I believe that making a custom rifle should be for enjoyment. It is too bad that you did not get what you wanted. I personally would have been furious.
Restoration of a gun (especially a high grade rifle or shotgun) is not so much a risk; however, it is unfortunate that making a custom firearm, rifle or shotgun, is like a teenager fixing up and old car. He pours a lot of money into it in wheels, paint, tires, stereo etc and when he grows up, he is lucky to get 50 cents on the dollar from another teenager.
I have been lucky enough to have benefited from someone who did the same with a 20ga superposed. Rust blued barrels, case harden frame, custom stock by Art's gun shop, engraving and gold inlays, w/ briley chokes. To duplicate I estimated at 8 to 10 grand. I bought it for under 4G's. And that was when the economy was good.
Again, I am sorry to hear that you never got the enjoyment you deserved.
Jerry Mele
PS If you are looking for someone who I think is pretty fair with his customers who consign guns to him, you might try Jerry Kito at Ivory Beads in Covina, CA.
