# Tacticool Winchester 52B



## SailDesign (Jul 17, 2014)

It was time to modernise Bertha, as I'm finding shooting with the sling to be a little painful these days, and my eyes don't "do" peep sights the way they used to. Enter the Bertha-Tac, courtesy of a scope mount from EGW that replaces the rear dovetail perfectly, and a UTG 'pod under a BSA Sweet22.

Target underneath (obviously a found a good batch of Target Spots today) was shot at 25 yards using only bipod and shoulder. No room on the table even if I did have a bag.

I'm not unhappy, for a 76 year old rifle and slightly younger shooter.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

OK, Sail, you have a MOA rifle that raises my *envy*. (And a _very_ nice target, too!)
But the _real_ question is: "Are _you_ a MOA shooter?"

That question cannot be answered at 25 yards.
The real test comes at reasonably-long range. In the case of a truly accurate .22 rimfire, it has to be at least 50 yards.

Also, it cannot be answered solely from the bench, with a bipod, at 50 yards.
What can you do at 50 yards, standing, offhand?

(I have to admit that I am no longer any kind of offhand MOA shooter, although I still possess a MOA bolt-action rifle, and a two-MOA semi-auto, as well. Age has taken its toll.)


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## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

Nice gun, nice target. And yeah, 50 yards in still air - otherwise no changes - is the target I'd like to see.


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## SailDesign (Jul 17, 2014)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> OK, Sail, you have a MOA rifle that raises my *envy*. (And a _very_ nice target, too!)
> But the _real_ question is: "Are _you_ a MOA shooter?"
> 
> That question cannot be answered at 25 yards.
> ...


Yes, and No. Mostly no, sadly....

Bench, bipod, probably. I shot one today that was sweet (until the last shot, when the guy in the lane next to mine, with the black powder cannon, pulled off a round just as my finger was tightening on my 1/2-lb trigger... Need I say more? That's my excuse, but it really ain't a MOA group (and I'm too honest to claim it was a 4-shot grouping, much as i'd like to).

Standing, offhand? Fuggedabahttit! 

Once, maybe. not any more - and that's fine with me. Especially with a 12 lb gun - although with the scope she's probably up to a Baker's Dozen now.


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## SailDesign (Jul 17, 2014)

hillman said:


> Nice gun, nice target. And yeah, 50 yards in still air - otherwise no changes - is the target I'd like to see.


Will work on that next weekend. Certainly no MOAs this week. One at 1.3 MOA, but that's it. Patience....


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

SailDesign said:


> Yes, and No. Mostly no, sadly....
> 
> Bench, bipod, probably. I shot one today that was sweet (until the last shot, when the guy in the lane next to mine, with the black powder cannon, pulled off a round just as my finger was tightening on my 1/2-lb trigger... Need I say more? That's my excuse, but it really ain't a MOA group (and I'm too honest to claim it was a 4-shot grouping, much as i'd like to).
> 
> ...


I think that your scale is off Sail. My 870 with 12 rounds of OO buckshot on board weighs in at 9.44 pounds.

GW


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

goldwing said:


> I think that your scale is off Sail. My 870 with 12 rounds of OO buckshot on board weighs in at 9.44 pounds.
> 
> GW


In Sail's temporary absence ("to sleep, perchance to dream"...of one-hole groups), I will note that a very accurate match rifle, even if "only" in .22 rimfire, can easily weigh 12 pounds.
They are made heavy in order to hold themselves steady in the hands: Mass helps damp-out the micro-motions that our bodies make involuntarily.
Match rules usually specify a rifle's maximum weight, and the allowance can be surprisingly high.

The NRA rules for smallbore rifle competition state that "...There are no restrictions on...the overall weight of the rifle..."


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## SailDesign (Jul 17, 2014)

goldwing said:


> I think that your scale is off Sail. My 870 with 12 rounds of OO buckshot on board weighs in at 9.44 pounds.
> 
> GW


Just stepped on the scales (which I hate doing fully-clothed, so you're honored...) and the result is that in her current state (i.e. in the photo) she weights in at 15.5 lbs total - no boolits. That is a 28" barrel, 7/8" diameter with a 22-sized hole down the middle.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

SailDesign said:


> Just stepped on the scales (which I hate doing fully-clothed, so you're honored...) and the result is that in her current state (i.e. in the photo) she weights in at 15.5 lbs total - no boolits. That is a 28" barrel, 7/8" diameter with a 22-sized hole down the middle.


 There's the chrono gravital pull of imbalance of the ambient source
What was the total weight holding the gun,,,and the total weight without the gun? (Kidding)
:smt033


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## SailDesign (Jul 17, 2014)

pic said:


> There's the chrono gravital pull of imbalance of the ambient source
> What was the total weight holding the gun,,,and the total weight without the gun? (Kidding)
> :smt033


Moe than I'd like to admit, but less than it was 6 months ago... 

Trying to lose weight is a witch-with-a-"B"


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

SailDesign said:


> Just stepped on the scales (which I hate doing fully-clothed, so you're honored...) and the result is that in her current state (i.e. in the photo) she weights in at 15.5 lbs total - no boolits. That is a 28" barrel, 7/8" diameter with a 22-sized hole down the middle.


I think that it might be practical to put wheels on you bi-pod and a trailer hitch on the stock for transport.

GW


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## SailDesign (Jul 17, 2014)

goldwing said:


> I think that it might be practical to put wheels on you bi-pod and a trailer hitch on the stock for transport.
> 
> GW


My Fiat isn't man enough for that.


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## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

SailDesign said:


> Just stepped on the scales (which I hate doing fully-clothed, so you're honored...) and the result is that in her current state (i.e. in the photo) she weights in at 15.5 lbs total - no boolits. That is a 28" barrel, 7/8" diameter with a 22-sized hole down the middle.


I hope you aren't overloading that bipod.


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## SailDesign (Jul 17, 2014)

hillman said:


> I hope you aren't overloading that bipod.


It hasn't bent yet....


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## shootbrownelk (May 18, 2014)

SailDesign said:


> It was time to modernise Bertha, as I'm finding shooting with the sling to be a little painful these days, and my eyes don't "do" peep sights the way they used to. Enter the Bertha-Tac, courtesy of a scope mount from EGW that replaces the rear dovetail perfectly, and a UTG 'pod under a BSA Sweet22.
> 
> Target underneath (obviously a found a good batch of Target Spots today) was shot at 25 yards using only bipod and shoulder. No room on the table even if I did have a bag.
> 
> I'm not unhappy, for a 76 year old rifle and slightly younger shooter.


 That is one sweet looking and accurate rifle....


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## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

The author of "American Shooter" describes the result of his schoolboy rifle team acquiring a Winchester 52B. "It made all the difference".

Are there _any_ highschool rifle teams in America nowadays?


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## SailDesign (Jul 17, 2014)

hillman said:


> The author of "American Shooter" describes the result of his schoolboy rifle team acquiring a Winchester 52B. "It made all the difference".
> 
> Are there _any_ highschool rifle teams in America nowadays?


Not many, I'd bet. And mainly private schools.


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