I had to stop taking orders about 2 years ago and I am now just working on the back-log. So this is NOT a solicitation for any more, but I would add some to the discussion for the benefit of others. If readers disagree that's 100% ok because we spend our money on what we want when we want it.
My experience had been in restoration for museums in the late 60s and that led to doing custom work shortly thereafter. I have worked on and re-created the "classics" for a very long time as well as working on about every "fad gun" that has come along in the last 50 years.
I am of the opinion that rifles come in 2 basic "flavors". #1 is the "general purpose rifle" and the other is the "specialty rifle". The GP rifle is what most arms makers made for most sales for the last 200 years. The General Purpose Rifle is one that the owner uses for everything and it';s excellent for about 85% of all the things he uses it for, and the last 15% is a job it does, but not as well as something more specialized. Examples in the last 100-120 years would be the Mausers in 7X57 and 8X57 as well as the 6.5X55 and also the 1903 Springfield the Winchester m70 and the Remington M700 in 30-06, 270 or 308.
These rifles are excellent for the use of most shooting and OK for the long range use, small varmints, target use and fur bearers, but for the dedicated Prairie Dog shooter a 222 or a 223 is better because of lighter recoil and better economy. The dedicated long range target shooter can also use the GP rifles and do well, but he'll do a bit better with a heavy, long barreled rifle set up for prone shooting.
Coming back to the the focus of the OP, the reason some rifles are often views as "mistakes" in design is that either the smith or the customer 9or both) make a mistake in what they spec out for GP use by trying to convince themselves that the specialty rifle is "better" for GP use. It is in fact not better, and when you look at the single most important factor (which is the human holding the rifle) the Specialty rifle is not AS GOOD for most jobs that fall under General Purpose, and that my friends is going to be BY FAR the largest use of the rifle. That factor alone is the #1 reason for becoming slightly or largely dissatisfied.
Today the best thing a gunsmith can do for a customer is to coach them on what the real world is like and what the rifle should be set up to do. All the rage is "sniper rifles" today and even the military has gone overboard in "specing out" what are effectively target rifles instead of very accurate hunting rifles. As a former sniper myself, I can tell you all that a 3/4 MOA hunting rifle is FAR more welcome for sniping (let say 10.5 pounds ) than what they are giving the young guys today that shoot 1/4 MOA but are long and often weigh 16 to 17 pounds. I see the new trend swinging back and that good. The USMC is looking hard at ways to make the rifles lighter and I made the prediction that would happen at a symposium in AZ about 14 years ago when I told the folks at that "think tank" that the rifles were too long and too heavy and were counter productive to the mission statement of field sniping . A lot of gun companies poo-pooed me but EVERY SINGLE Army and Marine Sniper there told me (and them ) I was correct. So now we see the civilian market places being swayed to "need' sniper rifles and not one in 20 men can use it as well as they could a lighter hunting rifle.
That's just one example.
Another one we saw for about 10 years was the "cheese grater" hand guards on AR15s. Just one more example of folks drinking the cool aid. Some of these free float tubes have mounting point all over them, up to 144 on the hand guard and I have not met anyone yet that had a use for more then about 6 of them. But 'that's what the "commandos' use is what the buyers were told and they bought them my the tens of thousands. After they use them for a year or 2 I get LOTS of them coming to me that came to the same conclusion. Too big, to abrasive and 95% of the machining done to make them was wasted. The real world of target/varmint/hunting/speed shooting all favor a slimmer and quicker handling hand-guard.
There are MANY MANY other examples too.
So dissatisfaction is actuality driven by those pushing the market to sell "do-dads", and it spills over in the custom gun world too.
I agree with the OP in that LOTS of guns are made or modified to try to get something "better" and in many (if not most) cases the owners will find it was only benefiting the companies that sell the "do-dads".
The custom GP rifle is STILL and probably always will be the gun that retains its value the best and is the most loved by hunters and shooters over the longest period of time, simply because 85 to 95% of all our shooting needs are better covered by GP rifles then they are by specialty rifles.
It's been that way for 200 years.
It's not likely to change tomorrow.
For fu cks sake, I don't want a gunsmith to coach me on what I need or what he thinks I need. One of the reasons I love my gunsmith. He will do what I want and it's done right and in a timely manner. "No fuss no muss".
That makes sense for a lot of us rifle loonies who have owned umpteen rifles, tried just about every combination, and are familiar with the options available and how they will all come together. However, it is hard to keep mind that even on this forum many people don't have that experience and are wanting to have a custom built. I guess that is why they are here asking questions about it?
The one thing I neglected to mention in my over long dissertation is you can't expect to tell the gunsmith exactly what to build if you aren't on top of what you really want. This is more normal than not but a lot of guys take their pride into the smith's shop and don't have the sense to ask the smith his opinions on the areas where it would be helpful to fill in the blanks. If he is a good smith, he will be able to help you out in areas you are weak in, and fill in the areas where you know a bit, but not enough to get to the finishline just yet. If you find a good smith, it will be a collaborative effort. If you find one who is "not so good" it will be a struggle the whole way and ending up with your dream rifle will be serendipitous at best. If you have the money, hire the best with the reputation to match your needs, and wait until they hand you your new toy. I doubt you'll be disappointed, but it will cost you a good chunk. Just another way to get an education I guess....
Bob
