wadedog
i once had a traditions Pen , flintier.
Not a bad rifle it fired ok after I fixed the issue with the touch hole by deepening the pan . The inletting was good and the finish nice .
My problem with the rifle was that the Roman comb just beat the heck out of my cheek bones every time I would shoot it leaving my face black and blue .
So I hung it on the wall and eventually gave it as a drawing prize for a fun riser we were having .
Not a bad rifle
As to custom guns and the differences.
I don’t think a lot of folks had guns specifically built for them . A vast amount I think would buy a used rifle that fit properly and was in suitable shape . But then most everything would have been some time of hand built rifle . Even the production trade rifles and trade guns would fall into this to some degree , even though they were build also on a standardization
As to fit
Yes you get a lot better fit with a custom style rifle .
See we live in a one size fits all age and that includes fitting of guns .
Most all production rifles are cut for a standard average pull of 14 inches .
For smaller rifles , they drop to 12 ½ or there about and that’s you choice .
They don’t alow for changes in body build , like neck length, and such .
Now some do but they are higher cost products and mostly found in tournament shooting circles .
As such what happens is folks say ; AHHH I want ,,,,,, a Mossberg, or Remington and they go down to the local store and ask to see one on the gun rack . They heft it , look down the barrel , yep the sights are there . but they don’t have any real idea what a proper fit is . So they base their purchase on looks , maybe weight, caliber , . Ill take it they say . Sometimes that rifle is the one they take home , other time the sales person says let me put it in a box for you . Then goes in the back and brings back out a new in the box rifle , never saying the one on the rack is a display piece .
With a custom rifle , you get the correct cast off , pull / draw and drop for your body . All the other niceties are just that , pure cosmetics . A simple rifle shoots just as good as a fancy one . Sometimes better if the rifle its being compared to is overly decorated in the wrong areas .
Basicly the comparision of custom to production rifles is Something very much like a set of gloves that fits you properly Vs the ones grandma would give you ,where the fingers were to long or they were to small . Sure they worked But .