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November 5, 2014
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mjuarez-
Maybe refinished wood, but probably not a fake. The M54 was cataloged in .30 W.C.F. in both Standard and Carbine configuration.
Compare to these two:
Best,
Lou
P.S. For the sticklers, the higher Marble’s 895C front sight on the Standard rifle was a catalogued option for rifles with the Lyman 48W receiver sight, which this rifle does not have (it had an aftermarket Redfield receiver sight when I got it). I’ve since replaced it with a correct lower one.
P.P.S. The M54 1st Standard rifle had sling ‘eyes’. The M54 carbine did not have sling swivels or eyes. This carbine has a S/O extra cost stainless steel barrel. Whether the SG style swivel bases were done at the factory or not is unknown to me, but it was a S/O gun based on the barrel so might have been ordered with the swivel bases (????).
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Many years ago, in El Cajon Calif.,a local gun store owner bought at auction, several prison marked M54 carbines in 30-30. Not being into bolt rifles, I didn’t buy one. Now, I sure wish I had. Big Larry
November 5, 2014
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Hi Big Larry-
Another story I heard about M54 carbines in .30 W.CF. (no proof whatsoever) was that there was a sizable order of them that went to Mexico (for I’ve no idea what reason), some number of which were supposedly re-imported in the 1970s-80s. I saw one (well worn) example at a local gun show in VA in the early 80s that was allegedly one of those re-imports. Couldn’t swear to the story but it had certainly been ‘through the mill’… 
A couple more comments about the GunBroker listing (besides the stock finish being sketchy IMHO):
1) The rear sight is wrong. (Lyman 66W sight on the top pic above is correct).
2) There’s no M54 .30 W.CF. standard rifle that is close to worth $2995 (again, IMHO). I was fortunate to pick up a better one than in my photo above last fall from Dave Morris for about $1750. Solid 95% and no tinkering…
Best,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
November 7, 2015
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Nice looking rifle. Stock may have been freshened up a bit, Birchwood Casey has a product that makes a 95% wood finish look almost new.
I have several of these nice little 54 carbines in 30-30 picked up over the years. Last acquired in mid nineties. No use dwelling on acquisition costs then, but few hundred typical for decent example. Only one of mine completely original, others with replacement open rear sights. Have only one 54 30-30 rifle exemplar and personal opinion they’re definitely scarcer.
An interesting fact concerning this chambering in the 54, the receivers were a slightly different design to accompany the rimmed cartridge. Visual clue, no clip guides. So… in speaking of 54/30-30 “fakes”, any with cartridge clip guides would be a tilt! Yet, the cost of authoring a competent fake likely more than a decent original. That as in many things the best assurance against fakery!
Just my take-ry
November 5, 2014
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iskra-
Right you are!!! Thanks for pointing that out. With the exception of the .30 W.CF. chambering, all the M54 receivers had clip loading slots (whether it made sense or not). The .30 W.CF. receiver was unique in having a flat breech for the rimmed cartridge and was made without the (pointless) clip loading slots in the bridge.
Definite ’tilt’ if present… The subject GB rifle is correct in this regard. See photo #11…
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
OK, now I have to ask the silly question. What about the small number of Model 54 rifles chambered for the 32 WS and 38-55 cartridge… ?
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 5, 2014
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Hi Bert-
Being provocative??? We’ve only been talking about cataloged production. To get the story about non-standard M54 chamberings you’ll have to get Wayne Miller to weigh in. I cannot post pics of M54s from Wayne’s collection, but it does appear that some vanishingly small number of M54 rifles were chambered for other rimmed cartridges. Wayne and Tedk might be willing to comment.
I’m just a M70 student… Only interested in M54s in 30 W.CF. b/c I’l never find a legit M70 in that chambering for sale.
Would love to get my hands on a(n alleged) M70 chambered for a rimmed cartridge just to compare the breech with my M54s. As you know, all the pre-war M70 actions (that were’t H&H magnum length) were clip slotted. Winchester went out of their way to adapt the M54 action to rimmed cartridges, but I wonder about the M70…
Best,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
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