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The Winchester Model 1907 Comes Alive in AMC's "The Son" !

If you have seen AMC’s new series “The Son” you’ll notice the real start of the show, the Winchester Model 1907 rifle with a 10 shot magazine. In the early 20^th century, the Winchester Model 1907 rifle in 351 Winchester caliber was a formidable weapon for close range combat. Originally designed for hunters in thick vegetation, the 351 Winchester Model 1907 rifle soon found a niche as a self- defense arm.  The availability of 10 shot magazines increased the rifle’s firepower which easily outclassed the traditional lever action rifles of the period.

Two Winchester Model 1907 rifles, The Lebman Model (top) and the standard model (below).

The traditional lever action rifle chambered in in revolver cartridges like the 38-40, and 44-40 are excellent fighting rifles. However, the Model 1907 with preloaded magazines is quicker to reload, and the 351 Winchester cartridge is superior in range and stopping power to the older rimmed revolver rounds. In fact, the 351 Winchester significantly out performs the more modern 357 magnum with the same weight bullets and barrel lengths. In ballistic gelatin tests under 50 yards, the 351 Winchester outperforms the 5.56 NATO. Beyond 50 yards the 35 caliber round nose bullet decelerates considerably.

The US Army, French, British, and Russian armies used in very limited numbers the Winchester Model 1907 during the First World War era.  The rifle was also a favorite of outlaws and law enforcement during the 1920s and 1930s. The vast majority, perhaps 99% of the rifles used on both sides of the law were standard rifles off of store shelves. In the late 1930s, Winchester developed a police variant with a heavier stock and sling swivels for the law enforcement market.   

French Army motorcycle messenger armed with a Winchester Model 1907 in WW I.

One of the more interesting variants, which number no more than six to ten original examples are the “Lebman 1907 Winchester” rifles. “Gunsmith to the Gangsters” Hyman S. Lebman equipped these rifles with an aluminum handguard which mounted a Thompson vertical fore-grip, 10 shot magazine, and a compensator of his own design.  Lebman converted at least some rifles to fully automatic fire.

The Lebman Model 1907, only about 6 of these rifles were made but they were in the hands of Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson, and Homer Van meter. They can be custom built today for collectors.

Shooting both a Lebman and standard Winchester Model 1907 rifle is a trip back in time. One surprising trait of both rifles is how heavy they feel for their size. The large counter weight under the forearm contributes to the rifle’s heft. The weight and power of the rifle inspire confidence and helped the rifle’s popularity. 

While the 1907 does not have the magazine capacity of the far more famous Thompson SMG, it is a rifle which can make quick hits out to 100 yards. Law enforcement used the Model 1907 very heavily in the 1930s. The FBI used a small number of Model 1907 rifles until about 1950. One of the largest users of Model 1907 rifles were  several state prison systems. The range and firepower of the Model 1907 were ideal for prison guards. The Ruger Mini-14 replaced the last Model 1907s in service during the early 1970s.  

After market 10 round, 1930s police 10 round, and standard 5 round magazines. 

For modern shooters, the Winchester Model 1907 is an elusive pleasure. This early semi-automatic suffers from a lack of factory loaded ammunition and hand loading components. This is obviously due to low demand.   Unfortunately low demand is very different from no demand. There are many thousands of Winchester 1907s languishing in gun racks simply in need of ammunition. Fortunately, Captech International (formerly Jamison) manufactures occasional runs of .351 Winchester brass. Graf & Sons sells excellent  quality .351 diameter 180 gr bullets.  This brass and bullet combination on top of an 18 gr charge of IMR 4227 will get a Model 1907 shooting. This load is quite accurate and should perform well on targets or game. It would be nice if JHPs were available to hand loaders for higher performance loads.

Another dogging issue is the availability of replacement magazines. Currently offered aftermarket magazines are not as reliable or as well made as the original OEM magazines or the period police style 10 round magazines. On the aftermarket mags, they usually need the feed lips adjusted and the magazine follower  trimmed to function properly.  

The follower must not interfere with the magazine catch notch or the rifle will jam. the right leg of the follower must usually be trimmed on aftermarket magazines.

  

There are several issues with Winchester Model 1907s today. First is most examples have a cracked wooden forearm. The walnut factory stocks were thin and somewhat frail to begin with. Sometimes nearly 100 years of use or neglect has resulted in cracks, sometimes running the length of the forearm. The action of the large counter under the forearm and improper disassembly procedures also contribute to these cracks.  Repaired stocks will last, but will almost inevitably crack again in the same place. Lebman solved the cracked forearm problem with a painted aluminum forearm which also mounted a Thompson style vertical fore grip.

The aluminum forearm and Thompson style vertical grip on a Lebman model 1907

Second, the chambers of these guns are usually fouled or even pitted. If a rifle is exhibiting difficult extraction, thoroughly cleaning and even polishing the chamber with JB Bore brite will help immensely. Third, the rifle should be checked by a good gunsmith and have the recoil buffer checked and the trigger assembly inspected. These rifles have difficult trigger pulls which take some getting used to. However, they should be inspected to insure proper operation. The recoil buffers dry our and wear out and should be replaced, especially the early ones which may be 110 years old.

Lebman recoil brake on a 16 inch barrel.

These rifles and the .351 cartridges are ideal for whitetail deer sized game at 100 yards or closer. Although heavy for it’s size the rifle is fast handling and given the trigger and sights, quite accurate. Offhand 3 shot groups at 25 yards consistently have all 3 shots holes touching. 

Winchester model 1907 standard 20 inch factory barrel.

The Winchester Model 1907 is an overlooked but historically important part of firearms history. It is a rewarding rifle to shoot, but it can present some obstacles in terms of ammunition and magazines.

   

ATI STG-44 .22LR Carbine

The ATI STG-44 .22 LR Carbine

The STG-44, a Second World War icon, lives in an affordable version!  The German made 22 LR carbine is available through a number of dealers. The rifle, is a remarkable replica of the German WW II legend which was decades ahead of it's time. The original STG-44 was chambered in a 8x33 mm intermediate cartridge, the new version is in the humble but affordable .22 LR.

The ATI STG-44 uses a AR style firing group which is proven reliable and durable.

The .22 chambering has a number of advantages. The cost of such a rifle today in it's original caliber would be prohibitive to both buy and shoot. The 22 LR is much easier to produce and far cheaper to shoot.   It is also not subject to some of the more onerous and illegal "Assault Rifle" laws in certain parts of the country. The design also allows the use of modern materials such as polymer magazines and cast metal instead of steel stampings. However the appearance is very authentic and almost indistinguishable from the original.

 The magazine is polymer and features a cartridge counter, which was not in the original STG-44 design. The magazine holds 25 rounds and during our trial was absolutely reliable.

The rifle was tested in dry cold weather, there was not a sing malfunction if 200 rounds of mixed ammunition. This is an astounding performance as much of the ammunition was standard velocity. The rifle is quite accurate and hit point of aim at 25 yards from the off hand position. This carbine, could be used as a defense weapon under certain circumstances.

  The rifle's appearance will have a deterrent effect on intruders.

The .22 LR is a lesser choice for defense, but it can be reasonably effective with high performance ammunition and a high capacity magazine. The main use of the ATI STG-44 is it's historical appeal and fun as a recreational rifle. It certainly attracts attention and is has a pleasingly dramatic appearance. Purchase one before production ceases.

   

I Warned You

The war on police has come home. The sickness and violence of Baltimore and Ferguson were going to spread. Now it's Dallas: an organized team of Radical Black Extremists have attacked society. They are no better than the Orlando terrorist and ISIS. These cockroaches are terrorists. We must fight and defend ourselves.

A good self defense carbine, it will protect you and your family.

Although they want to make it one, this is not a race issue, like other terrorists and criminals, these Radical Black Extremists have victimized black citizens in their own neighborhoods. I'm sure many good citizens of all races want to see these bastards stopped.


For now, avoid crowds and protests,  arm yourself and "harden your home". Be vigilant, report things that look wrong. Thugs can't operate if citizens report suspicious behavior.


Drive defensively and take less crowded or traveled routes. Ensure you vehicle is filled with fuel at all times. maintain a low profile.  Informally talk to your neighbors about some collective neighborhood security and a neighborhood watch program.


Do not accept politician's rationalizations or excuses.  many of them have endorsed or inflamed the War on Police, and they bear moral responsibility for their actions.

A serviceable handgun for home/ vehicle defense.

Last Gun of Frank James

Alexander Franklin “Frank” James (1842-1915) survived two of the most hazardous jobs of his time. Civil War Confederate Guerilla and bank robbing outlaw. He lived to the ripe old age of 72; I’m sure his proficiency with arms contributed to his longevity.  As a boy, Frank James started shooting percussion rifles, shotgun and “cap and ball” revolvers. Frank was an expert shot and undoubtedly killed many men. As the older brother of the famous Jesse James, Frank was a public figure after his retirement from crime and his subsequent acquittals. Frank was “Scott Free” but he still had enemies.   

In 1904, while lecturing in Butte, Montana, a supposed relative of the cashier killed in the Great Northfield Raid threatened to kill Frank publicly at the theater where Frank was speaking. The man was either drunk or mentally unbalanced, but armed with a 45 caliber revolver. The police subdued him just before Frank arrived. The old guerrilla, even over the age of sixty, was still a formidable man.  By this time, Frank James was carrying his last gun in an overcoat pocket, a new Colt 1903 hammerless .32 caliber automatic pistol. Frank called this pistol his “Gatling Gun”.

The police asked Frank to get out of town. Frank replied "I will go when I am ready." It is amazing to think Frank started out with percussion cap and ball pistols in the Civil War, moved on to cartridge revolvers for his outlaw career, and ended up with a semi auto pistol.

Turkey Struck by the Religion of Peace and Islamic State

Fools in  our Government like Representative John Lewis of GA, must realize the magnitude of the threat. Our leaders want to disarm us in the face of the enemy. They are just beyond stupid. The gun controllers in congress are evil liars who will push their agenda  at any cost. their actions are dangerous and treasonous.

America's First Battle of the World War

US Soldiers going into Mexico after Pancho Villa and his raiders attacked Columbus, NM

The Allies, France, Britain and Russia fought the Central Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. Meanwhile, on this side of the Atlantic, various rebel leaders fought a bloody battle for control of Mexico.

The Germans, under the rule of Kaiser Wilhelm II, sought an ally (Mexico) in North America to threaten the Southwest United States. This would prevent the United States from joining the Allies on the Western Front. German secret agents approached the exiled General Victoriano Huerta who agreed to help Germany if they would aid him in overthrowing Venustiano Carranza, the de facto leader of Mexico. Mexico would end up allied with Germany against US. Huerta traveled from his meeting with the Germans in Spain to the U.S.; he was arrested and incarcerated in a Texas prison, where he died in January 1916.

The Germans now sought an alliance with Pancho Villa who, with German weapons, attacked Columbus, New Mexico in March 1916, prompting the U.S. military to enter Mexico to search for Villa. Then the final attempt. On January 16, 1917, the Foreign Secretary of Imperial Germany, Arthur Zimmermann, sent a telegram to the German ambassador in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckardt, to seek a rapprochement with the government of Carranza. 

US Solders with Benet-Mercie machineguns used to repel Villa's raiders.

In the famous Zimmerman Telegram, the German government asked its ambassador to speak with Carranza to convince Mexico to go to war with the U.S., and in return, Germany would inject funds into the Mexican economy and would return to Mexico the states of Arizona, Texas and New Mexico, lost in the war of 1847. When Venustiano Carranza learned of the German offer, he organized a special commission to investigate the matter and make a decision. 

Villista raider firing a cut down Mauser rifle during the Columbus Raid.

Regaining lost territory would have been a good opportunity for the country, but that would mean war with the United States at a time when Mexico still faced internal division, so Carranza refused. The United States declared war on the Central Powers and sent troops and material to the Western Front, which enabled the Allied victory. The Great War ended on November 11^th , 1918 at 11am. In Mexico, Carranza ruled with a new constitution.

1916 The year of Great Offensives

Verdun, The Somme, Jutland, on the land and sea 1916 was the year of offensives. Both sides tried to break the stalemate on the Western Front.  One of the relics of that time is the British Webley revolver holster shown below. the revolver is from 1918, but the holster is from 1916. Was it at the Somme? it's anyone's guess.

Note the date and broad arrow mark in the middle of the flap.

    The 1918 Webley is a good fit for the holster.  

British recruiting poster prior to the Somme.

Update on m1903 and S&K Insta Mount

The club rules 1903 Sniper project is coming along nicely. As you can see I've changed the cheek pad to a higher one which allows a better stock weld. It also has a Velcro place so I can attach a patch or flag. The high cheek pad was also needed because the scope is mounted high over the bore. Thus no modifications to the rifle or stock were needed. The S&K  Insta Mount has performed in an excellent manner. with over 100 rounds down range and counting, it has not loosened up at all.

Inexpensive cheek pad with Velcro SOCCENT patch attached.

The accuracy of the rifle is quite pleasing as the five shot group below illustrated. This group was fired prone supported at 300 yards using a 150 gr FMJ simulating a service or "ball" load.

300 yard group.



This rifle is now "good to go" for local competition and could be used for hunting or any other precision rifle needs out to a reasonable range of  600 yards. I thing the 60 year old scope would be a handicap beyond that range. This is also the case with the WW II era scopes; the optics are good but not great for the longer ranges.

The complete build.

Update

The club rules vintage sniper Remington 1903 fires excellent groups at 300 yards. I do find the high scope mount a problem but I used a towel to comfortably position my head. This will be corrected by an improved cheek pad in the future.


The scope performs well for it's 1940s technology, like the Soviet PU and other military scopes of the era,  The Weaver K6 does not have a self centering reticle. This means the windage and elevation must be set with the scope rings to keep the reticle in the center of the scope. The scope internal adjustments are for small corrections only.


Happily this is the case and the rifle easily keeps all rounds in the 9 ring of an NRA 300 yard rifle target at the aforementioned 300 yards, with ball ammunition, I expect match loads will  work even better.

     

Club Rules Vintage Sniper Rifle

I shoot our club’s vintage sniper matches. I used an original M1D, but I found this was too difficult to single load in the prone position. As a collectable rifle, it just did not seem smart to put match wear on this rifle. Plus there was always risk of an out of battery ignition. At our club’s longest distance 300 yard, the 2.2 power, 70 year old, M84 scope was a challenge. Frankly, the optics are not that good.  While wonderfully accurate, the M1D just did not fit the bill. 

So I started with a Frankenstein Remington Model 1903 made in late 1942. The gun has a matched barrel and receiver, as well as Remington trigger parts. The rear sight and bolt are USGI replacements. The barrel has excellent rifling but does contain one patch of minor pitting, this will never be a collector grade barrel.

The stock is a repaired WW II vintage Keystone “C” stock. It has a full pistol grip and provides a comfortable platform for this rifle. The stock was cracked, sanded, and repaired. Its reasonable price and close color match made it a natural fit. The cheek pad helps with the high rings needed to ensure the opening and closing of the bolt clears the scope.     

The Remington M1903 does shoot very well and the minor pitting does not affect accuracy.  The S&K Instamount is an excellent product, its every bit as solid as a drilled and tapped scope mount. I was initially skeptical that any “no drill and tap”scope mount would actually work. I’m very pleased that this one does work so well. The instructions don’t have any pictures (important for a visual learner like me) but they are well written and easy to follow. Of course, the most difficult part of mounting a scope is aligning the cross hairs. It’s easy to cant the scope when tightening the ring screws. This job takes some care and mistakes can be avoided by using a scope mounting kit.

The scope is a 50s vintage Weaver K6, a popular commercial scope and can be found on auction sites, usually reasonably priced. While the optics are not perfect it is adequate for our club matches at 300 yards.    

One the spring weather arrives this rifle will be on the firing line with a purpose. We’ll have a further report then.  

Don't blame the Confederate Flag!

It's a part of history. It's a symbol of pride for the New South and many people of ALL races.

 The Confederate Flag deserves respect just like  these two iconic revolvers do.

Excellent taste in Firearms!

Governor and Presidential candidate Rick Perry has excellent taste in firearms.

Just like me!!

And Winston Churchill!!

The Underrated Beretta M9 Pistol

The M9 and newer 92FS pistols are made in 

America.

One of my favorites, the original “Die Hard” with one of my favorite actor Bruce Willis as policeman John McClain.  It’s set at Christmas during a terrorist attack at a large multinational corporation.  Of course the real star is the Beretta 92 pistol.  With it Bruce dispatches several bad guy terrorists. 

The pistol became a Hollywood & Television Icon in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Beretta became an icon of the late 80s in that movie, the same way the S&W Model 29 became an icon of the 1970s in “Dirty Harry”.  The Beretta 92 became the archetypical wonder 9 pistol, even equipping the U.S. Military since 1985.  The 92 is a great gun, and Die Hard is a great movie.

I never liked the Beretta 92SF (the military M9) since it replaced one of my favorite handguns, the iconic M1911A1 in US. Military service.  Like many soldiers at the time, I heard the rumors which stated the adoption of the M9 was a NATO payoff to the Italians.  Or the pistol was inferior to the other entrants in the trials such as the SIG 226 or the Czech 75. None of these were true. After three deployments to combat zones with the M9 and experience with other contemporary 9mm handguns, I think the M9 may be the most underrated 9mm pistol of all time. The M9 is exceptionally accurate for a service pistol and is a delight to shoot. It’s often criticized for a large grip, but the grip is contoured and comfortable for my medium–small hands.

The Beretta with 15 and 20 round Beretta factory magazines.

The Beretta 92FS has the smoothest action and cycle of any pistol. The slide almost feels like it is ball bearings.  The pistol’s feel and performance inspire confidence. The pistol is roundly criticized for its grip thickness, magazines, open slide design, locking block design, and finally “weak” 9mm cartridge.

Modern holster and ammunition choices make the M9 and excellent combat pistol.

These are complaints which are really not specific to the Beretta M9. The M9 grip, like any grip is comfortable to some and uncomfortable to others. This is a common complaint with widely issued pistols. Some newer designs have interchangeable back straps, so the user may select the most comfortable. While this may work in Police departments, I doubt it the military, beyond Special Operations Forces, will use this feature. The military has subcontracted for non-Beretta magazines. Some of these are poorly performing, others are just fine.   Aftermarket magazines cannot be blamed on the pistol.  The open slide, used in many very successful designs such as the German P.38, is proven and is not a liability. The same goes for the locking block, many critics illustrate it as failure point, except it rarely if ever fails. No more than any other part in competing designs.

The M9/92FS has served with distinction in the harsh conditions of the War on Terror

Finally, the weak 9mm cartridge, while at its best with hollow point bullet designs, has been successful for over 100 years. The performance of FMJ bullets in any caliber is a matter of wide and heated debate. The number of shots fired by pistols in modern combat is miniscule. Therefore many of the “reports” made by returning combat veterans really are based on perception and not facts derived by use. FEW Soldiers or Marines fire pistols in combat, when it happens, the Beretta M9 performs to the standard. Obviously, the military thinks the same this, and has delayed trials for an M9 replacement by at least another year.

The First 72 Hours

Baltimore burning at night.

For the second time in just over a year, we’re seeing a wave of riots and it’s associated violence and destruction in large cities. This blog does not concern itself with the politics of these uprisings. In fact, I don’t really care about the causes and how some attempt to justify these horrific actions.  The public servants in both Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland can’t and won’t protect their citizens from this chaos. By the time they “call in” the National Guard and order is restored, at least three days pass, otherwise known as the first 72 hours. These cities, at least for a time, have become a Fergadishu and Baltadishu, like Mogadishu, a city in perpetual turmoil and violence.

Ruined buildings in Baltimore

All I can say if the old cliché “Forewarned is Forearmed”. The disturbing part is this violence is not localized to a single inner city, its spreading. Sympathizers in other cities are spreading and enabling the violence. It is only a matter of time until they isolate and engulf suburbs or a small town.  At some point, if the unrest is widespread enough, government control and assistance will not be able to meet the demand, and we’ll be on our own for a period of time. It seems unbelievable but in the continental United States, the time for government response to reach citizens “on the X” is about three days or possibly longer.

Of course, the same holds true for power outages or even riots caused by a professional sports team winning or losing a championship. However, racial and political violence has particularly vicious aspects. Innocents are targeted at random or solely on the basis of their race. These riots and mob attacks are enabled by social media, which mobilizes large groups of hostile of hostile people and concentrates them faster than the police can respond.   The savagery of mob rule and actions make the first 72 hours very dangerous, as dangerous as any place on earth.   

There are some must have essentials. Three days of food, water, and of course weapons for defense.    Since this is a firearms blog, the question is which kind of weapons are the most useful.   In viewing the violence, it seems an urban rifle may be the most appropriate.

The shotgun, while very powerful and intimidating, has limited ammunition capacity.  It’s a good but maybe not the optimal choice. Shotguns are also very cost effective in terms of purchase  and ammunition price. If a family has more than one armed member, as shotgun is a good second weapon.

The Thompson comes in two carbine models and a pistol model. The carbines are the best choice for self defense. 

Handguns are certainly portable, concealable, and some have respectable capacity. The limited  effective range of the pistol constrains its’ usefulness.  Most people are unable to hit distant targets under stress. But at close range the pistol is very effective. Everyone should have a pistol in addition to their long arm.

Many people would choose the intermediate cartridge rifle.  ARs and AKs are a great choice. They only negative is the power of the cartridge. When fired indoors or in a confined space the noise and flash are a problem. This especially true if no hearing protection is worn.

The Thompson carbine is heavy but it is also a strong deterrent.

   

This leaves one of my favorite types of weapons, the pistol carbine.   There are many available pistol carbines. A small list would include  High-Point, Ruger PC9, Marlin Camp Carbines, Thompson Semi-Auto Carbines, and the M1 Carbine. Some of these are no longer in production but are available on the used gun market.  The list would also include the dozens of military lookalikes such as the Uzi, the PPSH series, the Finnish Suomi, and pistol caliber AR carbines. Finally, the pistol caliber lever action rifles are good choices for defense and are widely available.

The Suomi M31 has excellent capacity, a 71 round drum, but it's a heavy weapon.

Magazine capacity is always an issue and should be a major consideration. Simple sights or optics are both excellent options for the citizen.  Since most targets (hostiles) are engaged at ranges well under 100 yards. Simple iron sights are adequate. Low power combat optics or red dot sights are useful in low light situations, but may increase the cost of the complete weapon.    

The Ruger PC 9 is a simple, rugged, and reliable carbine. Designed for law enforcement, it would serve the average citizen well. 

As a rule I don’t care for added complexity or prone to fail batteries, or even flashlights. Remember, the point here is purely self-defense not a dystopian world where offensive combat or police actions take place.  With the effects of adrenaline and seemingly a million things running through one’s mind, simpler is better.

On the matter of ballistics, pistol rounds and the 30 carbine perform well in 16 inch barrels. I would use +P rated ammunition for serious pruposes, and regular ball for practice.  

  

The 30 cal M1 Carbine is a powerful weapon for it's size, original and newly made carbines are an excellent choice  with 15 or 30 round magazines.