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Looks like I will be getting a Winchester Model 07 .351 SL next week.Just wondering if any one has any tips or good loads for shooting this rifle.Have been able to find some load data in the #45 Lyman Reloading Handbook.Looks like IMR 4227 would be a good powder to use.A plus, as I already have this powder.
Have found a place where I can order 180 grain .351 bullets and new .351 SL brass.Was able to get a set of RCBS .351 SL reloading dies off e bay.The dies are on their way to me right now.
The rifle is late manufacture,1957.Believe this was the last year the Model 07 was made.
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My only advice for you, is to keep your reloads at or very near the original factory load specs. The blow-back action was designed to operate based on the physics of the load.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
There is a very good book from Leonard Speckin about the M07 and the reloading:
winchester model 07 self-loading 351 caliber
Leonard is a very nice retiered police officer and the best expert for the .351 WSL.
Steff
Thank-you for the replies.All good information to have.Picked up the rifle today and a box of 50 shells that went with it.
Any one else use one of these rifles?If so, just wondering if they have any stories or comments about the Winchester Model 07 .351 SLR.
I own a Model 1905 in 35 S.L. (it was my grandfathers rifle originally) and the only advice I can give you is to be prepared to lose a fair number of the empties. Additionally, if you have anyone near you on the ejection side of the rifle, make sure that it is someone you do not like! My Model 1905 spews the empties all over the place, and for substantial distances. The first time I took it to my local range, I shot 50-rounds through it, and I could only find 37 of the empty cases! I had people ducking as far away as 30-feet.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
I had a 401 and 351 and they all treat the empties the same also dented case mouths
Thanks for the heads up on the empties fellows.Also ,thanks for a good chuckle with your reply,Bert.:)
Well ,I have the RCBS 351 SL dies.Have .351 SL Jamison brass on its way, as well as some .351 SL bullets and a shell holder.So slowly getting to the point where I will be able to get some cartridges loaded up.All the places I contacted ,had .351 bullets on order, as they were sold out .
Found a fellow who loads for the 351 SL,who is being kind enough to send me some of his .351 SL bullets ,that I will replace when I get my order,so I will have some bullets to load with now.He also is sending me some .351 SL cases he made from .357 Max brass to try out.Most kind of him.
He also gave me a tip, that I should purchase a Caldwell AR 15 Brass Catcher.Said it worked well on his Model 07, in catching the spent cases, so he did not have to look every where for them.Have one of those on its way to me as well.
Even when all the stuff gets to me, it may be awhile before I get to the range,even after I get the .351 SL shells all loaded up.We had two terrible snow storms here within a few days of each other.Lots of snow on the ground and I expect it will be awhile before it melts enough to get on the range.
Well have just about everything I need to get started loading for the 351 SL.Just waiting on the shell holder to arrive.With a little luck ,it should be here by the end of the week.
Well loaded up 21 .351 cartridges this morning.10 with 18 grains of IMR 4227 and 11 with 19 grains of IMR 4227.Now just have to get the weather and a chance to get to the range ,to see how they do.
Well finally got the Model 07n to the range yesterday.Also took along some loads with 17 grains of IMR 4227 as well as the 18 and 19 grain loads.All loads worked well in the rifle ,with not failures to eject .The AR 15 shell catcher worked well on the rifle.Saved having to look for empty shells.
Rifle was fun to shoot.With the blow back system it uses, it has a very different feel to it, than any other self loading rifle I have fired. Accuracy at 50 yards was good for hunting ,but was not shooting clover leafs.
November 7, 2015
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Glad you got her shooting again. I’ve always been interested in that round & rifle. Did it show a preference for any of the loads?
Took loads of 17,18 and 19 grains of IMR 4227.The 17 and 19 grain loads seemed to work the best.Of course that could just of been me.It was very windy on the day I was at the range and feel the rifle and myself could go a little better.All shots were within a 12 inch circle ,even those I shot standing ,shooting free hand and most within an 8 inch circle. Two shots were in the red middle of the target.
Rifle has a very different felt recoil compared to other self loading rifles I have fired.Kind of takes awhile to get use to it.Also the report of the rifle seems different.Perhaps because of the short barrel?
Will load up some more 17 grain loads to try out the next time I get to the range.This load is on the lower end,but I am thinking the lighter load would be easier on the old rifle.
Just back from the range.Nice,sunny and calm when we first arrived with a temperature of about 5 C.As the afternoon wore on, the wind came up,the sun clouded over and the temperature dropped.The wind made it less ideal for good shooting.
The Model 07 worked flawlessly.Shot much better this time, than I did the first time.Severl groups of less than 2 inches and several groups of just over 2 inches.Some groups had flyers,most likely due to my shooting.:)I believe a non factory front sight would be good on this rifle,such as a Lyman gold bead sight.I find the factory front sight, to be a bit large for my taste.:)
Also took a Winchester Model 190 .22 calibre self loading rifle and a Winchester Model 64 lever action .32 Special rifle to shoot.My buddy took a Martini Henry .22 calibre single shot and a Ruger .44 Remington Magnum self loading rifle to shoot.All in all,a nice afternoon and a nice way to spend sometime.
I have found that .223 or 5.56 brass trimmed back to remove the neck and shoulder then run through the .351 size die works well and is so cheep you don’t care if you loose a few. I use the 180 grain bullet from Graf and Sons and any standard load in any old manual.
If you have never shot a 351 you will be surprised at the recoil, enjoy.
Yes,there is no other self loading rifle that has the feel of one using the blow back system ,in my opinion.You feel the shot going off,then the counter weight going back and finally the counter weight going ahead again.
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