From what I understand from the Olin licensing department, CSMC has never had a license to produce the Model 21 with Winchester trademark, including when U.S. Repeating Arms was involved and going under. Therefore, I think it is highly unlikely the 'over the top' Grand Royal, which CSMC said was a Winchester gun, and for which they had some sort of paper work which appeared to be from the Cody archives, is in reality a real Winchester made gun, but rather a reproduction. I personally believe there are many Winchester Model 21's out there which are not real Winchesters and don't letter from Cody. Likewise, I think there are a few Winchester stamped guns out there which do letter and are in fact reproductions, just like the 'over the top' Grand Royal. I have heard it said by reputable gunsmiths and even people on this forum that the Galazan produced Model 21's are better than the original. Ken Eversull, for example, told me they are better made in terms of metal to metal fit and he also told me why: Galazan is producing Model 21's with CNC machines which Winchester didn't use when producing their Winchester Model 21, and therefore tolerances are much more precise. Well is the new Model 21 produced by Galazan really better? It's not hand made. Is the steel used up to the standard of Winchester Proof Steel? How would one know; do they put these guns through rigorous proof and violent proof testing like Winchester did? Also, what about the future in terms of collector values? Are all these fake Winchester Model 21's going to depreciate the values of the real ones? Are the Galazan Model 21's going to hold their value and be collector items? I guess only time will tell. For me, however, I am only going to purchase and collect the real McCoy....that is if I don't get fooled.
