As an inveterate do-it-yourselfer, I've done at least 2 dozen restocks of shotguns, a dozen of them SxS's (and a dozen rifles before that) in the last 30 years. In only 2 instances have I had a project approach 18 months total, from picking out the blank to shooting the finished gun. Those 2 required 18 months because on both occasions I had a well-known (ACGG member)stockmaker turn my blank and hand-fit the wood to metal. In both cases, he took exactly 12 months....to the week...as he promised. I regret that, because I think perhaps for the second one he waited until 2 weeks before the due date to get started. Bottom line, I got a rush job from a superb artisan who was also comitted to a delivery schedule; I wish he'd taken another 6 months.
Admittedly, I've done some of the work myself, from "most of it" to less than half. But from my experiences, I wouldn't hesitate to bet that I could get a complete custom re-do, sans engraving,...including a finished/checkered stock from a blank, reblacking and other barrel work and re-casing the action if desired...in a year or less. Seems to me the problem is that people commission their entire project to single 'smith. I never did that. One; I personally enjoyed taking a hand in my own projects, specifically finishing and checkering. Two; by acting as my own "general contractor", dealing with specialists, subbing out different jobs simultaneously, I enjoy the benefit of having different artisans doing the work and shorter turnaround times. If one guy stalled the project I could pull that job and hire another without a total work stoppage. I don't recall ever doing that.
I've never hired an engraver, but my last project was typical for me. It took me a couple of weeks to buy the blank I wanted...
It took me about a month to make my pattern and shoot it in, tweaking the dims over the course of a few hundred targets. I sent it to the stocker to duplicate it and hand fit the wood to the metal. I've done many from 95% inlets (never waited more than 6-8 weeks for one of those), but for a few in recent years I've hired pros.
It was returned to me ready for final sanding and finishing. This phase, whether ordering just a 95% inlet or a duplication and full hand-fit, has never taken more than 4 months. I spent a few weeks finishing it (anybody can do that themselves, or hire it out, surely for <8 weeks turnaround?)
In this case I inletted an ebony schnable before getting to the finishing.
I just finished the checkering...53 weeks from the day I shipped the gun & blank to the duplicator. That was without hurrying. There are many professional checkerers out there who would promise <8 wks turnaround. While I was checkering it, my favorite barrel 'smith was rust bluing the barrels (6 wks turnaround). I once scheduled a color case hardening job, 3 months out in a 2 week window, so it didn't interfere with my tournament schedule. I'll shoot clays with her on Wednesday.
