It seems that you don't see a lot of custom rifles built on the Winchester Model 54 action. Is there a specific reason for this? Is there anything in particular that would make a pre-64 action, or a current "classic" action more desirable to build off of? Thanks in advance.

For me, if you start with a Model 54 you need to change the trigger, safety, and bottom metal, all things you may not have to do with a Pre-64 or Classic. It will be a lot easier to find a stock for a Pre-64 or Classic. The 54 has the cloverleaf tang of the Pre-War Pre-64 but different bottom metal so it will not fit one of their stocks without changes.

These are just my thoughts and I only have one of each (54, Pre-64, and Classic) so there may be others with more experience who will chime in.

They make up into a very nice sporter. They require a new bolt handle,safety and trigger but that is an easy change. Timney has a nice trigger and you can use the one with the safety or nstall an FN or Buehler type. Williams Bottom metal is better than nice and then you can use the regular early Mdl70 Stock. I have built half a dozen or so and really like them. They are very smooth actions. I like them easily as well as the 70's. Last one I did was a 35Whelen.

Does Williams make mod54 specific bottom metal or do you have to adapt Mod 70 BM, & if so how, lengthening the front of the BM or redrilling & tapping the front guard screw to Mod 70 position?
Guess whos got a Mod 54 that will need this one day?
Steve.

often wonder the same thing - those old 54's had some of the smoothest actions ever

I modified the bottom metal but this was an old 1 piece Williams bottom unit. An easier way is just cut off the trigger guard on a 54 right behind the floorplate and cut a step in a Williams trigger guard and install that. You don't have a hinged/removable floorplate but do have a neat looking bottom. As I say I like 54's and really want a 30-30 some day.

zimbabwe

What did you use for a bolt stop when you used a different trigger? This is the thing that I have often wondered about when considering a 54 for a custom rifle.

Many thanks

I got so far as putting a Ruger 77 bolt stop on mine, sorry if this offends the purists, but the bolt on my Mod 54 had been fairly well stuffed around with so it wasn't as though I was doing horrible things to a pristine collectors piece. I rather like the look of it.
Steve.

The absolute simplest thing is to put a long screw thru one of the holes tapped for the reciever sight. Not perfect but servicable. If you drill one of the holes oversize or drill and tap a larger one BETWEEN them it is even better. It means you have to unscrew the screw to remove the bolt but that's not such a big deal. Any other alternatives I have done entailed milling and welding but gave a conventional stop that you just lifted like a Mauser.

Of course if you are going to modify an original 54 action, rather tnan just rebarrel it as is, some of us might want to boil you in oil, then use you as Croc chum ....

But, yet another option as long as you don't mind a fair-sized hole on the left side of the rear bridge of that nice old, (sniff, sniff) rifle would be to buy one of the spring-loaded bolt stops sold by Sinclair, Hart, and others. They are originally intended for installation in the same location on Remingtons used as BR rifles, but will work okay for M54s too, if carefully done. Just be careful to order the blued version, not the stainless one.

Both stick out too far to the side for my tastes, but do work quite well and you just pull out on the knob to release the bolt. Snaps right back into place when you release the knob.