Quote:
Originally posted by davidkachel
And if you're lucky enough to find one in near new condition, they're actually quite beautiful.
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This is quite true, as the standard of workmanship of the day was very high. My little .32 is a very well finished piece, very pleasing to look at, but the parts are too fragile for any substantial amount of use.
An American "Saturday Night Special" ca 1900 was most likely to "cheap out" on thickness of metal and other materials costs, and not on finish or other labor costs, since labor cost about nothing back then. (Belgian and Spanish guns were another matter) Today, the reverse is true. materials are cheap, labor expensive. Today we have injection molded plastics and massive investment castings to avoid expensive forging, machining and finishing.
H