Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Guns In My Life...

New Years Eve, typically as in early eighties, contemplating 'friends of past' memories in my life. Today, Christmas Eve, as 'kick back moment, pending Tomorrow, contemplating 'guns in my life. Not specific ones, but genre. Winchesters often rifle-central and momentary focus on the Model 54, Winchester's first sporting bolt gun. From 1925-36 era, really quite a milestone event... Overshadowed by the heralded Model 70! The 70 was 'collectively' a strategic advance in ffact, but moreover in perception as "aura". Yet accord and maybe tribute due the 54. It's competition the Remington Model 30 years before and afterward. Longevity if inferring superior as humorously false. No slight to the Remington product, but the fact of Winchester sales of the 54 in 11 years more than double the Model 30 in 19 years... Saying far more than production years ti suggest!

The 54 was a gun heralding a 'new era' as bolt action sporters moved far more to center stage. Internationally Mausers were simply 'the force to be recokoned' But in America the 54 was the emerging 'clean sheet' design specific to sporting genre bolt rifles. Thus, here just concluding a few words of tribute to a rifle whose merits unduly diminished as overshadowed by the Model 70.

I began noticing/collecting the Model 54 in the seventies as 'it' reflecting 'over the cliff' pricing. As in 'way low' for yet the fine rifle it was. Most of the 70 virtues as either tech or halfway. The Chrome Moly action & bolt - great but techie. Nickel Steel in the 54 working just fine. The low scope bolt design as great but not exploited as not drilled for scope until late forties. Prewar, scopes yet bit exotic, fragile, expensive and belying sleek scabbard guns. Mag chamberings nice in the 70 but hardly model deal makers/breakers for most hunters. Ironically, the Model 30 with its large action never commercially offering/exploiting those big mag rounds nor even their successor the Model 720!

The 70 trigger definitely a 54 notable advance. The associated bolt stop as heralded, but never heard of a broken ot battered one in the 54! The last iteratons of the 54 had much of the 70 grafted features as incorporated and right. Stock design and ramp sight. 54 bottom metal was stamped and the floorplate fixed. The latter beyond aesthetics, some 70 merit although cost factors 'there' and to wonder to this day, how much a disadvantage the cycling of rounds versus 70 actual trap door utilized. My case here, the 54 was and remains a damned good gun by any 'classic' wood & steel measure. If not to scope, entirely competent today! If to scope, collector-sadly, many D&T editions out there & with low scope bolt & safety accommodation modifications. The main net drawback of such 'adapted' 54, typically gun buff - including myself - disapproval. For me, such 54 simply 'a bridge too far'! The trigger as the final 'difference' to me. If you can live with it as most folks entirely can... The 54 yet a go-for-it classic Winchester of worth!

Below, favorite of my Model 54 in pix! Last sub-model features iteraton.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!
jOHN

Cool. I have a model 54 06. Really customized. Wish it had been left alone.

Just my old 54 carbine brush gun in .30 Govt. caliber .

That's a beautiful rifle John. I've seen some nice model 54's, but none as nice as that one. I almost bought one about 4 years ago for $350.00. I sure was tempted, but did not like some of the features like the cheap stamped steel bottom metal. I also hear you about the model 30 and 720. Some guys are thinking, wth are those and what do they have to do with the Winchester model 54... Thanks for sharing.

I thought this was going to be more of a show and tell about all the guns you've had in your life!!!! Or at least all the ones you bought this year. I'll be the first to go:

First Winchester model 70 I bought this year:


(XTR FWT 22-250)

2nd:





3rd:

(Classic stainless Boss 7mmRM)

4th:

(XTR sporter 300WBY in Pacific Research)

5th:

(Classic synthetic 7mmRM)

It's been a fun year for sure!!!! Had to spice it up a bit John...

That is a beauty John, You have an amazing collection of Winchesters and Brno’s if my memory serves me. Thank You for sharing and Merry Christmas to you and all the forum fellows!

Ken
,

XTR featherweight in 22-250 is not an easy gun to find.

I had 2 model 54's, but in a weak moment i sold off my 22 Hornet,i kept the 30-06. They are fine rifles, but you cant keep them all forever.I have a assortment of savage 1899's on the way for Christmas ,supposed to be here this week.

I picked up a few but I think my Xmass present was the best. Only one Ive ever seen- Winchester 1886 SRC in 38-56, has a 22 inch barrel made in 1895. 2nd place would be the awesome original Winchester 1895 TD in the big medicine caliber 405, made in 1923. I shot it 3 times. It hurts at both ends!!

Slight chance that was mine long ago. Sold it in Boise in 1980. Great gun.

Iskra: Kind of enjoyed your musings on the Winchester Model 54 - I have owned a number of them in the past but they never "tickled my fancy" like the far superior pre-64 Winchester Model 70's did/does.
Only Model 54 I wish I had bought and kept was a N.I.B. Carbine in caliber 30 W.C.F. I came across many decades ago at a gunshow being held in the gymnasium of the Renton High School (Seattle suburb).

And this, the "pre-war" Model 70's had the front bridge and left side rear of the action drilled and tapped for (among other things) "scope mounting" - in other words what were the drilled and tapped holes on the front top of the bridge to be used for? But for mounting a scope using those two front holes and the two holes in the left side of the rear bridge that could be/were used for scope mounting bases/systems of the day.
Am I not correct in my contention/explanation - I know I have seen many "pre-war" and "mid forties" Model 70's with scopes mounted thusly!
Or perhaps I misunderstood your words/posting regarding this?
Long live the Riflemans Rifle (and the Model 54).
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have a couple 54's and have always liked that model a little better than the 70. Can't exactly put my finger on why, just something in the overall aesthetics.

Could be a subconscious draw to the narrow time frame in which they were made, probably due to when my parents were born. Fits with when a whole lot of other rifles I own were made. Coincidence, or more likely it was the time period which saw the beginning of the end of old world hand craftsmanship as it folded into the impersonal precision of modern manufacturing. That, or the human tendency to view artifacts from the generation immediately preceding one's birthdate as "vintage" not "antique" - like I see guys born in the 70's venerating guns and cars built in the 50's-60's, when I see them as simply average usable stuff.

I’m very fond of M54’s

Thanks to all commenting! This Thread was supposed to be about pretty much whatever one wished, suggesting emphasis on guns of today and/or past of 'personal significance. For me, could have been Husqvarnas, Marlins, Remingtons, Mausers or, or, or... All for me as having some special significance as interest as tastes way eclectic! I latched onto the Model 54 as seeming to me particularly collector and shooter underrated. My tastes pretty 'eclectic'.

Nowadays, early eighties age, particularly viewing 'another year bit the dust'! As I yet haven't! My fate more pesky cacophony of age related "symptoms" such as incremental "quality of life' depreciated! That 'middle ground' achieved as before forgetting such nuances... Including my pants!

Nowadays as viewing a world seeming gone crazy! Gazing back age typically defined "good old days". Yet nowadays defined as "pre social-seismic upheaval era" of species threatened dimensions.

I've been "blessed" as exemplary of God protecting the stupid and obtuse! To have lived the wild life in epitome of ideal times!

Happy & Best Of New Year's horizons to All!
John

To the OP, beautiful Model 54. I had one years ago chambered in '06. I traded it for an FN Mauser actioned '06 carbine. Love the carbine, but I should have kept the 54.