I have to agree that Boots Obermeyer barrels were and still are considered by many to be the best, along with many of his apprentices, if you will, Mark Chanlynn being one of them. I was sitting in Mark's shop a couple days ago and brought up the question about availability of the machinery needed to deep hole drill and cut rifle barrels. having known Mark for close to fifty years, and aware of the work he put into, first finding, moving and then fixing, and modifying to his satisfaction literally tons, and tons of machinery, I thought he might have an answer. Mark had told me about Boots having a very debilitating stroke, and as part of the answer to my question Mark said that he, boots, had salvaged and saved a great many tools of the trade that he never used, or had room to set up such. All of the equipment that Mark was aware of was WWII salvage, and that there was, at one time, a lot of it still in existence, which is how Mark acquired his. As time has passed he is sure much of it has been destroyed, and that the machinery is not being manufactured today, so little demand, and the cost prohibitive being the main reasons. This all pertaining to more or less mass producing barrels, although being aware of the work that Mark puts into a barrel, I would never affix the word mass to producing cut rifled barrels, his or anyone else who take pride in their effort. I guess that where I was going with this is that Pope, having only himself to provide for( that I am aware of ) was able to contribute all his time to making barrels, and large profit was not a concern. Great talent  very often is accompanied by a lack of business acumen or little concern for that aspect of their work, the work itself being the reward. Pope made wonderful barrels, and that is what he will always be remembered for. Others today, may one day, be remembered for their barrels and hopefully more.

Small world beltfed, at least the gun world.