Bittermansbro
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Calgary, AB
Well from looking around this forum, there seem to be lots of hearts fluttering, some firsts, a bit of ####, and the usual questions.....I can only add to it.
I am a Winchester guy, unlike Kirk I haven't been able to bring myself to a Marlin yet
....anyhow, its like most things with me, something that doesn't turn me on one day all of a sudden blossoms into an overriding need to aquire and so the world continues to turn.
Anyhow, that 'one day' was the sudden attraction and need to own a Winchester Model 1907 self loading rifle in .351 WSL. Dang it I could usually pick guns that you could at least find ammo for, or at least brass dies and bullets, but the 351 presents a different problem, out of production and obscure in the first place. Two things that make it challenging to get barking.
Hours upon hours of searching forums, internet pics and scouring for information (now if only I could get paid for that investment of time instead of paying for it) I decided to roll. The issue now was to find an appropriate critter. God has a funny way of poking the wound and inflaming the heart, and it came in the door of the local gun shop when I was in there one day. The guy had a 1905, 1907 and a 1910 that had some surface rust. I perked, got a little excited and shuffled the feet. He brought them up to the counter and was waiting to be served. Not wanting to miss the chance to get the low down I asked:
"Getting rid of some stuff eh?"
He looked at me with a frown and shook his head
"No, keeping them, but they got some rust from my basement flooding, i'm bringing them in to get cleaned up, and have the one reblued."
Damn, damn damn. Well, I held out hope anyhow, but it was no dice. Frustrated I went home, but not even the internet could satisfy (now I know this is getting dramatic, but I am on a roll, bear with me)
So for the next month I had to resort to this constant trawling through the internet, looking for any and all pieces of info on the gad-danged self loading rifles. Gunbroker, ArmsAmerica, and all the places I could look but not get.
As luck would have it, I found a 1907 on Ellwood Epps, last page of their used guns. I got excited, it was a couple hundred. What would be the loss? I emailed for pics, and as usual, Epps quick and effective service had a good set of phots mailed back a day later. The gun wasn't the best, it looked like many I had seen on the gun e-bays. But really it wasn't bad for what was being asked. But after all that angst, I just couldn't make the call, I dithered a couple days and you know what happened......
Kick, smack, and all that. The wife wondered why I would beat myself up so much, but I know you guys understand. Anyhow, trawling again (not the other kind that gets one banned) through the net, I happened upon a little gun store website in Ontario and noticed their used bin had a 1907 listed. It was a bit more than the Epps gun but not great. I called the next day, spoke to a chap who was tolerable but a little put out at my questions (IMHO). He said the bore was good but wasn't convincing, said the blue was real good, but wasn't convincing, etc etc. Now the 1907's have a lot of issues with cracks in the wood due to the function of the rifle system. When I asked about the wood, I was told 'no cracks' but the forestock colour is off compared to the buttstock and 'looked like it was slathered in varnish'. No prob I said, wood can be fixed.
I got the distinct impression at this point it was 'you better be buying this gun if you are goin to ask any more questions'. I got nervous, I didn't want to lose another, I stopped asking questions and then proceeded to mumble my credit card number, sent my info and hung up.
And then I moved into the worry phase, the 'oh what have you done'. A few too many guns in the last short while will cause this feeling.
Half expecting some wreck, it was a painful week and a half waiting. When I got home today I thought that if the mail delivery notice wasn't here, I was going to go out and kick a puppy. Thankfully for the puppies in the neighbourhood, it was and I skipped up to the PO, picked up the package and rushed home to completely ignore the wife talk about her day while I ripped into the package with a zest I haven't had since I was 7 years old at Christmas.
The rifle is impressive, its 95% blue remaining, not brown, but blue. Its a first year 1907, four digit serial in the 3000's. Bore is clean and fresh, no pitting no badness. The butt has the beginnings of one little crack on the right from the receiver, but nothing worrisome. I worried it was reblued, but it hasn't been. Markings are clear and crisp, and there is legitimate wear along the edges. Rear sight works and has its elevator, the firing pin was not broken or missing, the thing cycles well and the mag is tight and solid. I was heartily impressed. And although I am not put off by this next part, remember the comment about the forestock wood?
Yea, turns out it is a different colour, but not only that, when I took a closer look, I realized its not even wood, its a wood grained fibreglass, but old fibreglass, like my granddad's old motorboat. Its tacky and does't 'work' for the look, but I am sure it worked well what with all the broken wood these models suffered from. Only other issues, the gun had sling swivels, one in the butt and one in the front band, but they are missing.
So all in all, I got damn lucky and ended up with what I consider a real gem!
Oh and sorry for the long story, but there are no pics....
Aww just kidding, it'd be plum mean to have you read through all this only to find no pics. No need for a lynching now.
Will post the continuing saga when I get this thing ready to shoot.
I am a Winchester guy, unlike Kirk I haven't been able to bring myself to a Marlin yet
....anyhow, its like most things with me, something that doesn't turn me on one day all of a sudden blossoms into an overriding need to aquire and so the world continues to turn.Anyhow, that 'one day' was the sudden attraction and need to own a Winchester Model 1907 self loading rifle in .351 WSL. Dang it I could usually pick guns that you could at least find ammo for, or at least brass dies and bullets, but the 351 presents a different problem, out of production and obscure in the first place. Two things that make it challenging to get barking.
Hours upon hours of searching forums, internet pics and scouring for information (now if only I could get paid for that investment of time instead of paying for it
) I decided to roll. The issue now was to find an appropriate critter. God has a funny way of poking the wound and inflaming the heart, and it came in the door of the local gun shop when I was in there one day. The guy had a 1905, 1907 and a 1910 that had some surface rust. I perked, got a little excited and shuffled the feet. He brought them up to the counter and was waiting to be served. Not wanting to miss the chance to get the low down I asked:"Getting rid of some stuff eh?"
He looked at me with a frown and shook his head
"No, keeping them, but they got some rust from my basement flooding, i'm bringing them in to get cleaned up, and have the one reblued."
Damn, damn damn. Well, I held out hope anyhow, but it was no dice. Frustrated I went home, but not even the internet could satisfy (now I know this is getting dramatic, but I am on a roll, bear with me)
So for the next month I had to resort to this constant trawling through the internet, looking for any and all pieces of info on the gad-danged self loading rifles. Gunbroker, ArmsAmerica, and all the places I could look but not get.
As luck would have it, I found a 1907 on Ellwood Epps, last page of their used guns. I got excited, it was a couple hundred. What would be the loss? I emailed for pics, and as usual, Epps quick and effective service had a good set of phots mailed back a day later. The gun wasn't the best, it looked like many I had seen on the gun e-bays. But really it wasn't bad for what was being asked. But after all that angst, I just couldn't make the call, I dithered a couple days and you know what happened......
Kick, smack, and all that. The wife wondered why I would beat myself up so much, but I know you guys understand. Anyhow, trawling again (not the other kind that gets one banned) through the net, I happened upon a little gun store website in Ontario and noticed their used bin had a 1907 listed. It was a bit more than the Epps gun but not great. I called the next day, spoke to a chap who was tolerable but a little put out at my questions (IMHO). He said the bore was good but wasn't convincing, said the blue was real good, but wasn't convincing, etc etc. Now the 1907's have a lot of issues with cracks in the wood due to the function of the rifle system. When I asked about the wood, I was told 'no cracks' but the forestock colour is off compared to the buttstock and 'looked like it was slathered in varnish'. No prob I said, wood can be fixed.
I got the distinct impression at this point it was 'you better be buying this gun if you are goin to ask any more questions'. I got nervous, I didn't want to lose another, I stopped asking questions and then proceeded to mumble my credit card number, sent my info and hung up.
And then I moved into the worry phase, the 'oh what have you done'. A few too many guns in the last short while will cause this feeling.
Half expecting some wreck, it was a painful week and a half waiting. When I got home today I thought that if the mail delivery notice wasn't here, I was going to go out and kick a puppy. Thankfully for the puppies in the neighbourhood, it was and I skipped up to the PO, picked up the package and rushed home to completely ignore the wife talk about her day while I ripped into the package with a zest I haven't had since I was 7 years old at Christmas.
The rifle is impressive, its 95% blue remaining, not brown, but blue. Its a first year 1907, four digit serial in the 3000's. Bore is clean and fresh, no pitting no badness. The butt has the beginnings of one little crack on the right from the receiver, but nothing worrisome. I worried it was reblued, but it hasn't been. Markings are clear and crisp, and there is legitimate wear along the edges. Rear sight works and has its elevator, the firing pin was not broken or missing, the thing cycles well and the mag is tight and solid. I was heartily impressed. And although I am not put off by this next part, remember the comment about the forestock wood?
Yea, turns out it is a different colour, but not only that, when I took a closer look, I realized its not even wood, its a wood grained fibreglass, but old fibreglass, like my granddad's old motorboat. Its tacky and does't 'work' for the look, but I am sure it worked well what with all the broken wood these models suffered from. Only other issues, the gun had sling swivels, one in the butt and one in the front band, but they are missing.
So all in all, I got damn lucky and ended up with what I consider a real gem!
Oh and sorry for the long story, but there are no pics....
Aww just kidding, it'd be plum mean to have you read through all this only to find no pics. No need for a lynching now.
Will post the continuing saga when I get this thing ready to shoot.
