[Ron Wood]

I have to tell you, I looked at my carbine and I can't tell for sure how the front sight ramp is made. I think it is silver soldered but it is so well done it is hard to tell. I know the Borchardt front sight ring is soldered on, but it too is so well done you can't see any evidence that it isn't machined integrally with the barrel. I laugh when I hear people say something couldn't have been done in the late 1800s or early 1900s because they "didn't have the capability or technology". From about 1850 to about 1918 was what I consider the "Golden Age" of gunmaking. The level of machining, fitting, finishing and craftsmanship reached a pinnacle that is rarely matched today except for a handful of artisans.

If you read Glenâ??s (trigger643) post, you will note that the barrel on the carbine he found was 0.75â? longer than a standard carbine. It sounds very much like what Randy Bessler describes for his carbine. That would indicate a barrel made from scratch to accommodate the threads for the silencer. Albertâ??s observation that the data accompanying Glenâ??s carbine could support a 1920s Pacific Arms fabrication is compelling. But regardless of whether it was made by DWM or a US firm, Randyâ??s carbine is a nifty item. Just one more â??out of the ordinaryâ? examples that makes the hobby interesting.