[quote=hammerback]As luck would have it a Model 21 comes my way and I have just loaned my book to a friend. So I'll ask you gentlemen for help. This is serial # 30521. It is a 20ga.,vent rib gun with 3" chambers and ejectors. It has 28" barrels choked FULL/FULL. About how many of these were produced? I can have a better pic posted today but I tried to show the barrel stamping. Paul
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Your gun was probably made in the 1950's period from the serial #. About 123 20 gauge 3" Magnum are known from the Winchester archives in this period and 519 20 gauge guns were produced during the 'Custom Shop' era of which it is not available how many were 3" Magnums. Most Pre Custom Shop I suspect were the regularly cataloged 30" barrel gun and many Custom Shop guns were 3". At 28" barrel your gun is undoutably a custom order not only for the 3" Magnum but combined with the 28" barrels and Vent Rib. Does the rib say 'Custom Built by Winchester'?
Winchster would make anything you wanted and your gun could have been ordered as a 'Custom Built' or simply as a Magnum gun with the two options of 28" and VR. The distinction is somewhat important as the 'Custom Built' will have engine tuning on the action surfaces and was a higher level of gun. The 'Custom Built' morphed in the 'Custom Grade' in 1960 with the advent of the 'Custom Shop' and then had #1 engraving. Double line bordering on the checkering shows that this is not a 'Custom Shop' gun unless someone specifically ordered the gun that way and in any event will still say 'Custom Built by Winchester'.
In any event as already mentioned, obtain a letter from the Cody Historian for this gun. Very nice gun, please additional pictures.
Here is my 'Custom Shop' 20 gauge Magnum with 26" barrels choked IC/Mod for comparison.-Dick
As an aside, the 20 gauge 3" Magnum shell in lead was an effective Waterfowl load and widely used and available during this period. The advent of non-toxic, initially steel shot just about killed this cartridge for waterfowl. Bismuth and Kent TM are now available and usable and even though I have both for waterfowl, I use a 12 gauge 3" Magnum with HeviShot instead.