Here is a post on another site that is really interesting, it tells a lot.
35 WSL in Winchester 1905 rifle
For Christmas of 2005 I was given a Winchester Model 1905 rifle in .35 Winchester Self Loading caliber. This is one of the first semi-auto rifles produced commercially.
Winchester made more than 29,000 Model 1905s from 1905 to 1920. It was offered only in .32 Winchester Self Loading and .35 Winchester Self Loading calibers, commonly called the .32 WSL or .35 WSL.
The .35 WSL is roughly equal to the .357 Magnum, tossing its 180 gr. jacketed bullet at about 1,400 feet per second.
The 35 WSL was not well-liked by hunters. They said it was marginally effective on deer.
So Winchester decided to introduce a more powerful .35-caliber cartridge for its autoloading line: the Model 1907 for the .351 WSL (note the 1 in its name) had a longer case to hold more powder. The .351 WSL tossed a 180 gr. jacketed bullet at about 1,800 fps, fully 400 fps more than its parent .35 WSL cartridge.
This made it a more powerful deer round but it's still no powerhouse.
The .351 WSL operates at higher pressure than the .35 WSL that preceded it and loads for it should not be used in the .35 WSL.
I will deal strictly with the .35 WSL and the Model 1905 rifle.
The Model 1905 Winchester is a blowback action design. That is, the resistance of the bolt's weight, a counterweight inside the wooden forearm, and the spring pushing the bolt against the cartridge, are all that keep the cartridge in the chamber during firing.
This is not a particularly strong design but amply strong for the .35 WSL cartridge.
The use of loads more powerful than the factory standard will damage the action and may be dangerous.
This action is delicately balanced against a narrow pressure and bullet weight range, for proper functioning. If you reload, for best results try to match the factory standard of a 180 gr. bullet at about 1,400 feet per second.
If you are lucky enough to receive a box or two of original .35 WSL ammo with your rifle, don't shoot it! These cartridges and boxes are good collectibles.
WINCHESTER 1905 SERIAL NUMBERS
This rifle was numbered sequentially, making it possible to determine the date of manufacture. The serial number will be found in two places on the left side, on the lower frame and upper receiver, just above the trigger.
At the end of the calendar year, the last serial number reached was:
1905 --- 1 through 7224
1906 --- 7225
1907 --- 18307
1908 --- 22214
1909 --- 23406
1910 --- 24302
1911 --- 25446
1912 --- 26527
1913 --- 27627
1914 --- 28585
1915 --- 29137
1916 --- 29589
1917 --- 29938
1918 --- 30326
1919 --- 30615
1920 --- 31318
1921 --- 31391
1922 --- 31447
1923 --- 31457
The highest serial number known is 31467. Though the 1905 was discontinued in 1920, complete rifles continued to be assembled from parts into the early 1920s.