Early Autoloading Sporters

Let’s consider this matter of the political left desiring the banning of semiauto rifles and carbines (and handguns too). People think that ones with detachable magazines are somehow modern, of military origin and extraordinarily dangerous. They judge danger by looks and seem to think that if ugly guns are banned all will be well. When told that semiauto rifles with detachable magazines have been around since at least 1905, the unknowing give doubtful looks. Think about that – in 1905, most of this nation was just becoming familiar with automobiles. Horses were still in common use.

As strange as it may seem, the beginning of semiautos in this country began because John M. Browning and Winchester Repeating Arms parted company. Browning was in the forefront of designing self-loading firearms and Winchester didn’t want any part of it. However, to Winchester’s executives’ horror, Browning’s semiauto shotguns made by Remington in this country and FN in Belgium sold literally in the millions.

Therefore, Winchester put one of their designers named Thomas C. Johnson to work developing its first semiauto rifle. It was named Model 1903 and was a 22 rimfire, first using a brand-new cartridge named “22 Winchester Automatic,” firing a 45-grain inside lubricated bullet at about 1,055 feet per second (fps). (Note that the 22 Winchester Automatic was in no way interchangeable with other 22 rimfires.) Model 1903s continued in production until 1932. In 1933, a “new” Model 63 was introduced and chambered for the regular 22 Long Rifle. Between the two models, about 300,000 of these little 22s were made before the Model 63 was discontinued in 1958.

Winchester’s 22 semiautos functioned by the simple blowback method. That is firing caused the breechblock to travel backward, extracting and ejecting the fired case. Then, spring pressure pushed it forward picking up a new round for chambering. Magazines were tubular; being fed from an access port on the buttstock’s right side. In order to chamber the first round, a rod with a flange in front of the forestock was pushed rearward simultaneously cocking the internal hammer. Ejection for fired cases was from a port on the receiver’s right side.

Johnson didn’t stop at 22 rimfires. By 1905, he had refined his design for centerfires. These were chambered for new cartridges by Winchester named 32 and 35 Self-Loading (32WSL and 35 WSL). The former’s factory load held 165-grain bullets rated at 1,390 fps and the latter version used 180-grain bullets at about the same nominal speed. Cases for both rounds were straight, semi-rimmed but 1.28 inches long for the 32 and only 1.14 inches for the 35. (Take note of that latter one as it is even shorter than the 38 Special.) It was interesting to learn that a variety of bullet weights and velocities were not possible with these early semiauto rounds. Their rifles, being of blowback design had to have their breechblock weights mated to the recoil of each caliber. Otherwise, functioning would suffer.

With the new centerfire cartridges tubular magazines were out and detachable magazines were introduced. First, they were offered with a five-round capacity. Ten-round magazines soon followed. Cocking the rifle for the first shot remained the same; a rod extending from the forend pushed back to cock the internal hammer. These new semiauto centerfires were expensive for their day. Model 1905s started at $26 for the rifles and $1.50 for extra five-round magazines or $3.50 for 10-round magazines. Nor were they powerful. Winchester’s 38 WCF and 44 WCF leverguns rivaled them in power and were less expensive. Model 1905s in either caliber were not big sellers. Production ceased in 1920, but a few dozen rifles were assembled until 1923, with total production being between 31,000 and 32,000. However, factory ammunition for both rounds was made until 1957.

Following along rather quickly was the Model 1907 in its unique 351 WSL chambering. The basic Model 1905 rifle was beefed up to accommodate the same 180-grain bullets as used in 35 WSL, but now with a nominal muzzle velocity of 1,850 fps. In one way, the Model 1907’s timing was fortuitous, because World War I broke out in 1914. Although Winchester did not envision the Model 1907 as a military weapon, France was desperate for arms and bought thousands of Model 1907s and produced ammunition for them. Initially, they were issued to pilots and aerial observers but with the advent of aircraft mounted with machine guns Model 1907s possibly went to ground units for use in trench raids. The French even went so far as to rig some of them with bayonets.

In this country, Model 1907s went to the sporting rifle market although for a short time in the 1930s, a “Police” model was advertised. In essence, it was simply the sporter version fitted with swivels for a leather sling. Now get this; for the police versions, Winchester offered a bayonet with a 16-inch blade and clamps with which to mount them to Model 1907 barrels. (I can’t help but wonder what the outcry would be today upon seeing law enforcement officers packing bayoneted rifles.) Production of the Model 1907 ended in 1957 with slightly more than 58,000 made.

The last WSL was the 401. It was not just a Model 1907 with a different barrel bore and chamber. While it used the same design as the previous three, it had to be scaled up for the larger and more powerful cartridge. Also, it was the only WSL to have two bullet weights in factory loads. They were 200-grain bullets at 2,140 fps and 250-grain bullets at 1,870 fps. It should be mentioned that during the production of WSL factory ammunition, both jacketed softnose and full metal jacketed bullets were offered, but toward the end with 351 and 401, only the latter type of bullet was factory loaded. The 401 WSL was a poor seller. Just under 22,000 were made in a production span that ended in 1936.

The magazine capacity for the first three WSLs was either five or 10 rounds. Only four-round magazines were offered by Winchester for 401. The barrel length for the 32 WSL was 22 inches but for the other three WSL cartridges, the length was reduced to 20 inches. Model 1905s nominally weighed 7½ pounds but 351s were cataloged as one-quarter pound heavier and the Model 1910 was just over 8 pounds. Interestingly, with an overall length of 38.5 inches (2 inches more for the 32 WSL), these rifles could almost be termed carbines.

That said; while they are handy, their weight takes them out of the carbine category. Because they operated with what Winchester termed as “hesitation blowback,” their breechblocks were far heavier than those in later gas-operated semiautos. I cannot find information on the weight of Model 1905 breechblocks, but those of the Model 1907 weigh 2.5 pounds and Model 1910 breechblocks weigh 2.63 pounds. This made the WSLs overly heavy at their receivers. Stocks were two-piece types with shotgun-style butts that could be capped in steel, synthetic or rubber as the case may be. All of the WSLs were of takedown design. Buttstocks were all pistol grip types.

Sight options varied but it seems most of the Model 1905s/1907s were shipped with ordinary Winchester open rear sights with a notched slider for elevation changes. As was normal for Winchester Repeating Arms at that era, custom options up to and including engraving were available. Most of the WSLs were drilled and tapped in their tangs for peep sights. Front sights were on a ramp with interchangeable blades with the factory offering choices of brass, ivory, copper or silver for blades.

Let’s take a look at some of the WSL cartridge particulars. The cases were of semi-rimmed design with a very slight taper from base to the case mouth. Unlike many modern cartridges that share a basic case head, none of the WSLs are actually related. Each of the WSLs is its own individual case unlike any other. For instance, the base diameter for 351 is .407 inch, but for the 401, its .429 inch.

Winchester cut 32 WSL barrels to have groove diameters of .3205 inch, groove diameters for 35 and 351 WSLs were .351 inch, but for the 401 WSL, the groove diameter was .407 inch. Why then was it named 401? Because that was the barrels’ bore diameter.

Also, take note of the following. When Winchester was tasked in 1941 by the U.S. Army’s Ordnance Department to develop a new .30-caliber round for its Light Rifle Concept that segued into the M1 30 Carbine, it was the 32 WSL case which was redesigned as rimless with 1.29 inches length and taking 110-grain bullets.

Now, let’s move on to actual shooting with two WSLs. Freely admitting to never having knowingly seen a 32 or 35 WSL Model 1905, I do have experience with Models 1907 351 WSL and 1910 401 WSL. As a total stranger to this genre of semiautos, I searched out a near-pristine sample of the former and later a more worn version of the latter. A great help was a book titled Winchester Model 07 .351 Caliber by L. Specklin. That gentleman also forwarded to me a book titled The Forgotten Winchesters by John Henwood. Without those books, I couldn’t have written this article.

In order to save space, I’ll condense some of the details of my reloading efforts for both. First off, Redding supplied reloading dies and with neither was there a problem. However, shellholders might be problematic for the following reasons. Factory ammunition or reloading brass for these two old-timers hasn’t been made by Remington or Winchester for 60 to 70 years. I was able to buy Jamison brass for both calibers, but it seems that source has currently dried up.

Whenever I need cases for obsolete calibers, I consult Buffalo Arms as they stock nigh-on everything (BuffaloArms.com). For 351 WSL they offer Bertram brass from Australia or their own reformed cases made from 357 Remington Maximum. The pickings are less for 401 WSL with only reformed cases from 7.62X39mm. Bullets can also be a problem. Buffalo Arms does offer custom swaged jacketed bullets for both rounds or there’s the option of bullet moulds. I had mine made by Accurate Molds (AccurateMolds.com) now of Centerville, Utah. For the 351, my order was for 170-grain RN/FP cut for 38/357 gas checks. Regarding the 401, I got adventurous; ordering a 240-grain RN/FP and 200-grain RN/FP with the first cut for gas checks and the latter as a plain base.

The cast bullet lube/sizing die for the 401 was simple as its rifles’ groove diameters are nominal .407 inch, so my .408-inch die worked well. However, that .351-inch groove diameter for Model 1907s is truly odd. Again, Buffalo Arms came to the rescue with a custom .352-inch sizing/lube die. I do admit that sizing 38/357 gas checks to .352 inch required a little force. Likewise, using standard 40-caliber gas checks with the Accurate Mold bullets was a flop. They fell right off after leaving the lube/sizing die. However, some 416 gas checks by Hornady were on hand and worked – again some force was required in starting them into the die. Worthy of mention is that both 351 and 401 WSLs use semi-rimmed cases so crimping bullets is possible and a very good idea.

Some 1960s Lyman reloading manuals do list powders and charges for these two WSLs; mostly being 2400 and IMR-4227. Since my favorite propellant at those general burning rates is Accurate 5744, I interpolated a few loads for it. My best groups at 100 yards, using open sights, ran in the 3- to 4-inch range with the 351 WSL. The same was true with gas check bullets with the 401 WSL. Plain base 401 bullets did not do well at velocities necessary to give semiauto function. Finally, recoil with both of my WSLs was “notable.” Those heavy breechblocks flying rearward greatly increased felt recoil.

Finding a box of 351 WSL factory loads among my collector friends was not difficult, but expensive. However, there was little luck finding 401 WSL factory ammunition. Finally, seven cartridges were rounded up. One was set aside for photography, two actually fired and four had dead primers.

To the best of my knowledge, no other rifle types were chambered for any of the WSL cartridges. Winchester Models 1905, 1907 and 1910 are at best footnotes in the history of semiauto rifles, but interesting ones, nonetheless.