Winchester Model 1907 .351

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lionking

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Winchester had a whole series of Self-Loading rifles before WW I.
They started out with the 1903 in .22 Winchester Auto. A distinct cartridge so you would have to buy the right smokeless ammunition and not gum up the action with still-common black powder .22 lr. They later brought out the design as the Model 63 in .22 lr Super-X and Super Speed after smokeless was pretty well standard. They looked and operated similar to the 1907 you show except for a tube magazine in the butt.

The 1905 was made in .32 WSL and .35 WSL. Whose best feature was that the .30 carbine was later based on .32 WSL.

For more power they brought out the 1907 in .351 WSL, more powerful than .35 WSL and not interchangeable. A picture of period ammo and box at
http://www.ammo-one.com/351WSL.html
The '07 (and 63) lasted longer than the rest, made until 1957. It was a popular police and prison guard weapon with the ten shot magazine you show first. The five shot was standard and plenty for hunting.

For still more power they added the 1910 in .401 WSL; about as powerful as a .30-40 Krag but shorter ranged with stubby RN bullet.

So each model had its own distinctive ammunition, not used in any other rifle I know of. They are all straight rimless or semirimmed cartridges not derived from any other. Which makes the guns kind of expensive to shoot.

Oh, yes. They are all blowback operated, with a forward bolt extension inside the foreend to add reciprocating weight. A BIG extension with the centerfire cartridges, the guns are not as light and handy as they might look.
 
Look for the Old Western Scrounger for ammo, they probably have a picture of the round.
 
RCBS still produces forming and loading dies on special order.
You can make the cases out of .357 Maximum brass but you need to turn the rim down, cut an extractor groove and trim the brass to length and anneal the case mouth.
Sierra 180 or 200 grain full metal jacket .357 silhouette bullets work well in the .351.
Finding spare parts and especially spare magazines is more difficult than producing shootable ammunition.
 
thanks guys for the info.It really is a interesting looking rifle.Too bad it wasn't available in some more common caliber,though the .351 sounds interesting specially in a auto loader.

It would be too much hassle and expensive it seems to shoot one however.

It kinda looks like a mini BAR in a way.
 
351

My father has taken many deer with one of those old 351s.All our shooting here is 100yrds or less,and a 351 is every bit as good as a 44mag.Also these guns dont jam.
 
Think that is the rifle Texas Ranger Hamer used when they ambushed Bonnie & Clyde. Another guy was shooting a BAR from about 10 yards. Serious work.
 
I recall Hamer had a .351 as well, and that it had a special factory extended magazine. They also has several BAR's.

The Bonnie and Clyde connection was the only reason I'd ever heard of this firearm, but they were popular with cops and mine guards.
 
I appear to be incorrect... great article. I was thinking as I typed it it was a Remington magazine... and that didn't make any sense for a Winchester rifle. Oh well even us mods get fuzzy sometimes.
 
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