I think Dustin's argument has merit, and what he says makes a lot of sense. Patent law was pretty well established in England by Reilly's time, and any astute businessman with a fairly large factory would certainly have tried to protect his ideas and innovations. And especially one who engaged in patent infringements himself. I can find a lot of anecdotal evidence for the existence of Santa Claus. I may wish to believe it too. But that alone won't make it true.

Does that 600 to 650 guns per year, or 1000 guns per year include air guns and air canes that Reilly actually did claim to manufacture? And does it also include the various other long guns and revolvers that Reilly apparently either made, or had made under contract, which infringed upon other gunmaker's designs and patents? If air guns and counterfeits were built in house, would his facilities and employees have also been able to build, finish, and engrave 1000 shotguns and double rifles per year?

That business model sounds a lot like the Chinese manufacturers who counterfeit merchandise, and who steal the intellectual property of legitimate designers and manufacturers. It seems to be acknowledged that Reilly engaged in these types of illicit ventures. That wouldn't make him someone to look up to or admire. I think it would make him more of a scalawag.

A true sign of mental illness is any gun owner who would vote for an Anti-Gunner like Joe Biden.