Please explain to me how cutting a square hole in the action body and fitting a barrel lump to rotate and fit precisely into this opening "...is cheaper (easier) to make a gun with a lump that goes right through the action."
It seems to me that it would be just the opposite.
Obviously you are not a machinist. Its always easier to cut a through hole than a blind one. I will say though that in my opinion not having the through lumps i "Much Ado About Nothing". Also if you check the prices of the very highest grade American doubles they're not that far away from a "London Best". Admittedly the American makers didn't sell as many of these grades as did the London makers, but those weren't high volume guns either. The hidden lump added no real value to the quality of the gun but was more of a "Look What I Did" thing & there were people willing to pay for it.
