GunSerialsWinchester Model 21 serial numbers by year
Winchester's high-end double-barrel shotgun, with the barrels side by side. Regular production ended in 1959, and the Custom Shop continued building it to order until 1993.
- Produced:
- 1931–1959 (standard production), 1960–1993 (Custom Shop)
- Action:
- break-action
New to gun terms? Start here
- Model:
- The name of the gun design, such as Model 94. A model name that looks like a year does not tell you when your gun was made.
- Serial number:
- The number stamped on an individual gun. Include letters that are part of the number. A separate letter stamped above it, like the Model 97's C, D or E, is a different marking.
- Receiver:
- The main metal body just behind the barrel. The receiver ring is its front section, where the barrel joins it.
- Tang:
- A strip of metal extending from the receiver into the stock. The lower tang runs underneath, behind the trigger.
- Stock:
- The part you hold against your shoulder, usually made of wood on older Winchesters.
- Forearm or forend:
- The part under the barrel where your forward hand holds the gun.
- Action:
- The mechanism that loads and removes cartridges. Names such as lever action, pump action, and bolt action describe how it works.
- Caliber or gauge:
- The ammunition size or type a gun is designed to use. This marking is different from the model and serial number.
- Takedown:
- A version designed to separate into major sections for storage. A takedown joint is where those sections meet.
- Proof mark:
- A factory testing mark, such as Winchester's oval WP stamp. It is not a serial number or a date code.
- Peep or aperture sight:
- A rear sight with a small hole to look through. A hooded front sight has a cover around it.
What year was your Model 21 made?
Need help finding the serial number?
Look up a serial number and print a one-page record sheet: the date and its sources, the status by age, the model in brief, and the auction price range.
Winchester Model 21 value: what it sells for at auction
Enter your serial number above to highlight the price categories that fit the estimated date and see recent sales of this model in those categories.
These prices come from 175 Winchester Model 21s sold individually at Rock Island Auction Company (109), Morphy Auctions (27), Poulin Auctions (32), and Amoskeag Auction Company (7) between Sep 2023 and Sep 2026. The age-group rows use the auction companies' categories: antique, curio and relic, or modern.
The typical price is the middle price, also called the median. Half sold for more and half for less. The middle 50% range leaves out the lowest quarter and highest quarter of prices. The wider 80% range leaves out the lowest tenth and highest tenth.
We leave out listings described as deluxe, special-order, engraved, restored, or commemorative, and other exceptions in the value guide. Commemoratives are priced on their own page. Wear, repairs, original parts, and factory upgrades can make a particular gun worth more or less. These figures are a comparison, not an appraisal of your gun.
| Category | Sales | Middle 50% of prices | Typical price | Middle 80% of prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curio & Reliccollector category, usually 50+ years old | 162 | $3,863 – $6,896 | $4,994 | $3,046 – $8,808 |
Curio & Relic: Rock Island Auction Company typical $5,288 (101 sales); Morphy Auctions typical $4,011 (26 sales); Poulin Auctions typical $4,840 (28 sales).
Prices by caliber
The cartridge or gauge can change what a Model 21 sells for. These rows use the 130 sales whose listing names one, with old and new names for the same cartridge counted together (the .30 WCF is the .30-30). They combine all ages.
| Caliber | Sales | Middle 50% of prices | Typical price | Middle 80% of prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 gauge | 69 | $3,819 – $5,288 | $4,406 | $2,892 – $7,050 |
| 20 gauge | 32 | $5,581 – $7,785 | $7,344 | $4,729 – $9,375 |
Recent Model 21 auction sales
Sales near the typical price and the newest. Their features and condition may differ from your gun. A lot number identifies an item in an auction.
| Sold | Gun | Auction company | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | Model 21 · 12 | Rock Island lot 441 | $4,994 |
| May 2026 | Model 21 · 12 | Rock Island lot 1493 | $4,994 |
| Dec 2025 | Model 21 · 12 | Rock Island lot 527 | $4,994 |
| Aug 2026 | Model 21 | Amoskeag lot 48 | $3,388 |
| Aug 2026 | Model 21 · 12 | Rock Island lot 3453 | $4,700 |
Prices are in US dollars and include the buyer’s premium, the auction company’s fee added to the winning bid, where the house charges one; Redding charges none. They are not the amount the seller receives. A dealer’s offer or private sale price may differ. The full picture, model by model →
Where the serial number is
Serial numbers are found on the bottom of the receiver (water table area) and on the barrel flats.
Where these dates come from
The table on this page comes from one source: George Madis's published tables. Use its dates as estimates for groups of serial numbers, and check the notes for its limits.
Source for this model: Published Madis Table (1930–1941 Only)
Winchester Model 21 serial numbers by year
The full Model 21 serial number chart, one table for each source available here. Each row gives the numbers that source assigns to a year. Both the first and last numbers are included.
A row marked “estimate” is a figure its own source calls an estimate.
George Madis's published tables
George Madis compiled Winchester reference books years after production. His tables estimate the last serial number reached each year.
Cited as: Published Madis Table (1930–1941 Only)
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1930–1931estimate | 1 – 615 |
| 1932estimate | 616 – 946 |
| 1933estimate | 947 – 1,638 |
| 1934estimate | 1,639 – 2,599 |
| 1935estimate | 2,600 – 5,397 |
| 1936estimate | 5,398 – 6,648 |
| 1937estimate | 6,649 – 7,926 |
| 1938estimate | 7,927 – 8,753 |
| 1939estimate | 8,754 – 9,609 |
| 1940estimate | 9,610 – 10,474 |
| 1941estimate | from 10,475 |
- 1930–1931, 1932–1941: This table is only a rough guide to early production. It will not give you an exact completion date.
What to know about Model 21 serial numbers
- A Model 21 numbered after 1968 may have a W in front of its serial number. That W comes from Winchester's later prefix system.
- Model 21s were not finished in serial number order. The serial number alone will not tell you reliably when a gun was completed.
- George Madis's published table is only a rough guide to early production. It will not give you an exact completion date.
- The final-inspection records now at the Cody Firearms Museum are incomplete. Their coverage of 23–36,373 shows how far the records go, not the full production range.
- 38,183 is the highest number seen in catalogued guns. It is not an official ceiling for production.
Winchester shotguns usually made without serial numbers
These models usually have no serial number. Their pages explain the exceptions and how their features may help estimate age.
Need more detail? Check for factory records
The Cody Firearms Records Office can check for surviving records for your serial number. For a fee, it can issue a letter reporting what they say. Some records contain only dates; others also describe the gun’s original features.
The office’s May 2024 coverage sheet lists these Model 21 serial numbers: 23–36,373 (records incomplete; check with the office before ordering). Check current availability with the office before ordering; a listed range does not guarantee a record for every number.
Order a factory letter from the Cody Firearms Museum →What a factory letter shows, and when one is worth ordering →