Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Model 54 in 30-30

All:

Never owned a 54 but I have an opportunity to get one in 30-30. Fairly nice condition rifle.

Tell me why I should, or should not get this rifle.

You don't find many 54's that haven't seen the drill, the saw or the sandpaper....

If the rifle has not been bubba'd or altered and the price is reasonable I'd say buy it. M'54's when encountered are usually .30-06, .30-30's are kinda scarce.

A friend has one. He left it at my house for several years and said I should air it out now and again. In the 2 years it was here I shot a mule deer, and elk and a buffalo with it. Neat rifle. I tried to buy it but alas it was a family gun. I don't think you will be disappointed if you buy it.

A bolt-gun .30-30 might be fun to mess around with provided:
- The bore is in decent enough shape.
- You can aim well enough with whatever sights are on it (or that you can put on it without having to drill any holes.)
- You hand load, because part of the fun would be to use bullets you cannot use in a tubular magazine (unless you are happy with chambering one and putting only one in the tube.)
- You have the time for messing around with it.

Yes! Get it. Because you will kick your azz if you dont.

They can be scoped using a Stith mount without drilling any holes, I have scoped one this way and it was entirely satisfactory.

They are very rare in .30-30 and command premiums of 50%-75% above .30-06's which are common.

Something to consider: your end usage. Are you looking for an investment grade collector's piece or are you figuring on shooting the heck out of it and are concerned about mechanical integrity over condition. Your call, and you know what to look for in both regards without anybody telling you. Mine is a "shooter grade" nicely patina'ed but obviously carried a lot but with a pristine bore, because, well, what good is a shooter grade with a crappy bore? I paid $700 for it a few years ago and feel I got a good deal. I've seen similar ones since then go for over $1000. I spotted two in person over the last 2 years for sale, both "minty" with one a little north of $1000 (super deal, and was snagged by a member here), and one (2 weeks ago) for $1600. Both at the Baltimore gun show.

Drilled and tapped? Again depends on your desired usage. Mind you they were d/t'ed at the factory, but with only two holes on the receiver ring, no holes on the receiver bridge. No holes in the barrel. The protocol was to screw a target scope block onto the receiver ring and use a special block fitted into the rear sight slot. Installing a Unertl/Fecker/Targetspot scope in such a manner will find it high enough that the bolt handle will clear without alteration. If the receiver is drilled to accept "modern" scope mounts, then 95 times out of 100 the bolt handle has to be altered to clear the lower mounted scope bell, and that's a bad thing IMO.

Sights: again, protocol was to install a receiver sight using the holes provided by the factory. Lyman and Redfield made good ones. Lyman 48 best IMO, but they're getting expensive. Shooting/hunting with a receiver sight is a bit of a challenge, and very old school , but that doesn't mean it's useless. They work very very well. A M54 .30-30 with Lyman receiver sight is a nicely balanced rig and a wonderful companion for a day in the deer woods- a lot like a Savage 99EG in that regard.

Mine's bloody dammed accurate with peep sight, and astonishingly so with a target scope mounted for benchrest work.

Yep, I'm a fanboy of the M54 .30-30. I bet you will be too if you buy it.

Indeed, but then the bolt handle has to be re-shaped to clear the scope, often enough that to not have to do that is astonishing. (Unless maybe if a crummy "period correct" scope with a small ocular bell is employed. But even then...)

Were there Stith mounts made specifically for the M54? I ask because I have attempted to use Stith mounts removed from two pre-war M70’s on a M54 and as Gnoahhh indicated the bolt handle would not clear the scope (actually, it’s not even close).

The Stith mount I used fit and the bolt handle cleared when using a Lyman Alaskan, guess I just got the right combination.

RAS: Many years ago (1969'ish!) I had an opportunity to buy a Model 54 Carbine in 30/30 - it was new unfired - in the box!
I passed on it as I was an avid "Model 70 Collector" - every time I think about that missed opportunity I kick myself.
If YOU think the price is fair for the Rifle - buy it!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I'm biased because I love my 54 in .30WCF. Mine has a pristine bore but the PO for some reason shortened the butt. the stock could be nice but it shoots great which to me is all that matters. Mine came with a nice Lyman long slide 48.







With the receiver sight I can shoot Minute of Deer as far as I feel the .30-30 is suited to the task. I don't try to hot rod it, instead, I feed it loss leader factory ammo.

I tried two older El Paso Weavers with the brass trimmings, a K6 and a K2.5.

Yes. I cant believe its even a question.

I have a 54 in 30 govt. aught 6.

It was grandpa's.

It has a compass in the stock and a piece of flat iron around the stock holding it together.



Whats not to love about the 54?

That's looks like a very nice gun.

You going to fish or cut bait?

It’s an early gun with later Winchester swivels. The good news though is the original eye swivels come with the gun.

I've got one that I use as a cast bullet rifle, It wears a 9X Unertl scope . I like shooting my Krags much better, but I'll keep the M54 around until my eyes get bad enough I am forced to go to the scope sight.

You’re not shootin’ it yet????

I put it on hold until tomorrow.

that one would be next to my bed so fast my wife would be worried!
holy grail on my bucket list!

Nice gun, you’ll be very happy with it.

I haven't put a single jacketed bullet through mine since I've owned it.

It got a new home.

I am going to try to put a Lyman Alaskan scope on it. I bought a NOS 7/8 inch stith mount off of EBay last night.

Good news! You will not be disappointed. Guaranteed.

Lots o'luck with the Stith and scope. It'll be a squeaker- either just clears or just won't. I have a Lyman 57 receiver sight if you decide to go that route.

I had two M54's, one was a 250-3000 that was all engraved, wood and metal that I traded for a minty preWar 70 in 22 Hornet; and a very early 30-06 with the two piece firing pin much like a M1903 Springfield. I bought it from a friend. A few years later another friend of the guy I bought it from wanted to buy it from me because it belonged to our mutual friend. I reluctantly sold it to him. Both guns were beautifully crafted, built by craftsmen at the factory. The 30-06 was un-molested; the 250-300 was drilled, tapped, bolt handle changed, and after market trigger, which required one of the receiver sight holes to be used as a bolt stop. I don't think it was a Timney but can't recall the brand of the trigger? Not many choices back then. My friend has two M54's in 30-30, one scoped with a hand made model 70 style bolt shroud and safety and one stone original.

That one you have is in Excellent condition! I am glad you have the original swivel eyes. I hope you have the hooks as well as they are quite pricey! I found a set with a sling in a second hand shop for that un-molested early 30-06 for the bargain price of.....$10.00!! And that was for the sling! The swivels were considered in the way!

Gary,

If I cant clear the scope, I will contact you about that Lyman 57.

Sbrmike,

I plan on keeping the swivels on there now. They are a lot more user friendly for a sling. But yes, I have those sling eyes.

I have tried to mount an Alaskan with Stith mounts on my M54 carbine - no go with the bolt handle. I would love to see a few pics posted here showing how that works and clears the bolt handle.

I’d love to see how it’s done too as I also have a M54 30WCF that I’d love to scope.

A good friend who’s tried indicated that it doesn’t work and can’t be done without altering the Stith and finding a really short scope.

Jeff, you’ve scored my friend! Thats a dandy M54. The Alaskan will probably be to long to clear the unaltered bolt handle and safety lever. I determined the only way to scope an unaltered M54 was to use a long eye relief Noske 2.5x “Hunter” Field scope in Stith Q.E.D. Windage Streamline mount and set the rear ring forward. This required my aerospace machinist brother to mill a new ring base to get the ring to move roughly 1-1/4” forward toward the front edge of the rear receiver bridge. The Noske was just short enough at around 9-1/2” in length to clear a lifted bolt handle and safety. Let use know how the scope mounting works out.

Great score!!!

Thanks guys.

It the stith doesn’t work, I have a pre war 70 that will get it.

The 54 will get a receiver sight. Which is perfectly fine for most applications. The only thing I don’t like about receiver sights is their poor performance in low light conditions. At least with my eyes.

That's been my experience too. I typically take the aperature out toward dawn and dusk. It's still less than ideal.

I don't have such issues with aperture sights, but then again I don't hunt in the dark either.

Jeff you could always drill the barrel and mount a scout scope red dot mil spec thingy up there.

I was thinking of drilling it for see thru mounts. I have 6-18 Barska scope ready to go. Because I don’t want to get lost, I am putting in a compass in the stock too. Then all will be good.

Im glad you got that rifle!!!

Good news. Got the rifle in. It’s really beautiful. I am tickled happy.

Bad news. The stith isn’t going to work. I am in need of a steel receiver sight if anyone has one.

Thank you.
Jeff

Gotcha covered, Jeff.

Got my hands on one these 54's, in 30-30, earlier today. First time I've handled one. It is in near perfect condition, excellent metal & bluing, with minor stock dings consistent with being .a safe queen. Bore is perfect.
I was struck by its sheer good looks. I have admired the model 70 FWT, with that schnable tip, for years. I didn't know it had a predecessor.
If there is anything to criticize, it might be the trigger, but it was far from horrible.
I will now agonize over this for awhile. Fortunately, it is in private hands, so no rush and no pressure.

Do. Not. Let. It. Get. Away.


My theory as to why these things always have good bores: they weren't shot much, having been in the domain of once a year hunters.

you and me both brother!

the only thing close to it would be one in 257 Roberts... or a model 30S in 25, 30 or 35 Remington....

One reason I love this forum is I can learn things.
I have owned a few M54 rifles. Mostly 30-06, but I recently ran across a nice, early, unmolested 30-30 carbine with the factory Lyman 48 peep for $500 .
It should be pretty handy for Kodiak Blacktails.

I should say so!

Sounds like mine, pics of which are on page 2 of this thread. Congrats!

I picked up a nice one a few years back. If I recall correctly, I tried loading spritzer type bullets but it was a no-go. I think mag length was too short. Now I just load 150 Speer flat points with good success load wise. I haven’t hunted with it. Mine has the peep sight and it nice, but I need to get my front site fixed as it got dinged at some point.

Score!!!! Well done!!!

I got a receiver sight on this rifle and it is very accurate with plain old green box Remington CL 150s. I know I could go faster with handloads, but probably not more accurate.

I could have sold this rifle twice since I have bought it. Once at the range and once in my basement. Both observers were quite intrigued with the rifle. Don’t see a whole lot of bolt actions in 30-30. The only other rifle that I know of is the Remington 788.

Had a Savage 340 chambered for the .30-30.

ras,
I also have a 54 in 30WCF with 24”bbl and it’s one of my favorite shooters in this cal and with spritzer bullets and hand loads the range is greatly increased. Also don’t overlook this rifle with reduced loads for rabbits and pop cans as a fun rifle for all purposes. I enjoy hand loaded 110gr bullets @1900/2200fps.
Tom