Bought the 351 WSL

[Lethemgo]

After doing some looking around on reloading for this I decided to get it. Not perfect but pretty darn cool I think. Buddy had three of them so gave me a good price on one. Not the one I wanted but appreciate him for doing it. Forend started to cracking so will eventually take care of that...Looks like someone may have filled it with putty or something. Buffer looks like it is still OK but going to replace it anyway as it probably is really not good. Looking now for a sizing die for lyman in 352 as the bore slugged at 351 but not having much luck. I know buffalo arms has one but I try to stay away from their....prices.
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[james nicholson]

Nice score! It looks used but not abused. Good luck with it.

[jrmartin1964]

Nery nice! I took my first deer with a Model 07 .351 W.S.L. just over 30 years ago, despite being told it wasn't effective for deer. Then I watched the price of ammo climb to $50 per box, and ultimately be discontinued. Fortunately, I was able to lay in a good supply of the factory stuff before it disappeared from the shelves, as well as a set of dies, a mold, and a sizing die. Cool old rifles. You may already know this, but the Model 1907 / 07 really THROWS the empty brass when it fires, and throws it REALLY far! I always take someone to be a "brass spotter" to help track down the fired empties when I take mine out for some exercise. Cool old rifles. You're gonna enjoy that old Winchester!

[Lethemgo]

Going to make a brass deflector like the guy on YouTube made Logcabinloom looks very effective. Puts them pretty close or appears too.

[richhodg66]

Nice! And I can attest they are very effective on deer if you know how to get close.

I had a member here make me a .352 sizer. I need to get busy and cast some of those 180 grain .348 bullets and see if they'll be buig enough to use, if they are and they'll feed, I think that will be my go to bullet for the .351.

[runfiverun]

Lathesmith can make the sizer for a reasonable price.

[TCLouis]

Lethemgo
Might I suggest a brass catcher bag rather than deflector

[richhodg66]

Lethemgo
Might I suggest a brass catcher bag rather than deflector

Got one designed fro ARs off Ebay for about eight bucks. Works. Those 1907s throw brass all over creation and I hate losing rare, hard to find brass.

[Kosh75287]

When you reload for it, let me suggest that you find a load that reliably operates the action, and go no further. Trying to hot-rod it will just send it to an early grave. Using more moderate reloads might also partially cure the rifle's brass-flinging tendencies.

[richhodg66]

This is sound advice. The recommended powder was 4227 in my old Lyman manual, but 2400 is what I had. The starting loads (which seemed kind of hot) worked, so I pursued it no further and were enough to put two deer down in their tracks. I'll have to work with the rifle more when I get around to it.

[texasnative46]

Lethemgo,

IF you will take my advice, do NOT exceed a 180 grain GCCB (or JHP) boolit in front of 19 grains of IMR 4227 & limit your shots to 100M or so.
(I've owned 4 of the 1907 carbines since the mid-1960s & it is near perfection on our small but very numerous WT in the south TX brush BUT the carbines just wear out quickly with "hot" reloads.)

That load will kill anything cleanly & efficiently that the .351 is suitable to hunt with. = It hits a WT like they've been stuck by lightening, given a good shot.

Note: I'm always amused at the "experts" who say that the .351WSL is "barely powerful enough for deer" and/or "should be outlawed for game larger than coyotes" but recommend the .357 Magnum in carbines for deer hunting. = The "old school" .351 180 grain load is 500FPS faster than the usual maximum load for the .357 rifle loading data for the same 180 grain boolit.
(Incidentally, the old .32-40 was always considered to be a GOOD deer rifle at brush-hunting ranges & it is considerably less powerful than the .351WSL.)
"Passing strange", imVho.

Note: I traded off my last Model 1907 & 50 bucks "boot" FOR a mint condition Model 1910 in .401WSL. = The Model 1910 IS "perfection" imvho for hunting the TX brush country, as WT/exotics fall like they have been "pole-axed", with any 1/2-decent hit from the 200/250 grain GCCB (or JSP) boolit at about 1950-2000FPS. = The .401 is A KILLER in the thick brush & keeps this old Texican from having to search for game in the thick stuff.
(That .401 carbine is simply: NOT FOR SALE.)

just my opinion, tex

[cuzinbruce]

Nice rifle! Looks all original, just some honest wear. Don't worry about the cracks in the forend, most have them. With the weight inside the forend, the wood is pretty thin.
If you want to try J-words, Hawk makes some just for this caliber.
Good luck with it.

[Kosh75287]

+1 what TexasNative46 said! Although I think the .351WSL is a little light for deer, the various .357 Mag carbines are really no better and often not nearly as good. WhiteTails have been dropped with the .22LR, but that doesn't make my Marlin Papoose a deer rifle. I know people who would talk all day about the deer-dropping virtues of the .30 U.S. Carbine, if I didn't roll my eyes, which tells me that under optimal circumstances, these guys could probably drop a deer with anything.

I'd sure rather use a .351WSL for WTs, than the .30 M1 carbine or the various .357 Mag. lever guns.

[texasnative46]

Kosh75287,

AGREED. = That's ONE reason why I traded off the last of the 4 Model 1907 carbines. = The .401WSL is simply a SUPERIOR KILLER to the .351WSL & is just as handy in the thick brush.
(Truthfully, I don't take it hunting very often, as my usual "go to deer rifle" is my 1954-vintage Remington Model 760 in .300 Savage, with an old/Swedish-made AimPoint sight mounted. = IF "something untoward" happened to the mint Model 1910 while hunting, I would be VERY sad.)

yours, tex

[tdoyka]

very nice rifle!!!!

i wish i had a 401wsl, you guys are killing me!!!!!!

[texasnative46]

tdoyka,

There are any number of "field grade" .401WSL carbines around that are quite suitable to hunt with "as is" and/or to refurbish/restore.
(It's been my experience that MOST Model 1910 have been carried much but shot little, regardless of their "cosmetic condition".)

What is HARD is to find one, like I found by pure accident, that is in mint condition & spent the vast majority of its time since new in a South TX SD armory.
(It was given to a retired SD detective as a "parting gift", who thereafter passed away & I traded for it with his executor, who wanted my "decent-looking"/"hunting grade" Model 1907.)

yours, tex

[Battis]

I have one of each WSL: .32, .35, .351 and .401. I recently found a 1903 Winchester .22 Self Loader (Auto), but it takes .22 Win Auto ammo which is not easy to find. I passed (it's still there). The .22s are the most expensive rifles of the group.

[texasnative46]

Battis,

NICE "family group", imo.

I've seen any number of 1903 .22s over the last few years at the gun-shows. = MOST didn't sell as the ammo is HARD to locate and $$$$$$$ if/when you find it, too.
(Most shooters, including me, don't want a non-shooter to LOOK at.)

Btw, do you have a copy of FORGOTTEN WINCHESTERS??

yours, tex

[tdoyka]

tdoyka,

There are any number of "field grade" .401WSL carbines around that are quite suitable to hunt with "as is" and/or to refurbish/restore.
(It's been my experience that MOST Model 1910 have been carried much but shot little, regardless of their "cosmetic condition".)

What is HARD is to find one, like I found by pure accident, that is in mint condition & spent the vast majority of its time since new in a South TX SD armory.
(It was given to a retired SD detective as a "parting gift", who thereafter passed away & I traded for it with his executor, who wanted my "decent-looking"/"hunting grade" Model 1907.)

yours, tex

i just want it to hunt deer with. although i'll take it in mint condition!!!! oh yeah, i want it to be a peep sight too!!!

[Battis]

I tried to find a copy of that book a few years ago but they're pretty rare from what I remember.
I got a copy of L. Speckins book:
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/boo...g-351-caliber/

I called him when I first replaced the spring in the .351 and he guided me through it. But I must say, I think I found a better way to replace the springs and buffers, probably closer to the original factory install technique.

I read recently that Winchester made the .22 Auto ammo because there was a large discrepancy in .22 ammo at that time, so they wanted ammo that would definitely work in the self loader.