticeable, abrupt changes in the contour line.
• The texture of the barrel surface is uniform along its entire length.
• The Winchester barrel markings on the left, right and bottom of the chamber end are clear and crisp.
• The rust blue finish on the barreled receiver looks original and uniform.

If the front sight ramp was milled off, it was done to the quality and specifications of an originally manufactured barrel.

The second point of interest is that there is no Lyman rear sight and the stock was never cut for one. The receiver does have the mounting holes; however, they are filled with plug screws. The receiver finish shows no signs of ever having a sight mounted. It appears that this rifle left Winchester with no provisions for iron sights.

The last point is about the Griffin & Howe scope mount. It was very professionally installed. The mounting screws and alignment pins are invisible. The installation shouts Griffin & Howe or that possibility the work was done at Winchester. I have found a letter, authored Herbert Houze, which mentions a G&H mounted scope as a special order feature. Whether they did the work or shipped the rifle to Griffin & Howe is a separate question.

Finally, while searching the internet, I stumbled across a 2018 Cowan Auctions listing for a “Winchester Model 52 Deluxe with Griffin Howe Mounts & German Scope”. What got my attention were the similarities. Both rifles are Model 52 Pre A sporters, have single-lever G&H mounts and Hensoldt 2.75X scopes. The auction rifle, however, did have the correct iron sights. Interestingly, the serial numbers were close. My receiver SN is 36273, the auction rifle was 364XX. My scope is 41219, the auction rifles scope is 41448. Cowan Auctions Lot 128

All of this leads me to believe that the rifle was either a Winchester special order or a Griffin and Howe custom job. I understand that it is total speculation on my part without documentation of markings, but to me there is a lot of circumstantial evidence that points to this rifle being original.

Thank you for your thoughts.

Here is a link to my Imgur album were images can be magnified: [b]Winchester 52 Sporting Rifle Album[/b]

Art


















Barrel, Muzzle End, Top

One very nice 52 and thanks for sharing

Welcome on your first posting
Thank you for sharing this fine rifle
Mike

I was wondering if someone had a thought about likely installation of the G&H mount. Does the workmanship look like typical G&H handy-work?

Art

It looks exactly like G&H work to me compared to rifles of mine I know were done by them. They may also have removed the front ramp and reblued the barrel.

I have only one rifle with hidden G&H mount screws. I assume Griffin and Howe was the only company to do that.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback.

Someone planned for this rifle to be configured this way. Whether it was Winchester, G&H or the original customer, someone special ordered the rifle without the Lyman rear sight and the associated cut-out in the stock. We'll never known, but it was ahead of its time. When did sightless rifles first hit the scene with the intention of shooting them only scoped? 1950's, 1960''s?

Art

I have an M1922 Springfield professionally built custom that has 30's to 50's written all over it except for the fact that it has a 70's looking barrel with no sights. So I have no answer to your question. Sorry.

1922's are my passion. I would definitely like to see that rifle.

Art

My thought is that it was a special order from the start, done for a man whose eyes would not let him use iron sights. There's a Depression-era tale there, one MP would have chased. Are Winchester Special Order records available?

As I understand, Winchester did not keep their Model 52 Special Order records, heck, they didn't even keep records of how many sporting rifles they produced. The only detailed records are the day the serial number was assigned to the receiver, but when the receiver was assembled into a rifle is anyone's guess.

Art