Bruce Owen, the then Purdey production manager, wrote an article in Shooting Sportman back in 2002 if memory serves. It is an eye opener, more so than any other piece of writing on the non definiton of best. To recap his statements:
CNC machinery is widely used by top makers to decrease expensive hand work. Makers who do not own CNC farm out work to those who do to survive, or else disappear.
CNC machines impose the use of better steels due to the increased force they apply to the work (so now we should call modern best guns bester due to improved steels?)
CNC machinery yields higher accuracy because the work is fixed in a vise once
Modern machines decrease costs by allowing lower inventories.
He concludes by stating that modern best guns are better due to modern machines and presumably less hand work. It is interesting to ponder the implications of his writing when standing in an Italian gunmakers looking at rows of CNC machines they adopted years before the so called "best" makers did.
There may be an indication then as to where to look for best and get your money's worth.
Last edited by Shotgunlover; 12/26/17 12:19 PM.
