doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Win 21's with "popped ribs"?

I've read in threads from time to time that 21's seem to have a tendency to pop ribs, more so than other SxS's. A recent thread includes a hypothesis, in effect, that the chrome/moly alloy steel used for 21 barrels doesn't let the soft solder stick as well as the older low carbon steel used in most other period SxS's.

Interesting... Perazzi has used soft solder for years in their competition over/unders which feature the very strongest alloy steel barrels. Is anyone aware of a regular problem with ribs on P-guns? Back to 21's. I've shot 21's a great deal and have never had a rib problem. Nor have I seen another 21 on a course or at a gun show that had a visably loose rib. Oh I'm sure they do pop occasionally, but are 21's more prone to this than other guns? Or is that a wives tale? Silvers

I shoot a 21 three days a week, skeet and sporting clays. Hunt them five months a year. I have never experienced any issue with a rib.

I hunted them and shot targets with them for years and so far, no rib problems. As matter of fact, the only repair I can recall ever making on a M21 was for chipped toe of stock on gun that slid off top of dog box.

I've only owned one Model 21. It was a trap gun with a ventilated rib. Am sure it had been shot quite a bit before I purchased it. The bottom rib came loose both near the muzzel and near the forend lug. FWIW.

tim

Tim - What was cost to repair gun? Relay rib and reblue barrels?

I believe the gun that Greg Hartman tricked out for clay shooting had a "popped rib."

The year I went to the U.P. shoot I saw another one.

Andy's Custom shop mentions loose ribs first in their discussion of common problems with 21s
http://www.andyscustomshop.net/articles/index.php

So there is probably at least something to the notion.

Or it could be that many other guns have just as many problems?

FWIW

I have eight of them and shoot them quite a bit and I have never had one come off. I use my 32" for trap so I shoot it quite a bit at a time. The barrels get pretty hot but the ribs stay put. So, I wouldn't think it happens any more than on any other gun. Imagine all the rounds that have been put through over 2,000,000 Model 12s shooting trap over the years. Ever hear of problems with the ribs on them? Not me. Good luck.

Owning eight of the same, would cause you to cast a blind eye to it's problems.

Ted referred to a letter from John Olin about this, and suggested that durable rib soldering on the 21 wasn't an insurmountable task, but more exacting to get right.

If this is true and came to Winchester's attention after the 21 was in production for some time, I wonder if they gave it more attention and reduced the incidence in later production. I'd like to hear what Andy could tell us about what he sees.

Andy is pretty paranoid about 21 rib separation, warns that the ribs must be completely removed along with the forend lug because "there may be serious rust underneath and good possibility of perforated barrels". For this reason, he is a little pricey for his rib repairs, but I'm sure he does very good and thorough work. Yes, they do pop, usually in conjunction with a loose forend lug. One could be the cause of the other. In better than a dozen 21s that have been in and out of my house, one has a popped rib, has not been fixed, but I will get to it some day. The gun probably has tens of thousands of rounds through it, owes me nothing. I will probably send it to Andy because he claims he will completely dismantle the barrels from the ribs and examine them. The small soldered area on the forend lug and the fact that they are almost all beavertails is the reason for the problem in my opinion. I don't know whether Tony has more support on his forend lugs than the older guns.