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Dillenger Gang's Winchester 1907 Self-Loader: The Lebman Conversion (Ad-free)
🕑 Added 2025-01-10 12:00:05 +0000 UTCHyman Lehman was a gunsmith in Texas who made a variant of firearms for some of the most notorious gangsters of the 1930s. One of his specialties was to take the Winchester Model 1907 Self-Loader and cut the barrel down, attach a Cutt's Compensator, and a Thompson gun vertical front grip on a replacement metal handguard. Dillinger's friend and compatriot Homer Van Meter was particularly fond of this sort of rifle.
When Dillinger was arrested in Tucson in January 1934, two of these rifles were among the guns taken from him. One was one display at the Tucson PD headquarters for many years, although it appears to have been taken down not long ago.
Incidentally, I would love to get a look at one or both of those examples - especially to see if they are actually converted to fully automatic. I was unable to get any response form inquires to the Tucson Police while filming this video, but if anyone from the department happens to see this video and can arrange something, please reach out to me at admin@!forgottenweapons.com ! A followup video on an original example would be excellent.
Anyway, a shop called Bull Creek Arms in Idaho produced a short run of 20 reproduction Lebman-style 1907s about 15 years ago and that is what we are looking at today. For more information on the original Winchester 1907SL, including its use in World War One, I suggest the C&Rsenal video on the subject:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDgPDsja5jA
Comments
Kerwin Kerr
Ian, this is about the Inglis aluminum framed Browning Hi-Powers. You commented about how these guns had a problem with the steel cross members where the bottom rear of the barrels bottomed out and these members were coming loose in the frame. So I got my Glock 26 [because it had a similar barrel-frame lockup] out and looked at it. I noted that all it had reinforcing the cross bracket [guides the barrel] was a scrawny pin imbedded in the polymer frame. How come the Glocks don't have a problem with these pins opening up the polymer frame?
Cmaster03
My uncle, or rather aunt's husband, we called him uncle - had a small, eclectic collection of mostly Winchester 1907s and Belgian-made A5 shotguns. He was a WWII vet and avid hunter who supposedly ran a little booze in the prohibition era. I always think of him when I see a 1907. Cool to see one in action here at the two gun match.
Guido Schriewer
WITHOUT the compensator and VG those are very handsome looking rifles. a 10rd semi in a not fullsize rifle caliber... no wonder gangsters and lawmen wanted those.- well, we have the 20s again, right. grab your fedora and have a fun match.
Plan9fromkansas
Hyman Lebman is a pretty interesting character. I’m glad he finally popped up in a Forgotten Weapons video.
Robert Henry Illston
I wonder if the "controllability" in full auto would even matter, the fear factor and suppression ability of full auto would likely have been deemed sufficient for many gangsters at the time, reputation was as important as skill.
Forgotten Weapons
Sorry, but no. I will be at the Gundies Monday evening, at the Laugo booth from 2-3pm Wednesday and Thursday, and doing a book signing at the Antique Arms show Friday form noon to 1pm.
Forgotten Weapons
I have not seen one - the tools are referenced in John Heywood's book "The Forgotten Winchesters".
Dennis McNamara
It looks to me like that not only the M1 carbine cartridge was based on these but the magazine as well. The 'dimples' look the same although not the same location.
Daniel Standridge
I have one of these 1907' s d.o.m. 1912, you mentioned a Factory manual, is there a source for such a manual; I would love to have one.
John P Patrick
Any chance there is going to be a patreon meet up at SHOT show this year?
