Winchester Model 52B Sporting
Winchester Repeating Arms · Rifle · Discontinued · 1937
Also known as: Winchester Model 52-B Sporter, Model 52 Sporting Rifle, 52B Sporter
Overview
The Winchester Model 52B Sporting is a .22 LR bolt-action sporting rifle built on the refined Model 52-B target action, differing chiefly in that the receiver top was left round rather than milled flat for target sights. Introduced on the B action in 1937 (the Sporter having first appeared in 1934), it pairs the match-proven 52 action with a slim 24-inch lightweight barrel and an elegant, gloss-finished figured walnut stock with a slender tapered forearm, pronounced pistol grip, high comb, cheekpiece and fancy checkering. Weighing only about 3.3 kg and fitted with a Lyman 48-F aperture sight as standard, it fed from a five-round detachable box magazine and could be single-loaded for precise shots. The costliest and rarest of the line, it is today the most collectible of all Model 52 variants.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3290 g (116.1 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 3303 g (116.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1105 mm (43.50") |
| Barrel Length | 610 mm (24.02") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Trigger Pull | 29 N (6.5 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 330 m/s (1083 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 141 J (104 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 Long Rifle · primary — also known as .22 LR, 5.6x15mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine, Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Lightweight Sporter Barrel, Figured Walnut Sporter Stock, Cheekpiece, Pistol Grip, Checkered Forearm And Grip, Lyman 48f Aperture Sight, Adjustable Target Trigger, Single Loading Capable, Drilled And Tapped Receiver
Base model
Production
Production years: 1937-1947
52-B Sporting configuration on the refined B action; overall Sporter run 1934-1959. Sporters were a small percentage of ~125,419 total Model 52 rifles.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: T.C. Johnson
Discontinued: 1947
Notes
Weight approximately 7.25 lb (~3.3 kg). Overall length approximate. Sporter production spanned 1934-1959 across the A/B/C actions; the specific 52-B Sporting configuration dates to the B action (introduced 1937) and was superseded by the 52-C Sporting after WWII. Retailed for $88.50 when new. Total Sporter output was a small fraction of the ~125,000 Model 52 rifles built.
Background
A blend of Winchester's championship-winning smallbore target action and a graceful hunting stock, the 52 Sporter earned a reputation as one of the finest sporting .22s ever built. Its scarcity and craftsmanship make the Sporting Model the crown jewel of Model 52 collecting.