I have owned, and still have almost all of them, many factory rifles by just about every major manufacturer as well as quite a few custom rifles. It is painful to think about but I have thrown away a lot of money on some customs. The reason for those mistakes was in choosing a poor builder. I have some factory rifles that will consistently shoot 1/2 MOA and cost a fraction of a custom. It may have taken a little time at the reloading bench bench but for me this is some solid therapy.
The reason for a custom is I prefer to have every component just so. While I will not bash anyone who did a less than great job, which is what I expect when shelling out $3k+ for a rifle, I will always promote those that do good work. One thing about choosing a custom smith is finding someone within driving distance. Building a good relationship is important when spending that kind of money. My go-to builder is Accurate Ordnance. However, I have very good experience with Spartan Precision (CA), Short Action Customs (Ohio), and Ed Delorge (LA).
I have spent many years and a fortune on expensive builds. I have used several different actions, barrels, scopes, etc. Spending more does not always get you what you want. In the case of wasted $$$ I share my experiences so you don't have to suffer the same.
For me, planning a build is part of the fun. My last elk hunt was planned for 4 years and I took a lot of time poking over every aspect of it, including each part of the rifle. Although the shot took less than one second, I felt like it was a years long journey. Very rewarding.
