Winchester Model 1907 Plain Sporting .351 WSL Semi-Automatic Rifle – 1955 Production, 20" Barrel
This 1955 Winchester Model 1907 Plain Sporting rifle pairs the company’s rugged blowback action with a desirable late-production serial number in the classic .351 Winchester Self-Loading cartridge. One of only about 58,700 Model 1907s made between 1907 and 1957, this full-size, 20-inch-barreled example retains its factory blued finish and oil-finished walnut furniture, making it a noteworthy piece for shooters and collectors interested in early center-fire semi-automatic design.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good – Showing honest use with handling marks, finish thinning, and light rust pitting.
Bore Condition: Good – Clean, bright, and well-maintained with minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling – Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: Metal surfaces display areas of finish loss and scattered pitting; wood shows small dings consistent with field carry.
What’s Included
- Winchester Model 1907 Plain Sporting rifle
- 1× 5-round steel Winchester factory magazine with horizontal serrations near the base
Introduced in 1907, Winchester’s blowback-operated semi-automatic design was ahead of its time, and the .351 WSL cartridge offered authoritative energy for the era. This 1955 example benefits from improvements made over nearly five decades of production while remaining true to the original pattern.
The 20-inch carbon-steel barrel wears its factory open sights: a non-hooded blade front and an adjustable rear leaf with elevator, providing a sight picture familiar to traditional rifle shooters. The bore is bright with well-defined rifling, ready for range or field use.
Both receiver and barrel retain a uniform blued finish that has gracefully thinned from honest handling. Winchester’s oval “WP” proof mark is crisp, attesting to factory originality. The action cycles smoothly, a hallmark of the Model 1907’s simple yet robust blowback mechanism.
Oil-finished walnut furniture features a straight grip buttstock and matching fore-end. The 14.25-inch length of pull offers comfortable shouldering, and overall length is a handy 40 inches. The included 5-round detachable magazine locks securely and carries traditional Winchester markings.
With production ending two years after this rifle left the New Haven factory, late-run Model 1907s like this one combine collectibility with range-ready functionality, preserving a pivotal chapter in semi-automatic rifle development.