Hello Krackow,
I think that the earliest stampings on firearms would have been carried out in England by the Government Arsenals which produced very large numbers of the same pattern rifles.
Certainly the Locks on the Enfield .577 Muzzle loader of the 1850's were stamped usually with a Crown the letters VR and the name Enfield and a year date. The very large numbers produced couldn't have been hand engraved. Stamping was the only way markings could be applied economically. It is also likely that earlier locks produced at the 'Tower' were die stamped, but I haven't examined that many
Ornamental engraving was I believe, more often applied using a roller die than stamping.
Sam Colt used roller dies to produce cylinder scenes on his revolvers as early as 1836 at his Patterson Factory in NJ. Roller dies were also used to put the makers name and address on the barrels. So mechanically applied patterns were not new.
The above is not tremendously informative but it does provide some pointers. I'm fairly certain that the fine engraving even on economically priced 19th and early 20th C weapons was mainly hand done as engravers were numerous and wages were poor.
Harry
Last edited by Harry Eales; 02/18/11 06:28 AM.
