I worked for one of the large drywall manufacturers for most of my adult career. We charged what the market would bear, sometimes we printed money and other times we laid people off and closed plants. I assume D McKay Brown was smart, so when he started he repaired others guns and when he felt strongly enough started building the RA gun under his name. Pretty sure he gradually raised prices in order to cover overhead and profit knowing with his staff he could only make about 20-30 guns a year. If orders poured in giving him a long backlog he probably raised prices until it leveled off at what he considered a adequate period, say 18 months.
I recall reading years ago that most of the workmen for Purdey's and their kind couldn't afford one of their own guns. If you are a small shop like Mckay Brown why would you not charge the most you can to maintain the business at a good level.
I have a friend with several Mckay Browns and admit a bias as I think they are as nice as any gun I have seen including Purdey's, Holland etc.
