The Winchester Model 52 That Shot 3000 Bullseyes in One Day

Here’s a rifle that earned a Presidential medal. It has a unique heritage, having been used to shoot 3000 consecutive bulleyes in a single day. The year was 1926 and a high school shooter named Sam Moore hoped to set a record. With his trusty Winchester Model 52 rifle in hand, Moore fired 3,000 rounds downrange, only stopping when his rifle became too hot to hold and daylight was fading fast. But he had fired 3,000 consecutive bullseyes in NRA Junior Rifle competition (target at 50 feet). The event, which set a world record, received national attention.

Moore was summoned to Washington, DC on April 26, 1926 to meet President Calvin Coolidge. At the White House, President Coolidge presented Moore with a gold medal. The engraving on the back reads: “Presented to L.S. Moore by the President of the United States [on] behalf of the National Rifle Association. Junior Rifle Corps World Record — 3000 — consecutive bullseyes.”

Moore went on to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1931, helped develop the Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife, served in WWII as a USMC aviator and maintained his interest in shooting until his passing in 1982. Moore’s rifle and engraved gold medal were donated to the National Firearms Museum by his son David.

Photos and story from NRA Museums Facebook Page

Similar Posts:

• The Rifle That Shot 3000 Bullseyes — Sam Moore’s Win Model 52
• Sam Moore’s 3000-Bullseye Winchester Model 52
• Haley Dunn Wins Gold Medal at Shotgun World Cup
• Kim Rhode Wins Gold in Women’s Skeet, Making Olympic History
• Rhode and Richmond Named USA Shooting Athletes of Year

Tags: National Firearms Museum, NRA, Present's Medal, President Coolidge, Samuel Moore