New to me Smith and Wesson model 52-2

[5-SHOTS]

Nice, nice, nice gun. Congratulations and thanks for sharing.

[Calfed]

Thanks!

[Sevens]

One the finest production handguns ever made, I’m a h-u-g-e fan and I’m very passionate about this model. Here is the cut ‘n paste of a discussion I penned up on another forum, originally written on 5/26/2017.

The S&W Model 52: My Biggest Regret in Handgunning!

Haha, misleading subject line was intentional and a little bit dirty but it is TRUE just the same, please let me explain.

I started shooting later than many "life long hardcore gun guys" as shooting wasn't much in my family history. I was pretty darn serious with BB guns and quality air rifles by 13 or 14 but didn't fire my first real shots until the Spring of 1988 as a 15yr old.

My first handgun shots were with a Ruger Single Six and a 1952 Colt Challenger (a Woodsman variant) and to close out my first ever shooting day: a four-inch Ruger Security Six stoked with 158gr JSP, .357 Magnum.

Folks, I was hooked -- well, beyond hooked, I became a handgunner on that day and a S&W Model 17-6 and months later a six-inch 686-3 became my first two handguns. (of course I still have them!)

This trip down memory lane is necessary to detail my biggest personal regret in almost 30 years as a hardcore, dedicated and passionate handgunner:

I bought my first S&W Model 52 in November, 2015 as a 43-year old man.

Okay, maybe I didn't "need" a Model 52 when I was 15yrs old. Or even when I was 22. Agreed. But waiting until 2015 to finally convince myself that maybe I need to try this iconic pistol and see if it might be something I like...?!

Yeah. Sincerely, my biggest gun related regret wasn't selling something I now miss like many will claim, my regret is how many years went by before I ever even put my hands on a 52 just to catch a glimpse of the brilliance.

We have many 52 discussions in the semiauto forum -- run a search, bump an old one or start a new one, I don't need to detail what makes a 52 special in this particular post but if nothing else, take a lesson from my lost years between 1988 and 2015: if you don't know about a Model 52, please ask to handle the next one that you see in person. See if you also pick up on the magic that surrounds these pistols. They simply are NOT like other pistols.

[steve a.]

In about 1990 +/-, I had the opportunity to purchase a new 52 at a gun shop I purchased a couple of shotguns and ammo from. Don't recall the $$, but was plenty high. All but said okay and then I looked at the costs of the 148 wad cutters and changed my mind - regrettably. Sometime shortly thereafter, I did buy a 14-4 (8 3/8") and have loaded many, many 148 wad cutters since.

[luger fan]

Some day.....................