Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Winchester 351 semi auto?

I just looked in Handloader #43. It does indeed have a limited amount of data in it. It is featured in the monthly column: Cartridge of the Month.

Good stuff here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=58067

The rim is very small, kind of like the 38 Super. I wonder if brass could be made from 223, headspaced on the mouth.

Bruce

From Lyman Handbook Number 45:

Thanks for the info

Here's one thread I found with some good info. Scroll down about halfway and there is a long post by a chap who has killed deer with one and loaded for it:

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?110501-Winchester-1907-.351SL-experts

I'm thinking that quoted load of 19 grains of 2400 under a jacketed bullet might be kinda warmish today; think I'd start a couple grains lower. It would be interesting, though, to try a modern powder, like Lil'Gun in it.

The .357 Maximum is said to be the easiest way to make brass, but you still have to turn the rim.

edit to add - you know for an "obsolete" cartridge there sure is plenty of interest in it

Irving did you buy it?

Ahlman's gun shop in Morristown, Minnesota had their gunsmiths build up a highly modified M1 carbine to use the 401 SL as a short range deer rifle. They have one of these creations on display down at the shop. 'Sounded like the project never went very far. Too many mechanical and production issues, and a shortage of 401 SL magazines from the little Winchester rifles led to the project being dropped. If you ever get down there, check it out though.

I got in late on this discussion but would like to address the 1907 and .351 SL cartridge as a "failed attempt" comment. Sometimes I think we look at these older rounds from the perspective of 2010. A 180 gr bullet traveling at 1950-2050 fps doesn't sound like much. However, from 1907-1935 this was hot stuff in a short package that could be had in 10, 15 and even (supposedly) 20-round magazines. The 351 cartridge was also one of those that just seemed to out-perform paper ballistics. There are many accounts from the 1930s where this round punched completely through a car, bullet proof vests and even pentrated engine blocks. That may not be very impressive when you look at the paper thin metal on a current Oldsmobuick but back then the cars were made with thick steel. The 45acp round would bounce off cars on occasion! 1920s and 1930s lawmen and badmen alike LOVED this rifle and the cartridge. I've listed these elsewhere but every gang had at least one 1907 including Dillinger, Nelson, Van Meter, Karpis, the Barrow Gang, on the wrong side and FBI agents like Doc White, Charles Winstead, among others, of the good guys. Charles Askins and other border patrol agents would shell out their own money for 1907 Winchesters. Given that your life was at risk no matter which side of the law you are on, I don't think that these men would buy anything that didn't work. What eventually doomed the 1907 wasn't poor performace or weight; it was complexity, cost, and the flow of surplus weapons to the private sector after WWII. Like it or not, the 1907 Winchester was one of the significant historical weapons of the first half of the 20th century that no one has ever heard of. Finding or reloading .351 ammo is a challenge but well worth it.

John

Does anyone know where I can find the components? (351 bullets, brass, etc.)
I own an even older Model 1905 in the shorter .35 SLR - I believe I can trim 351 brass back to length & use it. I want to try as I fired the last ammo available back about 1970.
Mark

I almost bit on a 401 once. Neat little carbines. I make due with my 1961 Ruger Deerstalker in 44.

Can't own everything!

I saw a large tube of bullets (200K) that were a special run for the .351, and if I remember they were for Graf. you might want to check with them to see what the availabily is. This was only a couple weeks ago, so they might not be listed yet.

I just bought a 351 and am trying to find dies and 357 Max case to reload. This is the first one I ever saw and it fitted together like a swiss watch. Worth having just to look at. riceone