Just found this little beauty, Model 54 in a 270 looks to be all original not drilled and tapped on the rear mount. missing the aperture, otherwise its in really good condition

Caliber?

Pretty cool!

270

Rare to find them unmolested. Thats a nice rifle, congratulations!

Superb snag. The 54 pleases me more than, gasp, the 70.

Thanks Felt very fortunate to find it and no recoil
Pad either

Very nice, the Lyman 48W is most likely original to the gun

Thats a big 10-4!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^Agreed^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I cherish the day if I could ever find myself sitting on a deer stand in PENN with a Winchester M54 carbine in 7X57MM in my grubby little paws..........

I have grandpa's 54 in 30 govt 06.


Special Nickle steel too!

My carbine is in 30-06 and after reading this I may have to actually shoot it and see if I can even see the sights anymore.

I have what was referred to as the "short" rifle in .30 Gov't 06. Its essentially a 20" carbine length barreled action in a early "Standard"or "NRA Improved" style stock.

Per Rule, Winchester introduced the M54 Carbine (stock with the finger grooves in the forend and no checkering) in mid-1927 and the NRA Short Rifle (checkered stock similar to the one found on the M70) in 1934. Not as many NRA Short Rifles out there.

this one is 1925 and is three digit serial number. I found a period correct aperture for it as well. going to research the slings that were used for it

Winchester Collectors website has a great thread on period correct leather slings!

Per Bichrest: “The survey shows that Short Rifles were assembled early in production well before their catalog introduction in 1934. Early variations may be stocked with the Standard Rifle stock or later with the NRA type stock with a Nickel Steel barrel.” My rifle is serial numbered around 1932 with a Nickel Steel barrel date code of 28, in the early Standard type stock with a Lyman 48 WJS Aperture sight and period correct Noske 2-1/2x Hunter Fieldscope.

I have one in a 06 made in 1930. Used to to have a 4 digit one in a 270 made 1926. But it was stolen out of my buddies vehicle in Idaho few yrs back. Need to find another in s 270. My 06 shoots 180 partitions with rl22 very well.

Curious to the reason? just interested, not trying to argue.

Thanks

previous pictures hi res wouldn't load

M 54 in 70 stock w/70 bbl in swift !

This!

Nice catch, Demingus!!!

I like the Mauser-style bolt shroud and wing safety. Don't mind the trigger, and like both full size 54 stock styles - standard rifle and later NRA style. Bolt handle is liked because all of mine utilize either Lyman 48's and/or vintage target scopes, don't need a handle that conforms to a receiver mounted scope. Besides, that's the rifle that was in production during the years several important folks in my life were born. (And I like Fords of that era too 😁)

I know, little things. But they add up to a certain something that trips my trigger. Don't get me wrong, the 70 is pretty special to me too. It's just that the 54 sings to me a bit more.

What I've always disliked was the stamped bottom metal. I get why they did that, for economic/profit reasons, but still.....

This.

I have a great interest in the Winchester Model 54 and its rival the Remington Model 30. Winchester having done everything right in era 'up to date' status, listening to sportsmen. And then... Remington dropping the ball. Winchester over 11 year Model 54 life producing over 50K as Remington over a 19 year life producing "officially" (ignoring serialization fantasies) some 22K Model 30 rifles!

There were a variety of Model 54 styles available. Where any such specimens are now???. Beyond photos, I've only seen a handful of 'other than' the several common editions in six decades of collecting. Folowing just some comments.

The "Standard Model 54" came in two principal editions each reflecting early and latter era configurations of wood and of barrels. The wood, a European-esque schnabel forend model from product inception in 1925 into early thirties. Then the stock morphing to the so-called "NRA Style", so named by such NRA official pundits as Townsend Whelen et al, with complaints concerning the ergonomics of that early stock - and rightly so. Cool looking, but 'ouch'! in firing. The NRA stock far more like the Winchester Model 70 "Standard" stock which seemed to copy that latter Model 54.
Then the barrel reconfiguration principally of the front sight morphing from the early style more post-like to a svelte ramp integral with the barrel. Adding of impoetance, barrel material. Early confituration of Nickel Steel.
Latter of "Winchester Proof Steel", essentially high quality spec 5140 chrome moly.
(The aside as notably the Winchester Model 94 paralleling moving from post to integral ramp in the same timeframe!)

Then something of a wild card Model 54 departure with a variation in the early stock era was a carbine model more than a bit unique. Probably one of the few rifles in the world where a single chambering engendered a modified receiver design especially for the rimmed 30 WCF chambering. It included a "finger grasping grooovec forstock and carbine length (early model nickel steel) barrel. Unique and 'hoot to shoot'! This was the ONLY Model 54 receiver without bridge located clip loading slot.

The Model 54 is far more likely to be found without aftermarket "extra sight holes and less likely with aftermarket pads! The reason in respect of sight, there were far fewer telescopic sights in general use during its years. Pads were both less common - more exotic - and the principal chanberings didn't include any heavy recoiling magnum chamberings. The aftermarket pad specimens also often have completely worn out and crumbling pads. Just the appearance often makes the rifles available at 'truck gun' prices.

Considering the Model 54 was mainstream production and a damned good rifle design itself, the Model 70 came along in 1936 and simply overshadowed the Model 54 considerably. The 'good gun' 54 compared to the 'great gun' Model 70. It expanding the chrome moly fabrication metal to include action and bolt. Few rifles of any era less than some "customs" include such materials!

The Model 54 featured a fixed stamped steel bottom metal configuration. Noting in this Thread a Model 70 target stock adapted to the Model 54, likely requiring either adapting Model 70 botom metal of a jury-rigged excess inletting solution!

Below, for viewing pleasure. Mod 54: Supergrade in "30 Gov't 06" & in "30 WCF" Carbines. Not shown mine also mentioned above in 7x57 both later and earlier configurations. No Carbine! (Darn!)

A pitch for David Bichrest's book "Winchester Model 54 Bolt Action Rifle 1925 -1936". One of a kind in any complete tretise on the Model 54. David was selling them direct for, as I recall about $70.

All here... My take!
Best!
John

love that you have that 7x57 those European calibers would be awesome to own

I have a 1927 M54 in .270. All original including factory Lyman peep. Has anyone ever heard of any accidents where the firing pin was blown back when a case ruptured? I read that the original M54 that did not have the gas release port in the receiver ring could have this happen? I have not seen any evidence of this online and with quite a few still out there being used if it was a big problem someone would have mentioned it? I do know that Winchester would drill the gas port and change the firing pin to the one piece FP if the rifle was sent back to them. My M54 was built before the factory gas port, but it does have one now. The rifle was sent back to Winchester at some point for the modification.

The rifles with an A in sn means the rifle has the improved firing pin and gas port.

Mine has no A in the serial number but was modified. I’m asking if anyone has had or heard of any problems with either the modified or M54 without the gas port?

I put out bad info Winchester started putting the A in sn to
Indicate the improved extractor. I stole this from another website “In mid production, a ‘speed striker mechanism’ improving lock time and ignition reliability was also introduced”.

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....

I first began paying attention to the Model 54 due to its longstanding "also ran" pricing compared to the Model 70. Yes, the 70 was factually a better rifle, but much of which was more like desireable 'optional equipment on many modern vehicles. A major change was the "low scope bolt" accommodation. The entire Model 54 production and Model 70 production to about 48, were similarly not drilled for scope use. A removable floorplate did distinguish the Model 70. A superior trigger was also a 70 feature. Beyond, the matter of ''functionally' they were similar and notably so as Model 70 Standard stock and barrel assembly mimicking the latter Model 54 production. In gun shops and shows, most Models 54 languished but for uncommon chamberings! I was occasionally buying 54 rifrles as price point targets of opportunity! They were, sporting. They were lightweight. They were functional and comfortable at least in their NRA srock style latter production configuration. The early edition, nore European nifty era styling, simply not ergonomic.

By seventies and eighties era, I was picking up nice specimens for a couple of hundred dollars average. By then the milsurp sporter market was at a low and these rifles about the same prices as nicer such milsurps. Carbines less common but similar prices. Again, the less common chamberings, more costly but most of them as rarely encountered in shops or shows.

To my mind the Model 54 has yet retained a permanent status of 'also ran'. Some clicks more toward "collectible" but other than the stratospheric prices of the Internet brokerage houses, remaining 'relative' bargains as the "pre '64 Model 70 has long achieved reverence!

A 'post' note abou the Lyman 48 as "factory available" from early 54 production and popular. Many to be found on Model 54 rifles and Model 70 rifles predominantly until postwar as scopes movign from uncommon to prevalent. The 48 as, my opinion, the 'Cadillac' of its genre. The only material downside to these as on the 54 or 70, almost surely a large stock inletting divot. Removing plans not to play well in terms of reality unless restocking. A last, 3rd edition of the Lyman 48 as "scalloped" slide assembly to accommodate a "no inletting" feature. These sights considerably after the Model 54 and into the Model 70 production era. The can be utilized "post" factory. My deluxe stocked pre '64 Model 70 Supergrade in .338 Mag, with such model and believing it likely factory!

Hail to and long live the Model 54, a great rifle of itself!

Below pix of my latter era 54 in 7x57. And for the 7mm lover... This one's for you Kid!

Best!
John

That’s not a M70 stock. No fore end hand stop rail and no inletting for the M70 ‘bent’ bolt handle. It’s a M54 Target Rifle stock, the first adaptation of the M54 (along with the M52) Marksman style stock.

I was raised in a Winchester 70 house and have never been a Winchester 54 fan. I've always preferred to shoot a scoped rifle and the 54s weren't designed to accomodate low over bore center hunting scopes. The last one that I owned was in 257 Roberts with a new, low lift, bolt handle, a Buehler(?) low safety lever, and it had been d&t for a Redfield turn-in style base.

I also had a bad Winchester 54 experience at Taylor's in China, ME. Bearrr264 and I drove from Boston to China, ME, to look at a mint, 100% original, Winchester 54 in 250-3000 only to find that the only component of the rifle that hadn't been modified was the barrel. The action had been d&t 6x, 4x in the left receiver rail and 2x on the receiver bridge. The checkering was worn smooth and there was a rubber recoil pad installed. When the originality was questioned, the counterman said that it was in the configuration that they originally received it. Taylor's had been in business long enough to know that that rifle was far from original. I've always wondered what the GUNLIST buyer thought when he openned the box it came to him in.

Great snag! Lucked into a few nice 54’s early on, slim pickings within driving distance since.

That is my so called Unicorn in life...or that winning lottery ticket...

doubt I'll ever see the day or get the chance... but a Model 54 in 30/30 is at the top of my list of guns I'd LOVE to own...
quickly followed by a Model 30S Remington in 30 Remington and then one in 25 Rem and then 35 Rem.

just old school nostalgia...

My M54 in .270 all original including the Lyman.

The best of luck to you Seafire. It is worth the search!

Thats SWEET!!!

LOVE IT

just found a period correct aperture, have a sling also with the hook, swivels coming next week. so fortunate to find this unmolested gun

VERY fortunate!!! Of the 50 plus thousand rifles produced, a large percentage have been altered in some form.

54 gurus, I have somewhere seen it in print that there was a significant change made in the 54 in later production, incorporating something like a factory speed lock, and maybe some minor changes to facilitate the mounting of scopes? Can anybody enlighten me?

I only have one, IMO, the best:





Not pretty, but fun!

Very Pretty

Mid production they improved the lock time rifles with the A in SN indicate this. My 1930 made 54 has the A. So who know what year this took place. Far as scope mounting very doubtful. Their was a time you could send your 54 in for a rebuild. This was in the 30’s after the model 70 came out. Anyhow Winchester would refurbish your 54 using model 70 bolt etc.

If you're going to have but one, the .30-30 would be it. Or a Hornet. Or a.....🙂

I never cared a whit about not being able to mount a modern scope on one. By following the protocols of the time period and mounting a target scope for precision work, utilizing the two factory holes on the receiver ring and the barrel dovetail, you can do anything with it - including hunting. The old Unertl and Fecker small game scopes work a treat with their 4x and 6x magnification (and aren't limited to small game) - and you don't have to alter the bolt handle and drill extra holes.

This is why I was so happy to find this particular example; it came with the Lyman sight. At the distances the .30-30 is effective at, the receiver sight is perfect. Light, handy, mild recoil. Makes a great cast bullet rifle.
A .22 Hornet sure would be fun.

You're right, z1r! Even with my 73 year old eyes, mine (pictured earlier) does pretty well.

As I recall the earliest model 54's had two piece firing pins very similar to M1903 Springfields. Fairly early on they went to the one piece improved firing pin ignition system.

Was that, or was it not, the addition of an A suffix to the serial numbers?

I have seen a couple of M54s with M70 bolt assemblies

Thanks, Another guy on Cast Boolits read my question, above serial 20,500 is the improved striker fall, with an A suffix. My 54 is an early one but it has a 70 bolt sleeve and wears a scope nicely with what appears to be a home built Pachmayr safety. No collector for sure but good grief what a shooter. The inletting is so perfect, at first glance you would think it was glass bedded.

My model 54 shoots 180 partitions with rl22 or h4831 very well

The A suffix addition to the serial number indicates a extractor upgrade to the bolt design.

Nice. I've got a pre-war 70 in really nice shape with the same sights on it. Mine's in .30-06.

Your right about the inletting. The wood to metal on mine is the best I’ve ever had on a rifle better than the 1950 model
70 I had and most other rifles I’ve seen custom or not.
I found mine about 20 years ago at a gun show, I bout shoved my brother down to get past him when I seen it on the table. I’ve only seen a handful over the years and most had been poorly modified in some way. I love the M54 stock it was made for the Lyman peep site, you cannot shoulder the rifle and not be looking exactly thru the peep aperture. They really knew how to stock a rifle for iron sites back then. Now I don’t think anyone bothers when they just slap a scope on it stock fit is pointless.

The Model 54 Winchester, assorted thoguths re above Posts.

Background: Made from 1925 to 1936 as superceded by the famous Model 70. A range of models & chamberings including target variations, quite rare! Below the most common several variations typically encountered.

1. Early & late era stock versions, reflecting three common variations. Newer and early models plus early carbine.

2. Barrel variations, four. Rifle @ 24" and carbine (renamed) short rifle @ 20". Early & late variations. Early notably with "post style integral front sight and later featuring svelte integral front ramp. Associated nomenclature adjustments including location of such as chambering data.

3. Action, three principal variations of basic functionality and evolutionary variations such as reflected in the "A" Serial suffix. The substantial action differences as "standard", modified receiver plus for the "30 WCF" chambering and accommodatons for the .22 Hornet. The standard and 30 WCF as with and without clip slot accommodations, respectively. That major style difference expiring in 1930 with the end of such "rimmed round" production pending the .22 Hornet and no such fundamental receiver change accommodation.

Background. The Model 54 born in 1925 offered in 30-06 and introducing the 270 Winchester. By 1926 additional chambering in the works and by the following year, a small plethora including metric chamberings of which 7mm most popular. The "Great Depresson" hitting in'29 and heavily impacating commerce to the expiration of the Model 54 in 1936. Replaced as quickly overshadowed by the legendary Winchester Model 70. The Model 54 was a great 'era' rifle constrained by depression era and TKO as the Model 70 arrived. Itself a very nice, well designed and worthy rifle born into a difficult era. Winchester none the less making some 50K of them and production envyable. Central competitor Remington Model 30. Just to say that in that Models 19 years of production, not even half as much as Wichester 54 eleven production years. Nuff said there!

MOdel 54 strengths & weaknesses. Strong nickel steel constructon morphed to "Winchester Proof Steel", aka crhome moly, in the newer barrel configutation. A clean sheet design, contrasted to Remington Model 1917 revamped to Model 3o. 54 lighter, more maneuverable and ergonomics of "handier". Judgement factors here, a matter of opinon from owning a variety of both. Compared to "mauser" the bandwidth as across the board from highly customed to truck guns, just to say, the mausers capable of being about everything of the 54 "on average".
The weaknesses as pundits proclaiming. Original stock design criicised (as Remington 30 too) and such driving the "new era stock pattern. A so-so trigger in not being 'all that it could be' without major redesign. A bolt stop trigger mechanism 'combo' critisized as "less substantial than competitors. ***

Bubba Effect. Comparatively not so much but then also deemed less dastardly than as affecting a pristine Model 70. "Comparative loss." Extra holes, not so many. "Scoping" as the mauser genre, requiring bolt, safety and tapping. Not many afternarket scopes in 54 days nor $$ to acquire them with gunsmithing work too. A different 'era' less of scoping. Recoil pads, definitely 'there'. An uncommon factory option era. First in no 'mag' chamberings requiring and ruber compositon more fragile. Likely main reason the turn around time for factory order in days of steam postal and package deliveries!

Conclusion. For years the Winchester Model 54 barely achieving 'also ran' as the shadow of the Model 70. Often the great Lyman aperture Model 48 as a factory option reaching store shelves 'rack availability'. Less impetus to 'scope' particularly as delicate optics of the day!

The Model 54 as "uncommon" and also as-found bargains in bread & butter chamberings. What's not to appreciate? Just an overview and

Just to take!
Best!
John

The ironic postscript of a deja vous feeling as concluding this. Back to note a Gunboards era of old Thread and 'woah'! There my earlier "Primer" - Web link below. Sadly a bunch of photos long lost but the narative withstandng! A sad momentary pause in respect of GB member Icmun. His words of wisdom there. Now long since passed from us!

Ref: https://www.gunboards.com/threads/the-winchester-model-54-a-primer.129077/

Hey all, I'll tag onto this post.

Today I came across a M 54 in 270 WCF at a local gun store.

It is in good shape at best.
Stock is a bit beat up but the Bluing looks pretty good.

By the SN it was made in 1925 and from what I can tell is all original.

Owner is asking $900.00.

Is he in the ball park at that price?

Love my 54. Wouldn't call it original since it does have some mods but tasteful if anything. Target model that was rebarreled by Winchester in 1948 I believe. 257 Roberts. Reminds me I need to load some ammo for it.