Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles mod 54 winchesters

Just bought 3 model 54s in perfect condition oldes one is 1925 one is a 270 the others are 30govo6 does anybody know if it possible to convert one of the o6 into a 300 h&h?

You might want to rethink this.
Was the 54 ever offered in 300 H&H ? NO it wasn't.
With only about 50,000 Model 54's made in all calibers, it's worth more to a collector than the cost of conversion.
It's your rifle and you do as you see fit, and I understand the Idea that it would be a good caliber to fit the three rifles, but I think I would be satisfied with a nice TWO rifle set.

I think you'd have to get into some expensive action lengthening; etc. Also machineing on the bolt body since the bolt stop on a 54 was the trigger, and a machined cut on the bolt body, if I remember correctly. Also magazine box, etc. Hardly worth it IMO.better to sell it and buy a M70 in 300H&H.

Thanks guys but i looked at a couple of 300h&hs and man they were out of this world in price.



Tekni,Well your right but two of the same is not a good thing maybe i will rethink and see what i can comeup with.

Im sure you could find a Remington Model 721 in 300H&H for
alot less than what it would cost you to have one built.

What's a pre 64 mag action worth to ya?

BTW I have a very nice M54 30/06 and to cut one up would be a shame.

Unless your 54s are beaters, I would bet that if you advertised in some of the free classifieds on the various shooting forums, seeking to trade one of your 54s for a .375 H&H, that you would get some offers. Worth a try...

MUDHEN,

Trying to keep them if i sold or traded one now scary mommy would kill me.


284LUVR,

hows about a trade for a 284 mauser ?

If ya run into a 54 in 22 Hornet, keep me in mind..

Don

Had a nice 54 in Hornet, wish I still did. Last 06 54 I saw in a shop was a couple of months ago and it was 300 or so. Like most I have seen it had moded bolt handle and safety ,had been drilled & tapped,in other words not collector quality. I would easily think of converting to 300. Not TOO difficult. Open bolt face being the biggest item. Last 35 Whelen I had was a 54. The bolt stop was a long screw thru one of the reciever sight holes in the bridge. The hole was drilled oversive and a screw turned to fit it with a smooth end. Worked fine. If you want to be even sneakier just make a small plate to fit inside the bridge with a tapped hole and slip it in after you put the bolt in and and put a screw thru one of the reciever sight holes. Tricky manipulation but works fine ,is cheap and effective and does not change appearance. Bottom metal would be Williams with some slight modifications. Magizine box and rails would require opening but that's not a biggy either. In other words except for the bolt release it would require the same things a Mdl 70 would. Model 70 stock can be modified to fit. I rather like 54's, they are most all VERY smooth actions. I lke the model 70 bolt handle modified so that's no biggy either. Timney used to make a trigger for them that was nice, both my Hornet and the last 35 Whelen I built I used them. So if you want it go for it.

ZIMHUNTER,


Are you a smith if so got a address?

School trained in the 50's. Just play around now. Old age done got me.

Model 54 in 22 Hornet

Over forty years ago I owned a Griffin & Howe 54 in 7x57 with a gorgeous Circassian stock and a factory stainless steel barrel, quite uncommon. No scope, a Lyman 48 receiver sight. I was handloading in those days, used someone's 175 grain boattail spitzer softpoint, took the rifle to Anticosti Island in the mouth of the St. Lawrence and killed two big bucks with it. Wish I still had it.

Stroker,

I'm drooling.. The first woodchuck I shot in 1948 was with a 54 in 22 Hornet.
You have a beautiful rifle.
Thanks for posting the pix.

Don

Anticosti Island, land of big bucks.
http://www.sepaq.com/resources/pdfs/en/BrochTarif07_en.pdf

Don

Don,

I picked it up at a gunshow several years ago. The blueing is a little worn in some places especially on the floorplate. The wood is in really great shape considering the use the rifle has seen. I have shot it a few times but after growing up shooting Model 70's it was tough to get used to the creep / spongy feeling on the 54's trigger. She just sits in the back of the gunsafe. They were pretty cool rifles in their heyday.

Beautiful Hornet I'm envious. Mine had had the barrel shortened and had a reciever sight and shot like a house afire. Still regret selling it but found something I wanted more and for the life of me now I can't remember what it was. That's the way it usually is for me.

A friend of mine has a M54 in .270 with a three digit serial #. It has to be one of the first .270 Winchesters ever built. He bought it for less than $200 in the late 1970's; I never get that lucky.

a 30-06 M54 uses the same magazine box, receiver hole spacing, ejector location, and guard screw hole spacing as a pre-64 model 70.

If you can get the proper magazine box and follower (wisner?), converting a 30-06 to 300 H&H would be no differetn than converting a 30-06 pre-64 Model 70 to 300 H&H, not that it is easy, quick, or cheap to do so.

I have a ~1931 (pre-speedlock) 30-06 with the factory stainless steel barrel I picked up for around $300 a few years ago, it is a neat rifle, and shoots very well. I have a spare p64 M70 bolt and will retrofit the safety and shroud one day to the M54