Armstrong and Dahlgren gun reputations

How should Armstrong guns be compared with Dahlgren guns?

Both were credible designs, but Armstrong had an especially strong incentive to ensure that guns supplied to the Royal Navy protected the firm's reputation.

Neither Armstrong nor Dahlgren designs are dismissed. Armstrong was an established gunmaker whose commercial standing depended heavily on Royal Navy confidence. A serious failure in weapons supplied to the fleet would have damaged the firm's position as a premier naval supplier. Gun quality was therefore an engineering question with direct procurement and reputation consequences.