Winchester Model 1907
Encyclopedia
The Winchester Model 1907 (also known as the Model 07), is a blowback-operated
, semi-automatic rifle
produced by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company
beginning in 1906 with production ending in 1958. It was fed from a 5 or 10-round capacity, detachable box magazine located immediately forward of the trigger guard
. The only cartridge
offered by Winchester
as a factory chambering in the Model 1907 was the .351SL
centerfire. The energy of this cartridge approximates the modern .357 Magnum
when fired from a rifle.
stock and checkering on the forearm and wrist of the stock
. The plain finish rifles were offered in 1907 at a list price of $28. In 1935, Winchester offered a special "Police Rifle" variant, featuring a non-adjustable rear sight, sling swivels, larger magazine release, and a special barrel measuring 5/8" at the muzzle, and rear sight dovetail moved 2 3/8" inches rearward. A barrel sleeve with Krag
bayonet
mount and front sight was also an option with the "Police Rifle".
by Thomas Crossley Johnson
, a key firearms designer for Winchester. This patent was initially used to protect the design of the rimfire Winchester Model 1903
, but came to be applied toward the centerfire Winchester Self Loading rifle series, which includes the Model 1905
, Model 1907, and Model 1910
.
Box magazine Large cartridge, self-loading, box magazine, takedown rifle (Winchester Model 1905
) Cartridge extractor
Forearm
tip Recoil
buffer Buttstock bolt
The French government initially ordered 300 Model 1907 rifles in October 1915 from Winchester, soon followed by an order for 2,500 more rifles. Ammunition orders for these rifles exceeded 1.5 million cartridges of .351SL
before 1917. Subsequent orders in 1917 and 1918 totaled 2,200 Model 1907 rifles. According to factory records, these rifles were modified for fully automatic fire and fitted with Lee-Navy rifle bayonets.
According to a November 1, 1916 Winchester internal report, Great Britain's London Armory was sent 120 Model 1907 rifles and 78,000 rounds of .351SL
ammunition between December 1914 and April 1916 for use by the Royal Flying Corps
. These rifles were specially modified for aerial use and intended to arm airplane rear seat observers.
The Imperial Russian government is recorded by Winchester as purchasing 500 Model 1907 rifles and 1.5 million rounds of .351SL
ammunition through the J.P. Morgan Company in May 1916.
According to factory records, the 1st Aero Squadron of the U.S. Army Signal Corps Air Service
was shipped 19 Model 1907 rifles and 9000 cartridges of .351SL
ammunition. The 1st Aero Squadron's shipment was sent to Columbus, New Mexico and was presumably used in arming their aircraft while in support of General Pershing's Punitive Expedition.
Blowback (arms)
Blowback is a system of operation for self-loading firearms that obtains energy from the motion of the cartridge case as it is pushed to the rear by expanding gases created by the ignition of the propellant charge....
, semi-automatic rifle
Semi-automatic rifle
A semi-automatic rifle is a type of rifle that fires a single bullet each time the trigger is pulled, automatically ejects the spent cartridge, chambers a fresh cartridge from its magazine, and is immediately ready to fire another shot...
produced by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company
Winchester Repeating Arms Company
The Winchester Repeating Arms Company was a prominent American maker of repeating firearms, located in New Haven, Connecticut. The Winchester brand is today used under license by two subsidiaries of the Herstal Group, Fabrique Nationale of Belgium and the Browning Arms Company of Morgan, Utah.-...
beginning in 1906 with production ending in 1958. It was fed from a 5 or 10-round capacity, detachable box magazine located immediately forward of the trigger guard
Trigger guard
A trigger guard is a loop surrounding the trigger of a firearm and protecting it from accidental discharge.Some assault rifles can have their trigger guard removed or positioned as not to impair firing with gloves for example in Arctic conditions....
. The only cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
offered by Winchester
Winchester Repeating Arms Company
The Winchester Repeating Arms Company was a prominent American maker of repeating firearms, located in New Haven, Connecticut. The Winchester brand is today used under license by two subsidiaries of the Herstal Group, Fabrique Nationale of Belgium and the Browning Arms Company of Morgan, Utah.-...
as a factory chambering in the Model 1907 was the .351SL
.351 Winchester Self-Loading
The .351 Winchester Self-Loading is an American rifle cartridge.Winchester introduced the .351SL in the Winchester Model 1907 self-loading rifle as a replacement for the Winchester Model 1905 and the .35SL...
centerfire. The energy of this cartridge approximates the modern .357 Magnum
.357 Magnum
The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
when fired from a rifle.
Variants
In addition to the standard or "plain finish" model, a deluxe or "fancy finish" model was offered with pistol gripPistol grip
On a firearm or other tool, the pistol grip is that portion of the mechanism that is held by the hand and orients the hand in a forward, vertical orientation, similar to the position one would take with a conventional pistol such as the M1911....
stock and checkering on the forearm and wrist of the stock
Stock
The capital stock of a business entity represents the original capital paid into or invested in the business by its founders. It serves as a security for the creditors of a business since it cannot be withdrawn to the detriment of the creditors...
. The plain finish rifles were offered in 1907 at a list price of $28. In 1935, Winchester offered a special "Police Rifle" variant, featuring a non-adjustable rear sight, sling swivels, larger magazine release, and a special barrel measuring 5/8" at the muzzle, and rear sight dovetail moved 2 3/8" inches rearward. A barrel sleeve with Krag
Springfield Model 1892-99
The Springfield Model 1892-99 Krag-Jørgensen rifle is a Norwegian-design bolt action rifle that was adopted in 1892 as the standard United States Army military longarm, chambered in U.S. caliber .30-40 Krag. All versions and variants were manufactured under license by the Springfield Armory between...
bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
mount and front sight was also an option with the "Police Rifle".
Patents
The basic design for the Model 1907 is covered by issued August 27, 1901 and assigned to WinchesterWinchester Repeating Arms Company
The Winchester Repeating Arms Company was a prominent American maker of repeating firearms, located in New Haven, Connecticut. The Winchester brand is today used under license by two subsidiaries of the Herstal Group, Fabrique Nationale of Belgium and the Browning Arms Company of Morgan, Utah.-...
by Thomas Crossley Johnson
T.C. Johnson
Thomas Crosley Johnson was an American firearms designer. The son of a President of the Yale Safe and Iron Company, Johnson was trained as an industrial engineer and worked for several companies before coming to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company...
, a key firearms designer for Winchester. This patent was initially used to protect the design of the rimfire Winchester Model 1903
Winchester Model 1903
The Winchester Model 1903 was the first commercially available semi-automatic firearm firearm made by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.-History:...
, but came to be applied toward the centerfire Winchester Self Loading rifle series, which includes the Model 1905
Winchester Model 1905
The Winchester Model 1905 , is a blowback-operated, semi-automatic rifle produced by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company beginning in 1905 and discontinued in 1920. This rifle loads cartridges from a 5 or 10-round capacity, detachable box magazine located immediately forward of the trigger guard...
, Model 1907, and Model 1910
Winchester Model 1910
The Winchester Model 1910 is a blowback operated semi-automatic rifle rifle produced by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company beginning in 1910 with production ending in 1936. This rifle is fed from a 4-round capacity, detachable box magazine located immediately forward of the trigger guard...
.
List of Patents
Small cartridge, Winchester Model 1903Winchester Model 1903
The Winchester Model 1903 was the first commercially available semi-automatic firearm firearm made by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.-History:...
Box magazine Large cartridge, self-loading, box magazine, takedown rifle (Winchester Model 1905
Winchester Model 1905
The Winchester Model 1905 , is a blowback-operated, semi-automatic rifle produced by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company beginning in 1905 and discontinued in 1920. This rifle loads cartridges from a 5 or 10-round capacity, detachable box magazine located immediately forward of the trigger guard...
) Cartridge extractor
Extractor (firearms)
An extractor is a part in a firearm that serves to remove brass cases of fired ammunition after the ammunition has been fired. When the gun's action cycles, the extractor lifts or removes the spent brass casing from the firing chamber.-Overview:...
Forearm
Stock (firearm)
A stock, also known as a buttstock or shoulder stock, is a part of a rifle or other firearm, to which the barrel and firing mechanism are attached, that is held against one's shoulder when firing the gun. Stocks are also found on crossbows though a crossbow stock is more properly referred to as a...
tip Recoil
Recoil
Recoil is the backward momentum of a gun when it is discharged. In technical terms, the recoil caused by the gun exactly balances the forward momentum of the projectile and exhaust gasses, according to Newton's third law...
buffer Buttstock bolt
Stock (firearm)
A stock, also known as a buttstock or shoulder stock, is a part of a rifle or other firearm, to which the barrel and firing mechanism are attached, that is held against one's shoulder when firing the gun. Stocks are also found on crossbows though a crossbow stock is more properly referred to as a...
Early Modern France
The French government initially ordered 300 Model 1907 rifles in October 1915 from Winchester, soon followed by an order for 2,500 more rifles. Ammunition orders for these rifles exceeded 1.5 million cartridges of .351SL.351 Winchester Self-Loading
The .351 Winchester Self-Loading is an American rifle cartridge.Winchester introduced the .351SL in the Winchester Model 1907 self-loading rifle as a replacement for the Winchester Model 1905 and the .35SL...
before 1917. Subsequent orders in 1917 and 1918 totaled 2,200 Model 1907 rifles. According to factory records, these rifles were modified for fully automatic fire and fitted with Lee-Navy rifle bayonets.
United Kingdom
According to a November 1, 1916 Winchester internal report, Great Britain's London Armory was sent 120 Model 1907 rifles and 78,000 rounds of .351SL.351 Winchester Self-Loading
The .351 Winchester Self-Loading is an American rifle cartridge.Winchester introduced the .351SL in the Winchester Model 1907 self-loading rifle as a replacement for the Winchester Model 1905 and the .35SL...
ammunition between December 1914 and April 1916 for use by the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
. These rifles were specially modified for aerial use and intended to arm airplane rear seat observers.
Russia
The Imperial Russian government is recorded by Winchester as purchasing 500 Model 1907 rifles and 1.5 million rounds of .351SL.351 Winchester Self-Loading
The .351 Winchester Self-Loading is an American rifle cartridge.Winchester introduced the .351SL in the Winchester Model 1907 self-loading rifle as a replacement for the Winchester Model 1905 and the .35SL...
ammunition through the J.P. Morgan Company in May 1916.
United States
According to factory records, the 1st Aero Squadron of the U.S. Army Signal Corps Air ServiceAviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps
The Aviation Section, Signal Corps, was the military aviation service of the United States Army from 1914 to 1918, and a direct ancestor of the United States Air Force. It replaced and absorbed the Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps, and was succeeded briefly by the Division of Military...
was shipped 19 Model 1907 rifles and 9000 cartridges of .351SL
.351 Winchester Self-Loading
The .351 Winchester Self-Loading is an American rifle cartridge.Winchester introduced the .351SL in the Winchester Model 1907 self-loading rifle as a replacement for the Winchester Model 1905 and the .35SL...
ammunition. The 1st Aero Squadron's shipment was sent to Columbus, New Mexico and was presumably used in arming their aircraft while in support of General Pershing's Punitive Expedition.