Winchester 351 Self Loading Rifle

[Mr Weebles]

While picking up my new pistol at my local FFL tonight, I had a chance to check out one of these:

It's a Winchester 07 Self Loader chambered for .351 WSL.

I've never seen one of these and thought it was interesting. The rod under the barrel is pushed to load and cock the rifle.

The one in the shop was even more interesting than the stock photo above in that it had a scope mounted on a bracket and the entire thing could swing to the side and down if you wanted to use iron sights.

From what I could find online, these were only made until 1957 and ammo was only available until the early 60s. While they were never a popular hunting gun (too small for deer), prison guards and police liked them because of the accuracy and light recoil.

No reason for this post, just thought it was kind of cool. I like unique guns.

 

[Viper22]

Cool.

A kind-of but not really pump action rifle. Receiver looks like it belongs on a lever gun.

 

[Zappa]

I researched this many years ago after finding a .351WSL shell mixed in with a bag of .357's.
It's a real oddball caliber and no other gun was ever chambered for this round.
Ballistics are similar to the .357 magnum.

http://bobshellsblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/351-winchester-self-loader.html

 

[Knob Creek]

I bought one years ago from "The Goose". Uses .357 Maximum shells with a grove cut in them. Bullets, both LRN and jacketed are available. I found a source for magazines and picked up a couple 15 rounders. I use the gun occasionally at American Zootshooter matches.

 

[PixelPusher]

I'll be bringing one to the GPP. So Exousia can add to his collection.

I bought one years ago from "The Goose". Uses .375 Maximum shells with a grove cut in them. Bullets, both LRN and jacketed are available. I found a source for magazines and picked up a couple 15 rounders. I use the gun occasionally at American Zootshooter matches.

Please PM me with your sources. I am haveing a REALLY hard time finding ammo for this thing. I don't shoot it much but would if I could find ammo (that didn't cost a mint).

 

[beep]

I have always liked those rifles.

 

[Zappa]

I handled one of these at Rileys on Friday, it was heavier than I expected, they had it marked down to $281.
I was tempted to grab it, but I know the ammo is made of unobtanium.
I'm sure it's still sitting there in the rack opposite the muzzle loaders.

 

[ScottS]

They had be marked WAY down at that gun store that went out of business in New Boston a couple of years back. Nice, and handled well. I was really close to buying it, but had the same reservations on ammo as Zappa.

It's a John Browning design, basically a scaled-up Model 63.

 

[Zappa]

They had be marked WAY down at that gun store that went out of business in New Boston a couple of years back. Nice, and handled well. I was really close to buying it, but had the same reservations on ammo as Zappa.

It's a John Browning design, basically a scaled-up Model 63.

I'd like to find a 63' for a good price.
I saw an 03' at the Concord show in the Spring for $250, but you can't get the obsolete Winchester .22 Automatic ammo for that either.
The model 05' is a scaled up version of the same action in .351WSL and .32SL, followed by the 07' in .351WSL only.
The model 63 was a rechambering of the 03' done in 1933 for use with .22LR.
Rossi/Taurus made a faithful reproduction of the 63' in .22LR, but that was also discontinued years ago.
I saw one at the Holbrook show for $350 in really nice shape, I should have grabbed it.

 

[USMA-82]

I have a Model 1907 in .351WSL and its big brother, the Model 1910 in .401WSL. Both are alot of fun to shoot, but you really need to reload to enjoy them. Fortunately, dies and components are still available.

 

[TonyT]

I remeber having one many years ago. Very heavy semi auto gun for a very mild catridge. They were very solidly bult. My father in law used one for hunting deer on hios farm in Wisconsin. He never took good cafre of his firearms but this rifle just kept on ticking.