Winchester 21 16 gauge clarification

[Tom Hawkins]

I bought this model 21 16 2 barrel set along with a 20 gauge a while back. There is not a letter with this one. The forearm wood was not numbered or checkered the same as the rest of the gun. The 28" barrels are serial numbered to the gun but not marked DELUXE. The 26" barrels are marked deluxe. Since there is no letter I am asking for opinions on this gun.

[Bill Murphy]

You should get a letter. Don't worry about the second set of barrels not having a DELUXE stamp. Most Deluxe guns do not have a grade stamp on the barrel flats. Deluxe Grade guns were a very short era of manufacture and standard practices are hit and miss.

[Tom Hawkins]

Does the S in the last picture of the barrels stand for skeet?

[Bill Murphy]

After sixty years of owning dozens of 21s, I have no idea.

[Dave Noreen]

The two DELUXE Grades I've saved pictures of have it as one word.

[Tom Hawkins]

This picture was described as a De Luxe Duck with non factory engraving. This gun is close in serial number to the 16 above at 168xx. This production of 1947 shows the two word De Luxe. There is no letter available for the 16 two barrel set. The guy I got this gun from purchased it in the early 1980's. He said there was not a letter. What would be the best way to find out if there could be a letter?

[dwight pugh]

Tom, try this...
https://paulinemuerrle.com/
Everything about 21's

[Bill Murphy]

Send your money to Cody. If there is no information, they will refund your money.

[Larry Stauch]

If you call them at 307-587-4771 they will tell you if a letter is available on that gun. But, from what I'm seeing it looks after market in the way the word is written.

[Dave Noreen]

All three Winchester catalogs I have that show it write it Model 21 DeLuxe in some places and DELUXE in others and toward the bottom of page 40 of the 1946 catalog they use DE LUXE. So absolutely no consistency between catalogs and guns. The catalogs picture the regular frame gun with checkered stock cheeks. The stocks of the extra cost special rounded frame guns don't have cheeks.

[Larry Stauch]

Here is the page out of the Winchester Model 21 about Deluxe guns.

[Frank Srebro]

I looked through Schwing's Model 21 book last evening and he has several references and pictures of Model 21 Deluxe frame and barrel stamps. Unless I missed one, all of them were DELUXE spelled in a single word.

[William Woods]

My model 21 letter from Cody states it is a Standard grade when in fact it is factory marked
Skeet.

My Parker D grade is listed in the Parker Gun Identification & Serialization book as having a straight grip when in fact it is a capped pistol grip. In addition, there is no mention of the gun having dual ivory beads when it does have. The factory trigger guard and dual ivories were verified by Larry DelGrego.

I am aware that errors can be made, but it it is disappointing when trying to authenticate a firearm.

[Dave Noreen]

My model 21 letter from Cody states it is a Standard grade when in fact it is factory marked
Skeet.


When the Model 21 Skeet Gun was introduced, it was offered in Tournament, Trap and Custom Built Grades.

126902

126903

Between 1935 & 6 the Tournament Grade was dropped and the Skeet Gun was offered in Standard, Trap or Custom Built Grade.

126904

126905

By 1940 the Model 21 Trap Grade was gone and from then on the Skeet Gun was offered in Standard Grade or Custom Built/DeLuxe Grade.

There was never a Model 21 Skeet Grade in the Winchester catalogs, but the records and/or the researchers at Cody use that term!!

[William Woods]

When the Model 21 Skeet Gun was introduced, it was offered in Tournament, Trap and Custom Built Grades.

126902

126903

Between 1935 & 6 the Tournament Grade was dropped and the Skeet Gun was offered in Standard, Trap or Custom Built Grade.

126904

126905

By 1940 the Model 21 Trap Grade was gone and from then on the Skeet Gun was offered in Standard Grade or Custom Built/DeLuxe Grade.

There was never a Model 21 Skeet Grade in the Winchester catalogs, but the records and/or the researchers at Cody use that term!!

The one I have is factory marked SKEET on the floorplate in front of the trigger guard. There is no indication as to what model SKEET grade it is. What would determine the different models of SKEET grade? Thanks for your reply.

[Dave Noreen]

With just SKEET it is a Standard Grade.

Tournament Grade Skeet Gun --

126907

Trap Grade Skeet Gun --

126908

DELUXE Grade Skeet Gun --

126909

I have two Model 21 Skeet Guns I have gotten letters on. The 1940/1 letter states "Grade of Wood: Regular" and "Regular Finish." The letter for the 1953 gun states "Skeet finish" and "Skeet Grade" which as I stated above was a term never used in Winchester catalogs. They are both marked SKEET on the trigger plates.

[William Woods]

I decided to check on my little 21 after this post. It is only marked with the "Skeet" designation.

Thank you Mr. Chuck for your knowledge and information in all you do.

[Bill Murphy]

I have owned Model 21s with no trigger plate stampings that lettered as Tournament Grade guns, as well as guns with SKEET stampings which lettered as Tournament Grade guns. Deluxe Grade guns are much more easily identified without a letter because of different wood treatment. I assume almost all Deluxe grade guns are stamped as such on the trigger plate.

[James L. Martin]

No photos of a standard skeet grade marking so here's mine 20ga 26" sk1 - sk2

[Tom Hawkins]

This picture is of an early deluxe trap serial 12xxx. It has the two word style.
I am wondering if the was an early script that was changed later.

[James L. Martin]

Here's a early, under 5,000 serial number 20ga 26" cyl - mod Tournament grade that has double triggers and splinter forearm

[Larry Stauch]

Nothing like getting a guy riled up to go shoot some skeet!
X
X

[Tom Hawkins]

This early lettered deluxe skeet also has the space in Deluxe. All guns I have seen with the space are early guns. This makes me wonder if the deluxe script changed at some point for some reason.

[John Dallas]

The shop work sheets on my gun designate it as a SKEET grade gun, it is not marked skeet on the receiver, but has the elements of a Skeet grade - large forearm, etc. It is a 2 barrel set -26" IC/Mod and 28" Mod/full. Both sets of barrels are marked 3" chamber