I totally side with your opinions on this issue,Dave.How much did Ford save on the Firestone tire deal and I'm sure that all started as a rumor too.It's a shame that it's not a standard procedure for all manufacturers to pay for proof testing. Withthe amount of controversy surrounding this issue I'd think they'd have bitten that bullet by now with the hope of dispelling any rumors...as long as nobody's profit is affected I guess it would be business as usual for these companies.I have to wonder:how much profit is to be made in a 150 dollar gun? How much more would it cost for proof testing, really? I can't see, other than maximizing profit, why this isn't done across the board. On a high volume basis, how much more would it be to manufacture barrels of the same quality and strength as a magnum centerfire rifle? I'm not trying to sound pretentious but I believe if you can't afford to do something right, you can't afford to do it!
Who would spend 40 bucks on 1 snap on wrench when a 4 dollar cheapie would get the job done? A mechanic who gets tired of splitting knuckles to the bone, that's who.