Forging

See that first 10 seconds of this video?  That guy is making the blank for an M1 receiver.  That big trip hammer is pounding the molten metal into dies to get the right sizing.  The receiver will be machined after this step.

You see how labor intensive that is?  Can you get a robut to hold the pole in the right place?  Maybe.  But it might be cheaper to carve it out of barstock or get the piece to the closer-enough phase with baking MIM powder.

But it won't align the molecules of iron like forging with a big ol drop hammer does.  Maybe you don't need it that strong, to tell the truth.  I sure do like the old ways.  But, man, it's expensive keeping skill labor around.

And look at the window behind some of these workers!  You can open them!  And single pane in Massachusetts.