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Hello all, I have an opportunity to buy a model 54 .30wcf 24”rifle with checkered walnut stock, “sling eyes”, and Lyman 48 receiver sight, it appears to be in “good” original condition, but the rear receiver bridge is D&T’d
price is $695…….what would you do
Hi Chicky77-
It depends on what you want the gun for. A bolt action 30 W.C.F. is fun to play with at the range. But if you are thinking of it as a collector piece or something for resale at a profit, then I’d pass. The 30 W.C.F. chambering in the M54 is not really that rare, and a good clean one with no alterations is about a $1500 gun more or less.
The biggest issue is that the M54 bolt handle did not accommodate a low mounted scope. So typically, when they were D&T on the bridge the bolt handle also had to be cut/rewelded to clear a scope. This, in turn, required that the stock be relieved to work with the bolt handle. All in all that doesn’t leave much “original” and it is a fate suffered by all too many M54s. 
This is about the only way you can “scope” a M54 without messing it up:
Best, Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
November 7, 2015
Online
Could the holes in the receiver have been factory D&T’d for a receiver sight?
Mike
Hi Mike-
Yes… To be clear, the factory holes in a M54 are the same as in a pre-war M70. TWO 6-48 holes on the top of the receiver ring (front), NO holes on the top of the bridge (rear), and TWO 6-48 holes on the left side of the receiver back near the bridge for mounting a receiver sight. There are also NO holes on the top of the barrel, e.g. for a scope block.
The M54 in my photo above uses the four factory holes to mount a scope block (Lyman ‘U’) on the receiver ring and an old Redfield 102W receiver sight (that does not require stock inletting). The barrel block is a Lyman ‘BK’ cross dovetail block installed in the rear sight dovetail.
A photo of Chicky77’s gun would allow a more accurate answer to his/her question. 
Best,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
I’ve never done much with M54’s as I am mainly a lever guy. The .30WCF is of course the only M1894 cartridge that was offered as a standard chambering in the M54 (or the M70). As I reflect on what I have seen offered for sale over the past 45 years, I would have had an opportunity to put a collection of M54’s together in all of the M1894 chamberings. Yes, I am referring to not only the .30WCF, but the .25/35, .32 special, .32-40 and .38-55. Oh, and the .219 Zipper could be thrown in. Just like oddball chamberings (special order or experimental chamberings) have shown up in the M70 (e.g. .405 WCF) or in the M71 (e.g. .33 WCF, .45-70) I’ve observed the same with the M54. And, at one time or another, I have seen a M54 offered for sale in each of the calibers I listed. Now, just like some of the oddball M70’s, I can’t say with certainty that each one of these M54’s were legitimate. Still, it is a fun idea to think about a full set of 54’s in each 1894 chambering. It would be a heck of a set to display – I would think a show stopper 
Louis Luttrell said
This is about the only way you can “scope” a M54 without messing it up:
Except for a Stith.
Hi Clarence-
Unfortunately, the Stith Install-It-Yourself mount does not put the ocular bell of the scope far enough forward to clear the bolt handle of a M54. They work great on a pre-war M70 (as below) but would require modification of the M54 bolt handle. This is about as far forward as you can put a scope using a Stith mount:
I once saw where someone modified a Stith mount to position the rear ring far enough forward that a M54 bolt handle will come up behind the ocular end of the scope. But I believe that the usual pre-war scopes that have enough eye relief, e.g. Lyman Alaskan or Weaver G330, are too long to work with the front sleeve on a Stith.
It’s a tough one!!!
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Had to jump in here with a FWIW comment. When I first acquired my standard Model 54, .30-06, it had a Burris 2 3/4X forward mounted scope in what I understand to be a “Scout Scope” configuration (google Scout Scope, Chuck Hawks). The scope attached to a rail with Weaver ring mounts. The rail attached to the front bridge of the receiver and to a blank in the rear sight dovetail by single screw. Worked pretty well for me but I have since removed. Here are a couple of pix.
Mac
Hi Mac-
Yup… That would sure work!!! 
The trick with a low mounted scope is getting it far enough forward. The Lyman Alaskan had plenty of eye relief and in a side mount could be positioned far enough forward for the M54 bolt handle to clear the ocular bell. But of course that required D&T the receiver.
From what I’ve seen the rear attachment of a Stith can be modified (fit with an extension that moves the scope forward) but then you need a pretty short OAL scope so as not to run into the shoulder “stop” of the front sleeve. The one I saw done that way used a vintage Noske scope, which is pretty short. I’ve not yet checked whether there is enough length in the front sleeve of a Stith to ream it out and let a G330 or Alaskan slide far enough forward, but if there is it wouldn’t be hard for a good machinist to adapt one.
I think your solution is the best for somebody wanting to take their intact M54 afield… It shouldn’t be hard to make something like that.
Thanks!!!
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Lou,
You are welcome. FYI this is the one and the same M54 for which I continue to look for a correct Lyman 6-W sight. We exchanged posts on this a couple of months ago. I carry the pix you posted with me in hopes of finding a correct barrel mounted sight for this rifle. The hunt goes on…
Mac
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