Winchester Model 52 Long Rifle used in Bisley Competitions

No. 40325A; “Winchester” model 52 .22 long rifle, bolt action, barrel length 711 mm, Cal .22, magazine (10 round capacity); Competition rifle. Rifle secured with a trigger guard in a locked glass cabinet.

This competition rifle was used by Lt. Gilmour Boa of the 48th Highlanders in the 1951 Bisley Competition in England. On 21 July 1951 Lt. Boa won the most coveted award of military marksman of the British and Commonwealth armies, the King’s Prize. That autumn Lt. Boa also won, for his second time,  the King’s Medal at the D.R.A. (Dominion Rifle Association) meet in Ottawa.

The 48th Highlanders competed as part of the Canadian Bisley Team from 1895 to 1914 before the Bisley competitions were suspended during WWI. Sgt. William Hawkins had won the King’s Prize at Bisley in 1913. Highlanders resumed competing when the competitions began again after the war.

Associated place
Bisley England
Associated event
Bisley Competition amongst Commonwealth nations
Associated name(s)
Lt. James Boa, Sgt. William Hawkins, Lt. Gil Boa
Era
1891 – 1913 Early years, 1914 – 1919 (WW 1), 1920 – 1938 Interwar period, 1939 – 1945 (WW 2), 1946 – 1999 Late 20th C.
Location of artifact
Case 21/22 Sports
Classification
Weapons

Gallery

Subscribe
Notify me of
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments