.35 WSL model 1905

[26Charlie]

Does anyone have experience making ammo for this? A friend has lent me his M1905 to play with. I have 18 empty cases. I have bullet moulds for 200 and 180 gr. gas check design bullets. I have ordered a .351 sizing die from Lee Precision Engineering. I have looked up the info in Cartridges of the World. I would like to make some cases, if it doesn't involve lathe work, since I don't have a lathe.
I don't agree with remarks that the gun is not adequate for deer, since it shoots a 180 gr. at 1400 fps, essentially the same as the .44-40 which served for many years.

[Loudenboomer]

I have a .35 SL. It was always called Grammas gun as she shot a deer out of her kitchen with it about a hundred years ago. Brass is easy to make from 38 special on a small lathe but you could improvise spinning 38 special cases with a drill. I use military cases as they are a little thicker and do cut a extractor grove. Many have just turned down the rim and omitted the extractor grove and gotten by just fine. Rim and extractor are so close to .38 super you can use that shell holder as your guide when cutting brass. Check springs before firing just to be safe. Keep your shots close and hit your mark and the .35 SL kills deer fine. Similar ballistics to a .357 in a rifle.

[Battis]

.38 Special cases (no extractor groove) with the rims turned down, .38/.357 dies. Neck sized with .223 die.
Cast bullet - .352". IMR-4227 (12+- grs). Small rifle primer.

[26Charlie]

Lee-Precision special order .351 sizing die arrived yesterday Nov 6. 2 weeks and 3 days after order online. Made it, shipped it, from Wisconsin to Maine, whole transaction on the net. Is this a great country, or what? Any shooter who votes democrat is either not paying attention, or is a congenital democrat.
Anyway, I can now start load development for this gun.

[Battis]

What are you using for brass?

[redneck1]

I use .38 special , I did have to cut a very slight extractor groove to get them to function properly in my rifle .
A friends rifle functions perfectly fine without one .

[26Charlie]

Battis - I have those 18 empties to start with, and will attempt to make others as you suggested. I’m reluctant to shoot any of the factory ammo, since it is jacketed softpoint and unobtainable as far as I know.

[Battis]

Yep, you did mention the 18 cases. I'm losing it (whatever it is).
I bought a Lee 351 custom die set several years ago, and they work with .35 or .351 brass, but it didn't work with regular 38 Special brass. The problem I had was getting neck tension on the 38 SP brass. I use a 223 die for the neck tension, and it works well.
I bought my .35, .351 and .401 in Maine. Maybe it's a Maine rifle. I bought another .351 WSL in Whitefield, NH and it had 5 notches cut into the stock. I hope it was deer they were keeping track of.

[TGM]

The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversion says to make from .357 Magnnum. Turn rim to .405" dia. & back chamfer. Cut case to1.15".F/L size in .35 SL die . Trim to length. Chamfer.
It also lists a load with 180 gr. bullet, 12.9 gr 2400, Velocity approx. 1420

TGM

[Drm50]

I've never shot a deer with 35SL but shot exactly one with a 351. I was guest at a deer camp and host hunted with a 351. His grandfather and later his dad got their deer every year with it. Host insisted I hunt his 351 at least one day. I did and shot a deer at 30yds and it flopped around for about the same distance but it didn't get up. There is no reason at all that a 35SL if used within reasonable range.

[Battis]

I haven't fired my .35 WSL in awhile. This thread got be thinking about it. I worked the bolt and it was tight. Then I saw some crud inside the receiver and around the buffer area. So, I started taking it apart, and I kept going - recoil spring and guide rod, bolt, buffers, firing pin - all of it, which I didn't want to do because of the reassembly. At least it will be nice and clean.

[johnly]

I have a box of old 50 round Winchester factory ammo if your looking for some.

[GONRA]

GONRA recommends saving all the Factory .35 SL Ammo for VALUABLE reference. Buy more when you see it...
Carefully manufacture brass. DO IT RIGHT! Then, carefully handload for shootin'.

[JRLesan]

Quality Cartridge contacted me this last week. They have .35WSL brass now in stock. I backordered some 3 years ago last JUN and it is now available.

[blackbahart]

for 35 WSL I went to the 9mm win mag brass star line ,just have to spin the tapper near the base and load away .Bonus you can make nice ammo with 9mm dies too just set the die further from the shell holder .

yes the 9mm is rimless ,no issues with feeding, firing or ejection and the best part is not heart breaking when they get lost in the grass

[26Charlie]

Been occupied with time consuming chores and errands, but starting to get back to the point of this thread - found I could chuck a .38 special case in the drill press, use a curved tooth file like auto body files, to file down the rim, and use a gauge made from a piece of wood with a 13/32 hole in it to see if I went far enough. The first one made fits in the magazine, fits in the chamber, and extracts, and does not require any trimming. I’m going to make up 50 cases and then do some loading, but today I am getting ready for the snowstorm tonight and tomorrow. The bad weather hammering the middle states is finally moving into Maine, and my wife wants to get her car into the garage. Thanks to Battis and all responders above for info.

[Battis]

10" to 20" inches of the white...stuff here in northern MA. I'm thinking closer to 20".

[26Charlie]

Well, this project is moving at a glacier-like pace (mostly because the shop is cold, 15 at night, 25 day, and my hands get too cold to do anything useful) but I did find out that the turned rims won’t hold in a shell holder in the press. So any operation requiring pulling on it goes awry. Pulling it out of a sizing die, priming in the press or in a hand priming tool like the Lee priming tool that pushes up on the primer holding the shell in a shell holder, works poorly. However, I bethought me of the hand tools - the original Lee Loader, and the Lyman 310 tool, - both of which I acquired in the distant past for .38 Special and retired to the back of the shelf. The Lee Loader will work. All operations with it involve pressing down on the case with a mallet in a die or a rod to punch it out of the die, no pulling on the rim required. The 310 tool has a hook to engage the rim, which I have not tried yet. Priming may work, because the holder is a half-cutaway extending partway up the case, and I can hold the pressure on the case sidewise into the holder. Family coming to visit for New Year, will update progress later. They want to shoot new gun presents so that will be focus of activity.

[26Charlie]

Blackbahart: I really appreciate the lead on the STARLINE brass. The gun is loaned to me, I have this shop full of tools and reloading stuff, and it is a challenge to get 50 rounds together. You understand. If it were my gun I would probably send for the 9mm magnum brass, but they want $112 for 500, whIch I don’t need so many or want to spend for a gun not mine.

[beagle]

You might look for .38 AMU brass. You see some occasionally. When I was tinkering with the .351 SL, I researched it and although short for the .351, might be useable./beagle