Winchester Model 1907
Winchester Model 1907 | |
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aperture sights |
The Winchester Model 1907 is a
The only
Variants
In addition to the standard or "plain finish" model, a deluxe or "fancy finish" model was offered with
In the late 1930s, the 1907 was updated by Winchester with a much thicker fore-end (eliminating the cracking problems common to the earlier models) and stock. The newer model also had a redesigned charging handle which made it easier to lock the bolt back. At the same time, a variant for police use was introduced, featuring an M1892 Krag bayonet lug, and the possibility of using an extended magazine for 20 rounds.[5] For a long time, on the Internet, a photo of a similar rifle from the Cody Firearms Museum (USA), S/N 47357, manufactured in 1935, was presented as a "French order of the First World War", having nothing to do with it. [6]
Patents
The basic design for the Model 1907 is covered by U.S. patent 681,481 issued August 27, 1901, and assigned to
List of Patents
- U.S. patent 681,481 Small cartridge, Winchester Model 1903
- U.S. patent 694,157 Box magazine
- U.S. patent 720,698 Large cartridge, takedown rifle (Winchester Model 1905)
- U.S. patent 747,675 Cartridge extractor
- U.S. patent 829,215 Forearmtip
- U.S. patent 834,578 Recoil buffer
- U.S. patent 963,444 Buttstock bolt
World War I use
France
The 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.
From unknown sources, it was previously claimed that allegedly according to factory records, these rifles were modified for fully automatic fire and fitted with Lee-Navy rifle bayonets.[8] These rifles allegedly were designated by the name of Winchester Model 1907/17, they used either a 15-round magazine or 20-round magazine and fired from 600 to 700 rounds per minute. Ultimately, no evidence of this was found; the above configuration was actually introduced by Winchester in the 1930s for police use and these rifles were never converted to full auto.[9]
Great Britain
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 by increasing the size of the trigger guard and cocking piece to allow the use of heavy gloves and were intended to use 15-round magazines.[10] These rifles were intended to arm airplane observers.[8][11]
Russia
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.[8][12]
United States
During World War I, a shipment of 19 Model 1907 rifles and 9,000 cartridges of .351 Winchester Self-Loading ammunition was delivered to the 1st Aero Squadron of the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. The shipment was sent to Columbus, New Mexico and was presumably used in arming the squadron's aircraft when it operated in Mexico during the Pancho Villa Expedition.[8][12]
Law enforcement and criminal use
The Model 1907 was a popular rifle with law enforcement in the United States during much of its production - especially in the 1930s when the police in the United States were upgrading their firearms due to the increase in crime. The
See also
References
- ^ Campbell, Dave (December 19, 2017). "A Look Back at the Winchester Model 1907 Rifle". American Rifleman. National Rifle Association of America. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021.
- ^ "Winchester Model 1907 self loading rifle". Imperial War Museum. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023.
- ^ a b West, Bill R. (1964). Winchester For Over a Century. Stockton Trade Press, p. III-5.
- ^ Winchester Repeating Arms Company 1907 Guns Catalog Reproduction by Cornell Military Publications. Brighton, MI 48114
- ^ "C&Rsenal - Small Arms of WWI Primer 084: French Contract Winchester 1907". YouTube.
- ^ "Gunboards Forums - Winchester 1907 self loading with British proofs but no retailer". Archived from the original on November 24, 2022.
- ^ US Patent Number 681481
- ^ a b c d Herbert G. Houze (May 2003). "Winchester's First Self-Loading Rifles". American Rifleman. 151 (5). National Rifle Association of America: 51. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021.
- ^ "C&Rsenal - Small Arms of WWI Primer 084: French Contract Winchester 1907". YouTube. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020.
- ^ "Royal Flying Corps Model 1907". british military small arms. Archived from the original on January 7, 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
- ^ Houze, Herbert G. (2004). Winchester Repeating Arms Company: Its History & Development from 1865 to 1981. Krause Publications, p. 182.
- ^ a b Schreier, Konrad F. Jr. (1990). Winchester Center Fire Automatic Rifles. Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Armax III(1): Cody, Wyoming, p. 13.
- ^ "Bring Enough Gun". Vanderpool, Bill. American Rifleman October 2013 pp. 80-85& 115-116
- ISBN 9780873646192
- ^ Dabbs, Will (September 1, 2016). "The war baby's daddy: Winchester's M1907 autoloading rifle". Firearm News. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023.