I too get a kick out of the keyboard experts who have not been using TC's since the late 60's, nor have owned a truck load of their barrels and frames over the last 40 years like some of us old dogs have. In all of that time and the over 200 barrels/frames I've owned, I only had to use TC service once on a frame that was sold new with a problem. It's funny how the Bergara boys always tout the loudest tunes though. I've said it before, there is a place for their barrels, but they have a long way and many years to go before they prove themselves like TC has.
As for the custom barrels, I jumped into them around the late 70's-early 80's because that's when I started shooting wildcats seriously. JD's 375JDJ was simply a must have when he came out with it (and I've had 4 of them), and then I met Fred Smith and the rest is history. While I do own more custom than factory barrels now days, its because I'm still wildcat stricken and just don't shoot the "regular" stuff much. All of the factory barrels I still have are great shooters, and don't get shot much only because they are not wildcats rather than because they are factory barrels.