Wow! It's hard for me to imagine how a person could make the internal configurations of a gun frame without a machine like a mill or shaper. Also difficult to imagine taking a big ol bar of steel and filing the external shape of a modern barrel while holding wallthickness consistantly. But my question is why. Why would anyone chose to do these things without the benefit of a machine?

I believe we are living in a period where the relative pinnacle of gunmaking is possible at all levels of economic class or catagory. The blending of technology with traditional work can produce the best "best" ever. The RBL is an example of bringing higher quality to lower price point.