The truth of the matter is, this is speculation, Conventional Wisdom, as much as anything else. It is based on the conjecture that between, say, 1908 and 1930, science and technology advanced generally and greatly; that some of these advances would have naturally occurred in the technology of steel and metalworking; and that, perforce, any industry of steel manufacture (firearms, for example), would benefit thereby.
It is as easy to assert that this is unfounded guesswork as it is to assert the assumption, and with as much practicability. Neither assertion changes the fact, whatever that may be.
Your comment is a salutary reminder of the impropriety of unsubstantiated "conventional wisdom". I suspect that there is ample historical and technical research material available to determine the truth of the situation. As I am not currently in a position to do this and confirm or refute this speculation, I will refrain from repeating it.
--Dwight
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