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

The Model 21 were introduced in 1930 - I've never seen anything but 2 3/4 or 3-inch stamped on a 21 barrel.

If you will check,Olin had developed the "Super-X" before he bought Winchester. He wanted to buy Parker, but Remington did so first. So, he used Fox as the vehicle to use his new shell, a Western Cartridge Co.(which he owned) shot shell.His engineers had used high speed photos to analyze shot as it leaves the barrel. The opinion was that gas leakage would be reduced if the paper of the shell extended into the forcing cone.When he bought Winchester, the knowledge was used and although the M-21 is marked 2 3/4, the chamber is slightly shorter (about 3/32").Check me. I own several M-21's in 12 ga. and only found out 15 years ago when I bought a pair of Briley 28 ga. tubes for pigeons and they would not fit. Thus the research. It is on the net. Go find out for yourself.

The chamber length has little, if anything, to do with the kick. Load and stock fit come way, way ahead of that.

Jimmy has been into the loco weed again. We'll be waiting for him to post pictures of those Winchesters with 2 1/2 and 2 9/16 stamped on the barrels (that he has seen). I have a couple of Model 42s with 2 1/2 stamped on the barrel so I guess he is sort of right. Don was right there with the Winchester police. Thanks Don.

Wow, some one put a chamber insert in the friends 12 bore MDL 21 and made it a 16 or 20. It hit Galazan today and they say it is 2.75 12 gauge. Don't know how we got to 16's?
bill

FWIW, 12 to 20ga. Chambermates will fit all of my 12ga.sxs's Except My 1948 vintage 12ga.Model 21 field grade gun that is clearly marked 23/4 CHAM.

I beg your pardon eightbore but I knew that some Winchesters were stamped 2 9/16. I didn't mean only the Model 21s. That's why I said what I did. I believe when it was back in the nickel steel era. And I know when Mike (don't remember his last name) was on here we had a conversation and someone said their 21 was stamped 2 9/16. Sorry if you missed that. And I didn't say that I had seen any marked 2 1/2. You need to read the posts a little better.

I haven't seen any of those 2 9/16 marked Nickel Steel guns. I have seen 2 3/4 and 2 7/8 marked small gauge Model 12s and only Model 42s with the 2 1/2 mark. Never can tell what we'll see next.

Any that are marked 2 9/16 (M12 or M21) are the rare of the rare, Jimmy, you better buy up a collection of them. They might be valuable!!!!!!

They wouldn't be any more valuable than any of the others with odd stampings. I have seen them with no choke stamping on the barrel to any other odd stampings. You never could tell what you may find with a Winchester. Good luck.