My first post on the Winchester Owners forum. A pleasure to find a sub-topic dedicated to the Winchester Model 70. A suggestion that there should somewhere be a home which includes the too often orphaned Win Model 54. My interest is in both these rifles. Perhaps a Models 70/54 forum! Just an idea. Happy to be here in any case!
iskra
Saying Hello
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Welcome to the forum.
A lot of nice folks here with vast Winchester savvy. Jim GOA Life Member
NRA Sustaining Member USMC Korea vet Retired CWO3 USCGR |
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.410
Posts: 39
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 8:00 pm Location: Virginia |
Welcome to the site.
Bill NRA Member
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Welcome to the Winchester Owners Forum Iskra !!
In 1925, Winchester introduced the Model 54 bolt-action rifle as the first Winchester rifle made for high velocity heavy ammunition. The Model 54 was available in .270, 30-30, 30-06, 7mm, 7.65, 9 mm, .250-3000, .22 Hornet, .220 Swift, and .257 Roberts calibers. This rifle could be ordered with a round 20, 24 or 26 inch barrel, the forearm smooth or checkered, a walnut pistol-grip stock, and shotgun (originally metal) butt-plate. The frame and barrel were blued and had a solid feature. The Model 54 was manufactured through 1936 with approximately 50,145 guns produced during the 11-year production period. The Model 54 was discontinued because it was replaced by the famous Model 70 Winchester rifle. |
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I'm familiar with the Model 54 and have a few and find them quite ineresting. My personal favorite is my later so called "NRA model". Photos below. Finally to all, thanks for the kind welcoming comments!
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What makes it an "NRA Model"...!?
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As noted, Winchester introduced the "new" Model 54 in the mid nineteen twenties. There it joined the Remington Model 30 (a commercialized Model 1917 Enfield) which by then had been on the market since the early twenties. Both of these models had what might be described as a modified 'European' style stocks. By the late twenties, several notable gun writers, particularly including Colonel Townsend Whelen, had voiced complaints concerning the stock designs of both rifles.
Working through the offices of the NRA, they persuaded these manufacturers to produce a new stock style that was more 'shooter comfortable' (nowadays: ergonomic). Thus the 'new & improved' NRA style stock. Actually in this instance the new & improved sticker was appropriate! Felt recoil was allegedly less (and likely true) in the newer stock design for both rifles. Below pix of the earlier model stock (here chambered in 30 WCF) which the "NRA style' shown in my above post replaced. iskra
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Thanks for explaining it...
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