Franz Christian Shoaf
SEMPER IACULUS ATTINGUNT SCOPIUM
Franz
The Winchester 52D FCS Special Match is a limited edition offer to capture the spirit of the American Elite shooters of the early 1960s, who wanted an American made rifle for international match competitions, and alleviate some of the limitations of that time frame. Suited for: International Match, Bench Rest and Three Position Free Rifle.
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The Shoafs have a long history of being armorers that precedes emigration to the US in 1749 from Solingen, Germany. They were sword makers and sword enamelers as far as family history can be traced. The tradition continues here in the United States of America in this generation.
The Winchester 52D FCS Match is the first project in a series of limited edition projects. These target rifles are built using older obsolete parts and adding more modern techniques that produce a rifle both accurate and more pleasing aesthetically and functional. This process gives the rifle not only originality but also provides the owner a rifle that is not only one of a kind but exciting to own and shoot.
The Winchester Model 52D (1961): In 1956 the US Olympic rifle team commissioned ten custom Model 52C's for the upcoming Melbourne Games. These became the prototypes for the Style D when Winchester elected to redesign the entire rifle literally lock, stock, and barrel.
Sights included will be a modified Redfield International Match receiver and front globe sight.
Any sight combination that the shooter wishes can of course be installed at an additional charge.
VINTAGE WINCHESTER
SPECIAL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
The barrel is free floated out approximately 1 inch from the
locking lug.
The trigger guard is built for lightness and designed to be more ergonomic and comfortable than the original.
Shooting accessories are some of the best in the industry and come with the rifle. These include palm rest, adjustable butt plate and hand stop.
The stock is finished with the Winchester pre-64 reddish tint stain and several coats of a newly developed oil including linseed.
TRIGGER
Browning trigger housing re-machined and new spacing block manufactured. Pinned in place.
Housing Teflon coated for durability
Browning & Winchester internal parts glass beaded and polished.
New pins fabricated and installed.
SIGHTS
Any sight combination that the shooter wishes can of course be installed at an additional charge.
BARRELED RECEIVER GROUP
Barrels and receivers media blasted. Any blemishes and nicks are polished out. Muzzle ends are squared. Barrels and receivers are Parkerized with a beautiful, durable, matte finish.
Muzzle crowns counter-bored.
Tapped sight holes chased.
Cartridge/bolt guides polished.
Barrels and receivers Parkerized with a beautiful, durable matte finish.
Bolt ways and camming surfaces polished.
Barrel muzzles are counter-bored with a target crown.
BOLTS
Bolt handle media blasted and Parkerized. Camming surfaces polished.
Bolt head spaced to barreled receiver and serial number of companion receiver engraved on bolt.
STOCK
Laminated with thin layers of American walnut. All end grain is covered and protected permanently by an attractive alternate hard wood located in critical areas.
Fore end is provided with a wide beavertail for stability on and off the bench. It is provided with an Anschutz style channel to handle the accessories necessary for the many types of positions and competitions.
The butt stock is equipped with a fully adjustable aluminum match butt plate.
The stock is inletted for bedding pillars that locate the action in a precise manner and prevent stock squeeze caused by crushing wood between receiver and bottom metal.
Bolt disassembled and polished.
Extractors honed or replaced. Extractor spring and pins replaced.
Firing pin bead blasted and firing pin spring replaced.
Sear ledge re-honed.
At the present time, sights included will be a modified Redfield International Match receiver and front globe sight.
The receiver sight will be modified for 1/8mon adjustments to give the shooter more finger room.
Newly designed adjustment screws and lock nuts replace the original parts, making adjustments.
Safety modified to eliminate awkward early design. New design incorporates a positive position stop on the lever and housing.
Franz Shoaf
Nationality
Ancestry
Military Service
Nick Name
Disciplines
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AMERICAN
GERMAN
US ARMY RETIRED
SPECIAL FORCES
TOY MAKER
GUNSMITHING;
CABINETRY; PAINTING
About Franz
Franz C. Shoaf is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces master sergeant with extensive training and background in light and heavy weapons. He is a Vietnam era MACSOG veteran, and his service career spanned 23 years and several continents. This background, and his diversified interests, led him to his work as a gunsmith. Franz’s specialty is one-off custom rifles and unusual projects for the discriminating collector and shooter. Most of these projects entail raiding parts bins all over the country in search of vintage parts to build a limited amount of rifles and handguns with them. Adding his twist to an obsolete weapon that has stood the test of time, he brings a vintage rifle into the 21st Century by restocking, rebuilding, and modifying parts to ensure better accuracy, improve style and performance, and maintain or increase its value.
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VINTAGE WINCHESTER JOURNEY
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