My take on the issue is that most hoops, rims, whatever are pretty standard in size. However lugs are varied in style and size but some degree, and drum thicknesses vary so that if you have the thickest drum shell with the thickest lug, or the thinest and the thinest, there would have to be some play, or splay, in the insert to accomodate all drums. If you have more than one snare measure the outside diameter of the shell on all of them and they will vary even on all 14 inch drums. Andy and other custom companies have the ability to make their shells, and hoops, and lugs all fit without splay, but this is not going to happen with the normal drum. Some drums are stained, some are wrapped and yet the manufacturers use the sam rims for all drums. With the loose lug inserts to account for this I see no problem other than looks.
Grunt my friend, I must disagree. Most majors use gaskets to make up for differences in external finishes, & I accept that it's unreasonable to expect bespoke lugs for each finish, but non of that explains splay in a metal shell snare drum. The custom companies have no greater degree of control than the big boys, in fact, quite the reverse. Most custom companies use off the shelf parts, & those are a one size fits all deal. Major companies have full control of every element & component, so there really is no excuse. How come some majors get it absolutely right, yet others don't? It's not an inherent manufacturing difficulty thing, it's just sloppiness, pure & simple.
A thick or thin shell should make no difference, as the outside diameter remains constant. It's the inside dimension that changes with thickness.
We're in a fairly unique position for a small manufacturer, we make our own hardware, so yes, we have control, but no more than any major maker. As I pointed out, tolerance control on spun parts is pretty good, so why should a manufacturer release some metal snares with excessive splay, yet others that are just fine, & all from the same model? I agree, lugs with inserts do have the flexibility to accommodate a degree of splay, but many of the snare drum examples we see are fitted with tube lugs, & they have no give in them whatsoever.
Lug splay doesn't bother me, & as I've already said, in most cases it makes little difference to performance, but attempts to justify it do get under my skin slightly, especially on a so called high end drum.