Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Winchester 1907 in 351 sl.

Morning everyone!
I'm not sure that this will be the correct forum for this question as I don't think the 351SL was ever much of a hunting round, but, is there anyone out there that could tell me about this little cartidge,where I could find data on it, what is it comparible to, etc. ? I have just acquired this type of rifle through an inheretence along with fired brass and some unfired rounds.
Any info would be appreciated.

The 351 WSL was an attempt to improve on the the 35 Win cartridge, but it didn't improve all that much and was discontinued in 1957. The 351 WSL has a muzzle velocity of about 1850 fps with a 180 gr. bullet. Compare that to a 35 Rem shooting a 200 gr bullet at 2080 fps and you see why it didn't make it. The 1907 isn't worth a whole lot in terms of $$ but it was one of the rifles that shot up Bonnie and Clyde. It was also quite popular as a prison gaurd rifle during that era.

I've got a .351 along with a .401 WSL. These are neat old rifles. No, they're not terribly accurate or practical but they are a lot of fun to "play" with. I haven't killed a deer with my .351 but have carried it a few times. I'm going to try my best to shoot something with it this season. I'd feel comfortable out to 50 yards or so. Ballistics are a fair amount hotter than a .357 Magnum in a rifle. As for load data, 19 grains of 2400 or 20 grains of 4227 give about 1850 fps. Correct brass is available from Bertram and Jamison, or you can get reformed .357 Max brass. Bullets are true .351" so standard .35 bullets won't work. Hawk offers correct bullets in 180 or 200 grains. Buffalo arms lists a 180 as well.

These emails are the kind of info I've been looking for! I can't find reloading data anywhere on the net. I figgered if anyone would have it, someone here would! Not a whole lot of info out there on this little cartridge. Thanks again!

I think they're a blast, it just seems most of the world doesn't like them. Loading data is real scarce, no one in the industry seems much interested in updating it. Other than the loads already listed, Lyman listed 11 grains of Unique for about 1560 fps. I'm sure theres lots of other powders that would work better than the 3 we have data for, but thats about it. The .351
is real similar to the .357 Maximum, looking at that data, H110, RL7, and Lil Gun all look like they could run velocities up safely, but I don't know enough to experiment, maybe someone else does. Unless you're going to hunt with it, velocity doesn't matter anyway. As far as components go, Old Western Scrounger sells cheap bullets for it, and theres someone on Ebay that sells the dies for about $65.

Tim

Going through my data on obsolete cartridges I found a load using a 180 gr. bullet with 19.5 grns of Imr 4227 that stated a MV or 1751 fps. This looks to be the most current load for any of today's modern powders.

The 1907 is really a perfectly adequate whitetail rifle for the usual Eastern woods hunting where most shots are under 100 yards. They are beautifully machined and finished but a little heavy.

You may be the only person on record as saying the .351 is an adequate deer rifle. I don't get it, people will defend the .357 magnum revolver for deer, in a rifle, Brian Pearce says its good for bigger game, yet its no more powerful than the .351.
When you see the .351 mentioned in print, almost never, theres always some reference to it being good for "small game only".
What am I missing?

Tim

I remember an old article by Zane Gray where he took a 1907 in .351 into the Amazon jungle and was unable to kill a jaguar that he shot with it. IIRC Wouldn't penetrate, I believe. Don't remember how he knew that if he didn't kill it.