The Hidden Recoil Abutment

Ned Schwing's excellent book, Winchester's Finest The Model 21, discusses the forearm brace and ebony insert on pages 116 -118.  Both were designed to reduce forearm cracking.  Before using the external brace Winchester installed a brace hidden inside the forearm, between the ejector sears. 

This 1931 blueprint shows the inleting for the hidden recoil abutment and a rock elm insert to renforce the forend of the first beavertail design.  Notice how thin the wood is under the abutment.

The forend on the left is fitted with the 1st style abutment, the center and right forearms are fitted with the second style abutment. Notice the center forend has the hole for the first style the one on the right does not, Winchester used the old stock before redesigning the forend iron.

Several views of part number 1921F and 1921E, from the 1954 parts list. 
The screw and abutment are listed in a 1935 Component Parts List, form #1632, as "D 9621 and D 9721 for 12-16-20 Ga., Beavertail Fore-end."

© 2011, M.C. Manges