Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Winchester 52 and 75 in days of old, can they be worn out?

I occasionally come across old out of production classics like the Winchester 52 and 75 bolt action .22 target rifles at gun shops, etc. They really have character and history, been reading up on them as they are fascinating. But when I look at one I often wonder if any of them are/can be worn out, at least in the barrel? A person who would have bought a gun like that in the 1930's would surely not let it sit in the closet.

Granted steel is better now, has anyone known of one that got worn out not only in the barrel, but the action too? How many shots can you put through one of those old barrels and a modern .22 rim fire barrel before the accuracy deteriorates noticeably?

Well,
I have 5 mod 37 Remingtons and they shoot great. Lot better than about 95% of today's great rim fires.

I shot this group last week with my Winchester 52C made in 1956 with the factory barrel. Five shots at 50 yards.

I guess you could eventually wear out the rifling of a .22 LR with cleaning brushes, but you'll never do it by shooting because the barrel will never get hot. My late grandfather's Savage 19 NRA match rifle is older than any Winchester or Remington target .22, and it has about half its rifling after maybe a million rounds since the 1920s. Still shoots cloverleafs with the right ammo though.

When you look at a .22 rifle in a gun shop, you can check the rifling depth by inserting the nose of a .22 LR bullet into the muzzle and see how deep it will go. Test the action with a snap cap. If both are OK, buy it and spend the rest of your life trying to wear it out.

I suppose they could be but it would take a very long time. Most have issues with improper cleaning, or a damaged crown. I always clean from the chamber side if at all possible. Steel rods and crowns do not mix well. Other issue would be leading and lack of cleaning, IE rusting in the bore under a coat of lead. My Model 12 BSA Martini Model 12 is about 100 years old and works just fine.

Two of my favorite Winchesters. Target models are really excellent arms but the sporter models are something to behold. It's a rare occasion I come across one.

My old 75 sometimes has a problem with ejecting. But I can live with that. It can still hold it's own with the modified 10-22

I have 2 54 Annies, and they shoot as good as the day they were made. They are late 60's guns. Spend some money on a good 22 and you can shoot it forever! Having said that, 22's can be extremely frustrating due to ammo sensitivity..and will make you into a crazy person in a hurry!

more than heat can wear a barrel , but do agree WAY more .22 barrels are wore out from cleaning than shooting . MO Ozarks ? for your location we can't be too far apart

One of the gunsmiths I use services the rifles for four youth camps. For the past couple of years I have been doing the sight-in while he takes care of any repairs.

Of the 80 rifles probably 40 are older Winchesters, Remington, Mossbergs and one Savage. All are 1930s to 60s vintage and all but one are still tackdivers.

The 52s just stand out above the rest including the Anschutz. The actions are honed smooth as glass and no slop in the bolts...

Bob

Winchester 52's have soul! Ive had a 56' 52C target for several years, a Zanders HB 52R and now after 60 years a 56' 52C Sporter. The only thing I have ever heard wearing out was an ejector even rarer is a firing pin. With care and lead subsonic ammo they out live many generations of hunter, shooters. I love to shoot and the 52's get shot the most by far followed by a mod 70 sporter varmint in .223 that I put in many rounds of 50 gr HP lake city at .36C a round.... very best and long live the Winchester .22's WinPoor