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May 9, 2024
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I have been keeping my eye out for a Model 54 carbine in 270 WCF for a few years now and have yet to come across one. It is stated that they were available from 1927-1936, but I can’t seem to find any production numbers on them for models and calibers. Has there been any further development of such production numbers for Model 54s? Are 54 Carbines in 270 really that rare? The surveyed 54s in David Bichrest’s book show that they definitely do exist I just have yet to find one!
Side note: I believe the Model 54 is an extremely underrated Winchester. Every one that I have owned has been top notch as far as quality is concerned.
August 27, 2014
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I’d like to find one too. Only one I’ve ever seen is owned by a friend.
A WACA member had a 270 Carbine for sale a couple years ago. Think it had a scope on it.
My sense is that they are few and far between.
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
November 1, 2013
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kurtm2323 said Every one that I have owned has been top notch as far as quality is concerned.
Bottom-metal included? Contemporary gun writers minced no words about it.
May 9, 2024
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clarence said
kurtm2323 said Every one that I have owned has been top notch as far as quality is concerned.
Bottom-metal included? Contemporary gun writers minced no words about it.
As far as the action itself is concerned. The bottom metal, trigger, and safety are lacking. Feeding, extraction, and ejection are so smooth without hiccups.
August 27, 2014
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Hard to beat an all original M54 with condition, nothing is lacking
Absolutely no problem with a blind mag here
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
November 1, 2013
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Tedk said
Absolutely no problem with a blind mag here.
Not only the blind mag that was criticized, chiefly it was the BB-gun trigger-guard. OK for a “budget” rifle like the Savage Hi-Power, but that gun sold for substantially less than a 54.
April 3, 2018
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They do exist. I actually have owned one for more than a decade. It is far from perfect but the 270 WCF bore is excellent with sharp lands.
It dates to 1927 I believe and came from MT a couple of decades ago.
That said, then it gets interesting as it is considered an NRA Short Rifle with checkering, NRA stock from the period. Bichrest mentions them.
It was a rifle with use, including a Buehler safety. I have taken a few whitetail bucks with it, and the rifle has grown to be
a companion.
It is like the pre-war Model 71s in the Canadian backwoods or Alaska outback: their owners cannot be pried away from them…
May 9, 2024
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450 Fuller said
They do exist. I actually have owned one for more than a decade. It is far from perfect but the 270 WCF bore is excellent with sharp lands.It dates to 1927 I believe and came from MT a couple of decades ago.
That said, then it gets interesting as it is considered an NRA Short Rifle with checkering, NRA stock from the period. Bichrest mentions them.
It was a rifle with use, including a Buehler safety. I have taken a few whitetail bucks with it, and the rifle has grown to be
a companion.
It is like the pre-war Model 71s in the Canadian backwoods or Alaska outback: their owners cannot be pried away from them…
Those NRA Short Rifles look like the best of both worlds, modern stock design with a handy barrel length. I just assumed they would be harder to find than a carbine!
April 3, 2018
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They are rare in 270, particularly. I have owned M-54 carbines in 30-06 with the slightly grooved fore end portion of the stock.
The .270 with a 20 in barrel retains much velocity, while the 30-06 seems to lose out quickly unless light bullets ;like the 150 gr version. In Alaska I carried one with 180-200 gr Noslers just in case of the ever-present bears. I would really rather be carrying a Model 71 with heavier 250 gr bullets or-same rifle in 450 Alaskan-which I own. But whatever you are carrying becomes your “bear rifle” in the Canadian-Alaskan bushvelt.
November 5, 2014
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David Bichrest’s Model 54 book includes his survey list of close to (1000) M54s. Not a huge sample, and certainly biased towards the rare and/or special order rifles, but it tends to bear out the notion that 270 WCF wasn’t a particularly popular chambering in the 20-inch barrel versions of the M54.
Of the Carbines (uncheckered stock with finger groove fore end and Nickel Steel barrel) he lists by serial number (23) in 30 GOV’T’06 and only (7) in 270 WCF. The other “popular” carbine chambering was possibly 30 WCF, as he recorded (16) of them.
There are fewer NRA Short Rifles (checkered NRA style stock with integral forged ramp CMS barre) in his survey than carbines. But he lists (13) in 30 GOV’T’06 compared to (3) in 270 WCF.
So it’s probably somewhere in the vicinity of 3 or 4 : 1 in favor of the 30 GOV’T’06 versus the 270 WCF… 
I’ve never seen a 270 Carbine/Short Rifle either…
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
April 3, 2018
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The Model 54 Carbines, like the full length rifle were not particularly popular in 30 WCF. Hunters and collectors, unless both-tend to lose sight of the pragmatic side of the 1920s-early 30s. Money was very tight after 1929 during the depression. People who did look for a rifle found used versions, when available. The 30 WCF M-54 became a little more popular according to Frank De Haas in his Bolt Action Rifles book: owners sent rifles or carbines to gunsmiths for re-chambering to 30-40 Krag. Griffin and Howe did some work on Model 54s to suit their owners. I have an original M-54 in 22 Hornet. An NRA Short Rifle in 22 Hornet would be an interesting item.
This NRA Short Rifle has both a scope mounted and Buehler early safety, indicating the Montana rancher I obtained it from was a pragmatic hunter and it spent some time with his family. Would that I had gotten more history on this little rifle.
DeHaas mentions that there were never M-54 separate actions offered by Winchester nor were there a great amount of original safety or other M-54 parts. Even less currently. I have been contacted more than once on this M-54 NRA .270 WCF version-but I probably will hang on to it as much due to its practicality as to its rarity.
November 1, 2013
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The 30 WCF M-54 became a little more popular according to Frank De Haas in his Bolt Action Rifles book: owners sent rifles or carbines to gunsmiths for re-chambering to 30-40 Krag.450 Fuller said
Can’t see the financial justification unless a 2nd-hand .30 WCF could be bought cheaply enough to cover expense of re-chambering; even then, the result would be a rifle inferior to a 54 in .30-06.
August 27, 2014
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Lots of people looking for a M54 30 W.C.F.
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
April 9, 2012
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Model 54 carbines in 270 are scarce. But I believe the 54 carbine is a lot handier in the bush than a model 71. The 30-06 loaded with 220 gr bullets is quite adequate for bear and other creatures.The carbine was designed as a no frills work gun , theNRA short rifle does balance a bit better .Carbines were also available with the first model rifle stock and feel very comfortable in the hand. Tom
April 3, 2018
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It was for the reason that Harold Johnson found the 30-06 lacking in bear stopping power enough that his 450 Alaskan was developed in Alaska. A Model 71 in either 348 WCF or the wildcat 450s on the 348 case is just about as handy as a M-54 carbine. But, it can be chambered/cycled faster and with Swift or Hawk bullets which do have the advantage of 250-400 gr FP bullet weight. It is the grizzlies and brown bears that can make life a bit exciting in the north woods.
August 27, 2014
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Always had a thing for the Carbines
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
December 9, 2002
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Bert’s Red Book, states they were mfg 1925-1936!
Starting with serial number 1 in 1925, and ending iin 1836, with serial number, 50145. As the model 54 was replaced with the model 70 in 1936.
Anthony
November 5, 2014
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I don’t know much about the M54s, but this page from the 1936 Winchester Wholesale-Retail catalog may be of interest.
In a general sense, the original M54 “Carbine” (with 20-inch Nickel Steel barrel and uncheckered finger groove stock) was replaced by the M54 “NRA Short Rifle” (with 20-inch CMS barrel and checkered NRA style stock) in 1932. But if you look at this catalog, under Standard rifle, there is a listing for the “Carbine” with 20-inch barrel. It’s not pictured, but the “Carbine” listing is clearly separate from the “Rifle with 20-inch barrel”, i.e. NRA Short Rifle, pictured below.
So I expect that Bert’s book is correct and the “Carbine” style was available as late as 1936. Whether they were still making them (as opposed to cataloging old inventory) is something I don’t know. David Bichrest’s book/survey records Carbines as late as s/n 40101A (1934).
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
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