Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors First year Model 54

I don't doubt that one bit. There were only about 50,000 M54's made and most of them were hacked up to put scopes on them in the 40's and 50's. The amount of M54's in original condition is quite low so trying to find them to collect is one issue with collecting them. I figure that there are people hoarding every original one they can find and will be in for a good payday when they decide to sell them.

The Winchester Collectors Club had a nice article on M54's in a recent one of their magazines if you can find a copy.

Google....Wayne R. Miller, Model 54 Winchester....very informative.

I have a copy Rule's book and the M54 came in several variations and calibers, pretty interesting read.

I just dug up the issue I was speaking of, it's from Spring of 2009 and the article is b Loyd Thompson. He figures that less than 5% of the 50,000 M54's are still in their original condition due to man factors but scopes were a big reason. He also mentioned that most of the 7.65's and 9mm went to South America or Europe so there are even less than the 50,000 in the USA.

HE also stated that since they are so hard to find in collectors condition very few people actually collect them but a lot of Winchester guys want one.

Since I collect M70's I figure I will need to pick one up next time I find one that's original

He had pictures of one in 25/20!

25-20 or 25-35? I have seen M54s with M70 barrels and bolts
installed on them, supposedly Winchester did this every now and
then when a M54 came in for repair.

Actually he has pictures of both the 25/20 and 25/35! The 25/20 looked like a 22Honret with the short bolt throw. The auther had a list of M54's that he either owned or had examined in 219Zipper, 300 Savage, 7.92mm, 32Special, 38/55, 303British and 30/40Krag.

Many of the early M70's in the really odd caliers were actually M54 barrels that were left ove. I had the opportunity to buy a first year M70 in 25/35 but it was WAY more than I wanted to spend on a rifle.

Gentlemen,

I was very surprised to hear that having extra holes in the receiver of a Model 54 doesn't significantly diminish value. I have for a long time observed the exactly opposite.

If you have a Model 54 which has an original uncut stock, and no extra holes drilled in the barrel or receiver, and it is in VG+ shape, you are automatically up in the $1,100 area or above.

But, if you have a Model 54 that has either had the stock cut for a recoil pad, or any extra holes drilled in the receiver or barrel, then you are automatically down in the $500 to $700 area, even if the rifle is in really good shape. Yes, I see people asking $750, but I don't see many people paying $750.

I have seen many nice shooters go for $550 to $650, even those made in 1925, first year of production.

Best, Mannyrock