Reproduction Winchester Model 52

[bandit1250]

I bought a Winchester Model 52 from my friend today that is thinning down some of his collection. He said he never could get the bolt out of it since he bought it and really didn't care much for it. It is the Miroku built in Japan rifle that has the nice workmanship that Miroku is known for. Smooth sightless barrel. The triggers on these I believe is called Micro-motion or something like that and are very complicated to work on with all those staked pins to remove and then restake again to put back together. Had to draw pictures of the last one I had apart so I could get it back together. I have owned five of these over the years with two being the medium heavy barrel reproduction one that were not many made. They were not tack drivers in any of thee ones I had I had. Decent but not bragging groups from any and very picky on ammo. My Miroku Browning A-bolt rim fires were about the same accuracy wise. This one will need some tuning to get it to shoot better. Have to try different torque settings and play with adjusting the barrel tension screw in the fore stock. I shot it today and the Ruger 10/22 of my wife's I have been working with out shot it quite handily. Only shot one brand and lot # well. I can't get hurt on it even if I trade it down the road on something else I want more than it. Has a 6-24 Tasco Target-Varmint scope that seems to track very well and is very clear up to the last highest power or so and is mounted on Weaver bases and Burris Zee rings. Normal for a lot of scopes to lose some clarity at the highest power settings. He sold it to me for $500 for the complete outfit.

[Yornoc3]

Really nice, I think you got a buy. A .22 LR sporter with center fire dimensions and feel is a useful rifle to shoot, at least, I think so .

[JEBar]

He said he never could get the bolt out of it since he bought it and really didn't care much for it.

just curious, did you get the bolt out and what causes the bolt to stick ..

[bandit1250]

On these rifles I don't know if it is only the Micro-Motion trigger rifles but you dry fire the rifle then push the trigger forward then open the bolt and pull it back and out of the action. I never really had a problem with the ones I have owned or this one. To put the bolt back in some folks say you have to ram it forward real hard. I push it in until it stops and then reach in from the front and push the sear down with a screw driver and it falls in very easy. I will play with it for a while but I really don't see it shooting as well as my CZ 452's. My other ones didn't either. This one may be a surprise on the target with the right ammo. Has a screw in the bottom fore stock for tuning. It does change the accuracy pretty quick but may go the wrong way. Then you just try again at another torque setting.

[Henry88]

Beautiful gun but what a PIA to get the bolt out......

[bandit1250]

Beautiful gun but what a PIA to get the bolt out......

It is not bad once you know what the procedure is. I got a little tired of messing with it yesterday after shooting it with many different types of ammo and different lot #'s of some of the same brands. 14 total in the amount of different ammo. It is no CZ in that it is much more ammo sensitive and it only shot really decent with two brands. Cz's are not like that for me. I had the same problem with other reproduction 52's and Browning A-bolt rim fires. Nice workmanship on the Miroku rifles but very sensitive to ammo they like. I believe the best shooting Miroku rim fires are the single shots like NCG shoots. I tried different torque on the action screws and the barrel tension screw and found a sweet spot on the torque but this rifle would still get smoked by my CZ 452's. The triggers on these are sometimes a pain to deal with and this could be one of them. I will give it a good flushing out and blow it out with air and start over and see what I can do with it. I can almost see this rifle having a very short stay here considering all the good shooting rifles I already have. I thinned down some Tru-oil and brushed it in to the bare checkered wood and then wiped and brushed out what didn't soak in. Open wood here with our humidity is not good and should have a light sealing added to it. May swap out the Tasco target scope for something shorter and more appropriate for a sporter rifle. Just looks out of place on the skinny barrel rifle. May have some results to post later next week on shooting it again.

[JEBar]

interesting .... having zero experience with these rifles, I believe you've given me everything I need to know about them .... info appreciated

[North Country Gal]

I've never owned one of these reproduction 52s, but have seen a few used ones, now and then, but the price was a turn off, not to mention that they are heavy guns, as were the originals. The Model 52 was very pricey in its day and was built as a full sized adult rifle chambered in 22 LR and not your usual 22 LR sized bolt gun. Have also read reports on the issues bandit lists, so will be interesting to see if he can get this one to shoot. If anyone can, it's him.

Meanwhile, I keep shooting not only my Miroku built single shots, but also my feet Browning/Miroku T bolts. Even out Varmint/Target T bolt is a delight to handle and, like all our T bolts, is wonderfully accurate.