Toby:
Good post.
To add:
I believe that the late Harold Scandrett, long-time machinist at AA Brown & Sons, was the last capable of producing dove-tailed barrels on a commercial basis to the exacting standards expected of modern best British gunmaking. When he died, this was a loss keenly felt in the trade. WW Greener, at that point reviving Damascus-barreled gun production, had used Harold for machining the dove-tails in their Damascus tubes. I'd have to check my notes at my office but I believe Pete Higgins, who filed-up most of Greener's new Damascus barrels, did it from then on but it proved to be a laborious relearning process. Caveat: Having thrown that out I'd better check my notes ;-)
