wait just a minute here... with an experienced custom builder of rifles and smooth bores, and let me emphasize the phrase "experienced custom builder" there shouldn't have been a problem, PERIOD. Maybe this is a bit of left over hemmoriodal aggravation from my own experiences with a builder who was uncaring, barely involved and definately of questional competence and yeah, I got what I paid for and I probably deserve a kick for lack of due dilligence, but bidness is bidness and a written contract, a handshake or a purchase interviews (or even just checking out the area code he's calling from) from a web site for a $ amount for a safe, workable anything should mean something and should not be license for excuses. We excuse too much of too darned many folks, if you ask me. If I were a custom builder of rifles or smooth bores, I would expect my customers to need ME to know about the difference in humidity between one part of the year and another and different parts of the country. They would be looking to ME, and I the builder, should be able to establish some procedures that I should be aware of based my pre-purchase interview with the potential customer. I just will never agree that especially a custom builder of anything should be excused from at least the attempt to fix all potential problems before they mature, then whooped up upon if he doesn't. I'm sorry, but presumably this rifle cost a fair bit, and the builder sounds like he just didn't do what could reasonably be expected of him. I say this, because in less than 24 hours, the problem was trouble-shot and fixed. He deserves to be "cranked on". You see, that's the difference between a custom builder and a volume production line builder. Maybe if this company had evolved to a production line where tolerances, fit and finish are a thing of the past, and customer service something that jerks laugh about in the break room, then for sure... excuse away and don't let me stand in your way, but if he or they bill themselves as custom, crank away... he/they deserve it.