doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Parkers are they truely...............?

Thoughts by Dewey Vicknair on his May 1 blog entry
http://vicknairgunsmithing.blogspot.com/

Interesting, even the ole great didn't pick up what I was putting down, I think next time I better try and word it differently! He did confirm what I was looking for. Good to see he still frequents this site!! Unfortunately no white hair here!

Hand Made vs Machine.
In 1964 I started a machinist career as an apprentice. 8 yrs later in 1972 I took a job at a new location & was employed as a ModelMaker. We built models for the space industry & I can tell you I pushed a file for a million miles or so. We used a method called straight-lining for making wings etc & used a series of templates filled in with epoxy to make a pattern which was then traced on a milling machine for fuselages etc. In or about 1975 I ran the first NC machine this company employed. Life became easier, models began to be built with greater precision & far faster.

"WHY" would anyone pick an item totally "Hand Made over precision.machining.

Vive La the American Machine made gun.

The devil in the details. Compare a Lyman Great Plains rifle to a Brant Selb made Hawken. I'm sure you would appreciate and pay for the difference. However, your point is well taken about the precision that is possible (though not always achieved) via machining. However, sometimes the hand crafting look and feel is desirable.

The debate 122 years ago

Jan. 2 1897 Sporting Life
Charles Grimm defeats Doc Carver in Chicago for the �Cast Iron Metal� using a 12-bore L.C. Smith gun, 7 3/4 pounds, 3 3/4 drams Schultze, 1 1/4 ounce No. 7 shot, in U.M.C. Trap shell.

Jan. 30 1897 Sporting Life
Letter from Carver re: J. �147� L. Winston, �The Wizard of the West�, St. Louis representing Austin Powder Co.
Dr. W. F. Carver wrote a funny letter in a Chicago journal last week, in which he states that Winston could not kill good birds because he had a cheap American machine made gun, and if �147� had used the same kind of imported gun that he did the matches would have been closer. Will Dr. W. F. Carver kindly explain why Charles Grimm, using the same kind of machine made gun (L.C. Smith) as Winston did, managed to kill 98 out of 100 live birds and take the �Cast Iron Medal� away from him? In this match Grimm used the American machine made L.C. Smith gun, while Carver used an imported gun that he advertises free when he gets a chance.
Now if Carver�s gun is so much better than Grimm�s why did he not kill more birds? or was it because the cashless (Carver used a Cashmore) gun was only good on hard, fast zig-zig screamers, and not adapted for soft easy duffer birds? The �Evil Spirit� had better think again.

For exactly the same set of reasons anyone would buy a painting instead a photo of exactly the same subject.

I am imagining "Best Work" guns hand made by Robot XYZ, Master Maker. Then what?

DDA

Well Yes, I, of course, realize all of that, BUT comparing an oil painting with a photograph is not truly comparing apples to oranges. My machine made guns are still made of steel/twist/damascus & walnut same as the hand made ones. Even my H grade Lefevers have "Imported" Walnut, not American Black Walnut.
My true point was that machine made guns served a very real purpose in providing more common people with the ability to procure a good, long lasting gun at a reasonable price which they could afford.
If my ancestors, for the most part, had to wait until they could buy a Purdey, Boss or H&H it is highly doubtful if they would have ever owned a shotgun.