I thought some of you hardcore addicts might enjoy this rather obscure tour of the W&C Scott factory. The reason the first paragraph begins mentioning "American papers" is that almost all guns carrying the Scott name were exported. Though they supplied a huge number of guns to the English market those usually bore others names on them. Their largest account seems to have been Army & Navy.
Taken from "Belgravia, A London Magazine", Volume 18, 1872
A VISIT TO SCOTT'S GUN MANUFACTORY
We had frequently been struck, when looking over files of American papers, with the many allusions they made to the wonderful shooting powers of ' Scott's guns.' According to some of these accounts, 'No coon held himself safe within speaking distance of their sharp detonating crack,' &c. 'Gobblers,' as wild turkeys are called, 'upon viewing a sportsman armed with a Scott's breech-loader, instantly set to work to pluck each other, well knowing they had no chanceof escaping the spit;' while deer, duck, 'canvas-backs,' reed-birds, and hosts of minor feathered quarry, were perpetually being 'blown from Scott's guns,' like Sepoys in the Indian Mutiny. Nearly every American newspaper report of ' Hunting Club' matches chronicles, as a rule, the fact that numbers shoot with Scott's make.
Now being curious in all concerning sporting guns, our curiosity became excited as to who this celebrated maker could be. It is a well-known fact that Americans are not by any means partial to guns manufactured in their own country, and will always buy in preference an English gun. On this account, we were inclined to arrive at the inference that this gunmaker might possibly be Scott of Birmingham, in England.
Some little time since, having occasion to visit that large manufacturing town, it occurred to us that we might readily verify our suspicions, and at the same time gratify a long-pent-up wish to view a large gun-factory in full work, and see the rough wood and iron turned into the elegant and perfect gun. As it turned out, we were right in our conjecture; and we found that the 'gobbler-slaying,' 'coon-smashing,' and 'tarnation shooting-irons,' so popular in America, all emanate from the well-known firm of Messrs. W. and C. Scott and Son, whose manufactory is in Bagot-street, Lancaster-street, Birmingham. Having readily obtained permission from the proprietors, we enjoyed the rare sight of seeing 'how guns are made,' and hasten, while the knowledge is still fresh in our memory, to commit the process to paper, for the benefit of those who have not seen it.
The barrels are tubes made by welding strips of fine twisted Damascus iron together, in which state, fresh from the forge and the hammer, they are sent to the gunmaker.
On receiving the tube, it is examined by putting strong acid upon it, in order that the figure of the twist or welding may be made prominent, and any minute flaws seen at once; also to show that the welding is even or true. After this, it is subjected to hydraulic pressure with hot water, in order to see that the inside of the tube is as free from flaws as the outside. If not found perfect, the tube is returned to the forger, who replaces it with another for trial.
The tube is now placed in the hands of a clever workman to be straightened inside, a very delicate and scientific matter, and one which is only thoroughly learnt by many years of patient study. It is called 'shading,' and though the workman has nothing to guide him in making the tube true but his eyesight, he is able by long practice to detect the slightest crookedness either in a rifle or shot-gun barrel. After this, the tube is fixed on a lathe to be turned in places to gauges in order to make the outside of the tube true with the inside, and prevent the barrel being thick at one place and thin at another. It is then struck up with a striker or square kind of file, to bring it to the weight and size required.
The two tubes are now jointed or placed together to make the pair of barrels—they are put together with mathematical accuracy, for which purpose a very accurate level is used. A triangular groove is now made under and between the barrels at the breech end, the smallest end of the groove being that nearest to the muzzle of the barrels; into this is fitted the steel lump (for fastening the barrels to the action), and the barrels and lump are brazed together.
After the brazing, the barrels are cleansed and prepared for the top and bottom ribs, which are then fitted and soldered on. They are then plugged at the breech end and sent to a very severe first proof, and if marked perfect by the proof authorities, they are examined with a powerful glass, to see if the proof has thrown out any gray or flaw. If not quite perfect, they are then returned to the forger, and other tubes are given in their places. In this state —that is, partly struck up—the barrels are handed over to the actioner.
We have above described the manufacture of the shot-barrels, but rifle-barrels are made with, if possible, even more care, as the acme of a barrel-maker's art is to put a pair of rifle-barrels together perfectly parallel. They are at first made with a slight wedge between the noses of the two barrels, and made to make the bullets cross slightly; they are then shot from a rest, and if found to cross the wedge is withdrawn, bringing the noses of the barrels closer together, and making them consequently shoot closer, and cross less; the wedge is again and again withdrawn if necessary until the barrels shoot perfectly alike.
Ascending from the ground-floor, we come into the show-room. Here maybe seen a magnificent collection of highly-finished firearms, from the bijou saloon pistol to the heavy 'elephant exterminator.' Upon a closer examination, we find that all the barrels of these weapons are made of either Damascus-twist or laminated steel, the makers believing that it is necessary to the maintenance of their prestige to use only the lightest and strongest metal in the manufacture of this most important part of a gun. Here, too, are gorgeous weapons—' Durbar' presents for Indian rajahs, richly inlaid and gilt, upon which all that is picturesque and fantastic in the engraver's art has been lavished.
En passant, we learn something of the va.ious tastes which characterise different nations in their choice of sporting guns. English country gunmakers, whom Messrs. Scott supply in the wholesale way, invariably give orders for the best material and workmanship. The Russians are prone to carrying heavily - ornamented firearms; while our American cousins, like ourselves, prefer plain and serviceable weapons, but much stronger than those in vogue in this country for sporting purposes. As the lagoons and prairie swamps of America abound in wildfowl, it is necessary to use heavier charges, and consequently stronger weapons are required to withstand them; while at home a light gun is all that is required for the 'stubble' or the 'moor.'
Any of the popular breech-loaders which we have described in these pages can be had at Messrs. Scott's, who, like all gunmakers, can make any inventor's gun, by obtaining a license from him. A capital gun, an invention of Mr. William M. Scott, much struck our fancy, as it seems to embody features of strength and durability, which are notably absent in many breech-loaders thrust into the hands of the public by unscrupulous gun-sellers, both in England and America. The chief improvements in 'Scott's top-lever gun,' as compared with those in other weapons, lie in drilling the false breech in a nearly vertical line between the face and back to a point near the bottom of the breech, where the bolt traverses a line which is capable of being turned upon its vertical axis inserted in the aperture thus formed. Upon the lower end of this pin is formed a stud or projection, fitted to engage in a recess in the bolt, which travels in grooves on either side on the bottom face of the breech-action. To the head of this pin is connected the lever working over the strap of the false breech, which is turned from left to right; and by its connection through the pin with the locking bolt, the action of that bolt is coincident with, and consequent on, the motion of the lever. The position of the lever is convenient, and the formation and fitting of the parts very strong. Should the lever-spring break, the 'locking' can be effected equally well, which is an important feature in this improvement. The spring is to make the lever ' self-closing.' An objection has frequently been raised to the central-fire gun that, in the ordinary weapons sold, it cannot be seen whether the gun is loaded or not without'unlocking' it. Scott's Patent Indicator obviates this difficulty, and can he fitted to any breech; it can then be seen at a glance whether the gun has a cartridge in or not. Perhaps, however, the best of all improvements patented by this firm is their Adjustable Joint Hook. To the sportsman abroad this 'compensating lump' is invaluable, as it secures him against the joint getting loose without the means at hand to remedy it. The object of this invention is to preserve the close contact of the breech ends of the barrels against the break-off, when the barrels are shut down, notwithstanding the wear to which the joint is exposed. Messrs. Scott, in their top-lever central-fire gun, also embody the wellknown patent solid double bolt. In the show-room we also see plain Lefaucheux guns, adapted for either pin or central-fire cartridges; side lever 'snap-actions;' the Purdey open bow-guard, with lever fitting snugly in it. Messrs. Scott also showed us a new gun doing away with the nipple entirely, strong pistons, held in by a crosspin, taking its place. We saw this new principle applied to a strong 10-bore 'duck gun,' destined for the American market. Upon closing the gun after the cartridge is inserted, in order to prevent the 'strikers' coming in contact with it, by an ingenious arrangement the extractor pushes the 'strikers' out of the way, an improvement on 'strikers' attached to the hammers.
We also saw '450 double 'express' rifles, and -500 double 'express' rifles for tigers, deer, or other game, firing a 'shell' with a heavy charge; and the •120-bore 'miniature express' might also be seen in this veritable exhibition of firearms. 8-guage double and single rifles for African sport, which fire a 'shell,' the explosion of which inside a mammoth would make him appreciate his antediluvian existence. 12-bores for Indian tigers, too, are here, the accuracy and perfection of which may some day, in the hands of one of our military Shikarrees, do deadly work on the striped and prowling ' devil cat' of the jungle.
Since the instinct of our wild and savage ancestors, who hunted for their subsistence, is still so strong in us, by all means let us have the best weapons to effect our purposes; whether to fell the huge elephant in his tracks, or knock over the plump and demurely clad partridge in the stubble. Times, however, have changed. Many years ago it took a platoon of guards half a day's firing with their old 'Brown Besses' to make a poor elephant in Exeter Change 'drop tears mingled with gore, his knees shook, &c.'—sic writes the historian—' and finally obeying even in his agony the voice of his keeper, he knelt down close to the bars, when & final volley in ]iis ear put an end to his existence.' We should think so indeed; 'a final volley in his ear' ought to have been thought of—to make an Irish bull—at first, surely.
If ' the poor beetle, that we tread upon, in corporal sufferance feels a pang as great as when a giant dies,' the sufferings of this elephant must have equalled in intensity 'an army of giants.' But, as we said before, 'times have changed,' and we gladly turn from such a picture of brutality and clumsiness to the manly and selfpossessed figure of the Duke of Edinburgh standing alone beneath the burning sun of Africa, awaiting the charge of a furious elephant. On comes the Behemoth, making the ground shake beneath him; but nothing daunted, our royal sportsman raises his English breechloader, a slight puff, a tiny crack, and down falls the giant quarry, stone dead. So much for our advance in the science of manufacturing sporting rifles in England. Mais rcvenons a nos fttsib. Having sufficiently enjoyed the sight of Messrs. Scott's guns and rifles in their show-room, we proceed on our voyage of inspection round the factory part of the premises.
In the next department we enter, amidst the giddy whirr-r-r and distracting buzz-z-z of machinery, we see and have explained to us the delicate process of cutting breech-pieces and action-bearings from the best malleable Swedish iron. The hands are at work at automaton lathes making nipples and strikers; others turning levers and grinding with cutters at what is termed foreparts, drilling and slotting the hole in the solid action, which is made of the finest forged iron without a flaw. Next we come to the action-fitting department, where the breech mechanism is fitted to the barrels. This operation requires uncommon skill and dexterity, and a large staff of thirty or forty brawny-armed, clean-looking, honest English mechanics are engaged in fitting this, filing that part of the 'action,' and 'generally putting things destined to play upon each other's surfaces into smooth juxtaposition. This is the most difficult part of gun-making—to abolish friction. There is a separate workman to each part of the action, and these workmen work only at those parts. The actions are filed with care ; jointed, lever fitted, cross-pin fitted, and detonated for the nipples and strikers; after which the barrels are put into the action and go to a proof for the second time, this time with the action on. If perfect, both barrels and action are again marked.
The barrels and action are now ready for stocking. The stocks, of the best all-heart walnut, are kept for several years, every particle of moisture being driven out of them. They are weighed when sent in fresh from the grower, and are weighed every year in order to see how much less they are in weight than when first put away. Messrs. Scott tell us that they never use a stock until it shows perfect freedom from all moisture. The piles of wood we see stored are pieces of Italian, Tunisian, and English walnut all collected for this purpose—this is very expensive, sufficient to make a stock costing even in the 'rough' as much as thirty shillings. We should think that a fancy for a handsome stock could be easily gratified from the number of really fine close-grained stocks which we saw.
A hard close-grained stock is now picked out, and the stocker commences his work by letting the strap of the action into the wood. The stock is then roughly cut into shape with a draw knife. The lock plates are then let in, then the inside work of the locks is put on to the plates, and the locks are let in. The locks are smoked over an oil lamp, until they are covered with a thin coat of smokeblack, and fitted to their places; now wherever the wood wants cutting away a black mark is left; all these black marks are cut off with a small crooked chisel, and again the locks are fitted in to have the black marks cut away again and again, until the locks fit and bed everywhere.
We were next conducted to that part of the factory in which the action locks, triggers, and screws are polished, engraved, and case-hardened.
The action is polished by the application of wet emery upon a piece of some hard wood used with both hands in the manner of a file; it is afterwards burnished with a steel burnisher, which gives it a dazzling polish; it is now ready for the engraver. The whole of the inside small work of the locks, as well as the lock plates, has to be polished in the same manner as the action. The engraver now takes the action in hand; first he draws on the glittering iron the pattern of the tiny scroll which we so much admire, with his graver; this done, he takes another tool in hand, and begins to cut out the iron, and almost as quickly as we can write it, he has done the larger lines and commenced the smaller scrolls inside them. When the action has been engraved in this manner, it is shaded properly, and is ready for the case-hardening process. The parts to be hardened are placed in a stout iron pan, which is then filled up with bone dust. The parts are kept from touching one another by layers of the same; the pan is then put in the centre of a large, clear, bright fire for upwards of an hour. The pan is then emptied into a tub of water. This is termed case-hardening, and imparts the varied colours seen in the ironwork of a gun.
Up and down, and down and up again, we peregrinate through labyrinths of stairs and corridors, resounding with filing and hammering. Verily much walking is a weariness of the spirit, and our fidus Achates—a Jenner and Knewstub's 'Eunomia'—tells us we have spent two whole hours thirty minutes and twenty-five seconds in viewing the largest and most complete gun manufactory in Birmingham, and, for anything we know to the contrary, in the world. After bidding adieu to Messrs. W. and C. Scott and Son, and thanking them for their having shown us the whole of the process of manufacturing guns, we retrace our steps to the Great Western Hotel, pondering curiously as we go over the myriads of animals, birds, and possibly reptiles—not omitting a chance human being— which in the course of the next ten years will be relieved by means of Scott's famous guns of any farther trouble in escaping either the 'snares of the fowler,' or of leading at best 'a precarious existence' in the illimitable prairies and woods of the Far, Far West.
CADWALLADER WADDY
Last edited by Joe Wood; 10/12/12 04:40 PM.
