This really doesn't apply to me because nearly all of my guns are used; indeed, more than half the guns I own are more than twice my age. Many of the countries from which these guns originated no longer exist. In one or two cases, they ceased to exist, then reappeared on the international montage.
As a matter of fact, the only american new guns that I have ever bought are my Kel-Tec SU16CA and my three Entreprise FAL rifles. All are very nice and good, but when you put them next to, say, my Benelli M1 S90 or K31 Swiss or FN49 or SIG P228 (w.german), it becomes rapidly apparent that American guns do not have the fine craftsmanship that european guns can provide. Perhaps a $2000 Fulton FAL, $2000 Kimber, or $1600 Springfield Loaded might be able to, but if I were willing to pay that much I'd still get more quality for my money by buying european guns in the same price range!
The truth is, American guns (with the exception of the high-end M1A and the AR15 rifle) need to be a lot more finely made at a much lower cost.
Let me list the american guns I own that have been plagued with manufacturing defects or design flaws:
1. mini-14 580 series: accuracy quickly affected by heat, difficult to clean from breech, finish does not last, metal is reminescent of frying pans.
2. kel-tec su16ca: firing pin breaks easily, extractor is poorly grooved, extraction spring is weak, stovepipe jams MELT the upper receiver, PITA to reassemble gas tube into receiver, plastic magazine release is worn down quickly by aluminum magazine bodies.
3. ar-15 stag: rough machining on magazine well, takedown pins require a mallet to drive into place, buttpad is cheap plastic instead of steel or high quality rubber, trigger is hard with a rough break.
4. entreprise FAL: a good solid rifle overall but one rifle had to be returned because the parkerizing was so poor that rust began to form inside the bolt 2 hours after shooting. receiver is also on the heavy side; a lightened receiver is available but why should it cost several hunrded dollars more?
5. m1 carbine: no complaints, but then again this was built 70 years ago. metal also frying pan type but pinpoint accuracy out to 100 yards.
6. stevens 520: no complaints other than that dual action bars would have been nice. also made 70 years ago. workmanship top notch.
7. remington model 11: no complaints but this is a basically FN's browning auto-5. also 70+ years old.
so...
a pattern emerges? american guns 60 years ago - ruled the world. american guns today - play second fiddle to european guns.
but lets not disparage our american guns. after all, in europe they don't let their citizens play with their nice guns.
