Winchester 21 or Parker DH?

[Bill Murphy]

I kind of detect the odor of a group of posters who not only have not owned a Model 21, but have not had one to touch. The 21 is not a Parker, and a Parker is not a 21, but they are both wonderful guns. Like a few of those who have posted, I have touched a 21, and have owned them for exactly fifty years now. I am a Parker guy, but have owned a couple of dozen Model 21s also. One 16 skeet had a messy trigger that was probably made worse by Lefever Arms and Jaegers. I have had one 21 with a loose forend lug. That is the extent of my problems. The "heavy load" myth is another big lie. The 3" 12 gauge Parker was made on the light #1 1/2 frame, so frame integrity is not a factor. Give us a break. The 21 is not an unattractive gun when equipped with nice wood. The "heavy" or "too heavy" myth is another lie perpetrated by the uninformed gun press. Most 3" Model 21s, mine are examples, weigh much less than eight pounds, most around 7 pounds 10 ounces with 30" barrels. A 20 or 16 Model 21 can be set up at 6 pounds, or a little more, similar to a Parker. The factory 3" 20 gauge Parker is much heavier than a factory 3" 20 gauge Model 21.