I spent nearly ten years on my .375 Weatherby. But the first gunsmith was incompetent....the second one died (he was 300 miles away from me) and nobody contacted me. I nearly lost the entire project. He was the patriarch of his entire clan, and supported at least three households. When he died, his wife lost it and fled hundreds of miles away to live with relatives. One daughter headed for the hills. The other daughter was local, but almost impossible to contact. Finally, I got in my car and just drove down, 300 miles to their house. By chance, a neighbor came by and saw me standing there. I told her who I was, and what I was after. She called the wife, who was crying when I spoke to her because it pained her so much (I felt like a real heel...but I just wanted my custom project back....). She put me in touch with the one daughter who was local, who sent her friend over to help me. I described what I had, the girl went inside, and actually found it. Had my Enfield action that Douglas had worked on, teh 30" Douglas barrel, the MPI stocks Hannibal stock, and a box of parts I'd bought. I felt really bad for them, but also felt lucky to get it back. Took it to the third 'smith and he spent about a year and a half, but I finally got it, and it's awesome. I'll probably take just one gun to Africa before my .458 Lott is done (the third 'smith has most of the parts...I'll take the rest to him soon....). Like a fine wine...these things take time. Would have been much easier to just buy a Model 70 Safari in .375 H&H. But, I love my Enfield and it literally has my initials engraved on the floor plate. Stock sized for me.
On edit, I forgot to mention....the gent didn't keep good records and they'd returned several hundred projects to their owners. They'd then run ads in the local papers for three months saying they were going to sell off the unclaimed remains. But since I was so far away, I didn't hear about it. I did get lucky....
I'd like to just order a Heym 89B, but it won't be this year...
