21 Grand American story|Winchester Shotguns|Forum|Winchester Collector

Fun Model 21 story..with a happy ending.

I had acquired a beautiful, very high condition, original Model 21 12 ga. Grand American which as everyone knows is a “holy grail” shotgun.  The three page letter from Cody confirmed every feature of the gun…and many were features that would make this gun hard to sell!

Short length of pull; left hand cast; unique gold inlays; and most importantly the personalization on the trigger guard, the luggage case and both sets of barrels:  Custom built by Winchester for Laura Dyke Hamman!

Who’s going to buy this gun for thousands of dollars?

What do we do in this day and age…Google the name.  I did and the only “hit” that did show-up only included the names Dyke and Hamman from different relatives mentioned in an obituary from the Houston area.  Then I further Googled one of the names and it turns out that surviving niece lives in the Houston area and a found a phone number for her.  Sending a text to a number that I did not know if it was in service or not to a person who would not have any idea as to who I am was a true shot-in-the-dark.  Two hours late came a reply from her, thanking me and now she knew what happened to “mom’s” gun!!

Soon this beautiful, very bespoke Model 21 will be back in the hands of the original owner’s daughters, and they’re excited.  Turns out that both daughters learned to shoot using this 21 at the Houston Gun Club some 40+ years ago and neither daughter had any idea when their mom sold or gave away the gun.