Recently picked up a Winchester 54 with a modified stock. I'm wondering what options I have to find a replacement that would duplicate the original. Has anyone come across the original pattern from any of the stock makers?
Any reason you wouldn't want to buy an original in good condition?
Nice 54 stock
I've been watching that auction, but I suspect once the bidding picks up, it will get pretty pricey. I figure for the same costs I could likely have one built with a nicer blank.
Didn't the model 54 have a Birds Beak Butt Plate? That stock does not have the inletting for the Beak and appears to be cut flat?
That stock is for an earlier M54 First Standard Rifle that had a shotgun style steel plate that did not require an inlet. The later M54 NRA stock featured the steel plate with the 'widows peak' that required the inlet....
Thank You Poconojack. I had looked at the stock earlier and although Rule pictures the early along with the NRA it didn't show the top.
Walnut Grove gunstocks has a pattern that closely resembles the factory stock. They may even use a factory stock as a pattern for all I know. They show a couple in stock for immediate delivery, albeit with figured black walnut, for only a few bucks more than that factory stock on ebay. They provide a kidney cheekpiece, but that can be made to disappear if you don't want it.
My experience with WG stocks is that they have been relatively easy to finish inletting, ditto final shaping/finishing.
Glad I asked because I've never heard of Walnut Grove before. So long as the inletting is good, I'm fine with final finishing. Looks like I have a winter project ahead of me.
Side question, does anyone know someone who does checkering?
Kathy Foster has done several checkering projects for me, excellent quality at a fair price with reasonable turnaround time.
I wouldn't get too deep in a m 54.
I wouldn't get too deep in a m 54.
Yep, especially if there are extra holes in the metal....
A M54 is as deserving of any other pre-war American factory rifle to be he-habbed. Why feel otherwise? Every one I ever owned was/is a good functional, accurate, aesthetically pleasing rifle. Not as refined as a pre-war M70? Maybe so but only in small details: trigger, safety and bottom metal. Personally I prefer the M54 flag safety (side swing doesn't matter to me as I'm a receiver sight guy and the only scoping I do on a 54 is to mount a Fecker or Unertl target scope for bench work). The two-stage trigger is second nature to me also. Growing up with, and continuing with, the safeties and triggers on Mausers, Krags, and Springfields will do that to a man. I do truly regret the 54's sheet metal trigger guard, but so what, it is what it is.
I for one am glad 54's haven't attained the cult status of the M70. That makes them more affordable for guys like me.
Good post gnoahh. Especially the "is what it is" part..
Well, The Ruger out of the box with rings takes care of my shooting. The m54 ain't got much of a following. There's one at the store right now and the wrist looks like it has been cracked. Or there are cracks in it.
The rifle I picked up has no additional receiver holes, but does have holes in the barrel for a scope block. I plan on running it with a Unertl anyways, so it doesn't bother me. Plus, overall the metal is extremely good condition with exception to the bottom metal. For some reason the M54's always had heavily worn bottom metals.
So right now I'm in it for around $650. I've got plenty of room for a nice stock, assuming I finish it myself. And add some checkering just to class it up a little more and I bet I could still make money selling it.
better make sure it shoots.