S&W 52 load data

[19zip]

Need 148 gn HBWC load data for my S&W 52-2.
I have only shot a box of Remington 148 gr TargetMaster WC through it so far. I also have a box of Winchester Super X Super Match 148 gr LWC to try, but I want /need to learn to make up an accurate load for it. Can't afford to shoot the factory stuff.
I'm having a little trouble getting it sighted in, It has an 1" diameter older Ultra Dot in a Cal Grip mount. Just starting to learn how to shoot this jewel. Any advice, insite, and help is much appriciated.
Thanks....

[Rover]

Sure! Don't use a HBWC.

[C. Perkins]

19zip;
Welcome to the M52.
Never mind Rover, I shoot with him all the time and he can be a pain in the butt and he knows it :) (actually he is a very descent person once you get to know him ;)

The best thing you can do is give me a call or I can call you.

I tried last week to post a whole page about loading for the M52 and it went to cyberspace when I hit the send button.
I will try again in my spare time.

PM me with your number and we can discuss it.

Clarence

[gulliver62]

I fit my 52-2 with a 1" slide mount dot last year.
I have been shooting my standard load of 2.7g BE behind the 148g HBWC and it will function fine. I still have 1-2k of this loaded from previous life when I used the iron sights.

However, I am going to try bumping that up to 2.8 or 2.9 and see if I can get slightly better results.

My bullets are the old Star.

[Rover]

Ah, but there is a method to my madness.

The walls of a HBWC blow out to give a good fit in your barrel. The price you pay for this is that it may be only marginally stable due to its length. This is most frequently seen in the .32s. Also, you cannot use a "hot" load for fear of blow-thru and a bullet stuck in your bore.

Since the M52 bore is usually only .355 you don't need the potentially "fatter" HBWC.

The accuracy load for my M52 was 3.2gr 700X.

[Dr. Jim]

After nearly 40 years, I have elected to use only one load (even for the rarely used PPC gun), and that is 3.0grs of the 'new' Bullseye and the 148gr WC thrown by my #244 Hensley & Gibbs mould which is even older than me. Seems to work well in all of my .38s. Might be a few fps faster than optimal for the M52-1, but I have a love-hate relationship with that gun!

Cheers Jim

[38HBWC]

2.7 gr Bullseye with the Bulk Remington 148 HBWC graphited bullets from Midway work very well. I am partial to Meister hard swaged bullets as they are a lot cleaner. However the more expensive Hornady HBWCs are nice, as the are dusted with boron nitride. There is a lightweight bullet option from Germany, H&N brand. Larry Carter of LGI has them, but shipping is high. There are recoil spring optimization kits made by Wolff., so you can tailor the ejection speed. The empties should land just near your right side. No need to go over 2.9 gr of BE , IMHO. But Bullseye is smoky and breathing in the haze is not fun. 700-x helps cut out some of the smoke. A well applied Taper crimp works best, but caution, too much taper and they stove pipe out of the magazine. I think Gil Hebard used to publish the max taper crimp dimensions. The magazine lip spacing dimensions are on the web. I believe they are ths same as my P-240. I have used a roll crimp successfully. Should you want a roll crimp, the LEE factory crimp die is perfect for this, as it has a carbide sizing ring and resizes the case, but i do not know if full length resizing affects the diameter of the seated bullet. Copper plated bullets (waste of $) have more drag, you may need to compensate in your powder charge drop. The slightest amount of bullet up and out of the case will impinge on the magazine interior and you will get a stuck round. A recoil buffer is nice on the M52, as it softens the perceived recoil and just may save a frame on a double charged case. M52s are notorious for not "liking" reloads, but Factory Winchester Supermatch or Remington Targetmaster will put you in the poor house. Fiocchi and S&B make a wadcutter load for less money, but I have never splurged, as I have the Dillon feeding all 4 of my M52s. The BME scope mount tightened into the counterweight groves is a great little mount for my Match Dot, but it has to come off for cleaning. That was my excuse for having the others in iron sight mode. Parts for the pistol are getting rarer every day. The Nills anatomical grips for the 52 will add points to your score. The same for the counterweight, with is a spendy find on the web. Happy shooting and loading. Oh, and by the way, ask a stranger at the public range if he/she wants to shoot the M52.... and watch the reaction on his/her face...priceless.

[Tom]

Hiya,

I run 2.8 BE with the Remington HBWC 148's as my standard WC loading. It runs the 52 well, shoots either X's or 8's, just like all 52's. I haven't tried 700x in the 52 yet however I did try #2 accurate powder in the 52 years ago, shot well but got me the one and only alibi out with the pistol as the little spheres of unburned powder fell into the trigger area and prevented the disconnector from resetting the sear.

Tom

[trainer10]

I have used 2.8 gr. of Winchester 231 and 2.5 gr. of Winchester Super Target with Remington and Star 148 gr. HBWC for 50 ft. and 25 yd. with zero malfunctions and great accuracy in my 52-1.

[TonyT]

When I shot a S&W 52-1 I used 2.8 gr. Bullseye, Rem SP behind the Remington 148 gr. LHBWC. The bullet was seated flush with the case mouth and a very slight crimp applied - sufficient for ultra reliable function. I also used this load in my revolvers and it has proven to be very accurate over the past 40+ years.