doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com SIDE/SIDE-PRODUCTION TIME

I recall reading somewhere that production of a field grade L.C. Smith shotgun involved a month of hand labor. Assuming this was before the inception of the standard 40 hour work week, and assuming it was true, it isn't hard to see why these guns are no longer being produced as they were. Imagine what the company would have to charge at today's labor rates and materials costs, and still tack on enough to make a profit.

All things considered, the typical average prices we pay for good used specimens are a relative bargain.

I agree there. If built today they would be priced in the thousands if not ten of thousands.

CNC, EDM, stock duplicators, are used by best makers to speed production, minimze hand work etc, look at Youtube vids for confirmation. The machines also reduce inventory.

The time and cost savings are not passed on to the client who is willing to pay for the brand name and suffer the wait.

Somewhere there is a post about engraving in the golden age, where best guns were sent to the engraver for full scroll coverage on Friday with a note that they would be picked up on Tuesday. Unthinkable today even for laser engraving.

Those guys were gun engravers who worked standing up . I do not think they saw themselves as artists nor did many of the men who built guns be they the "best" or the run of the mill factory production . Gunmen they may have called themselves and yes they had pride in there work , but it was job that they did day in and day out to earn a living .Just as many other men in many other trades did .They did the work as fast as possible to earn as much as possible often to a fixed price .
Different today .