Were older guns made better than modern ones?

[Alan]

I’ve been thinking about this lately, were older firearms really made with better craftsmanship and longevity or do today’s materials and machining actually win out?

 

[Haven]

Old guns have amazing craftsmanship and character, but new stuff and tech gives you way better results now.

 

[BearBio]

I had a H & R Trapdoor repro and bought an antique civil war era rear sight for $25.00. A machinist buddy looked at it and said it would cost upwards of $100.00 to make today (plus mark-up!)

 

[VancMike]

Old stuff had a lot of craftsmanship because it was needed. New processes and materials make that unnecessary.

My Uberti repro 1873 rifle is just as good looking as any ever made. Unlike the original, with modern materials, it handles .357 Mag pressures easily. That said, I do like my older K-frame revolvers. Their mechanisms and fine bluing are superior to many more recent production products.

 

[BearBio]

Likewise, I prefer the older Colt SA's and the older Pythons were much better quality than the new ones!