Bobinpa,
What are the chamberings of the two rifles in question? Is #1 a 300 wsm perhaps?
Reason I ask is I am not sure I have ever seen a wsm that was stamped “classic stainless” even though they are obviously catalogued as such.
All of the 5 and 6 digits that I have had have been stamped “classic stainless” with the exception of a 300 wsm which was in the same serial range as your #1. The other wsm chamberings came out the following year, were 7 digit .... and none stamped “classic stainless “ that I have seen.
That's interesting.... Yes, #1 is a 300 WSM. Number 2 is a 7 STW. Wonder why they didn't stamp the barrel as a classic? I also have a 270 WSM and a 7mm WSM..... Both from New Haven, stainless and CRF, but not marked Classic. They both have much later serial numbers, (7 digit).