Re: GAP vs. Surgeon
TRG is tough to beat, but when you get done buying accessories for it a custom is probably the same price depending on options. If you know exactly what you want, and are willing to wait and possibly pay for it, custom is the way to go.
Plus side of the TRG is it's available now several places, a custom you can figure a few months, and that's if most of the parts are ready to go. If they have trouble getting a part they need could be longer.
Oh and if you check into lead times, add 30% to whatever you are quoted. In my experience that's a good rule, because for whatever reason custom shops almost never get builds done on time. Usually because they are waiting on parts. So if you are quoted 3 months, expect 5. This is just the way it is, accept it. Don't call the builder every week to see what the status is, they hate it and it wastes their time. I usually call somewhere in the middle of the quoted time to see how things are going, and also at the time it was quoted to be done. Besides, you don't want the guy building your rifle pissed off at ya while he's doing it
If you end up with custom here are some recommendations for questions to be asked. If it seems they don't have time to talk to you or address your questions fully, then I'd find someone else. You don't want to deal with a smith that is unwilling to take the time to discuss your build. I realize it takes time away from their work but part of what you pay for is communication with the customer. Without good communication things go wrong a shop unwilling to do that isn't a top shop in my book.
First I like to know who is building my rifle, this is why I prefer to deal with smaller shops. The good ones are harder to find, but to me you get more personal service and you know who is doing the work. With a large shop with lots of guys you don't know who is doing the work, or how many guys are working on the rifle from start to finish. Is it the guy that they built their rep on, or is it the guy they hired 3 months ago and it's his second time chaimbering a customers rifle? Years of experience pay off, gunsmiths with more time under their belt who still have great reputations are worth the extra time and wait for the end product.
To me this is the difference between say wilson combat and Volkmann/Yost etc. With one you get a large shop with a lot of guys that build guns, you never talk to the guy doing the building, you get to pick your options, but in the end you have no control over who builds it, or how many different guys work on it before it's done. With the other you have one guy doing the work, who works with you from start to finish on what you want, and they make sure it runs perfect before it leaves. Cost is not that much different, wait time usually is.
Ask if you will be given chamber dimensions, and info on what reamer was used etc. If you are reloading these things can be important. Yes you can buy your own tools to measure them (and will probably want to) but many smiths include this info.
Ask if the rifle will be test fired, not only for function but for performance. In other words will the smith be test firing the rifle for grouping, and will those targets be included with the rifle. To me it's a CUSTOM gun, the maker should make SURE it functions AND performs before it leaves the shop. It takes more time, and may add cost to the build but you are assured of a performing product when it arrives.
Also ask what the rifle will be shipped back to you in. Many smiths use cheap cases to ship things back. I've had $3500 rifles shipped back to me in cases that I wouldn't ship a used 10/22 in. If they use that type of case for shipping ask if you can provide a pelican/storm case that is shipping worthy to them, or pay for them to provide one.
To me if a smith will not take the time to address your questions, and is not at least open to doing the things listed above, then he's probably not the shop you want. With the understanding that those things may add and probably will add extra cost and time to the build. Usually shops that won't do it say it takes too long and would add too much cost to their work. To me that's the whole point of having a custom build done.
Last build I had done went about 30% over the quoted time, I was never contacted once during the build process to verify anything, no chamber info was included, and it turns out the guy that built it had only been there a couple of months and it was returned in a $30 case. Wasn't too impressed with the process at all.
