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?

 

[Sudsy]

Yes and no. The Golden Rule - "You get what you pay for" has always been in effect

In the 1940's you had the Browning Superposed and the Stevens 240 - lots of Superposed still on the ranges, not so many of the Stevens
Today the same comparison can be made between the Citori and most of the Turkish imports
I'd rather have a Superposed then any of the Turkish guns
I'd rather have a Turkish gun over the Stevens

 

[rfd]

IMHO and for the most part .... absolutely yes.

 

[Alan]

Yes and no. The Golden Rule - "You get what you pay for" has always been in effect

In the 1940's you had the Browning Superposed and the Stevens 240 - lots of Superposed still on the ranges, not so many of the Stevens
Today the same comparison can be made between the Citori and most of the Turkish imports
I'd rather have a Superposed then any of the Turkish guns
I'd rather have a Turkish gun over the Stevens

That’s a great way to frame it. Quality tiers definitely existed then and now. Your Superposed vs. Stevens comparison really highlights how craftsmanship always separated the pack

 

[Alan]

IMHO and for the most part .... absolutely yes.

I get where you’re coming from. Many older guns really do show remarkable hand-fitting and durability, especially compared to some of today’s mass-produced options.

 

[rfd]

There are exceptions with the modern long guns, no question. Some of the older brands that we revered back in the '50s and '60s have sordid track records these dayze, unfortunately, and with any firearm mail order via Internet vendors there will almost always be a gamble of sorts in what they're sending out.

Firearm specialty brands such as those offering late 19th century rifles (Shiloh Sharps, C.Sharps, CPA, etc) are exceptions, as can be any custom assembled gun.

The saving grace for me personally are the traditional sidelock muzzleloader kits from Jim Kibler. Pure Perfection Personified.