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Novice needs info: 1954 Mdl 21 Winchester Shotgun
tototoo
Member Posts: 11 ✭✭
I have a 1954 Model 21 Winchester Shotgun with Factory letter. I've learned what I can through howstuffworks.com, local auctioneer and gun dealer and from Blue Book of Gun Values.
I believe the metal to be in near excellent condition with one or two tiny places where you have almost invisible pitting that looks like the beginning of rust. I'm almost positive there has been no re-bluing. The forearm is in excellent condition. The stock has a little more wear with a few places where the shellac? has started to come off.
The gun was originally purchased in 1954 by Mr. Willis Littell, Sr. for his wife. She tried skeet shooting, but soon became bored. Their son Willis Littell, Jr. inherited the gun, but also found after shooting it a few times that he was not interested. Mr. Littell, Jr. is my boss and is considering giving it to me. I had never until recenty ever picked up a gun in my life. My cousin is trying to convince me to keep it to use to go skeet shooting with her, but I might consider selling it, depending on the market right now. I have to admit, I've kinda fallen in love with the gun. I never thought I'd ever keep a gun in my house.
Although fired rarely during its life, the gun has always been kept in a good case in controlled temp and humidity. It was recently cleaned and fired and it fired perfectly.
Some of the info that came in the factory letter (embossed seal on letter from the Cody museum) doesn't make sense to me, but then again, I am a beginner.
Here is the text:
"The manufacturer's data for model G2100B, serial number 27XXX, as extracted from the original Winchester records housed in the museum, are as follows:
Shotgun
Field Grade
20 gauge
Barrel Length: 26 inches
Right Barrel - Improved Cylinder, Left Barrel - Modified
Straight Grip Stock (Straight grip stock written in order information, pistol grip stock noted on inspection.)
Field finish
Winchester pad
Pitch - 1 ? inches, Pull - 13 ? inches, Drop at heel - 2 1/8 inches, Drop at comb - 1 5/8 inches
Order number: 48-085-205-XXX-X
Started inspection on May 21, 1954
Completed inspection on June 4, 1954
No other information available for this serial number"
I was expecting the museum to just return "Model 21" as gun is marked, instead of "Model G2100B"? I can't see any differences between the left and right barrel, so what do "improved" and "modified" mean? Pistol grip on inspection? Looks like a straight stock to novice me.
How do I post photos so that members can see the gun. I took 58 with close-ups of every inch so as to get help with the grading. Of course I only need to post a few representative ones, I guess.
Thanks for your help!!!
I believe the metal to be in near excellent condition with one or two tiny places where you have almost invisible pitting that looks like the beginning of rust. I'm almost positive there has been no re-bluing. The forearm is in excellent condition. The stock has a little more wear with a few places where the shellac? has started to come off.
The gun was originally purchased in 1954 by Mr. Willis Littell, Sr. for his wife. She tried skeet shooting, but soon became bored. Their son Willis Littell, Jr. inherited the gun, but also found after shooting it a few times that he was not interested. Mr. Littell, Jr. is my boss and is considering giving it to me. I had never until recenty ever picked up a gun in my life. My cousin is trying to convince me to keep it to use to go skeet shooting with her, but I might consider selling it, depending on the market right now. I have to admit, I've kinda fallen in love with the gun. I never thought I'd ever keep a gun in my house.
Although fired rarely during its life, the gun has always been kept in a good case in controlled temp and humidity. It was recently cleaned and fired and it fired perfectly.
Some of the info that came in the factory letter (embossed seal on letter from the Cody museum) doesn't make sense to me, but then again, I am a beginner.
Here is the text:
"The manufacturer's data for model G2100B, serial number 27XXX, as extracted from the original Winchester records housed in the museum, are as follows:
Shotgun
Field Grade
20 gauge
Barrel Length: 26 inches
Right Barrel - Improved Cylinder, Left Barrel - Modified
Straight Grip Stock (Straight grip stock written in order information, pistol grip stock noted on inspection.)
Field finish
Winchester pad
Pitch - 1 ? inches, Pull - 13 ? inches, Drop at heel - 2 1/8 inches, Drop at comb - 1 5/8 inches
Order number: 48-085-205-XXX-X
Started inspection on May 21, 1954
Completed inspection on June 4, 1954
No other information available for this serial number"
I was expecting the museum to just return "Model 21" as gun is marked, instead of "Model G2100B"? I can't see any differences between the left and right barrel, so what do "improved" and "modified" mean? Pistol grip on inspection? Looks like a straight stock to novice me.
How do I post photos so that members can see the gun. I took 58 with close-ups of every inch so as to get help with the grading. Of course I only need to post a few representative ones, I guess.
Thanks for your help!!!
Comments
Read the sticky at the begining of forum.
Thanks Dick! Am working on getting the photos up to a host right now.
What a SUPER Winchester.
I Agree!! [:p][^][8D]
Improved Cylinder = .611 muzzle diameter
Modified = .603 muzzle diameter
The left barrel is choked eight-thousandths (.008) tighter than the right barrel.
According to the factory letter, the gun was ordered with a straight grip (English style) buttstock, but it was delivered with a standard pistol grip stock instead.
My advice to you... if your boss wants to give that surperb gun to you, smile, accept it very graciously, and count your blessings! I can only dream of such a fine gift falling into my lap[:p].
http://community.webshots.com/user/tototoo_nc
Just double click on the Winchester photo album. There you will see thumbnails. Double click on the first of these to get the enlarged pic then use the previous and next button to view all 58 pics like a slide show.
If anyone has a ball park range of the value, please let me know.
Thanks!!!
Acording to the Blue Book of Gun Values, your model 21 is worth about $6,000.00. Bert has much more knowledge on Winchester than I do. A good indicator would be the GB auction foram, to to home page, click shot gun, then type in Win mdl 21, it will give you an idea of what they are selling fo. Good luck.
W.D.
I just searched, type in the whole name Winchester. There is a skeet gun up for auction as we speak, $5,185.00 with 6 days left on the auction, will probably reach 6k easly, my guess. Hope this helps.
W.D.
That Md 21s butt stock is definately an english, (straight grip) factory butt stock. The G2100B is just a factory code. (G21) signifys Md 21, the 00b is the style of gun.
As to your question on Modified and Improved, those are the chokes, at the muzzle, the inside diameter for a Modified choke has a range of .603-.608, the Imp/Cyl diameter range is .609-.611. The Modified choke is "tighter than the Improved Cyl.
With only about 36,000 total Md 21s being made from the early 1930s to the mid 1980s, in all guages, that little 20ga. is on the rare side. especially with the single selective trigger. With those choke combinations and barrel length, that would be a prize in anybody's collection. Value is hard to pin down, but if marketed correctly it would bring $7,000-$9,000 quite easily.
If you want to see what 21s can be sold for go check out tony Galazan's web page, www.connecticutshotgun.com At anyone time he usually has the largest selection of Md 21s. You'll get a good feel for what a Md 21 20ga. can be worth, or at least what people are willing to pay.
If your boss wants to give it to you, smile, be very greatfull, and work your butt off for him! LOL
Regards Dave