5A Engraving Pattern

[Buddy Marson]

Winchester offered the 5A engraving pattern from 1935 thru 1949. I would like to know how many guns with this pattern were made and in what gauges.
Thanks,
Buddy Marson

[budrichard]

Winchester records are held by the Cody Museum and they derive financial interest in providing letters. As such according to Schwing, "At the present time it is not possible to determine how many engraved Model 21 s (sic) there were between 1931 and 1959."
In any event certainly the total number of engraved Model 21's with the 5A pattern is not a large number. I personally have never had one in my hands or have known about one for sale.
I suppose one could contact the Cody Historian and ask if the information could be provided for a fee but the effort would be better served by having Cody digitise the records as Griffen & Howe are doing for Abercrombie & Fitch records. I have a 1939 Brit 2" 12 gauge marked Abercrombie and Fitch and until last year could not determine the manufacturer as G&H had the records in "deep storage". Soon after the project started I was able to contact the Historian and obtain a factory letter with manufacturer and sales record.
Here is a link to a photo of the Model 21 5A pattern.-Dick

http://bluepike.tripod.com/Model21/4320/rcvrTopLeft.jpg