The Winchester Model 52 by Herb Houz (2006, Paperback)

This is an exhaustive, well researched, and well supported history of what is arguably the world's finest target rifle. It cites countless company documents and accounts from executives, and that is good, but sadly the book includes not one historical contribution from any of the craftsmen who dedicated their lives and careers to the rifle's production, and so these artisans and their achievements will likely fade away into oblivion, as did the larger art of fine American gunmaking.

The Model 52, like the Model 21 shotgun, was immune to the post-'64 "advances" and continued to be made by hand in very small numbers to an extraordinarily high and unwavering standard right up to the end of its long run, and this standard could never have been upheld without the commitment and dedication of the men who built the rifle. Their omission from mention was truly unjust.

The book itself is printed in China, which is unfortunate, for it is a victim of the poor quality control in typeset, proofreading, and manufacture that we have grown to expect from material printed in China. The subject of the book was a work of rare quality; the book honoring it ought to be, at the very least, free of avoidable errors. This sad state of affairs was no fault of its author, of course.

Okay, now I'm nitpicking. It is a fine work and the only book of its kind. Buy it.