Winchester Model 1907 Self-Loading Rifle, serial number 137. This rifle is one of the earliest production examples made in 1907—only 136 units away from the very first Model 1907 ever manufactured. It stands at the true beginning of the semi-automatic rifle era. Chambered in .351SL and operating on a straight-blowback system, the Model 1907 became a cornerstone service weapon for police departments, railway security, prison guards, and bank protection units throughout early 20th-century North America.
This rifle retains nearly all hallmarks of Winchester’s hand-fitted early production. The underside of the barrel bears the assembly number “27,” while the trigger group shows “33,” both classic early factory-fitting marks from the 1900–1915 Winchester production period. Most notably, both the barrel and receiver carry an identical early inspector’s stamp—clear evidence that these components were matched and approved together at the factory. Such original internal consistency is exceptionally rare among surviving Model 1907 rifles.
Inlaid into the right side of the stock is a period silver name plate engraved “C. Carmichael,” showing genuine age-toning and correct silver oxidation consistent with early professional-duty customization. It should be noted that the buttstock is a period-correct old replacement, likely installed by the rifle’s original user during its service life; its walnut material, fit, finish, and wear patterns all support this. The forearm, however, is a later replacement and does not belong to the rifle’s original production period.
In summary, this Winchester Model 1907 combines an extraordinarily low serial number with exceptional early-production characteristics—matching inspector’s marks, intact assembly numbers, a period silver name plate, a period-correct replacement stock, and a later replacement forearm. Together, these elements present a historically rich and mechanically original first-batch example of the Model 1907, an exceedingly scarce find in today’s collector market.
