doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Winchester 21 question

Mike,
Yes I think you did- it's the barrel stop.

http://www.bevfitchett.us/firearms-assembly/winchester-shotgun.html

Wait a minute- do I have this right? Lord Muckin'-Futch, the Duke of Earl (Ellington, not Wellington) is shootin driven grouse on Blabbermouth Moor- with his matched pair of Purdey guns. He fires two shots with the No. 1 gun, and hands it closed to his loaded. who then opens it, ejecting the two spent cartridges, whilst also handing His Lord-Ship the second closed and loaded Purdey, with the safety catch on?

Every film I have seen shows the Upper Crust opening the fired gun, whether one or both shells have been fired, ejecting the empties and handing the broked opne double to the loader, who then passes back the closed and loaded second gun (with safety catch on I presume)-- This is the way I saw it done in the H&H videos with Instructor Ken Davies-

I read an article in an English sporting magazine "Fieldsports" a few months ago about some well known English gentleman shooting ducks over in Turkey back in the 30's I believe and he was using a Purdey and was having problems killing ducks. There was an American there shooting a Model 21. Well this English tried the 21 and did so much better he traded the American his Purdey for the Model 21.

I played with few Winchester 21s and had Classic Doubles 201 that has same feature as the one you're referring to. Through manipulation I was able to ascertain that "spring & plunger" helped to keep barrels from opening too wide and seemed to help with closing the action (little less force required). The Winchester model 21 is wonderful shotgun to own and use. Right now you pay premium and get premium back when selling. What the future will bring I do not know.

Mike Proctor, PALUNC, I answered your question in the second post after yours, the third post of the thread. Barrel stop.

That is not surprising one must choose right tool for the job at hand. For example, Hummer is much better off road vehicle than Rolls Royce or a Bentley.

I also have to say King's remarks here are very troll-like.

I've owned my one and only M-21 -- a 16 ga. standard grade gun -- for 30+ years. When I decided to look for a SxS, I knew very little about them. My pre-internet research brought me to "The Double Shotgun" by Don Zutz. His opinion of the 21 -- in particular the 16 ga. as a field gun -- influenced me to give one a try. They were pretty expensive vs. other SxS back then too. Part of that probably has to do with only 30-some thousand being made.

I have a kinda hard time thinking of Don Zutz as a purveyor of snobbery!

I've owned, sold, and still own several other SxSs, but none I shoot as well as my 21. Sure they're heavier than some others. As a field or duck gun they were built to comfortably shoot and stand up to heavier loads than a "game gun".

Mine came to me with a non-original stock that I sold when I had it restocked with straight grip, which I like for field carry. I've never regretted paying more for it than I could have paid for other well made SxSs, and could not care less what it would bring in sale today because I will never sell it.

There are those who recognize the strength and intelligent engineering built into the Winchester 21; the 16's and 20's are as fine a bird gun as one could want and the only duck gun as good as a Model 21 Duck grade magnum with 32" barrels is possibly an HE grade Fox.(yes, I own Foxes, Parkers, Smiths, etc)
Then there are those who hold their nose and sneer at a Winchester 21....derisive statements of "fence post", "plow handle", etc. are among the insults I've heard, which is an illustration of the diversity(and sometimes envy) among double gun fanciers.
Personally, those who choose to live in darkness and ignore the qualities of America's finest double gun bother me none at all.....that means they won't buy any and there are more for people like Bob Cash and me.

Americas's "Strongest Shotgun", no question. America's "Finest Shotgun" Highly debatable depending largely on ones definition of Finest.

I don't look down on anyone's tastes in food, the opposite sex, cars, residences or anything, including guns. In choosing a gun, my guess is strength and durability, lasting longest from wear and tear, come after other considerations i.e appearance, history and tradition.