Mostly all checkered butt 21s have that thing in the center. It's the only way to cover the void in the stock. The coarse checkering on the butt looks right. Yeah the butt looks questionable, but the Cody letter and a personal inspection is the only thing that tells the tale. For that price, I would not worry about it. The forend looks like a later replacement. The original forend may have been a splinter, another scarce piece of equipment on a Trap Grade.