In Suhl there were the Kelbers, Kletts, Schillings(not sure if V.C. Shilling was included but he was a tube outlet) and I'm sure others. In Jupille, Belgium sometime in the late 1890s centered around the German influence, it had a monopoly on rolling Krupp steel tubes from Krupp bars and I have strong suspicions that these tubes permeated most, if not all of the gunmaking centres. But there are at least 2 exceptions to the bar stock rule: Joseph Whitworth & Heinrich Ehrhardt of Zella Sankt Blasii(with son-in-law Paul Heye evolved to Rheinmetall). Both had steel cavity patents that allowed the production of hollow cylindrical vessels. Whithworth's outlet pretty much was Purdey and Ehrhardt's was Suhl and Zella - Mehlis as far as can be ascertained.
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse
