Another attempt at defining a complex process, with a simple word or phrase, that spanned litereally hundreds of years (Beretta has been making guns with the aid of machines for what ... 500 years?)
Define "machine" first, then you can set about this task.
I think you will find that all guns as we know them, had machines in their manufacture. And all doubles as we know them, had hand fitting or assembly in their manufacture.
I think the attempt to define this coloquialism is futile. You are ultimately going to get down to drawing a line in the sand and say that all guns with this much hand work or more are "hand made" and those with less hand work are "machine made". IMO, the use of the term "hand made" is just a self-stroking euphemism.
Last edited by Chuck H; 02/10/12 05:53 PM.
