Cost In Man Hours

[Blue Grass]

Which costs more in labor to produce: a highend revolver like the S&W Model-27 or the Colt Python or top notch autos like a Colt Gold Cup or a SIG P226?If you could use CNC machines, would the relative hours required to manufacture these guns be more for autos,revolvers, or about the same.
Just Curious.
Thanks

 

[killoften]

I can't imagine a machine in this world that "operates" in such a unison as a well made high-end 1911... Of course IMHO an auto loader takes more time and effort or "man hours" than any other gun.

 

[brickeyee]

Revolver mechanisms are far more complicated, requiring a greater number of parts that must fit perfectly.

While an auto pistol has a trigger, sear, hammer, etc. A revolver has all those components AND must rotate and lock the cylinder in position.

 

[oneounceload]

Revolvers have always been more complicated to do WELL.

 

[drail]

Definitely revolvers. There are numerous books written about S&W and Colt with photos showing the custom tooling created mostly in house for the machining of the frames, cylinders and barrels. The finishing department alone at S&W had to custom form all of the rounded buffing wheels used to acheive the incredible polishing done on the old school revolvers. It took literally years to train a man to polish a S&W. Then there was all of the handfitting of internal action parts. These people were craftsman in the same sense as watchmakers.

 

[Buzzcook]

Double action revolvers needs lots of hand labor more. Single action not so much.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Man hours are dependant on the quality control process also. I agree with those that say a revolver would entail more man hours. But also, from company to company I would imagine the man hours vary for basically the same type of revolver.

If company x decided it wanted to focus more on production numbers, they would produce a certain amount of revolvers in a certain time frame. Company z decides it want more quality in their production, it will slow down the actual manufacture of the revolvers (or any other type of gun) to ensure parts are fitted correctly and meet all specs.

When I worked in a machine shop, we had one contract that would require every piece be spec'd exactly. With another contract, we were allowed a tolerance in the pieces we manufactured.
Even when the machines are set up originally with the exact specification, over time the table gets a little slop in it, the cutting tool may wear a little, etc...
Just a little info that most people do not consider.