like HF tools, they generally work; they just may not be as nice or suited for exactly what you want as something more custom. Of course, the same thing goes for a lot of "custom" shops that produce the exact same thing as everyone else... would you like an SMR, "trade gun/fusil de commerce" or "Hawken" with mass-cast Steel fittings or with Brass, mass-milled L&R or Chambers lock, Maple or fancier maple, poor sights or poor sights, thick straight octagonal or thick visibly swamped barrel, 40+ or 40+ length barrel? Lol.
Then again, Traditions imports most of their line as an entry point into the sport. The overwhelming majority of entry level Muzzleloaders (the people) don't really know what they want when they first get into it. Do you like "X" stock shape or is "Y", "Z", or "A" more your taste? what LOP do you prefer (after a few shots with one that it too long, short, or poorly shaped for shat you're doing, you figure out that you don't want that). What set-up or aesthetic do you like?
I've made my own guns for 8 years at this point, and I still have a Tradition's "PA Pellet" (granted, it became a project gun and no longer resembles the original form it was in, but the core of the gun is still what Tradition's imported back when I was 15).
There's no replacement for a custom gun (be it traditional ML, modern inline, primitive breechloader, or modern metallic breechloader), just like there's no replacement for top-tier tools... but then again, you don't have to spend custom prices to get something functional.
