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July 22, 2024
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hi everyone, I have a few rifles to share. this one in particular I recently came across and was hoping to gain some knowledge from the group as this is a fairly late serial number, 5013XA and is in 220 Swift. It is outfitted with an Lyman Targetspot 10x… i’m guessing not factory. however it’s in really excellent shape including the mirror bore. I haven’t taken the stock off as I am concerned about marring any of the screws which are perfect….It seems that Cody does not have any M54 Records ….any input is appreciated.
August 8, 2024
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Dell, I also saw this rifle, and would of been interested in buying it. But, I already own a Model 54 .220 Swift. .220 Swifts are very rare in the Model 54. Being only available for about 1 1/2 years of production. You have a very nice rifle. The barrel has been drilled for the scope base. Everything else looks original to me.
July 22, 2024
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Bo Rich said
Dell, I also saw this rifle, and would of been interested in buying it. But, I already own a Model 54 .220 Swift. .220 Swifts are very rare in the Model 54. Being only available for about 1 1/2 years of production. You have a very nice rifle. The barrel has been drilled for the scope base. Everything else looks original to me.
I really like the configuration, and not really worried about it being drilled although It seems to not sit right with serious collectors. I think the guy let it go for a lot less than it could’ve gone for…. and I just couldn’t help myself as it was so nice…. aside from the scope being almost perfect as well.
December 13, 2006
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Dell . . .
In the pic you provided, the scope looks too far forward to get a “full circle of light” in the ocular.
I have a LST on my M70 Swift, and have the scope further to the rear.
Can you use this setup as shown, or must you pull back on the scope a mite?
July 22, 2024
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Jim F in CT said
Dell . . .
In the pic you provided, the scope looks too far forward to get a “full circle of light” in the ocular.
I have a LST on my M70 Swift, and have the scope further to the rear.
Can you use this setup as shown, or must you pull back on the scope a mite?
🤔 not sure, It seems ok but may have to adjust. Will update…
There really isn’t much reference material for the 54 that I can find.
August 8, 2024
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Dell, The Model 54 Winchester book. Written by David Bichrest has a lot of information, and is worth buying. That is if you can find a copy. Roger Rules Model 70 book has a chapter dedicated to the Model 54. There a Collectors in the WACA that are very knowledgeable on the Model 54 as well.
August 27, 2014
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Jim F in CT said
Dell . . .
In the pic you provided, the scope looks too far forward to get a “full circle of light” in the ocular.
I have a LST on my M70 Swift, and have the scope further to the rear.
Can you use this setup as shown, or must you pull back on the scope a mite?
Everyone lines up on a scope differently
The orientation of the scope looks just about perfect to me
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
November 5, 2014
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Jim-
FWIW… According to Lyman Catalog No. 25 (1936) the normal eye relief of the Targetspot scope is 2-inches. Should be enough to accommodate most shooter’s cheek position on the stock. Easy enough to move back/forward in any event.
Dell-
That’s a very nice (and doubly rare) Model 54. The addition of a scope block out in front of the rear sight boss was a common modification, since you needed the ring spacing to get the advertised 1/4 moa click adjustment out of the micrometer adjustable target scope mounts of the day. The “no drill” approach of using a Lyman BK cross dovetail block in the rear sight dovetail yielded coarser adjustments as the mount are “too close together”…
I’d be very happy with that rifle!!! 
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
December 13, 2006
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Mighty glad you found an old Swift with a “mirror bore”!
I had to look for quite some time to find a M70 Swift with a decent throat!
Seems our previous generation of Swift-shooters just HAD to DRIVE their bullets even faster than the old factory loads!
Lemmie’ know how she shoots when you “git to shootin’ her”!
July 22, 2024
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Louis Luttrell said
Jim-
FWIW… According to Lyman Catalog No. 25 (1936) the normal eye relief of the Targetspot scope is 2-inches. Should be enough to accommodate most shooter’s cheek position on the stock. Easy enough to move back/forward in any event.
Dell-
That’s a very nice (and doubly rare) Model 54. The addition of a scope block out in front of the rear sight boss was a common modification, since you needed the ring spacing to get the advertised 1/4 moa click adjustment out of the micrometer adjustable target scope mounts of the day. The “no drill” approach of using a Lyman BK cross dovetail block in the rear sight dovetail yielded coarser adjustments as the mount are “too close together”…
I’d be very happy with that rifle!!!
Lou
Lou,
hey thank you for the added information, I certainly appreciate it. I’m really looking forward to shooting it, it may be a little while, but I will get to it. I’m curious being such a late serial number. Was it probably assembled 1936 or could it have been later?
June 19, 2009
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Dell, you have beautiful rifle there. As mentioned by others very rare and desirable.
I’m a little curious about the serial number on your scope? It might give some indication how closely it matches to your rifles production date.
The targetspot was introduced to the market in 1934 and ended in 1948. The super targetspot was introduced in 1937.
I have a 54 swift that sports a very early Targetspot (sn:214) which was manufactured in early 1934. Its condition matches that of the rifle. I couldn’t say if it was ordered with the rifle from Winchester, but I have little doubt that it originated with the original owner. Mine looks to be mounted about the same as yours. It eyes up fine with a super grade stock, but I might be inclined to move it back very slightly. I’ve never fired the rifle.
As you’d imagine, it’s a very late production rifle as well. Serial number 50803A. Roughly 675 after yours. Hard to say exactly when these late serial number rifles were assembled.
Ned
July 22, 2024
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1ned1 said
Dell, you have beautiful rifle there. As mentioned by others very rare and desirable.
I’m a little curious about the serial number on your scope? It might give some indication how closely it matches to your rifles production date.
The targetspot was introduced to the market in 1934 and ended in 1948. The super targetspot was introduced in 1937.
I have a 54 swift that sports a very early Targetspot (sn:214) which was manufactured in early 1934. Its condition matches that of the rifle. I couldn’t say if it was ordered with the rifle from Winchester, but I have little doubt that it originated with the original owner. Mine looks to be mounted about the same as yours. It eyes up fine with a super grade stock, but I might be inclined to move it back very slightly. I’ve never fired the rifle.
As you’d imagine, it’s a very late production rifle as well. Serial number 50803A. Roughly 675 after yours. Hard to say exactly when these late serial number rifles were assembled.
Ned
Thanks for sharing Ned…. The SN on the Targetspot is 345…. I would imagine it was manufactured around the same time? Are the mounting blocks marked in any manner? I can’t seem to find anything on mine.. did Lyman make these?
Also, I hate asking this question but I am wondering if I overpaid on this….. I don’t think so, and I guess it really doesn’t matter at this point but a few Winchester guys at the event I attended said that since it was drilled, the value went down to where the scope was more valuable then the rifle….
August 14, 2021
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Well that depends, what did you pay.
July 22, 2024
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Steven Gabrielli said
Well that depends, what did you pay.
1200 but again, regardless, I’m super thrilled with this
October 14, 2024
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That seems like an excellent price to me. You made a great purchase!
August 14, 2021
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I think you did good.
June 19, 2009
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Dell said
1ned1 said
Dell, you have beautiful rifle there. As mentioned by others very rare and desirable.
I’m a little curious about the serial number on your scope? It might give some indication how closely it matches to your rifles production date.
The targetspot was introduced to the market in 1934 and ended in 1948. The super targetspot was introduced in 1937.
I have a 54 swift that sports a very early Targetspot (sn:214) which was manufactured in early 1934. Its condition matches that of the rifle. I couldn’t say if it was ordered with the rifle from Winchester, but I have little doubt that it originated with the original owner. Mine looks to be mounted about the same as yours. It eyes up fine with a super grade stock, but I might be inclined to move it back very slightly. I’ve never fired the rifle.
As you’d imagine, it’s a very late production rifle as well. Serial number 50803A. Roughly 675 after yours. Hard to say exactly when these late serial number rifles were assembled.
Ned
Thanks for sharing Ned…. The SN on the Targetspot is 345…. I would imagine it was manufactured around the same time? Are the mounting blocks marked in any manner? I can’t seem to find anything on mine.. did Lyman make these?
Also, I hate asking this question but I am wondering if I overpaid on this….. I don’t think so, and I guess it really doesn’t matter at this point but a few Winchester guys at the event I attended said that since it was drilled, the value went down to where the scope was more valuable then the rifle….
Dell,
I’d be very happy paying $1200 for that rifle and scope! Good luck finding another Super Grade swift. With an early matching production era scope to boot. And frankly the non-original scope block thing wouldn’t bother me much. That rifle is pretty awesome!
With respect to scope blocks: If my memory serves me correctly, the scope blocks supplied by Winchester all had the concave curved topside. Not a flat top (see image). I don’t know how much this would mean either way. Our esteemed expert Lou or others here might have some thoughts on this.
Ned
June 12, 2013
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1ned1 said
Dell said
1ned1 said
Dell, you have beautiful rifle there. As mentioned by others very rare and desirable.
I’m a little curious about the serial number on your scope? It might give some indication how closely it matches to your rifles production date.
The targetspot was introduced to the market in 1934 and ended in 1948. The super targetspot was introduced in 1937.
I have a 54 swift that sports a very early Targetspot (sn:214) which was manufactured in early 1934. Its condition matches that of the rifle. I couldn’t say if it was ordered with the rifle from Winchester, but I have little doubt that it originated with the original owner. Mine looks to be mounted about the same as yours. It eyes up fine with a super grade stock, but I might be inclined to move it back very slightly. I’ve never fired the rifle.
As you’d imagine, it’s a very late production rifle as well. Serial number 50803A. Roughly 675 after yours. Hard to say exactly when these late serial number rifles were assembled.
Ned
Thanks for sharing Ned…. The SN on the Targetspot is 345…. I would imagine it was manufactured around the same time? Are the mounting blocks marked in any manner? I can’t seem to find anything on mine.. did Lyman make these?
Also, I hate asking this question but I am wondering if I overpaid on this….. I don’t think so, and I guess it really doesn’t matter at this point but a few Winchester guys at the event I attended said that since it was drilled, the value went down to where the scope was more valuable then the rifle….
Dell,
I’d be very happy paying $1200 for that rifle and scope! Good luck finding another Super Grade swift. With an early matching production era scope to boot. And frankly the non-original scope block thing wouldn’t bother me much. That rifle is pretty awesome!
With respect to scope blocks: If my memory serves me correctly, the scope blocks supplied by Winchester all had the concave curved topside. Not a flat top (see image). I don’t know how much this would mean either way. Our esteemed expert Lou or others here might have some thoughts on this.Ned
What make is the flat top scope base you are holding?
June 19, 2009
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Antler1,
Sorry…I can’t remember off the top of my head. I’m pretty sure that one is a Redfield. I just grabbed it from a bunch of about 30 loose bases the majority of which are Redfield. It’s marked with an “A” on the bottom. At some point I need to go through them all and figure out what’s what.
Ned
August 27, 2014
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Dell said
Steven Gabrielli said
Well that depends, what did you pay.
1200 but again, regardless, I’m super thrilled with this
Well Bought!
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
