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Quality Assurance?

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LilysDad View Drop Down
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    Posted: October 30 2015 at 11:51am
This may be a tough question to get an objective answer, but here goes. Were any of the LE factories know to make a better rifle? How about the worst? I'm talking quality control; maintaining design standards.
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Shamu View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 30 2015 at 12:06pm
Not really. All the factories worked to the same specs.
I think Savage & Long Branch made simplified versions, (the "*" models), but they were design changes that although they were IMO downgrades, were subject to the same level of quality. Some places, like Lithgow, didn't have access to things like old Walnut & so had to improvise with slightly less suited materials (like coachwood), but even under those limitations there were workarounds, like the screw in recoil pads for the Aussie woods, which gave them the same level of performance.

Surprisingly the new factories, like Fazakerly, which were mainly staffed with non gunsmiths, many from the West Indies, were able to use the expertise of a few key personnel to achieve the same level of quality as the long-established places with a background & tradition of gun making like BSA almost immediately!
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bear43 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 30 2015 at 12:13pm
In everything I have read and with words from several ex-armourers including Peter Laidler, it seems that they were all about the same. Even the No 4's made in the US and Canada seem to be no better than those made in England. Every factory that produced Enfield rifles were expected to make rifles to the same standards of gauging with the same standards of low and high tolerances. I think we all like to say some are better than others but I feel that it comes up because many of us have a preferred manufacturer. For example, someone may love Lithgow No 1's and say that nothing is better in fit and finish. Sure there are bad rifles out there but much of that is the abuse they have taken after being surplussed and used without any maintenance for decades.


Edit: Shamu posted while I was still typing LOL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote evanguy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 30 2015 at 12:15pm
Well lithgow, longbranch and savage wasnt being bombed as they made rifles....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bear43 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 30 2015 at 7:11pm
I am going to preface this by saying that I am not trying to be rude just to add some thoughts....

I have always thought the bombing bit was a bit overplayed. Don't get me wrong; Lithgow, Long Branch and Savage all produced fine rifles but in the end they were still measured to the same tolerances and standards already set. In that case they were simply average. Just because they didn't have the threat of air strikes didn't make the rifles better, it just meant the workers had more peace of mind. I feel the English factories should be applauded. During the war they churned out quality rifles in large numbers with the threat of air strikes. I feel that the stresses of good production under that threat is simply not recognized enough. That's just my thoughts anyway.
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Tony View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tony Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 30 2015 at 10:01pm
I was born and bred in Sheffield just after the war.I can still remember the bomb damage a small cottage just up the road from my grans was pock marked with bullets where the bombers had machine gunned the road, The steel works were making crankshafts for Merlin engines and drop forging barrels for naval guns it's amazing they still managed to turn out anything after the blitz.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Canuck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 30 2015 at 10:36pm
The human drive to survive no matter the odds against us. I salute those gun makers no matter where the arms were made!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote evanguy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 31 2015 at 4:12am
Bear43, youre correct they did do an impressive job while worring about air attacks.. good point made.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 31 2015 at 1:35pm
That was one reason for the "peddled Scheme" rifles.
Parts were made here & there & then trucked to other plants to be assembled.
There wasn't a single point source factory to be bombed.

Like Tony I grew up in Bristol, a west country major port city with an aircraft factory. Oh heck yes we got bombed, a lot. Even into the late 50's what Americans call a "Vacant Lot" the British called a "Bomb Site" even if it wasn't actually caused by a bomb.

A lot of war related manufacturing was shifted to the West Coast & the North of England simply because it let the RAF & the AA gunners beat on the Luftwaffe for longer.
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A square 10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 31 2015 at 8:13pm
well said bear , its a remarkable thing [and that word may not hold the significance it did then] that they were able to perform as well as they did - yes i think they set the standard and met them , the war did not offer much recourse to those in the action or outside of it - the suffering was spread over all , the admirable part is how well all stepped up and performed 
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