Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors winchester model 54

I stumbled across a M54 a couple of years ago in a pawn shop and was immediately smitten. I had owned a 1948 M70 in 270, but for whatever reason it didn't grow on me. The 54 is in 30 WCF and the price was right. It has been D&T'ed on the rear of the bridge and had an old, cheap scope mounted in TALL rings. The bolt and safety have not been modified. The staff of the Lyman 48 was also missing.

The scope and rings were tossed, and I started looking for a replacement Lyman staff. Had no luck with the Winchester version but did find one for a Mauser that would fit with only a little light filing on the staff. Of course, I had to mount it backwards (the Mauser attaches to the right side of the receiver) but that works out OK because I use it as a ghost ring with no desire for an aperture.

It is a sweet rifle and shoots very well considering my 73 year old eyes! It is a cast bullet only rifle and should handle one our whitetails with no problem if I can see the deer and sights at the same time. The only thing that could make it sweeter is if it were a carbine in the same caliber, but I'll make do....