Model 54 Winchester ??

"The hole on the peep sight seems to be to big or too close to the eye, causing the front site to look real small. You can move the gun a few degrees and still see the front sight. Basically the field of vision is too large. The sight is a Williams, maybe get a smaller insert for the top? I'm not sure? any Ideas? Thanks"

Not promising anything but I'll look in my spare parts box to see if I have one. I'm not taking the one off my rifle. ;) Mine don't look as pretty as yours but ir does shoot very nicely. I shoot in "Burrito" matches with some friends and the loser buys the burritos are one of our local Mexican food places. The match is 10 shots offhand shooting cast bullets. I don't always come in first place but I haven't had to buy any burritos so far.:D:cool:
Seriously though, that receiver sight will make for more accurate shooting. The bluing on my gun is about gone, turning to a neat looking gray and the varnish on the stock is well? Gone. But the bore is as shiny as a new silver dime and when I can focus on the sights, squeeze carefully, I can sometimes get 1.5" groups with my cast bullet loads at 100 yards. I say focus on the sights because I'm terribly near sighted and even with variable focus glasses the sights are a bit of a blur.
FWIW, the peep sight on my gun is a Redfield but yours looks like it might be a Lyman or maybe a Williams.? If one of those two, you might write the company for a proper insert.
I took a look out in my shed/workshop for the sight and yes I have one. I double checked and it matches the rear sight on my M54 30-30. If you send me a snail Mail address, it's yours if you want it.
Paul B.
 
Skidder said:
The hole on the peep sight seems to be to big or too close to the eye, causing the front site to look real small. You can move the gun a few degrees and still see the front sight.
Paul B. said:
I say focus on the sights because I'm terribly near sighted and even with variable focus glasses the sights are a bit of a blur.
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Skidder, as Paul B. stated, your insert is missing, put an insert in it and you will do much better.

I have considerable experience w/aperature sights as I shot NRA HP competition for 20+ years in "iron" sights only matches out to 1000 yards. When I first started shooting "peep" sights, I could see the front sight perfectly, but as the years passed, the front sight became more and more difficult to see. I learned that the proper size opening in the rear sight was extremely important in helping old eyes to focus on the front sight, which, by the way, is the single most important part of your sight picture. Sight alignment is more important than sight picture as any error in sight alignment is multiplied as the range increases. An error in sight picture is what it is. That is to say, if you point the rifle 2" right, it's worth 2" at any range but if you make only .003" error in sight alignment, it is worth 1/4 moa which translates to 1/4" at each 100 yard range (1/4" @ 100 yds but 2.5" @ 1000 yds.)

Any rate, a smaller opening in your aperature will help you focus on the front sight. Too small an opening cuts down on available light and will cause an opaque grey dot to appear in the center of your rear sight.

For target shooting, a Merit disc or insert is available that allows you to dial in the correct size opening for current light conditions. The one pictured below should fit your sight; it is pictured w/aperature wide open and will close down to nearly fully closed.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=...187_a_7c747_a_7c571004002_d_571000002_d_10034

Regards,
hps
 
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I kinda thought something was wrong with the peep sight but had no experience with them. Now that you mention I can see the empty threads where the insert goes. Thanks!

I've been loading for my 30-06 now for about 14 years so I have a couple of spires on hand: Honady 150 BTSP Hornady 165 BTSP. What do you think would perform the best of these two choices? In the past I've always loaded flat and round nose in 30-30.

I hear ya.... My close sight has been fading now for about 5 years.
 
Carbine ???

Skidder I like your pics , I noticed that the Stock isn't checkered and the forend is grooved . What is the barrel length ? If that thing is a Carbine , you have hit the Jackpot ! :)
 
my dad has a 54 carbine in 06 made in "29

they are nice guns, I wonder why someone removed the steelbuttplate on yours being 30wcf. ya in 06 that buttplate tends to start making the shoulder tender after a few rounds.

One thing don't ever have the bolt bent for a scope. My dads is all original, except no original blue or stock finish. he has been using the gun for hunting since he has 14, he just turned 63. before that my grandpa and uncle. In my area all the 54's seemed to have been modified for scopes- its a real shame. I have had guys even tell me that they were original.
 
I believe the carbine has a 20" barrel and the rifle 24". I'd have to dig my rifle out of the safe and measure it but I think that's right.
Paul B.
 
Dang I love that Rifle, Its a Winchster, but in the Classic Mauser style, and chambered for 30 30 what a handy carbine.
That is great thanks for the pictures.
 
Thanks again for the peep insert PaulB.:) The peep sight is definitely staying on the gun now.

I'll check the barrel length when I get home.
 
The barrel measures 19". I assume this makes it a carbine.

Thanks for the info, does that make it more valuable?
 
Jackpot

:) Oh for sure !! I'll bet there are very few Winchester collections with a Mod. 54 Carbine in 30-30 Win . Is it stamped 30-30- or 30WCF ?
 
I haven't a clue why it doesn't say 30-30
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The cartridge was named .30 Winchester Center Fire (.30 WCF) to differentiate it from earlier black powder cartridges designated .30-30. Winchester did not mark their firearms .30-30 Win until about 1937. By then, the Model 54 was no longer in production, it had been replaced by the Model 70.
 
my dads 54 30-06 is stamped 30 govt

my dads 54 30-06 is stamped 30 govt. Its kinda neat seeing older guns when the classic rounds were still fairly new what they went by.
 
A Jewel of a Carbine

I have been doing some research on your 54 Carbine 30 WCF ! I haven't found a hard number on how many were made . The 54 was made in 10 differen't Calibers and the total number produced was 50,000 # or - . The vast majority of them were 30-06 or 270 Win. . The 30-30 had a receiver unique to it . The 30-30 was the third most common chambering , how many were Carbines , no one seems to know ! The 30-30 was only produced from 1928 to 1930 , the model 54 was made from 1925 to 1936 and was the rifle that introduced the .270 Win. . The most rare one is the target model in 220 Swift made in 1935 only . Your rifle should be worth somewhere between $500.00 and $1,000 dependent on condition and buyer interest . I read that many of the 30-30s were rechambered to 30-40 Krag , so many of the factory originals no longer exist . As far as me knowing my stuff , I'm really a Remington guy ! Anyhoo I like your gun and think it's a real Jewel don't let those boys mess it up or trade it for a motorcycle or some other fleeting thing ! Mike :)
 
same same

Yeah Saps got it. Not only have I not seen a M54 in .30WCF, I'd never heard of it and was certain your rifle was going to be stamped .30 Gov't but unreadable or something.

What a rare, odd and interesting rifle.

Shoot the peep some. Look through the rear peep, not at it. Disregard it as part of the sight picture and focus solely on the front sight. Paste the fron sight on the target. You may be surprised at the results.
 
A Jewel of a Carbine

I would also keep an eye out for an Original sight , although the peep on it is correct for the period , it is an add on !
 
SKIDDER, here are 2 photos of a rear site that is on a model 54 Winchester, in 30WCF caliber. This is the later type site, it is a Lyman 66W. It has one standing non movable leaf sited at 100 yards. It has one folding leaf that is sited at approximately 200 yards. Very early 54 Winchesters had a Lyman
6W site, which had 2 folding leaves. They folded opposite of each other but these were used only on very early guns. Your gun was apprantely made in 1930, the gun, in the photos, that this site is on is 1928 vintage. Therefore yours should have the later 66W site as in this picture. A few facts about the 54 and 30WCF, Winchester had to do quite a bit of modification to make this cartridge work in this gun. They first eliminated the stripper loading clip notches on the receiver, next they had to build a special magazine for the rimmed case, they had to modify the bolt so it was a short bolt throw. Because of the blunt bullets they had to have dual feeding ramps instead of a single feeding ramp. However the most difficult thing they encountered and had to modify was the breach. The model 54 had a coned breach for cartridges that head spaced on the shoulder, the 30WCF head spaces on the rim, thus they had to modify the barrel from a coned breech to a flat breech similar to that found in 98 Mausers. With this then they had to modify the bolt face to accomidate the rimmed case and the flat breech. This was quite a bit of work for Winchester simply to chamber their cartridge into this gun. There was even a few 54's built into a 32 Winchester Special. Hope this helps.

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