Winchester Model 21

Skeet Model 21
Winchester Model 21
Production information
Country of origin	United States of America
Manufacturer(s)	Winchester Repeating Arms Company Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company
Designer(s)	Frank F. Burton George Lewis Louis Stiennon Edwin Pugsley
Year(s) designed	1924
Production began	1931
Production ended	1959 (special order only from 1959 onwards)
Number built	30,000
Technical specifications
Weapon type	Double-barreled shotgun
Caliber	12 gauge 16 gauge 20 gauge 28 gauge .410 bore
Action	Break action
Barrel length	26–32 inches (66–81 centimetres)
Feed system	2 rounds

The Winchester Model 21 was a high-quality American double-barreled side-by-side shotgun designed by Frank F. Burton in 1924 and produced by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company from 1931 to 1959. Winchester's first double-barreled shotgun, the Model 21 represented Winchester's attempt at producing a double-barreled shotgun of fine quality.

History

The design history of the Model 21 goes back to 1924, where the Winchester design team, under the direction of T.C. Johnson, wanted to design a high-quality double-barrel shotgun for manufacture by the company in what would be the final design he would have a hand in before his death. A team of designers led by Frank F. Burton, including Winchester employees George Lewis, Louis Stiennon and Edwin Pugsley (then-Winchester's factory manager), would then be tasked with designing this weapon.

The weapon was announced in January 1931, despite the United States having experienced a major stock market crash two years prior. That same year, a man by the name of John Olin became the president of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, and strove to market the shotgun in such a way that it would make it appear superior to just about any shotgun in the world.

Heavily marketed and promoted by Olin who compared his newest product to the finest British double-barreled shotguns (which were regarded as of the best quality in the world), the Model 21 was a success, although not instantaneously due to the effects of the Great Depression.

To promote the gun even further, a very ingenious marketing campaign was used, involving a Model 21 and several other double-barreled shotguns from various other highly-regarded brands; the shotguns were purchased by Winchester and all subjected to "a test of destruction". This "test of destruction" involved Winchester engineers firing "violent proof" (50% more powder charge) shells through each of the shotguns until they broke or were no longer workable. None of the competing brands was able to fire more than 305 of these "violent proof" shells, while the Model 21 fired 2,000 shells with no signs of damage or wear; after this, the test was stopped and the gun disassembled. Another test involved firing a standard 12 gauge shell through a modified Model 21 with the top lever and locking bolt removed; the weapon managed to fire it and remained successfully closed using just hand pressure.

However well the Model 21 was selling, however, Winchester felt it was simply no longer viable to market the Model 21 as a production gun, as manufacture of the Model 21 was extremely expensive. As such, Winchester discontinued standard production of the Model 21 in 1959 and made it a special order only gun the same year. Within 1931 and 1959, some 30,000 were produced.

From 1959 to 1990, some 1,000 more Model 21s were manufactured by the Winchester Custom Shops, although the U.S. Repeating Arms Company (the company that owned the Winchester trademarks at the time) had stopped taking orders by 1988, despite the gun having never been formally discontinued. After this, Winchester sold the rights to production to the Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company, which produces the guns on a special arrangement in small numbers.

Design Details

The Model 21 is a double-barrel shotgun with selective ejectors renowned for its extremely strong action. The Model 21's frames are of heat-treated chromemoly steel forgings, leading to blued finishes and being twice as strong as its contemporaries. The Model 21's frame is noted as being longer than most shotguns; this further increases the gun's strength as it increases the leverage of the underbolt which holds the bolts to the action.

Chopper lump barrels are used on the Model 21; these are made of a heat-treated chromemoly steel. The barrels have lumps designed to be dovetailed together, and after which are pinned and soldered together using 50/50 Sn-Pb solder. Due to this no heat treatment is required for the barrels, making them about twice as strong as other normal gun barrels.

Ammunition

The Model 21 was mostly made in 12 gauge, although other calibers are available.

Variants

Many different configurations are available owing to the Model 21's bespoke nature. In spite of this, the weapon had a number of standardized configurations when the weapon was offered as a normal production gun. The configurations and their identifying features are as follows:

• Standard: had barrels with matte or vented rib, select grade straight or pistol-gripped walnut stocks, produced from 1931 – 1944
• Duck (later Magnum): Duck guns feature trigger plates marked "DUCK", produced from 1940 – 1952 and chambered for 12 gauge 3 inch shells; Magnum guns produced from 1953 – 1959, chambered for either 12 or 20 gauge with no markings on trigger plate
• Tournament: trigger plate marked "TOURNAMENT", otherwise identical to Standard, produced from 1933 – 1944
• Tournament Skeet: trigger plate marked "TOURNAMENT SKEET", produced from 1933 – 1936
• Trap: Tournament gun with bespoke stock made to customer's dimensions, trigger plate marked "TRAP"
• Skeet: identical to Trap but also made in 28 gauge, trigger plate marked "SKEET", 28 gauge models extremely rare
• Custom: features bespoke stock made to customer's dimensions, trigger plate marked "DELUXE", top rib marked "CUSTOM"

The configurations as produced by the Winchester Custom Shop after 1959 are as follows:

• Custom: has matte center rig, choice of straight or pistol-gripped stock with fancy checkered walnut stock and matching foreend
• Pigeon Grade: has either matte or ventilated center rig, with higher quality stock with custom leather recoil pad, gold engraved pistol grip cap and engraved receiver; discontinued in 1982
• Grand American: identical to Pigeon Grade except engraving has gold inlays
• Grand American Small Gauge, identical to Grand American but chambered in either 28 gauge or .410 bore

The Model 21 was also available with single- or double-trigger options, although by 1950 only the single trigger was offered.

Trivia

• Tracking down the date of manufacture of a specific Model 21 is noted as being quite challenging as Winchester did not use their receivers in the order they were manufactured; as such, some have found that the inspection dates for their guns is much later than what its serial number may suggest.
• Not all Model 21 serial numbers have records.