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Make: Winchester
Model: 54 “NRA Standard”
Serial Number: 49254A
Year of Manufacture: 1936
Caliber: .220 Swift
Action Type: Bolt Action Rifle with Internal Box Magazine
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “-WINCHESTER / PROOF STEEL”, “-MODEL 54-”, “WINCHESTER- / -TRADE MARK-”, and “.220 SWIFT”. The right side of the barrel is marked “MADE IN U.S.A. WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / —NEW HAVEN, CONN.—PATENTED—”. The left rear of the barrel and the left front of the receiver are marked with Winchester ovalled “WP” proofs. The left side of the receiver is marked “WINCHESTER / -TRADE MARK-”. The right side of the receiver is marked with the serial number “49254A”.
Barrel Length: 26”, Round
Sights/Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to a ramped base that’s slotted for a hood (none included). The top of the barrel has a pair of drilled, tapped, and filled holes in front of the filled rear sight dovetail. The left side of the receiver is mounted with a Lyman 48W adjustable aperture sight.
Stock Configuration and Condition: The stock is one-piece checkered walnut with a checkered forend, checkered semi-pistol grip, fluted straight comb, sling swivels at the front and rear, and a checkered steel buttplate. The stock shows light handling wear with a few compressions, scratches, and scuffs. The checkering remains relatively strong throughout. It appears that there are two support rods that have been installed and capped with resin on each end. The LOP measures 14” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. Overall, the stock is in about Very Good Condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is well-defined. There is light erosion throughout the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates at 7/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 80% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish is strong and complete throughout save for the bottom metal which has mostly taken to patina. There is finish loss on the muzzle. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Fine 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; 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, and 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 1936 and is in Fine Condition. It features a 26” barrel (the unique barrel length for the .220 Swift examples), 80% of its original blued finish, an elegant one-piece walnut stock (it appears that there are two support rods that have been installed and capped with resin on each end) with a checkered forend, checkered semi-pistol grip, and checkered steel buttplate, a Lyman 48W adjustable aperture sight on the receiver, clear markings, strong mechanics, and a mostly bright bore with well-defined rifling and light erosion throughout. The .220 Swift semi-rimmed rifle cartridge was developed by Winchester and introduced exclusively for the Model 54 in 1935. Ideal for small game and varmint hunting, .220 Swift was the first factory-loaded rifle cartridge with a muzzle velocity of over 4,000 fps, and is still the fastest commercial rifle round in the world. This Model 54, with its very high serial number of 49254A, was among the last 1,000 ever made by Winchester.