Winchester Model 54

The Winchester Model 54 is a bolt-action rifle manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. The 54 was the first successful production run civilian centerfire bolt action for Winchester.[1]

Winchester Model 54
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Designer	Thomas Crosley Johnson
Manufacturer	Winchester Repeating Arms Company
Produced	1925–1936
No. built	50,145
Variants	Standard Grade, Carbine, Super Grade, Target
Specifications
Mass	7¾ lb. (Standard Grade, 24 in. barrel), 11¾ lb. (Sniper's Rifle), 8 lb. (Super Grade), 7¼ lb. (Carbine)
Cartridge	various, see article
Barrels	24 in. (Standard Grade), 20 in. (Carbine), 26 in. heavy (Sniper's Rifle)
Action	bolt
Feed system	Non-detachable box magazine, holding 5 cartridges
Sights	open

Using a Mauser 98[2]-type action, the 54 was a less-expensive derivation of the limited-production handmade Model 51 "Imperial" of 1919. The Model 54 was produced until 1936 when, with some modifications, it was reintroduced[3] as the Winchester Model 70. The Model 54 had a relatively heavy two stage trigger pull, which was greatly improved in the Model 70.[3]

Standard chamberings included the .22 Hornet, .220 Swift, .250-3000 Savage, .257 Roberts, .270 Winchester, 30-30 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, 7x57mm Mauser, 7.65x53mm Argentine, and 9x57mm Mauser. Special order chamberings were made in .25-35 Winchester, .32 Winchester Special, and .35 Whelen.[4]

Introduced prior to the popularity of telescopic sights, it was intended for use with open or aperture sights, and the bolt throw makes the addition of a scope difficult.[4]