doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Price check Model 21

I am considering acquiring a Winchester Model 21 and wanted your opinions on the following:

Skeet Grade 12 gage with one barrel being 28” M/F, and the other being 26” WS1/WS2. Both are non-vented

Here are the problems I notice with the gun:
Forearm had a minor Chip on it.
Stock has a Pachmayr Pad.
Receiver and both barrels have been refinished to the point that the Skeet is almost non-readable.
Rib could be loose on one of the barrels as it did not have a nice ring when struck. The other one sounded good
Locking bolt looked to be at the 6 o’clock position.

Positives:
Ejector timing seemed to work perfectly.
Wood looked to be original.

Thoughts, Opinions on price? I would like to get it professionally restored but don’t know what that would cost and if it would be worth it. Don’t know if they can recut the lettering?

Thanks,
leswad

$4000.

That is what I was thinking. Any idea on what it would cost for a complete restoration by a qualified gunsmith?

I would have guessed $5000. What's the point of a total restoration? You can get the lettering lifted and all the other warts fixed, but to what end? If you want a shooter - buy the gun and enjoy it (my 20 ga 21 2 barrel set sounds very similar to yours). I shoot it and enjoy it. If I wanted a closet queen, I don't believe this should be the gun you would start with

I am thinking at least $5,000.00. Maybe $6,000. A skeet gun like you mentioned would be about four grand, even with the minor things you mentioned. And about two grand for the extra set of barrels. The lettering can be redone. How big is the chip in the forend? And which set of barrels do you think are lose? You can replace the forearm for a few hundred dollars. Or less. I have been slowly starting to shoot mine. But the price of these are going up and up all the time. And skeet guns are getting pretty pricey.

You didn't say what condition the stock was in, but plenty of people can recut the checkering.

Hack

Without at least pictures of the gun, an evaluation is impossible but I can tell you from the description that it is a 'money pit'. Just because it is a Winchester Model 21 and at a lower price for a Model 21 doesn't make it a good deal or even an acceptable 'shooter'. For the price of the gun and a restoration you can just about order a new Model 21 from CSMC. It may have only one set of barrels but it won't have any problems. For the same price you can find a 'Mint' Model 21.
You did not mention if the chambers were checked for length, the chokes checked for constrictions to assure they weren't modified or the barrels wall thickness checked since the gun appears to heavily refinished?
It is sometimes hard to be objective in the purchase of a firearm or other such object and it is easy for others to spend your money.
Even $4K, it appears to be a waste of money.
There are LOTS of nice 12 gauge Winchester Model 21's around. Wait.-Dick

Reblued is not the end of the world. But......metal prep was extensive ("skeet unreadable"), though. One set of barrels doesn't ring/rib loose? This is sounding familiar. Maybe bluing salts got left in the channels? Maybe barrels are alot worse than you imagine, ie., rusted through? Other set of barrels was reblued at same time, by same outfit?

My money.......$3000. More than that involves too many optimistic assumptions.

Sam

Thanks for the opinions! Stock is in good shape except for a minor chip on the forend and the Pachmayr. Both barrels were exactly 28 and 26". If I remember correctly WS1/WS2 were the barrels that did not ring.

The poor refinishing indicates that the gun has been in the hands of idiots. Recutting the lettering of the Skeet logo is about one tenth of the problems that have to be addressed in a proper restoration of a Model 21. I'm sure all of the sharp edges that collectors look for in a 21 are ground off. This gun is a shooter and should not be priced anywhere near where a collector condition Model 21 would be priced. Every defect you mention is an expensive situation to address. Redoing one set of barrels is a thousand dollars if there is no hidden damage.