Asaltweapon
NES Member
Outside don’t matter.
Bore micrometer is needed to be 100% sure but friction don’t lie.
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Is this barrel bulged? Model 52
- Thread starter whacko
- Start date
Bore micrometer is needed to be 100% sure but friction don’t lie.
Good news. Seller got back to me. Said he'll buy it back in a heartbeat if I'm not 100 percent satisfied. He said test it.....let him know how I think it shoots if I'm not happy he'll buy it back.
Stand up guy.
Stand up guy.
50wt
NES Member
thats not a micrometer and take that stupid thing off of metric.
Looks like Clark customs has them CLARK CUSTOM – Barrel for the S&W® Model 52
Agnotology
NES Member
Do you know what direction you are thinking? Asking for some money back to go towards a new barrel, returning it, or just living with it as is?
Bigfudge16
NES Member
You're
Won't know till I shoot it tonight. I'm not a "buy and sell" kind of guy. I bought it for bullseye league. If I can hit the x ring 4 out of 5 shots I could care less about resale value. I'll figure it out once I shoot it.
Mark from MA
NES Member
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This....who the F cares if it shoots well and your gonna keep it and its nice in every other way.
Like someone said if you ever have to sell it disclose the barrel but send them a video of the group it shoots and they might not care either.
I've never mic'd any of my barrels and Im sure there's some imperfect ones I don't even know about.
Truth. And the seller has been great about it. I don't believe he sold it to me knowing it has a bulge. He states he hasn't shot it in 3 years but it was very accurate when he was using it.
The trigger is amazing.....used a snap cap and dry fired it last night. Superb trigger. Small light take up to a distinct stop......then the slightest pressure and it brakes.....almost no noticeable rear travel when it brakes. If it groups well ill run it as is.
After reading all of this I've determined what I would probably do.
If it's a pistol I've been seeking for a long time, and the rest of the pistol is in good shape, I'd:
1. Keep it.
2. Pony up the money and buy a Clark barrel (can hardly go wrong there)
3. Ask the seller if they would at least partially cover the cost of the new Clark barrel.
Unless you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the seller knew the barrel was bulged I would not make any public comments, i.e., reputation feedback, otherwise. Just appeal to their better instincts.
If it's a pistol I've been seeking for a long time, and the rest of the pistol is in good shape, I'd:
1. Keep it.
2. Pony up the money and buy a Clark barrel (can hardly go wrong there)
3. Ask the seller if they would at least partially cover the cost of the new Clark barrel.
Unless you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the seller knew the barrel was bulged I would not make any public comments, i.e., reputation feedback, otherwise. Just appeal to their better instincts.
Hes already been excellent about it. Told me to test it and if I don't like the accuracy hell take it back. I believe that he didn't know about any bulge. Even if I end up returning it I'd give him an a+ rating.
Was always tempted to hunt down one of these, beautiful pieces of work but also reputed to be a bit 'delicate'. Ended up building a 1911 instead.
Kind of a bummer just knowing the bulge is there but if it's purpose is mostly shooting it and it shoots well might as well keep it.
The Clark barrel is 'only' $300 but needs fitting so there's also a trip to the gunsmith, a smith that knows these guns, so not necessarily trivial.
And then it will never be 'original'...
Curious if there's a league doing centerfire bullseye. In NVPL we used to do informal centerfire in Littleton after the regular match, other than that you usually had to travel, Scarborough or whatever.
Kind of a bummer just knowing the bulge is there but if it's purpose is mostly shooting it and it shoots well might as well keep it.
The Clark barrel is 'only' $300 but needs fitting so there's also a trip to the gunsmith, a smith that knows these guns, so not necessarily trivial.
And then it will never be 'original'...
Curious if there's a league doing centerfire bullseye. In NVPL we used to do informal centerfire in Littleton after the regular match, other than that you usually had to travel, Scarborough or whatever.
Lucus
NES Member
Barrel problem, S&W M-52 - Page 3
Guntrainer, I ordered three of those yesterday. All I've been using is the bristle brushes, brass and nylon, and patches. Today I got out a new Onalaska Opera
www.bullseyeforum.net
Could be lead fowling...
Aren't the feds trying to stop you from using lead when fowling?Barrel problem, S&W M-52 - Page 3
Guntrainer, I ordered three of those yesterday. All I've been using is the bristle brushes, brass and nylon, and patches. Today I got out a new Onalaska Opera
Could be lead fowling...
Lucus
NES Member
No the Feds are leading when it comes to fowling...
![[thumbsup]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/044.gif "Thumbs Up [thumbsup]")
Not lead fouling at all. The barrel is so clean it whistles......just like the rest of the pistol. It's immaculate.Barrel problem, S&W M-52 - Page 3
Guntrainer, I ordered three of those yesterday. All I've been using is the bristle brushes, brass and nylon, and patches. Today I got out a new Onalaska Opera
Could be lead fowling...
Asaltweapon
NES Member
I’m pretty sure Tewksbury was doing center fire gallery back when I was shooting on the NVPL. Capt and Co Capt from Concord R&G would go. That’s when I learned that I just had to have a 38 Super. It was instant love.
Last I knew both Concord clubs left the league but that’s from way back in the time machine.
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This.
I have not spent much time with a 52, but I have spent some time with a 952, which is a very similar gun in 9mm. The 952 was made back when the performance center was a true custom shop, and the lockup was as tight as any true target gun I have handled. It was easily comparable to a hand fitted and lapped 1911, and with absolutely no movement of any parts at lockup. I am pretty sure a 52 should have similar lockup, since that is the whole purpose of a bullseye target gun.
The listing for the Clark barrel says "gunsmith fitting required," and also has a link to the Clark model 52 gunsmithing page. But if you follow the link, that page is blank, and it looks like they no longer work on these guns. I know lots of parts say "fitting required," but then they mostly turn out to drop in. But I would be surprised if that happened here. The barrel needs to really be oversized, or a model 52 would not lock up as tight as it is supposed to. And to get it installed properly will require a real gunsmith who can hand fit parts and knows these guns.
I'm not saying it can't get done. It definitely can. But it won't be cheap or easy. And it likely needs the skill of someone who will have a backlog and some wait time.
Hopefully, it will shoot just fine. But even if it does, I might buy the spare barrel anyway and put it aside. Spare parts for these guns will not be available forever.
I agree, what I meant was to 'mike' the slug's
Agnotology
NES Member
I have guys who work at SW and I'll see if they can get their hands on an OEM barrel for you. That's why I'm asking.
Rick O'Shea
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Clark gunsmithing has "left the building". Anyone considering using them should be forewarned. I have a bobbed hammer done twice that still looks like sh%t. Thanks Clark Customs!
