I ordered an ultra-light .338 in April, with delivery by the end of July. It arrived at the end of August looking like an apprentice's project. There was a large, sharp burr on one side of the rear reciever ring, left from recontouring. The crown of the muzzle brake looked like it was chamfered with a Dremmel Tool, the front sling stud was mounted off-center, the fore-end adjacent to the barrel channel was half as wide on one side as the other, and it wouldn't feed from the magazine. I sent it back the first week in September with assurances from MGA that it would be back in two weeks. It arrived today, two days after my elk hunt ended. The metal work has been cleaned up, but the muzzle break now looks like it was finished with a case neck chamfering tool that chattered. The stock has been recontoured so both sides of the barrel channel are of equal width, but there are a few shallow gouges that were not there before it went back. The scope now has a good scratch on the finish, and one of the windage screws on the rear mount has had the slot wallowed out. There are a few other details that I would not expect on a custom rifle costing nearly 3K. I wish I could tell you how it shoots after the adjustments, but the extra boxes of ammo, "for your trouble" weren't sent either. SHEESH! On the positive side, it balances very well, the paint and teflon are well done,and the trigger breaks nicely. I've read several good reports on these rifles, but I am not impressed. There, now I feel better.

I'd most certainly send it back and either demand a rifle that "fits" the price tag, or get a refund. I'd also demand the ammo and wouldn't hesitate to point out that they said they'd ship it to you.

In this business of custom rifles, you shouldn't hesitate to make demands of the smith when something goes wrong, and the honest and reputable ones wouldn't hesitate to make something right.

I had a 270 built with a Lilja bbl. The reamer nicked the inside of the chamber which wasn't discovered until I was breaking it in. This upset me because it told me the smith didn't do a chamber cast or fire it.

I sent it back with hopes that I'd receive it before one of my western hunts. I was told that I would be getting a Douglas bbl because he could get one of those quicker than a Lilja to meet my deadline.

No thank you. I quickly reminded him that a Lilja was ruined that I sent him and that is exactly what I expect to be on it when I receive it. I also expect the chamber mouth to be chamfered on the new bbl.

I did not get to take it out west on that hunt, but I did get a new Lilja bbl. I took that rifle to WY last month and dumped an antelope Doe with it at 234.