I haven't had to use a special die for my Model 52-2 either, though my reloads were configured using factory wadcutter brass. When I was a serious Bullseye competitor back in the early sixties and through most of the seventies, Bullseye (Precision Shooting) shooters still used revolvers, along with auto pistols, and none of the handguns wore any sort of optical sight. Most of the target guns "back in the day" were developed for Bullseye shooters and some of the finest American-made handguns ever made were built during that era, including Colt and Smith & Wesson Wesson revolvers chambered in .22rf, .38 Special and .45 ACP and autos made by Colt, High Standard, Ruger, Smith & Wesson and Browning. Browning, High Standard and Ruger autos were chambered only in .22 rf and only Colt made semi-auto pistols chambered in .45 ACP (which could be used in the "centerfire" stage of fire and most often were).
As time went on and the accuracy, trigger pulls, sights and reliability of auto pistols became much improved, revolvers started to become much less popular, mostly due to the inherent advantage the auto pistol held in the timed and rapid-fire stages of fire (revolvers were almost exclusively fired in the single-action mode during this period of time chiefly due to their exquisite sa trigger pulls).
Uniquely, the Smith Model 52, was intended for Bullseye competition for use only in the center-fire stage where the .38 Special cartridge could be employed. As previously mentioned, the pistol was provided with five round magazines and had to be used with wadcutter bullets seated flush to the mouth of the case The Model 52-A was made from 1961 to 1963; the Model 52-1 from 1963 to 1971 and the Model 52-2 from 1971 through 1993, after which time the model 52 pistol was discontinued. During this classic Bullseye era, Smith & Wesson never made a semi-auto pistol chambered in .45 ACP, though they did make the fine Model 1955 Target revolver chambered in .45 ACP.
In 1960, Colt introduced the National Match target pistol, chambered in .38 Special and, like the Smith Model 52, was furnished with five round magazines and designed to fire mid-range ammunition using wad-cutter type bullets. This pistol was discontinued in 1971.
Though I no longer am able to compete in pistol matches, the load I relied on for many years was 2.9 grains of Bullseye behind a 148 grain Speer HBWC bullet. Good luck with your Model 52. In factory form, the trigger pull is simply to die for.
