Winchester Classic Laredo LRH 300 Win

martinakl

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Joined
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2,477
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SW IDAHO, 83713
(A couple questions for the Winchester experts at end).

I picked up the rifle in title today. Someone was selling some rifles from their uncles estate. Ad said pristine condition. They said they had the rifle in their possession for 12 years and never fired it. The uncle moved to Chicago many years ago and left his guns in Idaho. Based on the condition of the rifle, everything seems to add up. No wear except you can tell the bolt has been cycled some, but not much.

I brought the gun home and cleaned it up. Ran some patches through it. Zero copper found in the barrel. I only had to run 4 patches through it before they came out clean. Just a little gun powder residue. Very smooth bore.

I had one of these in 7mm STW a few years ago. It came with the BOSS. I never fired it. It seemed really cool at first but the barrel on the BOSS rifles are super short. About 23" plus the tunable BOSS system/brake. Luckily, I flipped it for a profit on gunbroker.

Here's some of what I know (think I know) about the rifles.

Build for 2-3 years in the late 90's
Made in: 7mm, 300 Win, 7mm STW
Pre 64 action design. "Classic" part
Made in the custom shop
Douglas barrels

My Questions for the Winchester Experts:
1) Does adding a muzzle brake affect value? (I'm not a rifle collector but maybe this is the start of a new hobby)

2) I'm wanting 20 MOA base(s). Single piece or two piece. What options? Update: That wasn't too hard. I found what I needed.

3) There's a spacer in the mag box. Is there an "extended" mag box option, without the spacer? Currently mag box is about 3.39". If I remember correctly, my 7mm STW had a larger mag box. I believe Winchester has/had a XL action. Just wondering for this offering, if they maybe used the same action for the three camberings (keep costs down).
Update: I ordered the longer, Winchester Mag Box. About $30 delivered, I'm going to try running it with the original spring and follower first.

4) Should I even shoot it? Maybe I should just hide it away for a while?
Update: I'm just going to shoot it.

5) skim bed or bed lug area?
Update: I'm going to skim bed the rifle (DIY). I've bedded multiple rifles, in the recoil lug area. I think I'm going to step up my game a little bit and do a complete action bedding.

I'll just keep the post going with my experiences. I'v had a heck of a time finding good, usable, info on these rifles. Maybe not that interesting but someone might come across one of these.
 
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Adding anything will decrease it's value.
You can remove the spacer in the mag box, or buy a 3.6" for the 375 length rifles.
I don't recall my boxes having a spacer, maybe I forget.

If you are keeping it, then bedding the recoil lug properly in those H S Precision stocks is worth the effort. They are a loose fit from the factory.
I have a couple of those stocks with SS Classic actions in them.

I saw those in the catalogue, but they were never offered here in Australia, even by special order.

I honestly don't see a lot of collector value in that rifle, as a fan of Model 70's it is something I would like to own, but I wouldn't pay more than what a second hand Model 70 NIB might be worth. The custom shop guns aren't really collector items. Sorry.:(

Cheers.
:)
 
Adding anything will decrease it's value.
You can remove the spacer in the mag box, or buy a 3.6" for the 375 length rifles.
I don't recall my boxes having a spacer, maybe I forget.

If you are keeping it, then bedding the recoil lug properly in those H S Precision stocks is worth the effort. They are a loose fit from the factory.
I have a couple of those stocks with SS Classic actions in them.

I saw those in the catalogue, but they were never offered here in Australia, even by special order.

I honestly don't see a lot of collector value in that rifle, as a fan of Model 70's it is something I would like to own, but I wouldn't pay more than what a second hand Model 70 NIB might be worth. The custom shop guns aren't really collector items. Sorry.:(

Cheers.
:)

Thank you. I'd much rather shoot it than anything. Nice to know I'm not going to kick myself for enjoying the rifle.

I just ordered the larger mag box, without the spacer. I'll give that a try before I get too worked up about having the action machined for the Wyatt's, 3.8" mag box. 3.6" should be enough.
 
I'm jealous. I've been shooting a sharpshooter 7mm Stw for about a decade now and love it. I keep think
(A couple questions for the Winchester experts at end).

I picked up the rifle in title today. Someone was selling some rifles from their uncles estate. Ad said pristine condition. They said they had the rifle in their possession for 12 years and never fired it. The uncle moved to Chicago many years ago and left his guns in Idaho. Based on the condition of the rifle, everything seems to add up. No wear except you can tell the bolt has been cycled some, but not much.

I brought the gun home and cleaned it up. Ran some patches through it. Zero copper found in the barrel. I only had to run 4 patches through it before they came out clean. Just a little gun powder residue. Very smooth bore.

I had one of these in 7mm STW a few years ago. It came with the BOSS. I never fired it. It seemed really cool at first but the barrel on the BOSS rifles are super short. About 23" plus the tunable BOSS system/brake. Luckily, I flipped it for a profit on gunbroker.

Here's some of what I know (think I know) about the rifles.

Build for 2-3 years in the late 90's
Made in: 7mm, 300 Win, 7mm STW
Pre 64 action design. "Classic" part
Made in the custom shop
Douglas barrels

My Questions for the Winchester Experts:
1) Does adding a muzzle brake affect value? (I'm not a rifle collector but maybe this is the start of a new hobby)

2) I'm wanting 20 MOA base(s). Single piece or two piece. What options? Update: That wasn't too hard. I found what I needed.

3) There's a spacer in the mag box. Is there an "extended" mag box option, without the spacer? Currently mag box is about 3.39". If I remember correctly, my 7mm STW had a larger mag box. I believe Winchester has/had a XL action. Just wondering for this offering, if they maybe used the same action for the three camberings (keep costs down). Update: I order the longer, Winchester Mag Box. About $30 delivered, I'm going to try running it with the original spring and follower first.

4) Should I even shoot it? Maybe I should just hide it away for a while? Update: I'm just going to shoot it.

5) skim bed or bed lug area? Update: I'm going to bed the recoil lug. DIY. I've bedded multiple rifles this way and it works great. I lost a little sleep for the first few I did but It's not a stressful now.

I'll just keep the post going with my experiences. I'v had a heck of a time finding good, usable, info on these rifles. Maybe not that interesting but someone might come across one of these.
I'm jealous. I've been shooting a Sharpshooter in 7mm STW for about a decade now and it's the most deadly, accurate, and reliable rifle I've ever owned.

I keep thinking I'll pick one of the 300's up at some point but I've never had the extra money laying around when I came across one.

Load data for any model 70 300wm should work fine for you for starting loads.

Enjoy the ride and if you get tired of it let me know.
 
I bought mine used 10 years ago and took 6 boxes of various manufactures and bullet weights to the range to see what it liked. It shot everything sub-minute. I had Senderos that could not get under a minute in 300WM. Needless to say it is my go-to WinMag. I don't mind a little extra weight of that Douglas barrel.
 
I'll answer the question I know. Spacers came in most models, unless you had the 375 H&H. It was spot welded in, for the "appropriate" length for that caliber and the appropriate follower. In one of mine, long ago, I drilled out the spacer welds so I would run longer bullets. If you do that, you should also get a longer follower. My understanding is you can get them from FN, as they own Winchester. If you try Winchester, they will be out of stock. Where did you get the magazine box? If they have the spacer, order it.


EDIT:
The 7STW, 300WBY, 375H&H and 416 Mag had the longer box/follower.

If you do change to the longer box, and follower, you might also need to change (shorten) the ejector.
 
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Love my Model 70's. Shoot it and don't worry about "collector's item" status. These days most pre-64's aren't even fetching the value they would have just a couple years ago.

Winchester's were made for shooting any how…
 
Thank you. I'd much rather shoot it than anything. Nice to know I'm not going to kick myself for enjoying the rifle.

I just ordered the larger mag box, without the spacer. I'll give that a try before I get too worked up about having the action machined for the Wyatt's, 3.8" mag box. 3.6" should be enough.
Load that thing up and let it eat!!
I wouldn't hesitate to set that rifle up and have her do what she was made for
 
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