The competition was held on 27 and 28 July 1952 at the shooting ranges in Helsinki with 53 shooters from 28 nations competing.

[2] The event was won by Károly Takács of Hungary, the first man to successfully defend an Olympic rapid fire title (and second to win multiple medals of any color).

Gheorghe Lichiardopol of Romania won bronze in his nation's debut in the event.

[7] Four of the top 10 shooters from 1948 returned: gold medalist Károly Takács of Hungary, silver medalist Carlos Enrique Díaz Sáenz Valiente of Argentina, fourth-place finisher (and 1936 bronze medalist Torsten Ullman of Sweden, and ninth-place finisher Michelangelo Borriello of Italy.

Bulgaria, Canada, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Romania, the Soviet Union, and Venezuela each made their debut in the event.