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Make: Winchester
Model: 54 “NRA Standard”
Serial Number: 32034A
Year of Manufacture: 1931
Caliber: .30-06 Springfield (.30 Gov’t ’06)
Action Type: Bolt Action Rifle with Internal Box Magazine
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “-MODEL 54-”, “WINCHESTER / -TRADE MARK-”, and “-NICKEL STEEL-” in front of the rear sight boss. The left side of the barrel at the rear is marked “.30 GOV’T ’06.”, over an ovalled “WP” proof, with another ovalled “WP” proof on the left side of the front receiver. The middle left side of the receiver is marked “WINCHESTER / -TRADE MARK-”. The right side of the chamber ring is marked “32034A”. The right side of the barrel is marked “MADE IN U.S.A. WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / NEW HAVEN, CONN. PATENTS APPLIED FOR”. The bottom of the bolt is hand-scribed “32034” and has inspection marks.
Barrel Length: 24”, Round
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade pinned to a slotted base fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a “U”-notch semi-buckhorn elevator sight dovetailed to the barrel, fine elevation adjustable. The top of the chamber ring is drilled, tapped, and filled for mounting an optic (none included). The left-rear of the receiver is drilled, tapped, and filled for a receiver sight (none included).
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is one-piece checkered walnut with a checkered forend, checkered semi-pistol grip, fluted straight comb, sling eyelets at the front and rear, and a checkered steel buttplate. The stock has some scattered nicks, scuffs, and scratches. The checkering is slightly smoothed at the peaks, but well defined. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 3/4″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate has mostly worn to white with some scattered surface erosion, but the serrations remain well defined. Overall, the stock is in about Fine Condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is some minor fouling throughout, which has turned to a patina color at the muzzle. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates at 9/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The barrel has some light finish wear, minor scuffs and scratches scattered throughout, and infrequent minor surface oxidation. The receiver’s finish is generally strong with only a few light marks including finish loss where a receiver sight was once mounted. The bolt has light operational wear in the body, and handling wear on the handle. The magazine floorplate is mostly worn to white with light patina from handling. The trigger guard has some surface oxidation. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in about Very Good Condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The rifle has a three-position safety similar to the M-1903: all the way to the left locks the bolt and disables the trigger; straight up disables the trigger but the bolt is free to move, and to the right enables the rifle to be fired. We did not fire this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 54 was the company's first bolt-action rifle firing high-velocity cartridges capable of taking big game, and for use in so-called big-bore target matches, and laid the groundwork for the famed Model 70. It had a fairly short production run, with about 50,000 made from 1925-1936. The “NRA Standard” of the Model 54 rifle was introduced in 1931, and featured a select-grade walnut stock with checkering, and a checkered steel buttplate.
This Winchester Model 54 NRA Standard Rifle was made in 1931 and is in Very Good Condition. It features a 24” barrel, 80% of its original blued finish, an elegant one-piece walnut stock with a checkered forend, a checkered semi-pistol grip, and a checkered steel buttplate, clear markings, solid mechanics, and a mostly bright bore with sharp rifling (there’s some minor fouling throughout, which has turned to a patina color at the muzzle). This classic Depression-era Model 54 is chambered in .30-06, one of the most popular deer hunting cartridges in America. This rifle shows the standard wear concomitant with its age and likely use in the field, but has a nice bore ready to bag some game for years to come.