Astute Observation. And not only that, but mechanics were trying to protect their novel ideas and everyone was in a >>Rat Race<< to develope & market the Best Sporting Weapons Platform. Almost all didn't want to pony up an APUN(Royalties) to any British Maker like Anson & Deeley or H&H. The mechanics wanted to wait until the Patent Protection Period had passed and then copy & modify it to their whims, all the time trying to convince their client & end user that they had the „Best Mouse Trap“. So many times the author of the novel idea would try to file for Patent Protection in the Countries where the end users were most likely to reside. Like anything else, as you well know, copying a novel idea & having it made as cheaply as possible by say the Belgian Mechanics padded their Bottom Dollar. Just basic competition. Jaeger's Herold and Gustav Kersten's bulky design are two fine examples and they were related of course.
Hochachtungsvoll,
Raimey
rse
