Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Going Rate Price on Earlier Model 54 30-06?

What's the going rate now on a nice condition Model 54 with the early Schnabel forend. A friend has a 30-06 he's wanting to sell to me and we want a fair deal for both of us. I don't deal with model 54's much and haven't been able to see what they sell for. Seems there's a wide range. Thanks all!

In most cases originality and condition factor heavily in the going rate.

Finding an original, unmolested one is getting harder and harder.

Too much time has passed since I bought or sold on the open market to be helpful...but the two my son and I have are lifetime keepers...not from nostalgia, they are in fact the most accurate .30-06 hunting rifles we have ever owned...and we have several. Extreme care in the cut rifled barrels? Hand machine cut chambers? I don't know. ..168 Sierra Matchkings make bug-holes with no finesse-ing. Ours are early production, pre-speedlock, modified for scopes.

Echoing above... Plus 1 x 2 in respect of condition and originality as well as harder to find "original, unmolested" nowadays. Unfortunately, far too many 'Bubba affected', offered above value!

The "early model with Schnabel stock on average click or two down from the later model often described as NRA or simply "new model 54". Major differences, in losing the Schnabel for a more standard Western appearance stock somewhat paralleling the Model 70. Egronomics improved!
Metal, with modern integral ramp sight replacing the earlier model style.

Most common alterations: Extra sight equipment holes, recoil pads installed & newer style sling swivels. When "not original" the 54 becomes "nice old shooter". Still most often absolutely viable, but less valuable. 30-06 the most common chambering so no "rarity added" . Assuming not one of the sub-models such as 20" barrel versus standard 24" which can jump value.

Assuming just as you describe, without bells/whistles or some rarity factor, I'd say 20-30% deduction for couple of extra bridge-top scope holes or recoil pad IF yet in decent shape. Old pad, deduct addl replacement cost. Biggest hit even if 'getting into non-original at decent price', no "collectible year-over appreciation rate" value.

A moment for almost never mentioned 'other side' of non-originality coin. Buy one with small flaws to collectability at significant savings. I have a few such in Model 54 and more in Model 70. Considerable savings potential for often damn decent shooters!

Real seat of pants percentile generalizations here and...
Just my take
John

The gun is unaltered and entirely original, in overall 85-90% condition.

My bride paid $850 for this one, back in April . She got me as a birthday present for me.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/16049596/model-54#Post16049596

79S, thanks for the feedback, nice rifle!👍

Picture of a carbine I picked up awhile back. 30 Govt. all original except for reciever sight. Hard to find without a pad, bent bolt, extra holes , etc. lucked into this one for a very decent price.

Just saw a nice one sell for $990 on Gun Broker. What's behind the "bent bolt" ordeal on model 54's? I'm not familiar with it.

Bolt handle has to be bent to use most scopes .Therefore modified, not original.

I read an article on the world wide internet only 15k model 54 out their unmolested. Don’t forget little over 50k model 54 were made.

Thanks on the bolt handle info!

one of my unicorn rifles is a Model 54 unmolested in 30/30

in 250 Savage and 257 Roberts are right behind...

Seafire, I was wandering the aisles of the Big Reno show a few years back, lo and behold, a lightly molested Model 54 in, of all things, the 7.65 Belgian (one of my favorite cartridges). Aisle was crowded, so I thought, well I'll go down to the end and come back and buy it if the bore is as good as the outside. You know the rest of the story, teardrops. 10 lousy minutes, gone.

A 54 in 7.65mm or 9x57mm even in poor condition would bring a lot of attention

I promise you if I ever sell mine you get first dibs. But, we'll probably be having a snowball battle in hell when we consummate the deal!!

Every 54 I've owned has been scoped at one time or all the time, and none had any extra holes or altered bolt handles. I'm referring to using the factory holes and dovetail as intended with Unertl-style scope blocks and short low power "small game scopes" (don't let the name fool you, they work for big game too), and long high magnification target scopes. Bolt handles clear all those scopes just fine, but leather cheek rests are advised to put your eye in a comfy place.

Gunshow back in April guy had 54 in a 25-35 it was in a “custom” stock. No price tag on it, I should’ve asked what he was asking for it. Far as I could tell rest of the rifle was all original minus stock.

Winchester made a few 54s in 32 Special and 35 Whelen according to Rule's book