Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Elmer Keith's Winchester 52 w/photos

I finally picked up my Elmer Keith 52 today. It was in surprisingly good shape and it is a big rifle. As far as I can tell the barrel @ the receiver measures 1.168 and the muzzle end is 1.00 inch. That leaves about a 1/32 on each side,about the max on the 1.230 receiver. The wood grain is real nice and the rifle is rust blued. Actually I can't believe this rifle is probably 80 years old. If only this ole girl could talk!

I hope to get out to the range soon and will post a follow up.

When I picked my baby up from my FFL,the FFL was in awe,he had never imagined a .22 rimfire this big. I told him the only way Elmer did things was "Big".

OH MY !!!!!!!!!
Do i even want to know what that ran you? whatever it was and i had it, i would have given it for it.

Beautiful

That's pretty cool... What's the story behind it, and how you came across the gun if you don't mind..

Ultimate cool factor there! Congrats!

Very cool!! That must have cost a kings ransom, let us know how it shoots

What a treasure!! Thanks for sharing the photos...now we need to see targets!

The story behind the gun is that Ted Keith and his wife auctioned of part of Elmer's collection,because Ted is now in his 80's and Cabelas no longer wanted to be the caretaker of this large collection. Ted had a house full of gun safes and it was time to remove such a burden.

The auctions were well advertised in advance,so I signed up to telephone bid on this rifle. It seemed like I was the only serious bidder,so it was mine in about 30 seconds.

This was Elmer's small bore match rifle made custom for him by his friend Paul Dodge of Yreka,Calif. This rifle has a huge barrel and is a load to carry to be sure. But it is so beautiful as in "they will never make them like this again". I am lucky and honored to have Elmer's 52 Winchester.

Congrats on such a cool purchase.

Great peice of history!

If I recall correctly, I believe you posted you paid $1000. THAT is about the best $1000 I have seen spent in a long time!

It's public record what I paid for this and yes it is the best value I have ever spent on such a fine rifle.

I am still confounded by the low interest in this gun. The bidding started at 600 and then went 700,800,900 and then my poulin phone rep said do you want it at a thousand? And I replied Yes! bid it up and then he said to me I think we have it...next thing I knew was,he said congratulations you won the rifle. Needless to say I was just in shock.

The photos only convey part of what this rifle is,until you handle it and see the workmanship involved,then you can appreciate this rifle. I'm very lucky to say the least.

Run, do not walk, to the nearest Lottery agent and buy a ticket before the horseshoe you have you-know-where falls out.

Possibly the greatest snag ever. Congrats.

RogerD;
Thanks so much for sharing your photos and story of Elmer's .22 with us, I appreciate you doing so.

As I'm of that age where Elmer's column was the first thing I read in the Guns and Ammo magazines that our elementary school principal would bring to the school library - my goodness how other worldly that description sounds nowadays sadly - anyway while I wasn't sure I always agreed with his opinions I enjoyed reading Elmer's writing.

What a very cool piece of firearms history to be the caretaker of sir!

I'll look forward to seeing a range report too if you're so inclined, thanks again for sharing and all the best to you this weekend.

Dwayne

I'm glad I didn't dare go to the auction, one of us would be poorer.

I was pleasantly surprised that it went for a grand. Sometimes at an auction, one can find a sleeper. I think that's exactly what happened. You got the find of a lifetime.

DF

Awesome, Now to get one of his .44 Mags!

I think all those went for big bucks,unless your talking about the commemoratives, but they won't have Elmer's DNA on them. I don't think I'll ever clean the bolt handle on this

The NRA was kind enough to research for me and find the Elmer Keith article on Elmer's 52. I can't thank Maureen A. Denfeld enough for finding and sending this article to me,Miss Denfield bless you. Bravo NRA!!

The article written by Keith does confirm that this is indeed a very special rifle. I would think that this large of a Winchester barrel is indeed rare,maybe only a handful exist.

I downloaded the article on ScribD. It is a great article,and documents all about this Winchester 52,how great is that! I hope you all enjoy reading about this fine rifle. - Roger

https://www.scribd.com/doc/26217919...eith-Some-Turkey-Rifles-Past-and-Present






A excerpt from this January 1935 American Rifleman below:

Some time ago I sent Paul Dodge, of Yreka, California an old Winchester 52 action, and had him fit it with a very heavy 29-inch Winchester barrel. Dodge finished the outside of the barrel, chambered it very closely for the 22 l.-r., and fitted it to the action without any excess of headspace. He fitted blocks for my scope, and after getting the blocks in place he fitted a new beavertail Winchester stock, carefully hand-checking the stock and fore-end. He greatly speededup the action, and fitted a trigger-stop screw, which latter is a great help as it leaves the trigger finger well supported after the striker has been released, without any back jerk. Altogether Dodge did a wonderful job on this rifle.

After getting the big rifle home and testing it with the scope, I decided that it was well worthy of the best sights possible to procure. Worthy to be sure, for with its own choice of ammunition it would put five shots on a tack at 60 yards, if I could hold it. I have owned and used many fine small-bore rifles, but never one that would shoot with this Winchester-Dodge - combination. I ordered a Lyman 4S-J rear and 17-A front sight, and had H . W. Bradley, of Salmon, Idaho, install them. He did a beautiful job, making a long, low ramp for the front sight, which put on the final finish.

Dodge had found that this rifle performed perfectly with plain Remington Kleanbore ammunition. 1 was unable to get this in Salmon, but found that the cheaper grade of Remington Kleanbore greased Hi-Speed did all that I could ask of any small-bore ammunition, and even more. It was purely a matter of holding, and the size of the group was all up to me, for the gun would put ten straight into a space so small that most riflemen would swear that, I was crazy were I to give the size. Dodge sent me several targets shot by himself with straight Remington low-velocity Kleanbore, and these confirm my opinion of the rifle. I have proved to my own satisfaction that this rifle with the above-mentioned amrnunition will consistently group inside of the X-ring of our standard N . R. A . smallbore target on a still day, I include one of my targets shot at 60 yards with 5-A scope. I f I had not made several others like this I would consider i t just one of the exceptional groups that occasionally crop up. However, this rifle has done the same thing too many times to leave any doubt in my mind. I wish I could hold this well at all times.

This rifle has a much heavier barrel than the regular Winchester heavy-barrel 52, the barrel also being one inch longer. Dodge made up for his own use another rifle with the same kind of barrel, and used the same chambering reamers, but fitted it to a Ballard action, and he has been getting the same results with it as I have with mine which speaks very well for these heavy barrels. He made a high comb scope stock for his rifle, and fitted a high Lyman 48 and high front base for Lyman 17-A that can be removed when scope is used, thus having both the scope and the iron sights at the same height.

I killed all the ground squirrels and chucks on my little ranch with this outfit last summer, and then cleaned up some neighboring ranches. I used the scope and held for the head. When the scope is used it is surprising how far the little rodents can be killed with the rifle sighted to shoot center at 60 yards.

Of course much of the success is due to the fine ammunition now being turned out, and to the fact that this ammunition apparently fits this particular barrel perfectly. I took particular pains to sight-in this rifle at 60 yards at a turkey match this fall, in a strong wind, and then took the first two birds with absolutely center shots, rest shooting. I then handed the rifle to a friend—a fine rifleman—and he took the next two birds with center shots. Such a performance is not accident, but is rather a combination of fine holding and perfect ammunition, plus the most accurate small-bore rifle I have ever known. On still days or in a steady and unvaryng wind I will take my chances on this small-bore, but in a puffy or variable wind any of the other turkey rifles I have mentioned would be more reliable. From years of experience I have found that a sudden gust of wind will kick the little bullets out of the ten-ring when a larger, heavier bullet, even at lower velocity, will stay in.

I have to say I am green with envy!