Absolutely true, except very few "bad" guns got past inspectors back during the 1930's. There is a reason why.
During the Great Depression both Colt and Smith & Wesson came within a hair of going bankrupt. During the dark years they kept making guns they couldn’t sell, and them more parts for guns they couldn’t sell on top of that. By the late 1930’s they were running out of money, and the storerooms were filled almost full.
Why?
Because the alternative would have been to lay off they’re work force, and they knew that those workers would be irreplaceable.
Why?
Because the workers and floor inspectors were so good they could make perfect parts and guns – with next to no blueprints or drawings. Instead the parts were made and checked with special gauges. During World War Two the military services ask for a complete set of drawings for the Victory Model from S&W, and the 1903/08 Pocket Model from Colt. Neither could comply because a complete set didn’t exist. They had never been made. Same thing happened before and during World War One when Colt couldn’t come up with a complete set for the 1911 pistol. The Army finely gave up, and the government’s Springfield Armory made they’re own set.
Think about this again. Those workers were so skilled, well trained and experienced that they made some of the finest handguns the world has ever seen, and for the most part did it without blueprints. That couldn’t happen today.
So in each case, and at both companies the work force was an essential part of the production process.
There were no labor unions, yet it was not unusual to find several generations from the same family working at either plant. Many were hired as teens, and were still with the company when they reached their late 60’s and even 70’s – and a handful of instances, 80’s. With few exceptions, all of the workers that needed special skills went through an apprentice period, and promotions were based on personal responsibility, interest, basic skills and ambition, not on seniority. Also in both companies, all of the parts were made “in house” and not bought from vendors with questionable inspection or quality control procedures.
It was a system that produced some outstanding guns.
And it worked both ways. During the depression things were very tough, but the men and women that worked at these two factories still took home paychecks, no matter what.
In 1965, when the Wesson decedents that owned the company sold it to a larger corporation, Cynthia Wesson took her considerable share, and divided it among the employees as a “thank you” gesture. There was no prior announcement of the forthcoming gifts, and she pre-paid the taxes.
Yes, there were some lemons, but I find those pre-’65 revolvers to be very special when I think of the company – and people – that made them.
During the Great Depression both Colt and Smith & Wesson came within a hair of going bankrupt. During the dark years they kept making guns they couldn’t sell, and them more parts for guns they couldn’t sell on top of that. By the late 1930’s they were running out of money, and the storerooms were filled almost full.
Why?
Because the alternative would have been to lay off they’re work force, and they knew that those workers would be irreplaceable.
Why?
Because the workers and floor inspectors were so good they could make perfect parts and guns – with next to no blueprints or drawings. Instead the parts were made and checked with special gauges. During World War Two the military services ask for a complete set of drawings for the Victory Model from S&W, and the 1903/08 Pocket Model from Colt. Neither could comply because a complete set didn’t exist. They had never been made. Same thing happened before and during World War One when Colt couldn’t come up with a complete set for the 1911 pistol. The Army finely gave up, and the government’s Springfield Armory made they’re own set.
Think about this again. Those workers were so skilled, well trained and experienced that they made some of the finest handguns the world has ever seen, and for the most part did it without blueprints. That couldn’t happen today.
So in each case, and at both companies the work force was an essential part of the production process.
There were no labor unions, yet it was not unusual to find several generations from the same family working at either plant. Many were hired as teens, and were still with the company when they reached their late 60’s and even 70’s – and a handful of instances, 80’s. With few exceptions, all of the workers that needed special skills went through an apprentice period, and promotions were based on personal responsibility, interest, basic skills and ambition, not on seniority. Also in both companies, all of the parts were made “in house” and not bought from vendors with questionable inspection or quality control procedures.
It was a system that produced some outstanding guns.
And it worked both ways. During the depression things were very tough, but the men and women that worked at these two factories still took home paychecks, no matter what.
In 1965, when the Wesson decedents that owned the company sold it to a larger corporation, Cynthia Wesson took her considerable share, and divided it among the employees as a “thank you” gesture. There was no prior announcement of the forthcoming gifts, and she pre-paid the taxes.
Yes, there were some lemons, but I find those pre-’65 revolvers to be very special when I think of the company – and people – that made them.
