Jim:
First, I would say that accurate info about the Belgium craftsmen is difficult to confirm. But let's take some of their numbers say 5 or 10 years prior to WWI. There were some 70k folks working in an around Liege in the gunmaking industry. The area of Jupille seems to contain the bulk of the mechanics who for the most part rolled out the bulk of the steel tube production for export, although it is possible that mechanics in Nessonvaux like E. Heuse-Lemoine contributed also. I've seen a couple references that point to the area of Jupille having an exclusive right to use Krupp steel in the production of gun tubes. Considering the area, and also that a specific maker was not named, I think it points to Laurent Lochet-Habran. This area was noted as being able to churn out say over 1500 tubes per day and let's say there were 6 working days per week, so we are looking at 1/2 million tubes per day or 1/4 million tubesets per year. Where were they all going? I would say that all pre-WWI American made sporting weapons that wear run of the mill Krupp tubes(Fluß Stahl Krupp Essen, etc.) can find their origins in Jupille. Realizing the German foot-print there as well as Sauer's trademark protection, for now I see few other options. Post WWI, I'm not sure of the tubeset production numbers, but with 70k folks in the gunmaking industry prior to WWI, I don't think they went away. There's a fallacy around sporting weapons that a gunmaker or gunmaking area took the raw materials from the earth and forged every piece of their wares in-house by the sweat of his brow, composing components for the sporting weapon. Enter economics side-stage left - it was all about the Benjamins. Catalogues might provide some insight but although not a statistical triumph, I'd say locating a handful of Italian offerings with Krupp steel tubes that wear LLH would be definitive. I don't think the Germans want to acknowledge their sourcing of the Belgians, but I don't see any other way that the retailers were able to peddled price point weaspons without sourcing the mechanics of Liege, who embraced mechanization early on in their endeavors. I'm not into finger pointing but the preponderance of evidence is heavily tilting the scales that way and I don't think it any different for the Italian makers. If the Brits are noted as indirectly sourcing Krupp tubes, I'd say all were regarding price point sporting weapons. I invite any & all info to the contrary.
Peter:
As a wild guess, I would say that Acciaio Speciale Krupp has its origins at Acciai Speciali Terni, which was founded in 1884? It may also be a specific recipe or solely note that the tube steel was sourced in country as a Krupp recipe and Krupp sanctioned.
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse
