I’ve been thinking about this lately, were older firearms really made with better craftsmanship and longevity or do today’s materials and machining actually win out?
Old guns were good back then but being able to swap parts is what counts. No old rifle can beat a new chassis system for being accurate and easy to upgrade.
I figure how long a gun lasts depends on how well you treat it more than when it was made because I've seen both old and new guns break down when they're not taken care of.