Actually, ML's original statement explained well: "This [raw material] is negligible compared to the enormous number of hours of labor spent at the work-bench".
Obviously, full size gun or small miniature, no labor can be saved, equivalent of those 1180 steps were still needed, even if not exactly followed. "nothing saved" because the cost of raw material is almost nothing comparing with the cost of labor. Raw material in this context -- we are talking about 2 lb steel, not 2 lb gold.
Probably not news. Considering the production volume, fitting must be harder than original German work, there was no pile of parts could be chosen from, everything was single piece, so it's harder. That's not said, but implied in the PDF.
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